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

I find it strange that the one commercial that I’ve heard the rest of the world talking about with the Superbowl was missing from the iFilm collection of commercials. Did Budlight not think it was worth sponsoring, or was this an oversight on iFilm’s part. Here I was watching a Mastercard Marathon when I could have been watching this wonderful commercial from Dove.

This girl is the most haunting of them all for me (although the girl who wants to be blonde is a close second). So much of advertising seems to tell us that there is something wrong with us and that their product will fix our flaws. It has taken me a long time to finally realize that the only things wrong with me are in my head.

Via: Treatment Online – Dove Super Bowl Ad Sets a Brave New Tone

Wouldn’t it be great if every time I ran a race I had this much of a lead on the other runners?

Remember when I said that health insurance companies want to use obesity as a reason to deny insurance coverage?

• Starling Fitness » That’s Bullocks

I was blasted for this supposition and people conjectured that it’s not so hard for obese people to get insurance and once they get it they won’t be denied coverage after paying their premiums. It hasn’t happened yet, but an undercurrent of that sentiment is growing in Great Britain.

• Doctors: Obese should be refused treatment | the Daily Mail

The health industry is in a crunch in the United Kingdom and the first thing that they look to to cut costs are the obese. Fortunately, government watchdogs have defended their citizens, but for how long?

I’m not paranoid. I can see where this is leading and if you are overweight, start making healthy choices in your life right now before they decide that it’s legal to discriminate against you because they’ve decided that “it’s your own fault.”

Via: Big Fat Blog: UK Docs: Don’t Treat Fat People

I wrote before about Patrick Deuel and his struggle with weight loss:

• Starling Fitness » The Former Half Ton Man

He is still working toward his goal of a healthy weight. Right now, he is scheduled for surgery to remove his pannus, which is a flap of skin that hangs from his belly down to his knees. The pannus is interferring with exercise, walking and all of Patrick’s plans to get closer to his goal.

• Keloland.com – Patrick Deuel’s Skin Surgery – by Jaine Andrews

• Argus Leader – Patrick Deuel will have surgery to shed extra skin – by Ben Shouse

Convincing his doctor that the surgery was necessary was difficult. It’s hard for anyone to understand the difficulty of dealing with that much excess skin. I think about how much harder my daily run would be with a 70-pound pillow stuffed into my jogging pants and I understand that this surgery is necessary.

I wish Patrick the best of luck. I hope he comes through the surgery and finds his life changed by the renewed mobility.

Update 03-09-06: He got the surgery. He’s doing well.

• JournalStar.com – Deuel has surgery to remove fat, skin mass – By Associated Press

I’m usually watching a movie while I’m running on the treadmill, so I rarely notice what is flashing on the dashboard of the treadmill. The other day, I was listening to music while running, so there was nothing for my eyes to do but stare at the screen. I was surprised at what I saw.

My usual workout is a warm up and a constant run at 5 mph with 0 incline. It’s a run I’ve been doing for the last few months because it reliably gets my heart rate in the high intensity zone. It’s also a goal that I set for myself a long time ago.

I didn’t realize that I had achieved this goal when I achieved it. It was logged in my head as, “Hmm, if I keep the speed at 5 mph, my heart rate stays in the high intensity zone… cool…” That’s about all I thought about it when I first achieved my goal, because long ago, I had decided I wanted to be able to run 12 minute miles, not 5 mph.

The only gym class I ever got an A that I deserved was Jogging. All we had to do was run around the auditorium 12 times (2 miles) every class. At the end of each quarter, the teacher timed us. If we could run a mile in 12 minutes, we got an A. It was that simple and I got my first A in gym without using feminine wiles (getting an A in Dance counts as feminine wiles, by the way).

Before I ever conceived of joining Weight Watchers, I decided that I was going to start exercising every day. We had a treadmill and my goal was to get to the point where I could easily run 12 minute miles, just like in my Jogging class. I weighed 235 pounds. It was 1998.

I wore out that first treadmill, which was very nicely replaced by another treadmill under the warranty, which was also worn out and replaced last year with my Nordictrack. Three treadmills, eight years and 75 pounds later, I finally reached my goal and I didn’t even notice it when it happened. It wasn’t until weeks later when I watched the dashboard on the treadmill flash between the workout time and the pace. I noticed the green numbers reading:

Pace 12:00

I had set the goal so clearly in my mind that it didn’t even surprise me when I FINALLY made it. It was as if I had already made it when I set the goal. Back then, I thought that the only class I had ever deserved an A in was Jogging, so I’m going to learn how to run again and I’m going to earn an A again. I know I can do it because I did it once before.

What have you achieved in your life that you are proud of? I know there must be at least one thing in your life that you deserved as much as I deserved that A in my Jogging class. Remember that time and use it as an inspiration. If you were able to do that, just think about what else you can do. If, after three treadmills, eight years and 75 pounds, I can finally achieve my goal that I set back in 1998, I can get to goal. The same goes for you. If you were able to make yourself proud so long ago, then you can do it now.

This commercial for Slimfast aired during the Superbowl this year. In some respects, I like it because it shows normal sized woman being vibrant and dancing happily. In others, it just makes me want to throw up my hands.

The commercial brags that Slimfast now has more protein to keep you full for four hours. At 180 calories and 5 grams of fat, I could keep myself full for eight hours if I ate real food. Plus, I get to crunch real apples and vegetables.

Here are some suggestions of what to eat instead of a Slim Fast Shake:

Apple: 65 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber
Cheddar Cheese 1 oz.: 114 calories, 9g fat, 0g fiber
Total: 179 calories, 9g fat, 3g fiber

Celery Sticks 2 medium stalks: 12 calories, 0g fat, 2g fiber
Reduced Fat Peanut Butter 2 Tbsp: 147 calories, 10g fat, 1g fiber
Total: 159 calories, 10g fat, 3g fiber

You can even have a frozen dinner from Lean Cuisine for a similar count of calories:

STOUFFER’S LEAN CUISINE Homestyle Stuffed Cabbage with Meat in Tomato Sauce and Whipped Potatoes: 199 calories, 6g fat, 6g fiber
Total: 199 calories, 6g fat, 6g fiber

There are so many options out there that gulping down a Slim Fast shake seems pointless to me unless you find yourself craving them.

All nutrition facts provided by NutritionData’s Nutrition Facts Calorie Counter.

I’m cold this morning. I’m wearing my workout clothes, which will feel untolerably hot as soon as I start working out, but right now, I am cold. This isn’t about winter. This is able being thinner than I used to be. Ever since I lost that first 50 pounds, I am continually cold.

I talked to my Weight Watcher leader about it and she said she is still cold, even after five years of being at goal. It makes me feel a little defeated. I remember winters when all I had to do was wear a turtleneck, a wool sweater and some gloves and I was fine. Now, I am covered in layers and I still feel cold most of the time.

I never believed them when they said that fat was a layer of insulation, but now I do. I don’t want to go back to being fat, so I guess I need to invest in all those expensive thermal layers at REI. I’d rather wear long underwear than go back to where I was before.

Am I the only person that finds it strange that the Tour de France is starting in London?

• Happy News – 2007 Tour De France to start in London – by Associated Press

Of course, that’s in 2007. We have have this year’s Tour de France to look forward to in July.

• The Official Tour de France Website (English Version)

When I started exercising on my indoor bike trainer, I got the videos for the 2005 Tour de France. It was such an inspiring thing to watch and I very quickly got pulled into watching for my favorite players.

I borrowed these DVDs from Netflix, but you can just as easily purchase the set from Amazon or check them out at your local library. When they show one rider overtaking another, I almost feel like I’m in the race and instinctively pedal faster. My heart rate easily gets into the high range just by watching these DVDs while I exercise.

I am looking forward to watching the live coverage of the Tour de France this summer, especially since this year, the yellow jersey is up for grabs. I’m cheering for Zabriski!

When I first saw this collection of recipe cards and her hilarious accompanying descriptions, I laughed at every single one. This time, I was seriously looking at them thinking, “Hmm, maybe there are some good ideas here.”

• Weight Watchers recipe cards, circa 1974

After looking at them all again, sadly, there are no good ideas here. All of these recipes are an atrocity to food. Luckily, Weight Watchers doesn’t promote these recipes anymore. I wonder how many Points the Snappy Mackerel Casserole is.

When I reach my goal weight, what will my life be like? I’m so close to my goal right now. I only have 28 pounds to go after losing a total of 76 pounds. It’s hard to imagine that those extra 28 pounds will have as profound an effect on me.

It’s that kind of thinking that can derail me.

I have made so much progress and my life is so much better that I think that I can’t possibly have an even better life when I finally get to my goal weight. I’m totally wrong and I know it.

The benefits of weight loss are exponential. Losing 76 pounds to get where I am today feels amazing. It feels like I have more freedom. I feel as if I have been released from those looks and those opinions that people have about fat people.

I KNOW that getting to goal will be even better, and here’s why:

• I finally conquered it! After years of trying and failing, I will have finally made it! I have been fighting this battle ever since I was nine years old and watching Richard Simmons on the television every day. Finally getting to a healthy BMI has been my goal since before BMI was called BMI. When I finally get there, I will have reached a point I have never hit before. I will have NAILED it! I can’t wait to achieve that accomplishment.

• I will feel like I belong. Even though I’m healthier now, I still feel uncomfortable at the gym. I don’t want people to look at me. I just want to get in and get the job done. I know I deserve to be there because I get in and workout as hard as I can while I’m there. I just don’t feel like I belong there. It’s not the people at the gym, it’s strictly my mindset.

• If I thought being able to fit into Lucky Jeans was great, just think how great those size fours will feel. I have never really felt worthy of good clothing. Once I know that I’m at my goal weight and I’m staying there no matter what, I will be able to enjoy the best clothing. I won’t have to shop at thrift stores anymore because I’m finished losing weight and I will be at this size for longer than the clothes will last.

• Intangible Benefits: I don’t know what they are, but I’m sure that I will be surprised with benefits that I can’t even imagine right now. That’s wonderful. I’ll take those surprises and run with them, whatever they are.

I realized today that thinking that my life couldn’t be much better at goal than it is right now is just an excuse. It’s one of those thought patterns that tries to convince me to keep things at the status quo because I’m scared of the future.

Believe it or not, getting to goal is scary for some people. I refuse to live in fear and I’m going to look forward to the benefits of being at a healthy weight.

If you have been telling yourself that even when you get to goal, you’re still going to be dealing with the same problems, take an hour for yourself. Write out all your fears and all your hopes of what life would be like when you get to goal. Refuse to believe the fears. Just release them in your mind and imagine them floating down the river, far far away from you. You have no need for fear in your life. Enjoy the prospect of your life being better when you get to goal and you’re that much closer to getting there.