D72 - L6 - Tracy an 80's Rocker?

Had a little peek at the bonus arms for the second installment of Continuity (disks 4 thru 6) and OMG Tracy has never looked cooler. Her hair is ultra straight and long (extensions??) and she's dressed all "Jennifer Beals Flash Dance-esque" while completing most of the arm workout seated on a chair. Holy flashback Batman.

It took me back and the further back I looked, the more I found things that may have inspired Tracy's current 'look'. It's no secret that reader/tammer extraordinaire, Victoria and I have joked on more than one occasion that our Guru could use a fitness fashion stylist, but girls I gotta tell you - I think TA may be a reincarnation of Elizabeth Daily. Who's that you ask? Get a load of this blast from the past. 



 
Didn't we see Tracy wearing an outfit like this on the forum? Think we did...

You gotta admit that there's an uncanny resemblance, no? Just picture it in silver. Maybe that's why we love her so much, she takes us back to our 80's roots without making us feel dirty.

xo
Shan

D71 - First day Level 6 - Continuity.

Off the top I have some business to take care of - There is a new reader who's just begun her journey starting with the 30 Day Method. She's requested a food sponsor and the lovely and awesome Jules responded -

lmapiscesscg, my email is jrossi1106@yahoo.com

So please get in touch with Jules and the two of you can support one another. Thanks Jules and good luck ladies!


Now, let's talk Continuity!


Reader Nancy P was wondering about ordering Continuity and the best way to do that. You have a couple of options. You can have a monthly delivery in which each month a new DVD is sent to you containing three Muscular structure workouts that you do for ten days each. Alternatively you can order three DVD's at a time. In that case, you'll get three months worth of workouts (9 Muscular Structure workouts) shipped to you every three months.


I chose the latter for a number of reasons. Number one because I am cheap, ahem, I'm a frugalista. When Tracy's people ship to Canada, they charge for shipping so better to be charged once every three months rather than incurring that fee each month. Second, when ordering three DVD's at once, they send you a bonus DVD which includes new Cardio (yeah!! not) and 9 new bonus arm workouts. That's right people, nine! See number one - I am cheap. I like free stuff. Plus, by having a shipment come every three months there is less packaging and you lower your carbon footprint by having the big postal truck bring your stuff once instead of three separate times - so I am also an environmentalista. 


So who wants to talk about level six? I watched it. I timed it. I thought, piece of cake! Am I really so naive? I mean level six even comes with a warning and still I thought, no sweat, I got this. The Italians have a word for people like me, it's "Idiota"!


Here's what the Muffin Top Slayer, the Spare Tire Slasher, the Waist Whittler herself has to say:


In level six I'm going to challenge you in a different way. (the operative word being challenge.) You might not feel what I'm going after until the very end of the sequence and maybe not even until the next day. (gulp)
This sequence now gets into targeting and zoning in to where your problem areas really stem from. Make sure that you scale up to doing all of your reps as soon as possible.

Now you have to understand that as I'm watching the sequence play out, I'm counting the reps. She does 20 of each leg movement. 20. Not 30 or 40 or 60. I can do 20. Heck I can do 25. I'm thinking I might need to do this workout twice now since it times in at 24.5 minutes. It's a little shortie.

Now I know what Tracy's thinking. She's thinkin': Oh Shannon Shannon Shannon, foolish foolish girl. Don't you recognize when I am trying to lull you into a false sense of security? Haven't you realized that I own your ass? Do you really believe that I am going to let you off the hook now? One level six? 71 days into your Continuity? Are you a total moron? Okay, maybe she wouldn't say that last bit but you get the idea.

Lordissa - I did that workout alright. There's something you should know. When you have been doing the same arm sequence for the better part of a month, then she throws you a curve ball, you are going to feel the burn and I am not just talking about any burn, I'm talking about a conflagration here people! An Inferno. A burning like you haven't felt since the first time you tried the damned Method by Tracy Anderson. You want to talk about legs? Forget about it.

I thought my hip flexers were going to snap. I was hurting in places I'd forgotten I had. Anyone who's been complaining that Continuity is "too easy" - to them I say... words that should not be in print when my great aunt is reading my blog. Suffice it to say I think they're either crazy or super human, because she kicked my butt on this level.

And speaking of Continuity coming every three months, I got my next installment last week, so being the sucker for punishment that I am, guess what I did? If you guessed New Cardio - you deserve a prize because you'd be right! Yep, I did the new cardio.

But before I get to that, here's a little background. No secret, I hate cardio. When I initially got the bonus disk with my first shipment, I did the cardio twice. I liked her outfit, but hated the workout. So I shoved it back onto my growing pile of TA DVD's where it was never to be seen or heard from again. It went missing and along with it, all my bonus arms. I was bummed (about the arms, not at all about the cardio if I'm being honest).


So I thought rather than letting that happen again, I was going to have a look at all this stuff. Which is exactly what I did last night. I put the DVD into the computer in my office so I wouldn't be tempted to get up and start dancing. (that was an attempt at humor, it would never happen). And here's the funny thing. I realized that my pint sized guru really loves to dance. I don't think she's all that crazy about mat work. I mean to tell you she never smiles during the mat workouts - she is ultra serious - like Arnold "I'll be back" serious. But during cardio, the girl can't help herself she's all freakin' smiles. What is she trying to do? Taunt me? Be-otch. I don't think we can ever be friends.


But the more I watched, the more I picked up a few little moves from her other cardio DVDs. Moves I actually don't mind. I wouldn't go so far as to say I like them, but I can get jiggy with it, know what I mean? But the music. No no no! Since February of last year I have been working out every day with this and I blew a gasket. I might try to do this workout but there is no way! No way that I am doing it to that music. I'd have to slash up at the end of it if I had to listen to it one more time. Something had to be done. I spent over an hour picking and choosing just the right music with the perfect timing - and I did it. And just to 'be Shannon' I kept my mix to 20 minutes. So there!


Now with my 25 minute transform workout for level six and my 20 minute cardio - I got me the perfect 45 minute workout. But just because I did it today and didn't totally hate it does not mean that I am going to start liking it and be doing it every day so back off!


On a final note - today was my least fave day of the month - weigh-in and measurement day. Didn't lose a pound. I guess my weight with the extra four pounds is like my new black or something. I seem to be holding steady so may as well learn to live with it.


But here's something curious... my measurements all pretty much stayed the same, waist, hips, thighs and arms - but... my lower belly, you know the muffin top? Guess what guess what guess what!!!! Lost .75 of an inch. Yeah baby. Didn't I tell you level five was "waist not". Maybe level five can't take all the credit, perhaps the other Tracey the actual waist whittler played some role in this triumph. Whatever it was, I'm grateful and will continue to incorporate both into my daily routine.


And look - we didn't even talk about food once today! Yeah.
xo
Shan

D70 - Last day L5 - Continuity

Well it's taken a little longer than it should have but I've checked off the last workout for level 5 this morning. Good thing too because I was getting really tired of doing that arm sequence. Looking at my calendar I can see that I have been doing the same arm workout since August 2nd. Yikes. If you missed earlier posts, the arm sequence for levels four and five on Abcentric Continuity are the same.


There's been a lot of talk recently about diet, and food, and watching what we eat. When I started the Method and then Metamorphosis, the Meta diet was a hot topic on the forum. Some were all in favor of it with their tough love approach, others totally against it saying it was way too strict or lean, some took my approach which was to adapt it to my own needs. But once it was all over - I couldn't go back to it. 


Since starting Continuity 70 days ago, my entire focus has seemed to become about diet. How I'd gained four pounds and they turned into 7 and I could neither shake them off nor get my eating under control until I found my sponsors. I did manage to shed those three additional pounds but that last stubborn four refuses to budge. I was becoming obsessed. I don't like that.


I don't want another detox, because you know me, I'll do a heavy duty pre-tox prior to that and I want to get away from that rotten habit. I don't want to have another author tell me that I need this for breakfast or that for lunch - to avoid this or have double of that or only eat one thing for a week. No! No more. It's insane and it's gone on long enough. When did I become so preoccupied? So utterly mad? Perhaps I've had this tendency all along and this precisely measured way of eating on Meta brought it to the forefront. I don't know but I certainly don't want to play anymore.


I remember a year ago April when I first brought home the Kind Diet. I took Alica's four week challenge to eat Vegan and I felt better. I was eating granola and peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Bread was on the 'allowed' list again as were pasta, rice and beans. I mean when did it become a sin to eat bread? I'm reading Naturally Thin and Bethenny states a fact that hit me on the head like a lead hammer. Listen to this people it could change your life!


No food is fattening, in a small quantity.


Weight Watchers knows this - they allow you to eat everything. Just not all at once. The trouble is, I was used to eating everything all the time in huge amounts. I began to wonder over the weekend; where did this habit of eating every meal like it was my last come from? Why do I feel like I have got to eat the last damned cookie in the bag right now after I've just polished off the previous 23? I have never gone without. I have never literally been starving. So where does this come from? It's the pre-tox before the detox mentality and I want to give it up. To surrender it to the powers that be and just walk away from it. 

I wish to be free to know that I can have whatever I want whenever I want and that it doesn't have to be all right now. 


Something rather curious happened to me over the weekend. 'He who shall not be named' and I had a garage sale on Sunday. We made out like bandits! It wasn't painfully hideous or horrible. We met some nice people, a few wing nuts who are always good for a laugh (or a cringe) and caught up with some neighbors. When it was all through, we counted our loot and decided we deserved take-out. We took the dog for a walk and a swim while deciding what to eat. Having that extra time let us carefully consider all the options and we decided on vegetarian Sushi. It's healthy, it's fun and we don't have to do dishes. There were other options like Mexican (there's a new restaurant in town), and Indian (a personal fave) or Subway because it's super fast and filling but do we really want all that bread? No, bread is not the enemy but even a half sub is like eating an entire loaf, no one needs that much. Sushi was the right choice.


So we ordered our meal and while we waited we took a walk down the street to pick up drinks. We had the dog, so naturally I waited outside with him while my Husbie when in. As we waited, the powerful scent of Indian food wafted past and filled my nose. I began to think of Bethanny and her rules - one of which is to taste everything but eat nothing - which translates into having a bite of this or that, but not eating a full meal of any one thing. I considered the possibility of chana masala, or a samosa perhaps, maybe just a little nibble of a pakora. But I know myself too well. I had a full Japanese dinner on the way. Why spoil it? Why not save Indian for another day? Then I began to pout like a spoiled child.


That sucks. I wanted both. But hang on a minute. I asked myself, what's my favorite thing about Indian food? Wasn't it possible that it might be the fragrant aroma the food produces while being cooked? And could I not still enjoy that? I inhaled tentatively, then more deeply a second time. I did enjoy that and could savor it all without having to step foot into the restaurant or even once bring the food to my lips. In the end, we headed back to the Japanese restaurant where we picked up our Sushi and headed home for a great meal. I didn't overeat and I felt satisfied. It was a small victory.


Finally getting to the last day of level five was also a victory. I've been quite the slacker on this level.


So tomorrow's a fresh new day, new level and weigh-in and measurement day. It will be interesting to see if eating moderately and doing the waist-whittler along with my Continuity will offer up any change. At this point I am starting to believe that my body has found its own comfortable weight and I just may have to learn to live with these four little pounds and find a way to love them. What the hell? At least they aren't the full 18 I started out with right?

I'd love to know what those of you who are not following the Meta diet are up to? How are you finding balance? And those who've gone on to Continuity? How are you wading through all the options? 


Cheers,
Shan

D68 - L5 - Continuity

Oh ladies, this ain't gonna be pretty. Lemme apologize in advance and let you know there will be curse words, there might be some pity and there will be a whole lotta drama. To quote my favorite author Christopher Moore; "Fuck Socks!" It's been a bad one.

I'm just coming off of a huge fried breakfast and I haven't worked out in three days. That's not the worst of it. Settle in and get comfy, have I got a tale to tell.

Yesterday was very likely the worst day I have had since coming to this West Coast Island four years ago. No, I take that back, it isn't likely, it simply was the worst day I've had. And it gives a few other shitty days in my life a real run for their money. Now I cannot go into specifics exactly, I've got an obligation to protect the innocent (if there are such people in a day like it was) but I will say this, my husband got the full unabridged version of it and he was riveted. Halfway through my telling of the events as they unfolded, he looked at me wide-eyed and said "Babe! This is better than reality TV." Oh that is so not a compliment. I am supposed to write the drama not bloody live it.


So here's the glossed-over version of what happened. During the fourteenth hour of my shift at work yesterday (you read that correctly - I said 14th) my Pilot discovered an error I'd made and turned ghostly pale followed quickly by a deep crimson - the color of dread - when he then realized that my mistake suddenly became his mistake. Together we'd generated the perfect storm, the colossal fuck-up. This was an error that, in its very worst case scenario, might have cost lives. But in its present reality was very possibly going to cost us both our jobs.

You should know ahead of time that he is pretty much the nicest person on the planet. Just married to a beautiful girl and about to take a lovely holiday next week. His life was great, until last night!!! And through it all, he never lost his cool. That's a real pilot if I've ever seen one.

Not really convinced about the right course of action, (I should have called my co-worker Bex who sees all and knows all and yet remains calm anyway) instead I picked up the phone and made the dreaded call to... THE BOSS. Again, I want to preface this by saying she'd already deafened me by screaming at me just hours earlier. But I had to walk the plank - what else could I do? Don't answer that. To her credit, she was so furious with the two of us that she put the phone down. (in other words she hung up on me). When she called back a few minutes later she was still screaming but it was more her normal (I want to kick your stupid ass) tone as opposed to the escalated (I am going to rip your head off and end your life) tone. 

We caught the mistake, we took responsibility for the mistake and we'd rectified the mistake. Sure, we could have fixed the problem between the two of us and maybe no one would have been the wiser... or maybe I just needed an excuse to pig out. It was Friday after all. Seriously though, when it was all said and done, she didn't fire us, but we're hanging on to our jobs by a thread and she will likely have a field day with this for the foreseeable future, but we all came out if it alive.


As the sun was setting, I climbed into my car and it was my plan to drive straight to the super market and have anything and everything I wanted. Funny thing though, I didn't want food. I really have been trying to be good and I didn't want to let my sponsors down (yeah sorry about the fried breakfast today girls). I decided what I'd really wanted was a drink! Yeah. I'd get drunk.


One problem. I don't actually drink. I have the very occasional glass of wine, maybe three or four times a year and there was that glass of champagne in July, but I just turned 40 for goodness sake. What the hell was I going to drink? What do people drink when they've had a rotten day? Lordissa, not more decisions to make! As I drove, I mentally ran through the list of beverages that the great writers were known for being partial too. Things like bourbon, whiskey, scotch... bleck. Tequila. Double bleck and hang-over in a bottle for sure. Then it hit me. I'd have a beer. Yes, a beer. Wasn't that what my beloved would have after a really hard day? Couldn't I remember my tired father having one at the end of the week when I was a child. It was Friday I'd reminded myself.


To paint the correct picture for you, you should know this little detail. I don't like beer. 1998 was the last time I went to a pub and actually ordered one. It was that bad that I remember the year.  Since then, there has only been one other - and that one I downed after a particularly nasty incident with a coke-addict who happened to be my boss. Yes I know how to pick em. Some girls pick bad men, me? I choose sketchy employment. I blame it on being the starving artist.


So it was settled, as I pulled up in front of the liquor store I knew what I was going in for. Beer. Um... anyone have any idea how many different options you have? Good Lord! What to get? What to get? Shit day, end of the week, need a drink - how the hell did I get to forty and not have more experience with this sort of thing? And then I saw them. Gloriously shining golden bottles with a label I recognized. Corona. I've been to Mexico people, all hope was not lost. I could do this. And then I had a eureka moment (been having a few of those lately). There was a special box in the walk in cooler - a tiny little box that said Coronita on the side. OMG - Girls they've mini-sized beer! Woo Whoo! I took that as a sign from the Creator Herself. Suddenly there was a spring in my step. You must remember I'd been up for nearly 20 hours at this point and hadn't eaten.


I walked through the door of my house to find my beloved listening to quiet music and doing a beautiful yoga practice. Did I really want to interrupt with all my baggage from the day? Yes! I did. I'm not big. I wanted a pity party - so I gave him the option. He could finish up or he could stop - either way I'd be outside on the deck with my beer! He smiled. Then he saw the beer. He knew it was serious. The man quickly closed the gap between us and wrapped me in a hug. You see? That's why I married him. That and because he can work a bottle opener. When the hell did those things get so complicated? Obviously sometime between now and 1998.


We drank the whole six pack together - which I suppose defeats the purpose of mini-sizing it but they were pretty little. More like beer shots really. I have no idea what I'll be walking into next week at work, but for today - Saturday - I'm glad we're all alive. So what if I still have that extra 4 pounds and my head hurts too much to actually do a workout? So what if I am never going to make employee of the month? That's life.

And that's Continuity - do it or don't, either way, it will still be there for you in the morning. 


And just so you know... Coronita's are real. I didn't make them up.

Pretty cute, no? Have a great weekend.
xo 
Shan

 

D65 - L5 - Continuity

Most of the time I waffle on about how hard dieting is or how much Tracy Anderson's Method kicks my butt, but it occurred to me that we all have our strengths and weaknesses. For me - fitness is a strength while diet is a weakness.

Only recently it dawned on me that growing up in rural Canada at the time I did, we didn't cable TV and the only video game on the market was Pong - (I still suck at that game so you can imagine how well I do with XBox et al) - so running around outside playing hide and seek or kick the can were natural activities for me. The moment summer barreled across the prairies we were unleashed and we'd run and play and build and make-believe until the leaves dropped and the snow flew. Even then, we were outside sledding down hills or trying to master the art of igloo building. I have yet to perfect the technique of getting a roof to circle in without caving.


My point is that perhaps I didn't grow up learning 'how to moderate my eating habits', but I have always been physically active. And while I do have a penchant for chocolate, I still consider myself lucky that I don't crave everything. You know those people who can eat just a handful of potato chips and stop? That's me. All you savory food lovers feel free to get your hate on - I won't hold it against you. I hate the people who can stop after just one cookie. 

But things have changed. Kids... mama has a new addiction and it ain't Louboutins. Holy crap all you chip-lovers out there I now get it. I've met my match. Hawaiian Style Kettle Chips - in Sweet Maui Onion flavor. Now I don't know about you, but when I think of Hawaii the last thing that comes to mind are onions and potato chips. In fact if I were going to grab a bag of crisps (that's for all you UK lovelies out there!) it wouldn't be onion flavor - but OMG! OMG who knew? No amount of exercise could save me from these chips. Throw in a packet of M&M's and you'd soon see me on the couch of Jerry Springer in a mumu, I am not kidding. Wow. These Kettle chips are turn the bag inside out and lick the foil yummy I'm telling you! All I can say is Lordissa - thanks to god they do not make these in Canada or I'd be sunk. 

Sorry, I digress - there is a point. Promise.

Here's what I've been thinkin'. Maybe I've been mislead into believing that I had a naturally fast metabolism when I was younger and that now it's slowed down. (okay I will admit that age does play a certain role and perhaps my metabolism isn't as perky as it once was but hear me out). Maybe because I am not spending hours running around playing outside, or running around the track I really am not getting the amount of physical activity I once did. I mean, living in Toronto I walked everywhere all the time. Here on the island I get in the car. I could be onto something here, no? In her most recent post, Tracy says:

Workout Every Day -  Once we get through your first year of training together, I will have trained your accessory muscles to be awake and performing in the condition I need them to be to really take it to the next level.
Eat well. I love bread, pasta, and pizza just like everyone and I eat it too, just not every day. However, that doesn't mean on the days that I don't eat it, I have to feel tortured. Some misconceptions about eating well are that it doesn't taste as good, it takes too long to prepare, or isn't easy on-the-go food.  Eating well can often involve using just a few ingredients and making simple food.

Is this really so different from what Bethenny Frankel says when she writes - "You can have it all, just not all at once?"


Something that my girl Sandy wrote was that recently she was eating ice cream - but it was kiddie sized. Eureka! Check out the packets of Halloween candy bars - they are mini and they're called fun-size. Weeee. Could this be the key that cracks the code to good health? As I said earlier (and at the risk of sounding super old) when I was a kid, we ran around outside. We played on the playground at recess, had gym class and participation is sports was a requirement not an option. Fast food wasn't available and no one had heard of such a thing as super-sized. C'mon people I know this isn't new but for me it feels like a major revelation. What if we chose to have the things we wanted... for me it's chocolate, said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not givin' it up so back off! but we kiddie-size it. (and this is different from portion control, how exactly? it sounds more fun, damn it! Just let me have it, will you?) Then we get on the mat, do the work, then bounce around on the mini trampoline or dance around like freaks to our favorite tunes and voila! Teeniest tiniest point. Fit and Strong. Just like Tracy has been saying. (Has it really taken me this long to get it?!)


Sounds so simple I am almost suspicious. There is a catch. If there is chocolate, there cannot be Sweet Maui Onion kettle chips. Rats! Anyway, if you need a little more motivation to get working out, check out this latest post by Tink herself - yeah yeah it's about brides-to-be blah blah - but it applies to all of us so watch it!

If you're not getting married anytime soon, feel free to skip the first two minutes, but around minute 2, Tracy talks about something we've been going on about recently, which is community. See? I knew we were onto something with this whole food sponsor thing.


Have a great day and if you're going to indulge, pick one thing and don't forget to 'mini-size-it'!


xo
Shan

D64 - L5 - Continuity

Continuity continues. That's what it does. If you read this blog then you know that I struggle with the continuing-ness of Continuity. I have my love days and my hate days. The 30 Day Method seemed hard while I was going through it, but it was nothing compared with the 90 days on Metamorphosis - those weeks of pureed foods were killer. They really knocked the weight off though. If you're in the process of going through either of those programs, take heart because eventually they both come to an end. Continuity on the other hand... not so much.

For the most part though, I do love that Continuity exists and that I am capable of doing it. If you're on the fence about it, jump on over. You'll be glad that you did (most of the time).

There are days when I can't wait to get on the mat or I feel pretty in control over my eating habits, other days I am exhausted and I just cannot face a single leg-lift. So you can imagine then that the last thing I want to do on those days is talk about it, much less sit down and write about it. Sunday was just such a day. While on Meta I tried super hard to be faithful to my six-days a week routine. I even managed the full seven days a week for almost the whole month of Boot camp I think. But now that I am adjusting back into what's become "just my life", if I have a day where I am really tired, I honor that. The trick is to honor that for the one day you feel that way and not let it take over and become two days or a week or month because if you do that, before you know it, you won't be practicing the Method any more.

Believe me when I tell you that I have days where I wonder what the hell it's all for? Do I really need to work this hard? Do I really want to put my eating habits under the microscope again? Does anyone even care? I mean who am I anyway? I'm not a celebrity. Goodness knows I'm not an expert so why should anyone even give a damn? Frankly I am always totally shocked when I find comments at the end of a new post. I want to tell you how profoundly grateful I am for that. Without this TAM community - I would quit. Why on earth I ever thought it was a good idea to do this for a year is beyond me - but nevertheless, here I am. So at the very least I can pave the way for some of you.

I am taking the shamandment of "not being a hateful meanie to myself" to heart. Truly. If I need a day off now and then and it's not a scheduled rest day, so be it. But I am remaining true to the program as much as I am capable of. We can only do our personal best and that's it. Can I tell you a secret? I no longer look at all these fabulous celebrity bodies and wonder how they got to look so great cuz now I know. They work bloody freakin' hard at it. Most of them look way better than me - could be age, could be genetics, but whatever the reason I don't envy them as much these days because I know that I am working as hard as I want to and not an ounce more. I skip cardio all the time (Oy! Don't judge, I'm no role model and I am not willing to give up chocolate). 

There was a time, perhaps somewhere between the end of boot camp and the start of Meta that I thought that might have been an option or at the very least a possibility - but I now know better. Chocolate gives me something that a fantastic body never will; a feel good sensation that I love and don't want to part with. I am coming to terms with that and I am slowing accepting it as my own limitation. For you, you may discover that it's wine or bread or cheese or fries. I believe that it's learning how to work within those limits that's the lesson here on continuity.

But the other thing I have learned, and this is an extremely valuable lesson for me, a loner, is that I cannot do this alone. I can't. Two weeks ago, my girl Alma came to me and asked if she could check in with me daily so that perhaps she would stop picking off her kids' plates and maybe eat a little less. It gave me the idea of becoming a food sponsor and getting one in return. Since then, Nicole has joined our trio and a few of you have found one another. Places like the forum really help - if you're just starting out, it's a great resource and you should take advantage of it. Join a blog - it doesn't have to be this one. Or go to facebook. There are several groups out there now from what I understand. What I am saying is that if you want to find some measure of success, find a safe place to do it - a place with people like you who are willing to lift you up when you fall (you all absolutely do that for me), inspire you when you want to quit, make you laugh when you'd rather cry and just share the journey with the only people who can understand - people who are doing too. Who cares if their reasons are different than yours. They might be strong where you are weak and vice versa - we can help each other out.

Our communication with each other helps us each achieve our individual goals. And it isn't all just about Tracy - some of it is through other writers or fitness people who've written good books about heath or nutrition and it's one of those tips that I want to share with you today.

One of my UK Besties - Janice - sent me a link to the 'waist whittler' that some of the girls on facebook were trying out. Some of them reported losing an inch off their waists in a week. Now I'm not sure that's going to be possible for me. (If you've been paying attention, I'm not giving up chocolate okay!) And I am down to 'the last inch' that needs to go - the pesky last inch. But I had a look at the video and thought what the hell, why not? It's an additional two minutes to my routine, so... I wanted to share it with you.

Before I do, just so there is no confusion - the Tracey in this video is Tracey with an E, not our Tracy the badass fitness guru. I also have a suggestion to adapt this work to make it go more with the Method (of course I do, I change everything, you should try taking me to a restaurant sometime, I don't order off the menu exactly as it's written either - if you have an issue with that see shamandment #1)

So what I would suggest you do when practicing this move is to get rid of the chair and instead, a) use your core to stabilize and b) while reaching up with one hand, really press down with the other to activate those cross vectors of force that our Tracy is always going on about.  Try it, it's not as easy as it first appears.

Thanks for always sharing new stuff, guys. Whether it's the struggle, the success or new idea that got you to the next level. It keeps me going and Lord knows I need all the help I can get, February 1st is still a long ways away!

Big hugs
Shan

D61 - L5 - Continuity

It's day 61. I'm half-way through the second disk of the 3 disk set of Continuity. I remember the bag of mixed emotions that came with getting that far on Metamorphosis. It was a real achievement. Funny how this kinda just feels like another day.

Hey don't get me wrong, when I got up this morning and did my mat work and cardio (I've committed to doing 20 minutes now instead of 15) it still felt like mission accomplished, but I don't feel all misty and nostalgic. It's simply part of the routine that is now my life. A difficult part to be sure, but then I was never one to love brushing my teeth either but I do it. 

So why oh why can't it be the same deal for food? Somebody out there 'splain, sil vous plait. I know that many of you have warmly responded with your favorite authors and their diet books - but I don't wanna diet! Waaaaaaa! This is me stomping my feet and pouting like a four-year-old.

Before I left my job at the bookstore, (how I loved the bookstore, too bad for politics,) I picked up Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel. I've thumbed through it and found some good tips, but up till now, I've been extremely reluctant to read it. Dunno why. Maybe because I'm not a fan of Reality TV and she's some kinda housewife or something, that could be part of it. She seems really sweet and nice though so... anyway. I have put my stubborn nature aside (as much as one who is stubborn is able to) and I am officially committing to reading it. Maybe her ten simple rules will actually help me achieve the balance I am so desperately after and I can get back to my goal weight, or at least hovering somewhere near it.

Alright, that was hard for me to put all that out there so let's change the subject, shall we? Whoop - before we do I wanted to thank Tiffany for stepping up to sponsor and be sponsored by Dee! Hope you two hit it off.


Back to Continuity - anyone remember me saying that I was a little gutted that the arm sequence on level five was the same as level four? I had the routine down and it wasn't as much of a challenge as the first go around with it. (Guess Tracy really has spoiled us with changing everything up every ten days. Tracy, if you're reading, I will never workout with anyone else, hon, I'm your faithful minion for life!) Then the beautiful and massively talented, generous and kind Janice made it possible for me to get my lost Bonus Arms back. Total Game Changer! Turns out that for the 9 new workouts on Continuity, there are 9 bonus arm tracks. Lots of catching up to do, so I am on the advanced circuit. 

I spent three days with level 1 and that was good, but I was quickly ready for more. I should tell you that I use 1lb weighted gloves and Janice tells me that Tracy sells 1.5lb wrist bands on her site. Thanks very much, but I am weak and I like my light little weights. (Janice has Amazon woman in her genes, so she laughs at 1.5, swear it.) Anyhoo - I did level 2 this morning right before tucking into my regular mat session and OMG, I was feeling the burn. It was carnage. My arms wept with exhaustion. Alright, they weren't weeping, but they did tear up a little. It was definitely more of a challenge, so once again, the Badass Fitness Guru comes through. After all this time, Tracy never fails to keep us covered. She rocks.

And speaking of rock, 'he who shall not be named' was watching me do the bonus arm sequence and he goes; "was she a trainer for Madonna?"
Me "Yeah, cool hey?"
Him "I can totally tell, she looks like she should be in a Madonna video."

Now I'm not sure how many Madonna video's 'he who shall not be named' has seen, but I think Tracy had far too many clothes on for that. She does however look pretty darn stylie in the bonus arms - so for those of you not yet into Continuity, it's something you can look forward to. More crazy leggings, fun colored tops and perfect hair. That's our girl, the Barbie of the fitness world. Just another reason to love her.

How I digress. I'll shut up now and let you get on with your workouts. Oh, and Mullet Holly, if you're reading, get back to your cardio, Missy! You are supposed to do it in the heat.

Peace.
Shan

Need Another Sponsor Por Favor

Hey Hey lovelies -
It's late so this is just a wee quicky. I made the curried chick peas for dinner (recipe posted yesterday) but made it with yellow Thai curry instead of Indian and I added cubed tofu - Oooh and I doubled, no probably tripled the spinach. I wanted to just add a ton of stuff to it like mushrooms and carrots but kept it simple. It was fab. Maybe a little too fab as I ate a ton.

Note to self, it isn't just healthy eating, Shan, it's portion control too, hon. Duh. Am I ever gonna get that?

Listen we have someone else willing to be a food sponsor to get a sponsor. Anyone out there want to team up? Here is her email address - deerazal87@gmail.com
Help a kid out will ya?

Thanks.
Shan

Recipe!! D58 - take 2, L5 - Continuity

This food sponsor thing is super nifty, tres cool, and the absolute bomb! I am so grateful to my two buddies who've totally been there for me in spirit whom I hope are being encouraged and motivated by me too. (even tho tonight I was a total downer, sorry girls) I hope that your connections are working as well.

If you're just catching up, recently I was really struggling to get my butt back on the wagon of healthy eating and when I tried to return to Tracy's Diet plan I seriously rebelled and made things so much worse. I really needed an intervention.

When you get on Metamorphosis you're given guidance. You get the dynamic eating plan, you follow it into the depths of absolute insanity, you lose the weight, and then you graduate. Then what? Fuck. We're sort of left stranded with no real plan in place and I am the first to admit that I totally suck at free-styling it. I mean duh, I gained 7 pounds back! I didn't want to have worked this long and this hard to watch it all slip away because I have never learned to eat right. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. (No I still don't know how to eat right and no I don't have the magic spell or pill you can take, but read on anyway.)

So I've been emailing with a couple of women who, like me, were feeling the same pain. We're not 20 anymore, we've been doing the workout and working the program but were not seeing improvements weight-wise. (Remember that 7 pounds I told you about? Yikes!) Anyway, am feeling more in control now and things are looking good. I've already dropped three pounds, maybe more but haven't weighed in.

For me, it's meant looking at what works and what doesn't, what I am willing to sacrifice and what I can't live without, like chocolate, gotta have it. I made a few simple little rules and shared them with my Diet Musketeers, they shared theirs and we're off. Into week two now. I'm feeling grounded and hopeful. But in addition to all of this, one of my favorite readers ever, Marta, (who totally rocks, if you see her on the forum say 'hi' to her,) sent me a cook book that is just chock full of unbelievably great recipes. They're healthy and easy and tasty. So I want to share one with you tonight.

The book is called The Dao of Harmony Dawn Cooking. 

Harmony Dawn is an off-the-grid Retreat in Ontario. Hey ladies, maybe we should all save up and take a holiday there together? Hmmmm sounds great. But until then, we can eat as though we're on retreat.

So the recipe I want to share is super easy, low in fat, high in protein and of course because it's me, it's vegetarian. It's Curried Chick Peas and it serves 2. Bon appetite.

Serve over brown rice with a side of salad greens. 

1 medium onion, sliced into slivers
1 can chick peas drained, rinsed and dried (19 oz)
1/4 cup hot curry paste, Madras brand if possible (you can use medium or extra hot too, whatever your taste is)
2 tsp lemon juice
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
2 plum tomatoes, diced

In a skillet over medium heat, fry the onions until golden (5 minutes) Add chick peas and saute until they're lightly browned.
Lower heat and add curry paste and lemon juice and blend thoroughly.

Add spinach, cover allowing steam to cook spinach (1 minute). Uncover and mix the spinach into the chickpeas. Add diced tomatoes and serve.

I have tried a number of chana masala recipes (curried chick peas) and have found them to be quite complicated and fattening. This keeps it simple and easy. 

I haven't made it yet but it's on the menu for sometime this week and I plan to add cubed tofu to it as well.

Enjoy,
Shan 

PS 
Sorry of there are a ton of typos, I am seriously tired and bleary-eyed.

Sponsor Required

Hey everybody.

My girl Salima needs a sponsor. Is there anyone out there who needs some help keeping on track with their diet who'd be willing to help her out in return? 

Is there a duo out there who'd be willing to take on a third Musketeer?

Lemme know so I can hook you guys up!

xo
Shan
 

Whoops D57 - L5 - Continuity

Made a wee boo boo in my haste this afternoon I thought I was on Day 58, but it's actually 57. I got ahead of myself.

Not that it matters really, one day bleeds into the next - 

I am thrilled to see that you are finding one another, pairing up and getting ready to support each other through this program's many challenges, specifically food-wise. In the last week - goodness knows where the week's gone - I have slipped up a couple of times, but I have been tempted far more than that. Knowing that I had the other two Charlie's Angels to back me up, I made way better choices. Today's a perfect example - my boss and I went to raid a neighbor's garden (we had permission but it sounds more exciting if I suggest we were thieving) and afterward she invited me to lunch.

Pass up a free lunch and good company? Never! There were plenty of tempting dishes to totally kibosh my best efforts, but I chose a salad with dressing on the side. If I didn't have to report back to the A-Team I'd have been screwed six ways to Christmas and who knows if I'd have been able to shove that hell-storm that is my appetite back in the box! She did order chocolate cake after lunch and then set it before me. WTF?? She doesn't know that I'm trying to be super good, she just knows I'm a sugar junkie and was trying to be nice.

What to do? I did my best and forgot the rest. In other words I took three ample bites, savored every single one thoroughly and pushed the plate away. Thank you and good night! Could I have done that without back-up? No way, Jose! Have never been able to do it before. Although there was this one time in the staff room at the book store at the end of the 30 Day Method where there were cup cakes and I didn't even have one... but that's like the only time practically ever in my whole entire life, so what am I saying?? Hook yourselves up. I see Trisha and Sarah are getting together. You go girls! Who's next and how can I help?

It's not a for sure cure. As Tiffany knows, you will go through what she calls food lust - I know I have just been there - but what I am learning is that you will crave it, you'll slip up - but here's the thing... you'll binge, you'll repent, you'll repeat, but with a food sponsor those binges might be fewer and farther between so don't be shy.

We may just be in the honeymoon phase and it could all come crashing down around our ears, but my Musketeers and I have just committed to a second week of clean eating - who's up for it? One day at a time, one week at a time. I feel leaner already although have not dared step on the scale. I save that particular brand of hell for the end of each level.

Now, onto the deeply delicious bonus arms! OMG where have they been all my life? Love them! Can't believe that I didn't dive into them the second I got the DVD. Won't make that mistake again. I remember when I first began Tracy's Mat DVD - the arm section is almost 20 minutes long. It burns, it'll make you weep but it's glorious. So when I started with the 30 Day Method and Meta I was a little gutted that the arms were sort of short and slow.

Tracy didn't let me down, she picked up the pace and piled on the misery - planks anyone?? But I'd forgotten how amazing a serious TAM arm workout can be. And I have a lot of catching up to do. There isn't just one bonus arm workout. Oh no ladies, for Continuity there is a new workout for each new level - count 'em - NINE! There's nine workouts. I'm on level 5 now so have my work cut out for me. 

What I want to know is why is no one talking about the Bonus arms? They kick ass! Or more to the point they kick Bat Wing!

One problem. (there are no problems only solutions so read on) The bonus arms require wrist weights. Um, that's an issue when you have chicken arms like mine. I will admit when I gained weight, I got sausage arms, but my wrists have always been little. Think I am exaggerating? Check it out - I put my wrist next to a golf ball for perspective.

Now can you understand why I have made such a big fuss over the extra 4 pounds? Four pounds looks and feels like 15 on these bones I tell you! But I digress. I can't wear wrist weights. Um rope burn anyone? Ouch. They slide all over the place and are just generally a real pain.

But there is a solution and it's the same solution for anyone with really big wrists too! Check it out.

Yessssss! Weighted gloves. (mine are way less fancy and less bulky, but you get the idea) They have a snugger fit and are anchored around the thumb and middle fingers so no slip-sliding around. Plus if Madam Bassass Guru herself adds dumb bells to later levels (which I think she will as they are sitting on the floor next to her) my hands are still free to grip them.

I love it when I find a solution to a problem.

So if you have yet to start your bonus arms, what are you waiting for? They rock and as I've learned, you gotta use it or lose it. I didn't use mine and I lost it!

Big hugs
Shan

D58 - L5 - Continuity

Argh, so much to post, so little time. 

Am literally sprinting out the door but promise that by tonight I am gonna dish on those fan-freaking-tastic bonus arms (muchas gracias Janice) and talk a little bit more about sponsors for food - what a wicked-ass idea that turned out to be.

If you look on comments from the previous post - I have attempted to hook some of you up. Okay, must jet. Lots to share tonight.

xo
Shan

D55 - L5 - Continuity. Sponsorship!!

The Tracy Anderson Method is unique, it's ongoing and ever changing.  Metamorphosis is difficult, it takes stick-to-it-ness since it's a 90 day program, but Continuity is the biggest challenge of all because it calls for a total commitment to a new way of life. I highly recommend it, but it ain't for the faint of heart.

Tracy looks great. Want to look like her? Yeah sure, we all do, but she's been at this for eleven years. Nearly every day, day in and day out, like brushing her teeth or taking a shower, she trains. Her job has become to train us to do the same. The girl's got her work cut out for her because I am a stubborn, resistant, defiant little student. She's tough.

Lucky me. Problem is, what if you're managing to keep up on the workouts and even the cardio but just can't seem to master your eating habits? Hold on to your hats peeps because I have the solution. No really, this time I do.

I've never been part of a 12-step program. Thank goodness I haven't found myself in the position of needing one. And while I do have a dis-ordered personality - I'm type A, I sing in the car, use all the hot water in the shower, sleep in the middle of the bed (poor 'he who shall not be named' has become an edge-dweller, bless him) and I eat too much chocolate - drink and drugs are not my problem. 

I do, however, have some experience with these programs because I've had a friend or two go through them and have had the pleasure of attending their medallion meetings (1 year sober, two years etc). It's very cool to watch people get clean. I know they work so why I've never considered applying the same techniques to my own life in the arenas where I need help is still a mystery. I digress.

Over the last five or six years my metabolism has slowed down or my habits have changed, and I put on weight. Yet somehow had never managed to find the trick that worked to take it off until Tracy put together the 30 Day Method and Metamorphosis, the triple-threat program that includes mat work, cardio and diet and I was able to reshape my shape and really transform my lifestyle... to a point.

Once Meta was complete, I moved on to Continuity. As you can see, I have just started level 5, but I've been struggling with bad food habits again and suddenly I stepped on the scale and realized that I'd gained 7 pounds. Lordissa I only lost 19! You can imagine my panic.

I've often joked about needing a sponsor, but recently it occurred to me that maybe it was true. If you look closely, aren't the principals behind AA and Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig kinda similar? The experts are always claiming that if you start a new fitness routine, your chances of sticking with it are better if you do it with a buddy. I don't really think I knew just how right they were until this week.

You see the thing is, I am always going on a "heath kick". Before TAM, I'd say this week I am going to give up sweets, or starting Monday I am gonna eat healthy, or this week I'm doing a detox, yet I've failed time and again. Why? I told 'he who shall not be named' and he's always been on board with helping to encourage me, in spite of his eating chips and grilled cheese sandwiches or pizza. (damn his infuriatingly fast metabolism!) He'd say I couldn't have any, but I'd ignore him and pig out. That's the thing with using people who love you for support. They know you and all your crap and love you anyway, so I knew he'd never judge me. There were basically no consequences.

But this week, lovely reader Alma wrote and asked me if she could keep in touch. She's been struggling with her eating and wanted to be accountable. Good idea. Nicole, another friend joined in and we became, as Alma has called us The Three Musketeers. I like that. Anyway, I threw out a challenge to all of you and found that many of you were in the same boat. You'd slipped a little and were feeling like you wanted to make the shift back to healthier eating too. So how is this week different from any of those other weeks in the past?


In the past 5 days, I have only slipped up once and had chocolate cake. The following day I really really wanted more, but instead of having some, I emailed my Musketeer sponsor friends and told them what I was thinking of doing. That simple act stopped me long enough to rationalize with myself. I didn't really want that cake, well I did but I was able to talk myself out of it by writing to them. Later, when I checked email and got their sage advice, I became armed with tips for the next craving. Things like chew gum, google pictures of Gisele, or brush my teeth. 


Yesterday was weigh-in and measurement day. While I haven't lost anything from around my waist, a half inch came off my belly and another half inch from my hips. Yes I am still carrying that pesky 4 pounds I gained when I was out with my neck injury, but the additional three that found me have since been lost and I am back to my "safe zone". Sure I'd like to get that inch off my waist again, but I'm back to a place that I can live with. How's that for bananas?

So do yourself a favor, get out on your network, visit the forum or pick somebody on your facebook page or whatever and get yourself a food sponsor. Mine are like the fairy godmothers of the thick-waisted. They are beautiful and they rock!


And speaking of community, I reached out yet again to y'all and was whining about losing my cardio/bonus arms DVD. Okay I'm not fooling anyone, I didn't give a rat's ass about the cardio, I just wanted the arms! But the glorious, the wonderful, the heroic, the brilliant and remarkably talented Janice, my UK champion has waved her magic wand and was able to manifest some bonus arms. Janice - I am humbled, awed and totally love you girl!


I promise to share a long overdue review sometime this week. Stay tuned. 


Big hugs
Shan

D54 - First Day - L5 - Continuity

What can I tell you? I want my bonus arms! Can you picture me now, kicking and stomping and throwing a total tantrum? You can? Good imagination. I'm actually sitting calmly at my desk with a tiny pout. But I am tempted to play the Rolling Stones - "You can't always get what you want..." you singing along? Go ahead, I know you want to. No one's listening. The other part of that song is "that you sometimes get what you need". Listen up and allow me to enlighten y'all.


I watched and then actually performed level five this morning. It's pretty good. A little hard on my neck so I'll have to really be mindful when practicing, but here's the downer part of it. The arm segment is exactly the same as level 4. Like exactly, with one or two minor little editing changes. Ne panic pas, (French for don't friggin' panic), brilliant and awesome reader, Salima sent me a link for the arms she's been doing from the internet. It's an old link from Tracy for Gwyneth I think but I was like, hey, this kid's a genius! I added those to the beginning of level five and guess what? The bloody cup's all half full again, it might actually runneth over and such. I really felt the arm segment in level five after having done a little arm workout prior to that. So there! Bonus arms be damned.


The rest of the workout's stellar. It's got the same energy as level 4 - I think I'll call this Level "Waist Not" because that extra layer of insulation that I carry around my waist will not be there when I am through with this segment, I'm sure of it. It doesn't feel terribly hard (I am certain I will regret those words) but it feels targeted. There are many different angles to the leg movements that seem to all lead up to the mid section; whether that's the lower abs, the obliques, the back or the whole abdominal section, she makes you work and I could really feel several of the moves in the supporting leg so it's getting the entire body once again. Overall, I think the next ten days will fly by just as swiftly as the last ten have.


Once I'd finished the new workout I was feeling inspired, motivated... not motivated enough to drag out my Meta cardio DVD, but inspired enough to return to youTube and dig up Tracy's Thanksgiving Cardio. And some little meta-maniac has gone and made a 15 minute remix of it. Totally doable! Fifteen minutes? Even I can commit to that (ish), so I did it. Not a huge fan of the music but whatevah, it was fun and I was sweating. And you know what sweat is right? Andi says sweat is your fat crying.


What'd I tell ya? Waist Not!!


For those like me that are not loving your cardio to the point that you avoid it and subconsciously, maybe in your sleep even, lose your cardio dvd (which btw is where the bonus arms are located) you might want to give this little routine a shot.

Have fun...
xo
Shan

D52 - L4 - Continuity

Is it possible to be bummed and thrilled at the same time? If you're in my head it is. I won't invite you in as it can get quite crowed in here. LOL.

Get this. I've been doing some cardio and by some I mean as little as I can get away with but had a bit more energy so decided that I would try the bonus arms for the first time. What do the bonus arms have to do with cardio? you ask? Lemme 'splain. When you order Continuity, if you order three DVD's at a time, you get new cardio. Oh joy. (whatevah) But with that, you also get a bonus arm workout. Yippee! And I mean that, I love TAM arms. Yet I've been getting enough with the regular workout, so I hadn't tried it. I did try the new cardio a coupla times but rather disliked it. (I'm being kind there, did I mention that I hate cardio? Yeah, think I did) 

So yesterday I decided to get out the DVD and give the arms a go. And guess what? Boo! My DVD has vanished into thin air. I spent the whole day searching high and low to no avail. It's simply vanished. I did say I never wanted to see that cardio workout again, but I really didn't mean it. Okay maybe I meant it a little, but deep down inside I wanted to try to like it. I did. Shut up! I did so.

Anyway so my heart was broken because I now have no bonus arms. I have every single DVD that Tracy has ever done. (well not all the centrics for Metamorphosis, but you know what I mean) Have tried every single online workout, own all her other DVD's, but now I will never ever have bonus arms and I wanted to cry. So that's the bummed part. Nothing I can do about it. It's a bonus DVD you can't buy it.

Here's the thrilled part tho, I did call the customer service number, and no, they are not giving me another DVD but, my new content is on the way... with... you guessed it, advanced cardio - whoopie. Okay so I'll give it a shot, but you can bet your perky new butts that I will be diving into the bonus arm workout if there is one. It will be the very first thing I do! Lesson learned, I will not neglect my bonus workouts ever again.

I'll letcha know how it goes.
xo
Shan

D51 - L4 - Continuity

Have I mentioned lately how much I am digging level 4? It's as challenging as level 3 Metamorphosis was, hence their given titles 'Spare Tire Slasher' and 'Muffin Top Slayer' respectively, but this level doesn't make me want to vomit so there's a bit more love there. Not sure what it is about this level, but it really takes me back to some of Tracy's original work. It feels like it did when I first started, exciting and new and really effective. I can feel my midsection working when I do it and that's really encouraging. The thing was, that my eating habits were sabotaging my best efforts and I don't want to lose the benefits of this terrific sequence so yesterday I threw out a challenge to eat better for a week.

As far as clean eating goes, I am thrilled to report that a day and a half into it, I'm feeling well. The deal I made was this. No dieting. Can't do it right now. I grimace just thinking about 'limitations'. But I have targeted the stuff that makes me feel too big for my skin. Ha ha, I guess that's the trouble with the Tracy Anderson Method, she really does make good on her promises and she says she's going to pull the skin back to the muscle. But if you gain weight back quickly, your skin really does feel too tight. Or... that's the PMS bloat, but whatevah.

For me, the bad guys really are bread, cheese and sweets - so for this week I am choosing not to have them. Because I don't want them. When I really stop and think about the way they make me feel, I think gross, I don't want to feel all plugged up and swollen. I am allowing a small amount of chocolate though because it satisfies the sweet tooth without all the other side effects. Plus like my wise friend Nicole said - for every restriction there is an equal and opposite binge. This is what we are trying to avoid this week ladies.

Whatever you choose to do this week if you're participating in the eat cleaner for a week challenge (are we calling it that? I guess we are now) make sure it's the right choice for you. Make it doable, reasonable, not so strict it's impossible, not so easy it isn't effective.

It's all possible if we take it moment by moment and follow shamandment #3, have a glance over to the right side of the screen. Think it through before you eat it. Damn, I should be reviewing those rules a little more often, they could have saved me a lot of heartache and an expanding waistline!

Big hugs,
Shan 

D 50 - L4 - Continuity.

"A true friend gives you a safe place to cry... and never a reason to need it."
Anonymous. 

Isn't that a lovely quote? I feel like that about every single one of you!

I'm thrilled to report that Madam PMS has moved on her less-than-merry way and she's taken two pounds with her. Lordissa! How I dislike Ms PMS. But it's become evident that it's time for a shift. I've collected all of your comments and pieced them together into quite an interesting collage.

I'm a girl who relishes a challenge. I loved getting to the end of the 30 Day Method, so much that I did it twice. Digging my heals into Meta was also... well I wouldn't go so far as saying it was fun, but... I respected the climb toward the end. I'm still struggling with my relationship to food (obviously, right?) but I received this incredibly enlightened comment about listening to my body. Things have changed. Not only am I older, I'm stronger and I have new  - quite determined little Cinderella muscles that didn't even exist prior to the Method - they might have different demands, unique needs that I'd not ever considered.

So it's time to play a new game. Continuity is not the same as Metamorphosis. With Meta, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. With Continuity (and PMS) I was feeling like there were budget cuts and energy saving measures that were put in place, and a union strike so the light at the end of the tunnel had been switched off! But here's the thing - others of you have gently reminded me that this is a journey - not to worry so much about the end. I thought about that and I realized that sometimes when we're walking in the dark, it gives us an opportunity to develop our other senses.

My learning curve has been extremely high along the way. I'm picking up new friends, new tools, learning all sorts of stuff about myself, about women, about our relationships with food - I'd love to actually sit down with Tracy and have a conversation with her about her current relationship to food. I'm sure we've all read the article about Gwyneth and Madonna being concerned about their trainer and her consumption of junk food. Maybe it's just all part of the program. We get super clean and then our bodies go through a phase where they need to get a little bit messed up again? I dunno.

With PMS out of the way, I am able to think a little more clearly again and reader Alma and I have made a commitment to each other to straighten up a lil bit and try to be sensible with our eating habits this week. This week. Not for eternity. Not even for the rest of the month. Like baby steps. I don't want to have to go all the way back to the beginning and eat purees. My new body has clearly rejected that. I find myself craving whole foods, raw foods, even fruit (shocking I know) but I am also finding myself gravitating back toward all those unwanted carbs like pizza and pasta. I think it's a fallback. When I really stop and think about it, I want that stuff because it's easy and familiar, but deep inside it's not my current preference.

Don't get me wrong, my first choice is always a cookie, but I am learning how to navigate around that.

Tracy's dynamic eating plan was a perfect kick-start that showed me that weight-loss was possible, but it's like a set of training wheels. If you're ever going to ride your bike, the training wheels will have to come off. Her plan is now just a crutch. It's time I learn to walk or in this case eat, on my own. I'm a vegetarian. I love that lifestyle so that piece of the puzzle is in place. I know very little beyond that right now, but that's okay.

Doing the workout six days a week is what is best for me. Not always convenient and far from easy but it's the most helpful for maintaining the shape I want for now. So that's piece number two.

I'm not sure what the whole picture looks like yet, but having all of you along on this journey is definitely piece three of the puzzle. Forth is having the goal or that challenge - the "I double dirty dog dare ya to do this..." that I can sink my teeth into. Which takes me back to me and Alma this week. I am daring us to eat cleaner this week. Anyone else interested in taking on that challenge? Victoria? Whoops? Did I write that? Yes, I guess I did. I need you leading the way girl, you in or what? C'mon ladies, it's a short week - it's Tuesday already, nearly Wednesday if you're in the UK or elsewhere in Europe.

Let's shift our energy, pick ourselves up, try a little bit harder and see where we get.

xo
Shan

D48 - L4 - Continuity

WARNING!!! This post contains a rant. If you are looking for sunshine and lollipops, if you're after a love day, you will need to look elsewhere. If you dare to read on, don't say I didn't warn ya!

I have always maintained that I am not crazy. Rather, I am severely artistic. I wonder now if this might be open for debate. It's been a long and wonky road this Tracy Anderson Method Metamorphosis Continuity trip. The running gag on my blog has been that I don't need a personal trainer, I need a sponsor. But if this really were my 'recovery', I'd officially be off the wagon and my sponsor would have quit by now, I'm sure of it.

I'm 48 days into continuity and while I am doing really well with the muscular structure, managing to tackle it 5 to 6 days a week, I'm still a bit of a slacker on the cardio (then again, I always have been) but my diet is off the charts. The way I am eating can't even be called a diet, in fact I am so far away from the TAM dynamic eating plan, I can't even remember what it was like. I am constantly bloated and my 4 pounds gained has turned into 7 (ok, sure I have PMS, but still...) and whatever fraction of an inch I'd gained around my waist has now officially turned into a full blown inch. I don't want to sound obsessy - because seriously if I was obsessing do you really think I'd be eating like a pot-head on a binge? No! But I am concerned lets just say.

I do wish I'd never mentioned numbers on the blog either because now some people are looking at "the number" and thinking, yesss! that's the number I want, or yikes, that number's a bit low isn't it, or why are you so stuck on a number? I know it's just a number. I am not a regular weigh-in girl, in fact I dread it each time a level ends and I have to get out the tape measure and the scale, but I am feeling it now. It is an issue because I once felt on top of the world and now I feel... Bleck! Blah! Ick. Let me put it this way...
 
I am back to where I was at the end of the 30 Day Method. Know what that means? It's like I didn't do Metamorphosis at all!! Sorry guys, but that's a wee bit depressing. The worst part is, is that that I've done this all to myself. The power to lose, the power to gain - all rests within my own hands. It's the same with everyone. One person might drop 30 pounds on the program while someone else can't shed a single pound. The power is within us if we use the tools Tracy gave us. It's really that simple. I screwed up.

That might be just a slight exaggeration but I'm a writer, I am allowed to take some creative liberties, aren't I? I will admit I am stronger and more toned than I was then, but I'm at the same weight and that sucks. The only conclusion to draw is that TAM isn't a magic potion unless you include ALL of the ingredients and that includes the diet I am sorry to say. Maybe not for everyone. Perhaps not for Tracy who has been doing her method for 11 years, but for those of us who have only done it for six months or less, we have to play the game. Boo!


Yesterday I asked the question; is it better to have lost then gained, or never to have lost at all? The general consensus seemed to be that yes, in fact, it is better to have lost. But like Nicole said, it's a double edged sword. What if you dip below a weight that your body is comfortable at, even if you yourself are happy there, but it is too tough to maintain. Then what? Will you feel heavy forever even if you're not? 


I don't want to go there. I've seen that dark nasty road and don't want to travel anywhere near it. I am not teeny tiny. In some photos it may look that way, but trust me, if you saw me walking down the street, you'd not look twice. You wouldn't gawk and say "awesome bod, sistah". I am the most average size in the world. Lighting is everything. I promise you. For my height and my age, totally average. But now that I have that 7 pounds back, guess where they have all gone to? If you guessed my head, you'd be wrong. They are around my waist and I hate it. I have dunlop disease. Know what that is? My belly done-lopped over my belt.


I am gritting my teeth because I know just what I have to do. And I am resisting it every step of the way. I don't want to watch what I eat. Thought I crossed this bridge, thought I made peace with that stuff, but apparently not. Last weekend when I tried to loosely follow the 30 Day Method meal plan I went completely off the rails. I'm not really kidding when I say I need a sponsor, it's becoming evident that there might be some food issues here. I love it! I love bread and cheese and chocolate and cake and cookies and brownies and fries and chips and and and... I love to eat.


Did I mention that I have PMS? In case you didn't get the memo - I'm PMSing. Ugh.


So I have family here for a few days and there is pasta on the menu and brownies (although I think I score points for making them vegan, don't I? or not) but I am going to simply attempt to enjoy myself without going too over board and hope to hell that next week I can wrangle myself back to some semblance of self-control or at least a reasonable facsimile of and hope for the best.


I know some of you come here for motivation or a laugh or tips, but part of this journey is the gross ugly truth as I see it, warped though my perspective may be, it is mine and I am fumbling around for the answers. I am experimenting and in this instance failing, but Jah gave me hope with her quote about Edison. He didn't fail 300 times to come up with a light bulb. He took 300 steps toward success. So I am holding on to that. For dear freaking life. May my seven gained pounds take me one step closer to my perfect lifestyle shift.


And OMG, if you are actually still here, still reading, thanks for that. And thanks for not judging. I am trying (very publicly I guess) to figure it all out and hopefully one day, I will master it.


Shan

D47 - L4 - Continuity

I have been dying to write. I have some questions. Some concerns. Some confessions. But I am working and there just hasn't been time to work, work out and write. 

I hope to be able to write a real post tomorrow, but in the mean time, I have a question that has been burning inside of me.

The question is this; is it better to have lost then gained or never to have lost at all?

Lemme know what you think and we'll meet back here.

xo 
Shan

D44 - L4 - Continuity

It's the end of day 44, I'm exhausted and about to drop into bed, but I wanted to say -

My love handles hurt! I know I've asked this before, but can you pull fat? Seriously, I think I've pulled my muffin top. At the very least I feel like I've been kicked in the ribs, in a good way.

This is the best/worst level ever.

xo
Shan