Fat Girl Problems

After the gym, sometimes breakfast has to be quick
aka smoothie alert. Blueberry and almond protein smoothie

Trying to lose weight is a real nightmare. Putting it on is fun and easy. Date nights with girlfriends, with those yummy cocktails and cute fried appetisers; along with rich entrees and decadent desserts. Weekend stay-ins with Netflix and shrimp fries with Thai sweet chili sauce. The real killer - work events - schmooze and lose...lose your willpower to resist glasses of great wine and bite sized goodies that demand you pop another and another and another. Family get-togethers, where there is always food, always a lot of alcohol and aunties watching you cross-eyed if you try to politely refuse.

But when you are trying to get all this excess baggage off your body, not that easy. The early morning wake up calls to unwillingly subject oneself to cardio and other torture devices, or to try to get a workout outdoors before the morning heat and glare get the better of you.

Last night the family got together for a good ole family time. I drank nothing and when offered a plate heaping with roti and curry - my kryptonite - I politely (yeah, that is my excuse) ate the vegetables, a bit of the chicken and gave my mother 95% of the rest. Nightmare.

It has been tough going but the competition element of it has been keeping me really honest. The first couple of weeks, I admit, I had chips once in a while. But I have been super good this past week and for good reason. The people at work are hard core in trying to win this thing and I see my chances of winning slipping away. But I am still doing it because it needs to be done and I need to do it for myself. Still...winning would be nice.

The numbers thing is always complicated. I hate scales and on my second weigh in, the weight numbers were up ever so slightly but the fat percentage was down. This is apparently a good thing, but when you have been programmed to count just the pounds/kg, it can be a bit of a buzzkill. But rallying.

Eating lots of salads and veggies, soups (I love soups so this is easy) and cut out the sugar and the snacks. The snacks have always been my problem so this is a small miracle. No cake. No cookies. No chips. No Haagie. Lots of water, tea and my post-workout smoothies. Getting more sleep, though still not enough. The hardest part has probably been trying to keep my meals fun and creative. I am not one for those crazy diets - onion soup diets or liquid diets. I eat like a real person, just without an excess of the "fun" stuff. Food should never be boring, even if one is trying to be healthy.

Part of my weekly supermarket stash last weekend. Fruits and stuff for teas, fruit juices and smoothies.
Greens for salads.

Chicken quesadillas and greens for dinner. Salad by itself - not food. That's torture...

...unless the salad is epic like this one - mixed greens, grated carrots, roasted onions,
chopped black grapes, pommerac, homemade garlic croutons, and some baked chicken.

So wish me luck. The battle wages on. Another weigh in this week so game on!

Read more »

It's a Dog's Life - Try this Dog-inspired Fitness Routine

During the week I get up at the ungodly hour of 3.05 am to head to the office building, where there is also a gym. This is a huge sacrifice especially when one thinks of the sleep I could be getting. But with the morning rush hour being what it is, not going to the gym means I only get an extra 40 minutes of sleep anyway.

Still, my morning sweat - in the empty gym (until about 5.15am when people start trickling in) is the most relaxing part of my entire day. As much as I hate getting up that early, and struggle to get to the office, it really is my one moment of zen. It is more than just working out - it is a renewal of my mind and my spirit. But, of course, the working out is pretty important, and this week I have really been trying to stay serious - no resting and idling between sets, no jumping off the treadmill after 2 mins. Really serious. Even though some mornings I am as tired as a dog.

And speaking of dogs, I have this cute infographic that kinda shows how I have been getting serious this week. Now, as you know I love dogs, and my dog is pretty fit looking, so decided I would try his method as per this infographic from DogVacay,  I don't always look as happy as the dog in the photo but one can aspire towards something.

Get Fit like Fido!

The only set I left out - mountain climbers. I just hate them, as effective as they may be. My cool down is more of a slow stroll with my water bottle than stretching as well. A slow stroll or a booty shake depending on what song is playing on my MP3 player at the time. I have been caught a few times,  mid-booty shake, by co-workers, who then laugh and comment on my ability to be happy - even at that hour of the morning. The main difference between me and Fido - Fido gets to laze for the rest of the day and get his ears rubbed. I get to go to meetings and write reports for 8 hours. Oh well... 

Read more »

Pre-Carnival Gym Rats: Just Like the Once-a-Year Christians

Happy New Year to everyone!!

So now that the Christmas/New Year holiday season is over, here on the rock, the Carnival season will now kick in. With a bit of a longer season this year (59 more days til Carnival), there is more time for the non-Beyonce types to get in some kinda shape – maybe nothing at all like Beyonce in 59 days unless one exiles oneself to a deserted island and only drinks from coconuts – but a few pounds lost here and there, especially if one wants to wear something like the stuff seen HERE. 

The problem I have with this though is the same problem one lady had with me the first and last time I decided to go to New Year’s Eve mass one year. As I took a seat in a middle pew, this bastion of Christianity, Bible and hymn book in hand, looked at me, sucked her teeth and then commented to her friend – “I cannot tolerate these once-a-year Christians” as I had clearly selected her preferred or usual seat. Yes, Christians are awesome! I won’t even get into that, however…

…the once-a-year gym rats are to me, what I clearly was to the old battleaxe in church. You know, the ones you only see a few weeks before Carnival. The gym just before Carnival is a zoo – literally.

A gym that looks like this is a nightmare on any day!!!

People almost become animals, because the gym is so full, and there is stiff competition for equipment. This is not limited to gyms, but also try running around the Savannah, where one has to wake before the chickens in order to avoid the scramble.

As an all-year believer in the sweat gods, I do the suck teeth at the once-a-year subscribers who trample on my comfort levels at the gym and elsewhere. For the next 59 days I am going to have to battle with them.

Of course there are also those who use this busy period as a golden opportunity to use a gym membership as an opportunity to gape and try to pick up a man or a girl. These are even more maddening than the “lose weight or die trying” rats, because at least they are actually trying to do something, as opposed to those who dress to impress and stand around idling and gaping, often hogging equipment that could be put to better use by those who are serious, or sometimes they just stand there, doing nothing and are just in the way.

Luckily for me, I use a private gym (at work) most of the time. The same issues apply but on a smaller scale, and my gym hours (any iteration of 4am) somewhat protect me from the rush. Still, there are other classes for which I know I will need to do battle for space. I am trying to mix it up as much as possible, primarily to avoid boredom, but also to avoid me giving someone a concussion with a dumb-bell.

Read more »

The Tough Week That Was

High heeled life is often taxing and tiring. This was a really really REALLY hard week. I worked late almost every day this week, and today, I woke up with a headache, back ache and completely exhausted. It was also a challenging week for the "Bringing Sexy Back" mission. Like today. I woke up feeling sick and also with an uncanny, mind numbingly overwhelming craving for something I hardly ever eat - KFC. So I had it. I had it and I enjoyed it. Every last greasy fry, and every crumb of my one greasy chicken leg. Fail.

Don't judge me.

Still, the week had some moments. My extraordinary friend's extraordinary birthday dinner at Aioli, which also greatly tested my willpower - a test I failed I admit. I mean, it's Aioli for crying out loud. It's kinda hard to not fail the willpower test with a menu as awesome as theirs. I did well to stick to protein as my main but this was the downfall right here.

Aioli's awesome Napoleon

This, and the strawberry mojitos and Prosecco - my first alcoholic drinks in over 2 months. On a work night. Fail.

And I did not make it to the gym the morning after, or the morning after that and I was too tired to really make a solid sweat investment the morning after that as my Savannah run became a Savannah nightmare and every step felt like I was running through quicksand. Fail.

I will however give kudos to Allister, our server, who held up extraordinarily well against the cheeky, good humoured assault from 14 mischievous women, with yours truly probably being the worst offender. He was a good sport though (but I did hear him utter "My God" under his breath, just behind me, after about an hour and a half...and I don't blame him one bit. I laughed) and proves me to that brilliant customer service is not dead.

Shopping deliveries are always a highlight as well - especially when they are speedy.

Gotta love a sale. And friends who facilitate your lack of retail willpower in the face of company's reluctance to accept international credit cards. Do better than this, NY&C I have supported you so well for so many years, so let's work on this. Fail.

Kudos as well to my skybox delivery guy - a guy I have had run-ins with in the past for his farseness and general outta-timing behaviour and comments. Even when he called a few days earlier to attempt delivery on a sick day, he was just generally obnoxious. But this time, when he came to make said delivery, he was as sweet as that Napoleon. It was bizarre but in a good way. Again, my hope for great customer service was boosted.

And speaking of sale...one sale in particular has gotten me thinking of my vacation of nothing again. I think it is meant to happen, so I better just make it so - especially with more tough weeks ahead.

Read more »

Death of a Foodie Superstar!!!

Yesterday, I felt sick. Deep down sick. And I listened to my body and it was saying...no...it was SHOUTING...

Chile, you keep putting all sorts of crap in me and I have had enough of it, so take jammin'.

The last straw was probably girls' night on Saturday, where besides girl talk and buckets of laughter, we had sushi, wine and cocktails, and then ended the night with Belgian waffles and ice cream with too much whipped cream and girlish nonsense. It was a great evening, but...

I woke up on Sunday morning feeling like crap, and even though I still whipped up a more sensible brunch that same morning for las chicas, I knew I had hit rock bottom. The good times had to stop rollin'.

Honestly, I have not been taking very good care of myself for a while and the effects are seriously manifesting themselves now, through bad skin, weight gain (duh), lethargy and all those yucky feelings, so I am hanging up my cocktail glass and my knife and fork, and busting out my juicer.

I do a detox 2-3 times a year (remember this post-holiday detox moment), as it brings me back from the brink of destruction and more importantly, reminds me that I am at my best when I eat well, and by well, I don't mean overdoing it, but eating healthily. My mojo is gone and well, it's time to get it back. I made an emergency detour after work to run into Hi-Lo to get all I needed for this juice cleanse, cranked up the old juicer, and added celery, spinach, apples, cucumber and ginger to make a very refreshing and natural nightcap after a long work day. I know these are not the awesome food pics you have come to know and love but it's really quite delicious and all natural. I had a green frothy moustache after downing this number.

This week - lots of water, lots of fresh food, usually no caffeine but let's get serious, now. lol. I need my coffee. I will just have one cup instead of 2. Promise.

Annnnnd lots of sweat purging aka exercise.

I need to better manage and channel what little energy I have left into staying focused at the gym. I have enlisted my girlfriends as support and I have also done the unthinkable but something that is on my bucket list, albeit somewhere at the very bottom - signed up for a road race! Jeebus! Now don't get excited, I will not be running any marathons, as I think it is well known...WELL KNOWN...that I hate running. It's just a couple 5Ks but clearly the goal of getting back into all these clothes I have in my closet is not enough motivation. I think my Hi-Lo girls are tired of the pink t-shirt I have been beating every week, and let's not talk about the daily struggle of trying to decide what to wear and which outfit to recycle to go to work. And yet, that has not pushed me over the cliff towards ending the madness yet. However...public embarrassment, or rather, staving off public embarrassment is a great motivator, and yeah, that sense of accomplishment and all that after school special stuff.

No cocktails this weekend. No nothing. And it's a long holiday weekend too. Cripes! I will be home. With my Kindle and my juicer and my water bottle. Wish me luck!

Read more »

Kicking Ms Rosy's Fat Ass

Cramps are noooo fun, friends.

Rosy.

Rosy is just a cute way of saying "fat". So this weekend,  when someone I knew said, "Oh, you look so rosy", I did not take it as a compliment. lol.

I have been pretty consistent with the workouts but maybe a bit too consistent with the cocktail hours! Therein lies my problem at the moment. But the 4.45am workouts continue. This morning I broke into a jog like someone who loves running, kinda like frickin' Rocky - when in reality I LOATHE it - and then a little while later, I was on a corner, with a cramp. lol. But I finished strong - and I was very proud of myself.

Tomorrow I am going to take advantage of an empty gym to face my other nemesis - the elliptical. I used to spend sometimes 2 hours straight on that thing - and the last time I got on it about 2 weeks ago, I could barely make 15 minutes. Time to kick Ms Rosy's ass!

Read more »

Move Your Body

Dusted off the sneakers and the fitness ball this morning

The one year anniversary of this blog comes up on Saturday and my very first entry was about my long awaited return to fitness and ultimately to the gym, in the face of fat fever. It seems almost poetic that this morning, I again made a daring return to fitness, after 7 months of no gym, no jogging, nothing except chasing trains and buses, running up train station ramps and running from Nigerian men. lol. I had planned to wake up this morning and hit the slopes, but always easier said than done. When I opened my eyes at 4.53am and saw it was still dark, I convinced myself that there was some murderer waiting on the hill to kill me, so it would be better to stay in bed where it was safe. Then I smelled saltfish, as Daddy started on breakfast way too early, and I thought, wouldn't you feel better having that fried bake and saltfish AFTER a workout? Still nothing.

Five minutes later, by sheer will, and after thinking that even if I lost half a pound, it would be half a pound less to hide under a sarong when I hit the white sands of Pigeon Point beach this weekend, I was dressed and looking for the Workout folder on my MP3 player - a folder that clearly needs some updating. I thought I would pass out after 7 months of limited activity, especially on the steep inclines which make up my neighbourhood, but I surprised myself. I guess chasing London red double decker buses can now be classified as exercise and I am vindicated! The power walk/jog, coupled with some stability ball and free weights love made for a great wakeup call. I had a great workout but there is no better workout than the one that I will be engaging in later - in the mall, with a credit card. HEY!

In honour of my ass, and my determination to keep it bootyful, and in honour of style, here is Ms B's ode to fitness as part of Mrs O's fight against childhood obesity. Adding it to my Workout folder. If I could get a DVD with the choreography, life would be golden!

Read more »

Working It Out

Ah yes. Another day. It was sunny the past couple days but lucky me, I woke up and headed to class amidst grey and rain. So a friend asked me if I had been getting any exercise since being here since as most of my early entries on this blog were all about fitness and gym adventures and my daily efforts at the sweat shop to stall frumpiness and keep my awesome ass in shape. Well, while I do not have a gym membership here, this was my answer to her.

My day, when I have a 9am class, goes something like this:

• 5.15 - wake up...hustle a 'fresh. (take a quick shower)
• 6.30 - leave the house to catch the 6.34 bus. It is a 7-8 min walk. lol. It becomes a near sprint.
• 6.36 - see the 6.34 bus driving by...I cuss the driver even though it is my fault
• 6.37 - run my ass like Usain to catch the bus behind it...thank him kindly for waiting
• 6.45:57 - run like ass from the bus stop to the train station to catch the 6.47 train...breathless. I usually miss this train by the way, so my running is usually for nothing, so I have lately, just stopped running
• 6.56 - run like ass up the stairs and up the ramp and down the stairs again, to catch my second train
• 7.09 - speed walk up the ramp then speed walk maybe another 1500m , then run like ass either down the escalator or the stairs, and then run like ass the last 200m to catch the last train for the morning
• 7.34 - get to my university town...go to Tesco for water or whatever
• 7.36 - see the bus turning the corner...run like ass to catch it or risk standing in the cold for a next 15 mins
• 7.something - walk to class

Exercise. What's that? lol. It may not be as effective as my 2 hour workouts at the gym but they keep the  hips from spreading to massive proportions and that ramp walk at Waterloo really works the glutes. lol.



God..this is nasty! Stop!

In other travel news and in keeping with my V-Day trend until Monday, I am all for love and people being in love and wanting to show their partner they love them and all, but do all that at home. I was unfortunate enough to have to sit behind a most nauseating Middle Eastern couple who kissed all the way to our final destination. Maybe they were not Muslim, but if they were, they were showing the world they could PDA with the rest of us. It was full blown lovin'. Not just little love bites, but amateur smacking - *smack smack spit smack*. It was really disgusting. What was worse was the fact that the train was full and I had nowhere else to go, so I sat there and suffered in silence. I mean, I always believe that when people behave in this manner in public it has to be one of a few things

1. As Trinis would say, they "never-see-come-see" or "never-expect" which basically means, it's like they never had a man or a woman and never expected to have one, so when they get one, the world has to know. Buddy, the chick ain't all that...keep that on the down-low.

2. It's not YOUR man or woman. It's someone's wife or husband you be smackin' on. I remember taking a taxi as a 16 yr old and in my school uniform and a couple in the backseat with me could not be bothered that a young, impressionable person, in her school uniform no less was next to them - they kissed it up the entire way. My innocence - tarnished forever especially as I later found out the woman was married...not to Casanova in the car but to another poor sucker.

3. You live with your mama and have nowhere else to take your woman to snog it up. Well, hotels can work too. Not the train. Please.

PDAs are not cool. They can be, if done tastefully, and you may even get an "awwwww" from me, but not when it's a slobbering, greedy, desperate mess. Spare us. Spare me. Please.

Read more »

Piggylicious

The start of my vacation had marked the end of healthy, purposeful eating. I was eating well and going to the gym regularly. Then I went on vacation and I was also eating well - VERY WELL - and by that I don't mean broccoli and legumes. I was having Thai and Japanese and lots and lots of Italian, and Brazilian and Caribbean food and thanks to my cousin, lots of wine, lots of cocktails, thanks to RT, lots of Haagie. I was the piggy hotness enjoying a well earned vacation. Then I came home and nothing changed but the nationality and readiness of the food. My mum was on vacation and I was forced to fend completely for myself. So while I would cook a healthy, full lunch for work and have a small Mummy-cooked dinner, I was now too tired to manage all that cooking and was having crap. The macaroni pie is not only my favouritest thing in all the world, but it is also the simplest thing to prepare, next to a pelau, and my 3rd macaroni pie in 2 weeks is sitting in the fridge.

So yes, I am an oink oink at this point and feeling it in every inch of my fat body. I had promised to make it to the gym today but nature had other plans so this has been delayed. I have a nice helping of yesterday's "welcome home mummy" pelau, with some cole slaw and a slice of the infamous macaroni pie in my lunchbag - this after digging through the mountain of broccoli in Hi-Lo to find the right bag of my favourite green vegetable for steaming for lunch this week. I am a sinner and I ask for forgiveness.

I hope to get my ass in gear and back in shape, soon.

Read more »

Bringing Sexy Back

Yesterday, after nearly 2 weeks of neglect (blame work), I made it to the gym. My membership was due on July 4, but seeing that I will be on vacation for a month, clearly it made no sense to pay the subscription. So I went yesterday, a bit tired but determined to burn off the ice cream I had yesterday, and armed with my $30 for the session fee. You can thus imagine my vexation when the young lady told me the fee was now $40 a session and I protested that they had to be crazy. lol. In any event, I had driven all that way, and had not worked out in so long that I paid the bandit price and changed into my gym wear for a sweat.

But let me tell you - my gym is a funny place. I have already mentioned the hottie hottie girls who parade throughout the gym trying to pick up men. Well, don't believe this is a single sex phenomenon. As I pounded away on the elliptical for an hour of much needed cardio, I saw some antics from the male patrons that made me smile to myself. One dude, who is shaped very strangely - very little head, big upper body, though not ripped, just big, and a hybrid of muscle and fat, and a rather narrow skinny bottom - got on the treadmill in his muscle vest and I dunno - he seemed to be trying to keep up with the obvious athlete next to him, but kept faltering, pretending he was slowing down to stretch. Stupid. Then the other dude who paraded in front of us twice and then before he got on the treadmill, he had to execute a series of stretches or as I call them, antics. I mean, really?? And then he got on the treadmill and there were more antics as he kept looking to see which of us silly women was looking at him. Well, buddy, I was and I was laughing at you. Stupid.

And why do some of these men think they can compete with me on the elliptical? Do I have a sign that says "Race me"? Just get on, do what you can do, at your pace and get off. I don't want to be responsible for the death of some totally unfit homosapien. Like the old white dude who gets on next to me and keeps looking over to see what level I am on, how many strides a minute etc. It's really annoying. You don't see me trying to lift 200lbs of weights to keep up with you. I am quite good with my 50lbs, thanks. lol. Not trying to look like a man.

Then there were the 2 old biddies next to me, who were very impressive. I was impressed that they could stay on the elliptical for an hour and talk for the entire hour. Even with my music on, I could hear them cackling about the cruises and trips they had taken, and their kids and grandkids. Impressive.

But I am not complaining. Staying on an elliptical for an hour can get be tedious so the entertainment is appreciated. Still I need to explore some options because the gym is consistently over capacity and I don't like it. I cannot imagine what in there looks like coming up to Carnival. Nah. Need a Plan B to keep these hips in check.

Read more »

How busy high heeled days derail diets

Yesterday was just one of those high heeled days, when you're sitting suffering in your office, waiting for approvals so you can send stuff out and go home to get some food and a shower. I called my mother ahead of time and asked her to pick up a soup from my fave cafe in the second city, but she did not think my soup was important enough apparently. This left me with very little options when I did manage to leave the office at 7.30pm. Having missed gym sessions on two days straight this week because of work, I was not feeling the BK/KFC/Pizza Hut options. But I knew it was one of these or sure starvation, so decided I would jump in the car and make up my mind when I got there.

This was the final decision. Sorry for the fuzzy photo, but hunger is serious and I was sitting in the carpark hoping noone jacked me, my car, my Berry and most importantly, MY DINNER!!!!

My reasoning for this was simple.

1. If I am going to stuff my body with calories, it might as well be  via Coldstone ice cream
2. If I was going to stuff my body with calories, it might as well be via oil free, non-acne causing Coldstone ice cream
3. If I was going to stuff my body with calories, it might as well be via yummyColdstone ice cream, which for a lactose intolerant person is basically like being bulimic. lol.

So that was dinner. I just wanted to say though that I wish more international franchises like this one, would set up shop in Trinidad. Why? The level of service they expect is reflected in the way the staff interact with customers. It was a refreshing change to be greeted with a smile and kind words. As opposed to when I went to have passport sized photos taken earlier this week and the woman's mouth stretched out from her face to across the street, as though I was begging her to climb Everest barefoot. And note I said Trinidad and not Tobago cause honestly, I don't think anything can help customer service in Tobago, except maybe Jesus.

So kudos to the staff at Coldstone Creamery in Price Plaza, even the nice ice cream assistant (dunno what the right term is) who tried to fatten me up with all kinda mixings and toppings. I had to say no. My diet had been derailed enough with just the ice cream. But it did not stop him from pouring fudge sauce and chocolate chips in my yummy French Vanilla ice cream and yummy waffle cone pieces. Okay, I will stop now. But come hell, high water or overtime, I WILL be at the gym this evening.

Read more »

It's my black hair that keeps me curvy!!!

Going to the gym takes a special type of commitment. I am usually tired, so that's the first thing.

The next thing is to get to my gym I pass my turnoff for home. It only takes one sharp bad drive to the left and maybe some cuss words from some fellow fat motorist to get me off the beat me up path and onto the path to salvation aka home. There have been a few days (count Mon, Wed, and Thurs of last week) where I made the necessary bad drive from the fast lane (as we call it here) to the lane to make the turnoff to my couch.

Then I go to a very popular gym, with all the teeny bopper girls whose main purpose in life is either to see or be seen. I don't mind you doing what makes you happy off your membership fee, but when you crowd up the gym, hog the equipment to chat with boys and keep me back from whittling away my hips, then I have a serious serious problem with your extracurricular activities.

And then I also remembered a conversation I had with a dude last year at a conference in New York. My fellow Bajan PR superstar and I were the only black women at the table. You know this was deliberate that we sat together - but it was just a bonus that she was from the Caribbean as well. This bright American dude of Anglo-Saxon descent, then comes to our table to tell us he is writing a paper. On what you ask?

Black women, weight and hair.

It was his observation, from talking to other black women (so he say) that black women shun the gym because they don't want to sweat and ultimately sweat out their perm or their weave. He was saying this all with the straightest of faces. Now while the dude was probably right, and we will get to this, ummm...I don't know you and you're suggesting I am fat? lol. No no...he says. But he wanted to know if I avoided the gym to safeguard my expensive salon job. The question therefore really was would I prefer to be fat with great hair, or skinny with jacked up hair?

You know he was still waiting for an answer. Ms Barbados was not feeling him either with his farseness and out of order line of questioning and I could tell the white women at the table were wishing he would just leave as well. He took the hint real quick.

But to answer the question, unlike Caucasian type hair, washing black hair after the gym if say you go in the morning, requires great skill, equipment and hair products. It's not a wash and wear kinda thing, especially if you have locks or a weave. THIS requires a trip to the salon or a neighbour with salon skills. Thus I now go in the evening, in case you were wondering why (plus the other hassle of walking with clothes and makeup and sharing showers with nasty women who insisted on showing off ALLLLLLL their junk before and after a shower was not at all appealing anymore).

Would I prefer to be fat and have Pantene commercial type hair? No. Do black women avoid the gym because of the hair issues? I don't know. I certainly don't. I go to the salon on Saturday and may take a day on Monday but it's business as usual in the sweatshop on Tuesday. I avoid the gym for all the other reasons listed above. My gym has a lot of black women who work out hard, sweat a lot and they keep coming back -perms, dreads, weaves, braids, screwballs, you name it, we've got it. I don't know about American women, but Trini women seem to be fine with it, mister. And when was the last time he looked at say the Olympics? Ever noticed your American female athletes? They did not win medals cause they were scared of messing up their hair. Maybe they won via other means (ahem), but the hair did not hold them back. Female track athletes are some of the swankiest athletes out there. Steups. And once you ladies wash it and keep that from smelling like ole socks, I am fine with it as well.

But I still hate trying to find new ways of making the treadmill or stepping on an elliptcal for an hour exciting. Although, there is a dude who now thinks he can compete with the elliptical master and tries to keep up with my faster than a speeding bullet pace and hold perfect sexy form for the full hour. After 35mins I was alone again. Loser.

Read more »

One other thing about P90X

I just want to go back briefly to my Friday experience with my P90X DVD. I really have to give BIG kudos to whoever came up with the concept for the Polymetrics DVD. What's so special about it you ask? Well, there were 2 test group guys - 2 regular guys. But one of them had a prosthetic leg. I totally applauded him for being such a fitness star and not letting it hinder his physical activity. But lemme tell you, superstar or not, when I felt the burn, I said to myself, If this dude with one leg can do this ish, why am I sitting, breathing hard on my fitness ball? Nah man. He inspires a new and special kinda shame in you that you just HAVE to pick yourself up and push til the end. I know without a doubt if the one-legged dude was not in that DVD, I would have hit the Stop button after the warm up. lol. I cannot remember his name now but thanks buddy.

The gym was a total zoo yesterday. I guess everyone who could not be bothered to go over the long weekend thought it would be a good idea to try to work off the chips and beers from the various long weekend activities. I hate going to the gym when it is that crowded and I was not a happy camper. Especially when this one woman and her trainer thought it would be cool to do her personal training, which required her to go from machine to machine after a set. I am there, sitting on the hip adductor machine, pushing weight, and she comes up to ask me if I am almost finished. WTF! No, I am not. Oh, she wants to do her set. How is that my problem? I started to wonder if I had free membership and was at the mercy of paying members or something. She stayed there and stood over me, almost rushing me to get off. I was annoyed to say the least. Do this kinda thing when the gym is empty, not when everyone else is jamming you up for equipment. I mean, I try to be considerate and not take extended breaks when I know other people are waiting, but she was just ridiculous and annoying. She just had to wait, and that was that. I had an obligation to my hips that I had to keep.

Today is my last work day for the week. Can I get a woot!woot!?

Read more »

One month later

Gym membership is due today. After a month, I still don't look like Tyra but there has been some change. I have long since done away with scales because I truly believe they are evil devices. Instead I use clothing as a benchmark. For example, the reason the outfit I am wearing today came about (cute shirt with a knit vest) was because the shirt was fantastically tight one morning (I mean TIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!), and the vest was aimed at covering the gut and the busting-out-ness. This morning I still wore the vest cause I liked how the shirt and vest looked together, but I did not need the vest at all. In fact I was looking for a cute belt to accessorise the shirt, but had no time so stuck with the vest. So things are happening. I steamed and then roasted some chicken last night, cooked some peas and made a veggie and whole wheat pasta salad, minus the mayo. No celery sticks and cucumber lunches here. I keep the inspiration alive with this fantastic image of myself in a few weeks, walking off British Airways flight whatever, sashaying through Immigration with the dude waiting for me with open arms - and I am sashaying. Not waddling. Well, I never waddle...but you know what I mean.

No woman likes weight gain, unless you actually need to put some weight on, and I have had some luggage stop me from living (albeit briefly) a couple times. I met an old friend a couple weeks ago and invited her out and she said she was not really socialising much (what she meant to say was AT ALL) because she did not want people to see how fat she had gotten. Add no job to this and this is a true recipe for depression and disaster. But at least she is making efforts on both fronts. And women can be brutal. Even though you may recognise that you have added some roughage to the hips and thighs, no woman wants reminding of the fact. Nothing is as annoying as "You're putting on weight" or "Look how fat you got!" Really? I am? Wow...did not know this.

I mean, it's the first thing any woman notices. Too-tight pants and shirts that cannot button are not signs of starvation. We know when we are packing it on so no need to remind us, thanks. This is most likely the reason my friend does not want to go out and do things she normally would have done - because of the comments and the stares and advice from not so well meaning women about not drinking soda and juice, and not eating after 6 etc. It's hard enough trying to get it off, but to have to deal with silly people always talking about it like there is nothing else going on with you besides the L.Bs is just downright difficult.

But my favourite saying ever, courtesy of my girlfriend is Weight you can lose. Ugly and dotish (stupid) are for keeps. Stuck it on my mirror for good measure...just in case I need to remind anyone.

Read more »

X Marks the Spot

Yesterday I did not feel like going to the gym but after my awesome roti lunch, I decided that a workout was mandatory. So I went home, and dug up my P90X DVD. It was just this week I told a friend that the DVD workouts don't work for me for a variety of reasons, including the fact that my personal tv is in my room and there is no space so I would have to bump peeps out of the family room, which is hard cause someone is always at home. Then coming home usually means I see the couch or the bed and my body responds by shutting down...usually within minutes.

But the stars were all aligned yesterday and noone was home and I was not that tired. Soo...it was time to X.

Well, I am here typing so I did not die, but it was hard. The up side was that they were tired too. I liked that the dude used a couple of real people, not gym hard bodies, but regular guys in the workout. So they were breathing just as hard and sweating just as much as I was and I saw dude in the back stealing some breaks, which I am not ashamed to say, I did too. For my very first time X-ing, I thought I did pretty damn good.  But muscle confusion is an undertstatement. More like muscle crucifixion. But it was a good 60min workout and it was another good way to mix up the physical activity.

I really would love something decadent for dinner - something involving cheese and pasta maybe - but seeing that I could not make it off the bed to hit the gym this morning, and I am also under the weather and most likely not working out for the next couple of days, I will have to pass.

Read more »

Burgundy Baby

During the week I am often so tired that I get by with basic coordination, where I don't have time to change handbags or I'm too worn out to wear the heels that go with a blouse. But there are those off days when laziness and convenience equal super diva, and today was the day, when everything fell into place on its own, and personified the saying that beauty is effortless. My glasses and my blouse, and my nails are also the same colour and this was not at all planned I swear. Of course this meant that when I hit the pavement this morning to go to the drugstore, I had to contend with the Third World Romeos,including those mandated to protect and serve, but it comes with the territory. Just too hot, I know...

Little do they know that I am in immense discomfort, having worked muscles that previously were on extended vacation until yesterday. I'm not quite sure why my shoulders are so painfully sore considering that my workout yesterday was lower body, but maybe it's residual pain from the day before. I dunno. In any event, today is rest day. Grey's Day! I never workout once there is a fresh episode of Grey's Anatomy and Flash Forward because I would be too tired to stay awake. I have started going on Friday's which for some might be insanity, but for me it makes perfect sense:

1. The gym is empty cause everyone else is drinking and liming
2. Empty gym means more access to the machines I want
3. Going out drinking means empty calories I can do without
4. Going out drinking means spending money on empty calories I can do without, when I can save that money to buy cute handbags and matching wraps

I am on a mission to get into my favourite grey pants by July. God help me, if I have to eat rice cakes and go to the gym on Sunday morning too, I will do it.

But... at least I am coordinated like no other.

Read more »

Gym

It doesn't look too appetising does it? They're multigrain rice cakes, with not a speck of sugar, but I love them and when I feel snack-ish, I grab one. To my credit, I have had a small Haagen Dazs in the freezer since Saturday and have not touched it yet. Too tired to eat? Maybe.

Yesterday I resumed weight training. It was not too bad. I had to keep looking for my trainer who was over-subscribed and that's not fun because I felt like a search-and-rescue dog after my sets. But the trainers are very personable and helpful.

I was telling a girlfriend just yesterday that so far I had been impressed by both the men and the women in the gym. The men, because none tried to pick me up, and the women for being serious about working out and not there to model and distract the staff.

I spoke too soon. First there was the girl in the changing room. Full makeup bag and there she was fixing her eyeliner and putting on powder and lipgloss. I rolled my eyes and thought this girl was a twat. Later, while I was sweating away on the elliptical I saw her gingerly step on the treadmill and I took in the outfit - short dark blue tights, with a glittery yellow belt (yes...a sequined yellow belt!!!), black training shirt, gold bangles and rings, hoop earrings. I mean, was she walking on the treadmill or the catwalk? And she was not even that hot. Actually she was pretty rugsy looking but hey, who am I to bash other people's self confidence? She lasted maybe 4 minutes strolling on the treadmill before she got up and walked aimlessly across the floor, texting on her cell phone. My God!

Then upstairs in the weight room, this dude who not only smelled like a hobo but looked like one too kept looking at me and smiling and then wherever I was, there he was. Dude...go away. And when I am pushing iron, I am not trying to focus on you focusing on me. It's really annoying.

I spotted runway princess in the corner leaning against one of the machines, chatting with a trainer and just being pointless.

I have been good though. I have not openly rollled my eyes at anyone or given anyone the eye or been sarcastic. I put on my music and go into my world, where contentment is queen! Despite the tiring effects on already tired limbs, it's the most relaxing part of my day.

Read more »

What on earth have Saturdays come to?

Aerobics - scary on so many levels.

I was up until after 1 this morning tinkering with the damn blog template and I am still not thrilled with it, but that's not the point. I had committed to going to the gym early so why on earth did I stay up so late?? When the alarm went off after 6, I cursed under my breath but still managed a quick shower and a change into battle gear.

I had decided to give the aerobics class a shot today. I used to avoid the aerobics class at one of my other gyms - avoid it like the plague. It seems as though that memory had been lost in the deep, dark recesses of my mind cause had I remembered the agony of such classes, I would never have put myself through the torture. Let me spell it out for you - I hate aerobics. I seem to always get the gay instructor whose aim in life is to 'mash up' women out of some past grievance against their sisters or female cousins for oh, I dunno...stinging them with their jockey shorts waistbands. This one was no different. It's not the keeping up part, but it's the showing off I cannot handle. The "I can do plenty fancy moves with such speed that by the time you catch on, I add another fancy move" showing off. But misery loves company and fortunately, with the exception of Superwoman in front of me, everyone else seemed to be just as aerobically challenged this morning. But for my first class in maybe 5 years, I managed to not catspraddle on the gym floor. Go me! But I think that will be my last class still.

Add an hour of equipment cardio to that, and you get Bad Hair Saturday. Jesus. And considering it was also a movie/lunch Saturday, this was unacceptable. This gym thing has its perks, like weight loss and conditioning, but it also wrecks any posibility of a good hair Saturday, the one day you can let the hair just wild out in the Trini breeze. Thank God for head scarves, caps and wigs for staving off disaster.

IronMan 2 was the focus of movie day and it was good for the most part. RDJ is one of those actors who totally overpowers any one else's star power, or maybe it was planned that way cause does anyone remember that Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johannssen were also in the movie? No. I should correct myself. The WOMEN in the movie were invisible. Just a couple pretty faces with no bite. Mickey Rourke was excellent and I hate to admit it, but Don Cheadles was a better Rhodey than Terrence Howard. Having gotten little sleep and then 2hrs of cardio this morning, one would not be surprised that I caught some quick winks. Then add the heat and running around in said heat to get that last minute Mum's Day gift, supplies for the Mum's Day lunch and it was just an awesomely tiring day.

I recall Saturdays when I used to be hot, in the fabulous sense. Where did those days go?

Read more »

...and Gym Shoes

This is my debut post on this blog, so cheers! I will still be using my other blog of course, but this is for the stuff outside the realm of work. Please blogroll me if you do have a blog, or subscribe or bookmark me. You know you want to be here. You just know it!
So I guess I can announce that I started back hardcore working this week. With some info soliciting from Jillian, I signed up and I had my first gym day on Wednesday. Lots of expanding waistlines around me so I did not feel too bad, especially after I caught my reflection in the changing room and the sheer terror set in. I will still eat chocolates, but I may never eat a roti again.

Okay, let's be real. I will eat roti, but all things in moderation.

But I wanted to share this via a Facebook update yesterday, but somehow I felt it needed some attention. There was a young lady in the gym and the first thing that caught my attention was her general hygiene. Yes, she was in a gym and one sweats in a gym but damn. She needed an intervention. Then, and this was the part that floored me, she went to the locker to get her bag so she could shower and change (Hallelujah!). But there was a collective "NAH" from both the angel on the right shoulder and the cheeky cute devil on my left, as she pulled out the bag containing her drawers, soap, towel, makeup etc.

A so and so HI-LO plastic bag.

Now this is my thing. The gym membership is not cheap, so if you are rolling your eyes at me and suggesting that maybe she cannot afford a duffel bag, then un-roll them, please. I mean, with all the giveaways from bmobile and Digicel in recent times, to me everyone has some kinda bag. If not, there are lots of cheap shops where one can purchase a cheap gym bag. But to come in your branded Adidas sweat tights and expensive sneakers, with your panties in a Hi-Lo bag is just unacceptable.

Ladies, please...don't do it.

In any event, I am committing myself to aerobics this afternoon. God help me!

Read more »