Revisiting the Mantra in 2009 + More on my short fat haircut

1/2 year into this blog thing. I’ve had 5500 visits. Many repeats, some newbies, some meanies, some people curious about health at every size, but most people curious about my short fat haircut.  I’ve learned that many of us out there who fall into this thinking that–

“Because I am fat I can’t _______ (fill in the blank)” 

When I started the blog last year, I spent a long time thinking about my mantra. I was new to this thinking, new to actually accepting who I am.  I wrote this little ditty, MY MANTRA! 

  • I am not how much I weigh or how much I’ve gained or how much I’ve lost.
  • I am not what I eat…I’m what I do and what I say.
  • Changing my shape and size isn’t going to make me happy.
  • Changing the way I feel about my body/myself will.
  • I respectfully decline to discuss your size, my size, her size or his size in any way.
  • I will eat what I want, and move on.
  • I swim, bike, or run every day…being healthy doesn’t mean being thin.
  • I embrace my body as a part of me.

I still believe those words.  I’ve been a little lax on the swim, bike run thing.  But, I am working my way back up to more than 3 times a week. 

As I go into 2009 here are some things I am thinking about and some things I want to work on.

1.  I want to do things that help my health. 

2.  I want to work out and I want to have more conscious eating experiences.

3.  I want to talk to people more about losing weight about how it makes people feel both losing and gaining. 

4.  I want to rock the shopping world by confronting shops and stores who don’t have clothing for people who look like me.

5.  I want to have fun at the events I do (triathlons and other competitions)

6.  Finally, I want to write about the things that inspire you, make you feel less alone, make you laugh or simply make you make fun of me.

 Here’s to 2009..keeping it short and sassy!

Back in my fat pants again!

Sorry guys, I have been out of the writing mode lately.  The holidays have offiically taken over my life.  From baking cookies every weekend to deciding that I wanted to make Christmas gifts for my tri girls (what was I thinking?)  My life has been consumed.  Oh, let’s not forget the evenings of TV.  So, these aforementioned activities have lead to nothing less than, my fat pants.  Yes folks, I am here to say that sitting on your butt, eating cookies not working out, does get you into the big girl pants.  So, another day tomorrow, another cookie perhaps as well, but I hope to at least add a short jog or swim to those events. 

Here is to a happy holiday to all of you.  May you feel good about who you are, where you are no matter what size pants you’r wearin!

Fat girl barely works out

I have been going to the gym consistently over the past few years.  I am an ex smoker who one day realized that when I quit, I filled the free time with drinks and food.  Luckily for me, I found the gym and in a round about way found a group of women that are so fun to be with, it was nearly impossible for me to miss going to the gym.  UNTIL NOW!!!!

Since September people, I have struggled to get my ass out of bed.  There was a time that even if I forgot to put on the alarm clock or it was on very sleepy white noise sounds, I would bolt out of bed 15 minutes before I needed to be at the gym.  Not only that, there was the night before ritual of putting everything out on the bed and in the gym bag that I needed the next day.  And as for bed time….9:30 the latest.  What has happened to me??  On thing I know for sure has happened.  I am addicted to the TELEVISION!!

Heroes

Dancing with the Stars

House

Fringe

Top Chef, Top Design, Project Runway, I call it all TOP ADDICTION

These are my liquor.

What is more pitiful is that I have a DVR, I actually record these programs and stay up late to watch them all.  What is my problem. 

This morning, the white noise didn’t wake me up till 5:00 a.m.  Class starts at 5 a.m.  I forced myself to still get out of bed and make it to the pool.  What was interesting is that none of my aforementioned girlfriends made it there either. 

Amazing to me since Wednesday night TV doesn’t have much…wait a minute…..holy camoley…gotta go hit the DVR, the new season of Top Chef started last night.

I could barely get my fat ass up that hill

So, I know, a couple of weeks have passed since the hilly hundred.  I have to say that honestly, I was in better shape for this last year.  I thought the first hill was going to kill me dead.  I mean it you people out there.  This fat girl was screaming.  But, as the body warmed up and the realization that it is harder to walk up the hills than ride became ever clearer, I walked less and pushed more.  Our group didn’t do the full 100.  We did 50, but we had fun and were beat by the end.  

I was amazed to see all of the different bikes, the different people and sizes, the costumes.  The southern Indiana crowd treated us well.  But, what I am here to tell you is this.  There is a cycling company out there that has bike clothes for full figured, plus size people.  Most of all, I am happy to report that this expo actually had plus size clothes. 

I can’t believe that in the months I have been doing this blog I have forgotten them, but alas, what to do.  So, here is what I know…..Last year I bought a pair of their cycling shorts, I wore them all season and they are still in great condition.  I bought a second pair at an expo this year.  I get the plus size Pro Bike Shorts.  The bonus is that they won’t completely break the bank.  You can see their stuff at their web page www.aerotechdesigns.com

Plus Size Halloween Costume Fiasco

I was so excited to open the box for the plus size Jedi costume.  The ads online indicated it would pretty much fit any size.  I wasn’t even concerned it would fit me because it had my size written on the package.  I pulled the pants out of the package and optimistically started to try them on.  The struggle was with the faux boot like things that wouldn’t pull up over my large calfs.  So, imagine my husband trying to pull the pants up from the waist while the outfit just keeps getitng tighter and tighter around the legs.  It was quite a site to see really. 

So, we decide to switch costumes, cause his fits me.  Only he looks like a girlie jedi in the plus size womens outfit.  So, I ended up exchanging the order.  I was a little discouraged by the lack of sizes and the fact that even when plus size clothes seem to come in my size…..they sometimes don’t fit.

Some people hate fat people

No, not me, but I got my first hate post this week and it disturbed me.  From the violent tone to the assumptions the writer made about me.  I have been fortunate thus far to only come across positive and supportive words by the readers out there.  I guess though, that this is a reminder that “blogging” is public.  Freedom of speech is just that and I’ll just have to accept it.  In the meantime, I continue the blog with a bit of caution. 

Words can hurt.

It IS a small world afterall!! URBAN ASSAULT ROCKS!

Urban Assault Ride Chicago. What a BLAST. I can hardly wait to see the photos they post on line. I can’t wait for next year. Those of you out there who didn’t do it missed a great time and a great party afterward. This was the height of fun. People were so friendly (besides the cop at the zoo) Thanks UAR for a great Chicago day. If I could do these types of events, why would I ever do triathlons again? Speaking of triathlons. This guy comes up to me at the post race event. He looks familiar, vaguely, and he says, “didn’t I sell you a wetsuit?” Holy crap, it is none other than Troy from Mission Bay Multisport.   I start laughing my ass off just thinking of the day that Kitty and I went in there to try on our wetsuits.  So, here I am talking to the guy who put me through that torture.  We chatted it up a few minutes.  I recounted my superfast speed at Accenture (NOT!)  But I also let him know how fun it was.  Then, just to make sure he had heard my rant about equal size clothing when I had been in the store, I asked if he had been getting any other clothes in for the big gal.  He said he was in the process of investigating it and had ordered some skorts.  I told him about Run Chicago and how well they did with their clothes.  I think he was a little jealous.   Anyhooo, just needed to continue my fatactivitsm!!  Again, plus size clothing people out there, get your stuff in the stores.  We’ll buy it, we want to try things on.  We want to give you money for goods.  So, Mission Bay Multisport.  How about getting something in MULTISIZES????????????

Check us OUT!!!

Virginia Eastern Shore Cyclists….there is a GREAT Coffee shop in Pungoteague

What a wonderful day we had cycling today.  The temperature dropped overnight and the sky was completely cloudy.  In fact it sprinkled on and off throughout the 47 mile day.   We started off with a home cooked breakfast at the B & B in Onancock.  We cycled and cycled from Wachaprague to Quinby and then over to Pungoteague.  For those of you who know my father and I, we LOVE coffee.  Imagine our suprise when we start the trip from Harborton to Pungoteague and see a small coffee shop off to the left.  I can’t explain the excitement that we felt.  So, we went in to the shop and met the owner, Amy and her neighbor, little Bridget.  For all of you bikers out there…this is the place to go. 

Here is a photo of the shop:

And a photo of Amy:

This is a place not to miss, the coffee is fantastic and the service…wonderful.

Virginia is frigging hot…but the food rocks…the cycling is good….and the company is awesome.

Well, we’ve biked a couple of days, but we took today off.  A break from the heat.  Tomorrow’s forcast is much cooler which will hopefully aide in some good biking.  Our original 100 mile day will probably not occur this trip, but we’re still having a good time and will get in some good cycling.

I can’t explain to you how hot we were on Sunday.  It was over 90 degrees and we didn’t wake up at the butt crack of dawn to bike either.  No way, we slept in, had a little breakfast buffet, drank some coffee and eventually hit the road (at about 10 a.m.)  The mosquitos are sucking my bones dry.  They swarm to me the minute we stop pedaling so I am forced to keep a movin’.  We biked to a little town on the Chesapeake called Saxis.  I envisioned a Stephen King novel being typed as we peddaled in.  ‘There was nothing in this town and have since learned that the entire town has applied for federal funding to have breakwaters put in because it is quickly being eroded away.  The day before we cycled through Assateague National Seashore, it was beautiful.  Again, I was eaten alive (now don’t get any crazy ideas like telling me to wear bug sprayl….I DID WEAR IT!!  EVERY TIME I LEFT THE HOTEL!!!)  We went to the NASA launch facility where I was breakfast lunch and dinner to the blood suckers.  We were also visiting the island during national bike week, so the roads were packed with Harleys and other tourists.  But all of life was better once we arrived at Mr. Whippy’s.  Man oh man, talk about good soft serve. 

Besides the nasty buffet breakfasts, we have had AMAZING Meals.  Let’s see, we ate at Ray’s Shanty.  This had some of the best seafood I have ever had.  Head on shrimp, crab cakes, scallops–good stuff.  We also at at the Village Restaurant where I had stuffed flounder (broiled) and my dad had tomatoes broiled with cheese and seafood.  I know, it sounds gross, but it was very good.  More to come as our adventure continues.  Stay tuned for my writeup of the odd french, Spanish, Czech restaurant where the owner, Olga, seemed mad at me.