Monday, November 29, 2010

November 29, 2010 - Wally World in Germany!

My only picture of me and the castle!!!
After spending Thanksgiving Day testing toilets, (literally doing toilet tests for the 747-8) I decided to crawl out of my holiday funk and go to the world’s most beautiful castle. Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King Ludwig in honor of some woman blah blah blah. Walt Disney fell in love with this castle and Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland. Folks…I am telling ya…when I picked up the little brochure at the Concierge desk at the hotel my heart did a little flitter flutter. I had to go see this castle. The tour left at 10:00am, I paid my $41.00 Euro last night, set my alarm and was downstairs this morning by 9:30am.


This is where the story turns into a Lacie Adventure…the kind of adventure that only I seem to have. I came downstairs at 9:30…fresh battery in my camera and asked the concierge where I was to meet the bus. He told me the tour leaves at 8:30 on Fridays. Perfect! I asked him why he didn’t explain that last night and he showed me on my ticket where in Bold print, it states the tour leaves at 8:30 on Fridays. I asked if there was any chance of getting a refund and he pointed to the next line that stated “No Refunds for missed tours”

Ok…no problem. I happen to be a strong capable female…and I wanted to see this castle. I asked how far the castle was and the concierge said about 2 hours away. Super! He said to head towards Füssen and I wouldn’t miss it. I figure I have mastered the autobahn, my GPS is my new best friend….I will create my own tour. I gathered my things, went to the Mercades and typed in my GPS Fussen.

I was on the road. I was feeling fine…I was driving my Mercades, listening to opera on the Autobahn, had a freshly made Café Mocha in my hands when the first few flakes of snow started to fall. Oh how pretty the little dusting of white was. I thought to myself…this is how romantic chic flick movies start.

I kept driving…looking for Fussen…and looking. I rechecked my navigation system and yep…I was heading in the right direction. Who am I to second guess the GPS? I mean…Susan is getting her information from a satellite…right?

Snow is falling a little heavier now…I slow down to a reasonable speed and keep driving…an hour and 15 min later Susan instructs me to take the next exit. I get excited…My castle must be close I am 5KM from my destination and I made really good time! I follow the left turns and right turns through little German neighborhoods and the doubt starts to creep back in. Then I arrive at Fussen (See picture). Fussen is a little sub-type neighborhood with 4 houses surrounded by GOATS! Yes…goats. I pull over to the side of the road get out of my car and look up at the sky and say to the man upstairs “Your kidding me right? Where is my castle????” I take a picture of the sign and head back the way I came to the gas station I passed on the way in. I walk inside and ask how much further Neuschwanstein Castle is. I got a strange look and then the very nice gas station man said its about 2 1/2 hours in the other direction. WHAT??? I said I typed Fussen in my GPS and it brought me here. He said “Mistake! I needed to type “Füssen”

Apparently those two little dots above the “U” are pretty dang important! Changes the whole word…Again…Super!

I’m not giving up. Sure it’s snowing but the roads are pretty clear. The rental car company charged Boeing an extra $165.00 Euro for winter tires…I’m from Seattle…I can do this. It was 11:15 am I would get there by three-ish and the castle doesn’t close until 6pm…that’s plenty of time. I was on a fricken castle mission at this point. I bought some more coffee and headed South East.

I drove about 100KM when the white out hit. Hindsight being what it is, I guess I should have expected some snow as I was driving straight into the flippin Swiss Alps! I pulled over…and just sat on the side of the road…drinking cold coffee with my seat warmers on trying to figure out if my Boeing life insurance covered stupidity. Assuming it did, I decided I was not going to let this beat me. I was going to see my freaking castle. I signaled to get back on the Autobahn and noticed that really wasn’t necessary as I was the only car I could see…WARNING!!! DANGER!!! Nope…didn’t even dawn on me that if the German drivers aren’t driving…something must be wrong. I kept going at a snails pace…kept driving…straight into the guard rail. “SHIT!!!!” I said out loud for no one to hear…no problem…my credit card insures the Mercades…my GPS said I was 20 min away…I kept driving up that mountain…my castle was so close…I HAD to see this damn castle! (It became the “Damn Castle” after the guardrail incident)

It was 4:30…It took longer than expected but I was driving during a blizzard. I still had time. I saw the sign…I made it to the top of the flipping mountain…I saw my castle…it was just over the next hill. Anticipation was running through my veins…I couldn’t wait to see the perfectly preserved princess bedroom, the kitchen, the ball room….all of it…

I pulled into the parking lot…and it was EMPTY!

WTF? I refused to accept the obvious. I got out of my car and walked to the ticket booth. I noticed at the time how silent it was. I could almost hear the snow falling and the crunch of the snow under my feet was amplified by the absence of any human life. There was no one at the window. This is when hysteria kicked in.

I saw what looked like a maintenance man and rushed over to ask him when the next tour was leaving. “He said No tour- Castle closed- lots of snow!” and literally walked away from me. I said “No Sh**” and stood there watching him.

Then I yelled “Wait!!!” And I tried to explain that I drove a really long time to see the castle and could he at least take my picture in front of it??? I put my hands together and begged “Please???” He grabbed my camera and shot a picture of my head with the castle in the background. I thanked him and walked back to my car.

I got in and turned the Mercades on and again just sat there…then out of no where…PURE RAGE! I started yelling at Susan (my GPS) Welp…This is my F***ing Wally World on my F***ing European Vacation! Am I F***ing being punked? Is there a F***ing camera??? WTF??? Why the F*** does this S*** always F****ing happen to me???? Really??? Really??? My Castle is F***ing closed…because there is a F***ing white out F***ing blizzard on my F***ing day off??? And WTF do the stupid dots above the letters really F***ing mean? Punctuation goes at the end of the sentence not on top the F***ing letters...SH**, F***, D***, Mother F***er, Piece of S*** stupid A** Castle!!! Oh…I felt better…

Then I looked to my right and the gift shop was open! So I got out of my car and bought some souvenirs of the F***ing castle I only saw from a mile away!

It took me close to four hours to get back to Munich and I had to write the moment I walked into my room.

I have tomorrow off also…Can’t wait to see what happens! I am planning on taking a train to the Christmas Market. Wish me luck!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

November 23, 2010 - The Conversation


I had one of the most interesting conversations today. The kind of conversation that sticks with you long after the talking ends.

I spoke with a supplier employee today and we were discussing the schedule for the next set up. He said that Boeing is very much like Hitler and that Boeing is making the same mistakes he did. Well, as you can imagine, that immediately got my attention. I asked him to please explain what he meant doing my best to contain the screaming thoughts of “OMG YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT!!!” that I was forcing back. I was sure I had misunderstood the man’s intention for surely he did not just compare my employer to the leader of the Nazi regime.

He stated that Hitler did not win WW2 because Hitler gave the order to fight until the last man died. He never retreated when he was losing and he should have taken some time to plan and regroup. Hitler eventually lost because he ran out of manpower. He then continued to explain that the longer we (Boeing) continue to push our schedules and drive for completion dates, we will just be working until the last man dies.


I had to physically push my own mouth closed as I was just stunned. It would be rude of me to justify Boeing’s position for driving schedule and I won’t say anything negative about why we are pushing the schedule the way we are, as this is just one man’s opinion and not necessarily the opinion of the supplier’s. That being said, I couldn’t let his comment be the last word, and as you all know me…that shouldn’t surprise you.

I ignored the very offensive comment about Boeing and Hitler because it sounded as if this man was offering some sort of misguided advice on getting this test campaign complete. I asked him a clarifying question to be sure.

“Do you think Hitler would have won WW2 if he had regrouped and took some additional time for planning?”

Without a moments hesitation he answered yes.


He said that “Hitler was in a position of power and had he ‘not put the eggs in the basket’ as you Americans say Hitler could have been successful.”

I was treading lightly here at this point and I asked directly if he was a supporter of Hitler and what he stood for. He then told me that Hitler was loved by the German people. Hitler created jobs and saved a starving nation after WW1 and the Great Depression. He said that many people spoke negatively, but Hitler was just guilty of just trying to save his beloved country.


Apparently my face said it all. He asked me if I agreed with him. I dug deep for my professionalism and answered politely that no, I did not agree with him. That I felt in my personal opinion that any good Hitler did for the German people, was grossly outweighed by what he did to the Jewish population and others who opposed him. He told me that the situation was “Overblown” and that people only remember the bad. He explained it was a time of war and that America was guilty of the very same thing. I asked him if he was referring to the Japanese we put in concentration camps? He said yes..it was the same thing.I paused at this point, choosing my words carefully and said exactly this…

“With all due respect, America never gassed, starved or shot people point blank, nor did we bury a whole nation in mass, unmarked graves. Out of fear, we did put the Japanese into camps, and we as a nation regret what we did after Pearl Harbor, but we never murdered them. I would hardly call that the same thing. He then said America was not a victim in WW2, that Germany was the true victim.

Speechless...

He continued by saying that Hitler was a good man and Stalin was the real tyrant. I agreed that Stalin murdered groups of people without rhyme or reason, but that was not what we were discussing. He then said that we American’s have so little history and that we are so consumed by our our wants and needs that we don’t understand about a country that has been at war for hundreds of years. He said that Hitler chose the Jewish people as a way to unite Germany. Giving every German a common goal to fight for. I asked him for his opinion why Hitler chose the Jewish people to go after and he said very matter of factly…Money. He said American’s work for our own generation. We work to accumulate money for ourselves to spend in our lifetime. The Jewish people work to accumulate wealth for their grandchildren’s children. This threatened Hitler because even though the Jewish population was small they had massive wealth and refused to give it over to Germany willingly. So Hitler took it and used the money to fund the war effort.

Again…my mouth was just hanging open. I knew this was the point in the conversation to agree to disagree and to walk away. I could feel the anger rising as I listened to this man defend one of the most evil men to walk the earth. The visions of Ann Frank and other Holocaust survivors filled my mind and with sadness and pride I said that I didn’t understand that logic and could never imagine living in a country that committed such hateful acts to people based solely on their religion.


He said I do live in that country. He brought up the civil war and asked if the negro people were treated the same as the white people. He brought up slavery and said it was the exact same hatred. That America was built on the backs of slave labor in the south and that it was the immigrants that built Americas railroads and worked in the factories in the north. He said America is no different.

I was losing the debate. I couldn’t argue that plantation owners treated slaves with respect nor were they paid fairly for the hours of back breaking work they did. I couldn’t defend the 12 hour days the immigrant children worked in the factories, nor could I contend that the Irish and Chinese who laid our nations infrastructure were compensated. The only argument I had was that we didn’t gas them in a chamber.


He argued that point also. He said the total slaughter of the American Indians for their land was no different. Our soldiers murdered entire nations of Indians, we infected them with disease to kill them and put them on reservations until most of them died.


All I could do was nod. What could I say? I spoke from the heart and looked this man in the eyes, I said… “Yes, America has committed some terrible acts in the past. We are working at correcting those wrongs and the way we ensure we don’t make the same mistakes is to remember and try to do better, the difference here is we don’t defend or try to justify our actions, we try to learn from them and never let it happen again.”

He said it will always happen again…

I thanked him for the conversation and kindly excused myself to finish my inspection.

I have never really taken the time to sit down and look at that side of our history. I have always been under the belief that America is he greatest nation in the world, not through our economic strength, but our civil rights. I think as a nation we are committed to treating each individual fairly and ensuring our unalienable rights are protected for generations to come. The conversation was enlightening and made me question my opinions and beliefs…which a good debate should.

This trip to Germany is bordering on life changing!


Monday, November 15, 2010

November 15, 2010 - Sitting Still



I don’t even know where to begin. It’s been a crazy couple of days. Been working 14-16 hour days and I feel like a zombie! On the plus side I have mastered the Autobahn. I own that road and actually got to 100MPH! My Mercedes and I have bonded. It’s an amazing feeling driving a luxury vehicle. Don’t get me wrong, I love my 4 cylinder Kia Sportage and all…but the heated leather seats are like soft chocolate pillows, the leather wrapped steering wheel begs to be gripped and push button controls are like running your fingers across the keys of a beautiful piano. I LOVE THIS CAR!

Today I had a couple of hours to just tour the little town I am in. I am staying at the Schloss Hotel and I love the hotel manager. Her name is Sabina and she knows everyone and literally everything about this town. She sent me to MoMo’s today. She said tell them Sabina sent you and they will take care of you. I walked in and I think they could smell the United States on me and asked if they could help me? I let them know who had sent me and suddenly this tiny woman dressed in sequins and fur grabbed my arm and led me all around the little shop. She shared the history of the building, how old the staircase was and the sorted history back in the mid-1800’s when this beautiful building was used as a brothel. I felt as if I had instantly made a friend. After the tour I purchased some beautiful homemade oatmeal soap. As I was walking out MoMo came around the counter and gave me a hug and told me to come and see her again. I couldn’t help leaving with a smile.

I had an epiphany today and that is what I am most compelled to write about.

Herborn is getting ready for Advent which starts on November 28th. The Christmas decorations are being hung slowly, but everyday it looks more and more festive. The town center gets converted to a winter wonderland at Christmas and today was the official tree standing. This town maybe has a population of 2,000 people and the Rockefeller Center size tree was proudly placed in the middle of the town square. It was mid day on a Monday, however the crowds that gathered looked more like what you would expect on a Sunday afternoon. There were children and parents, elderly and newborns. The shops closed up and everyone came outside to stand around the tree as the workers were erecting the stand. I found the only open café, ordered a dark chocolate latte (Yes, it was as delicious as it sounds) and just watched. Men were arm and arm with other men and ladies were doing the same. At that moment the church bells rang in the background as the clock struck noon. I am at a loss for words, which is rare, on how to describe the scene. All of my senses were being stimulated at once. The taste of fine chocolate, the sound of German voices and church bells, the smell of fresh cut pine, the coolness of the air on my skin and being surrounded by the beautiful architecture that was hundreds of years old. It felt as if I was in the scene of a movie…

As suddenly as the crowd had gathered it began to dwindle. The Christmas tree was erect and people went on with their lives. I still had half a latte and I am ashamed to admit my first thought was to go back inside the café and ask for a to-go cup so I could continue on with my adventure. I decided I would fight the urge to become busy and just sit with myself. I don’t do that enough. Between the kids and sports and husband and work, I never…I mean ever…just sit. I had a really difficult time. I felt like I was wasting these precious moments I had away from work by just sitting and doing nothing. Then I started to wonder why. Why do I always feel like I have to be doing something? Why do I feel like relaxation is for the weak? I forced my self to sit and finish my coffee. I smiled at the people walking by while I was having this internal conflict. I had many thoughts today…none of which I am willing to share here…but I ended up having another latte, another smoke and I successfully wasted a full hour just watching people. As I got up I vowed to myself I would do this more often…I really enjoyed getting to know me again…

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Nov 11, 2010 The Day I Almost Died!


Ausfahrt means "Exit" in German...hmmmm....

The Autobahn might indeed be the single most terrifying experience of my life. I say this after I spent 13 hours thinking I was going to die a victim of a terrorist attack earlier.

I landed in Frankfurt and made my way through immigration. I went to the baggage claim and found my black suitcases in the “who’s whose” revolving luggage game. I made my way through the Frankfurt maze and spotted the little car emblem. I broke free from the herd and stood in a very long line at National car rental. I picked up the keys to the most beautiful car I have ever seen. It was a brand new, shiny black Mercedes Benz. I somehow managed to contain my urge to sprawl across the hood and embrace this fine piece of machinery. I opened the door and slid into the heated leather seats. I programmed my GPS to my hotel address and put my new best friend into reverse. I drove through the parking garage following the exit signs in English and was feeling pretty confident.

Oh My GAWD! As I turned into traffic it was like I had been teleported into a Nascar race. I was sweating…Shrine Frou (I named my GPS) was giving me instructions seconds before I was to turn here or there. It was a game with her. She knew I was a tourist…she could smell the foreigner on me and was not happy about me defiling her beautiful interior.

For those of you who have not ever had the opportunity to drive in Germany, let me fill you in. The first thing that will make even the most devout Christian woman utter “What the F***!” is that two lane traffic is separated by a white line. Not always solid either…just a white line. Which means you have no idea if you will be driving into oncoming traffic or simply changing lanes. I made it a point to follow whatever slow moving semi-truck I could. I took a wrong turn at one point and Shrine Frou instructed me to make a U-Turn. Um…no…wasn’t going to happen. I drove another 5 min until I found a turnout. I got out of my car…lit a ciggaretee with a shakey hand and stood on the side of the road smoking and crying. Yes..to all those who think I am cold and heartless…I shed some serious tears. I was exhausted, I was lost and I was cold.

God and I got really close on the airplane ride over and I said another prayer. I asked God to help me find the inner strength I knew I had. The words Cowboy up popped in my head and I decided I was either going to get back in the car, or the German officials would have to scrape my cold dead body off of the Mercedes. I got back in and drove…and drove. I pushed the fear out and did it. 2 hours later I found my hotel. It was 10:00 in the morning and the very nice woman at the hotel registration desk informed me they didn’t have any rooms available.

I was sure she didn’t know I had a reservation so I pulled out my reservation and politely showed her. She said “Oh…yes…check-in time is 3:00pm.

People…I was broken at this point. I cried again…I was muttering about my day and this poor German woman looked very confused. I looked like hell and I was on the verge of hysterical. She picked up a phone called her manager and he came over as I was saying “Of course I can’t check in…why would I have a room???” He asked me to wait 20 min and he had housekeeping clean a room in record time. I smiled and said thank you repeatedly.

I walked in and saw two twin mattresses on the floor, I laid down and slept for 6 hours…in my clothes and shoes.

Tomorrow is going to be awesome I just know it! :)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

November 10, 2010 The Flight to Germany!

I was all packed and ready last night. I literally set three alarms to wake me up at 3:00am this morning. I got ready in record time just as the taxi called to let me know he was out front. I drug my giant suitcases down the flight of stairs and met my driver. We shall call him Rajid. Rajid didn’t speak a word of English and if he did he was keeping it secret. I asked him if he took credit card and made a little square with my fingers then the swiping motion to indicate what I was asking. He shook his head no. Well, I sure as hell was not going to pay for this out of my pocket (this is a Boeing sponsored trip after all) and asked him to drive me to bank in downtown Lake Stevens so I could pull out cash. Rajid navigated his way to the bank and I inserted my card. No luck. No cash…no nothing. I immediately called the credit card company and was informed that Boeing did not authorize cash withdrawals for my trip. I then called the Boeing help desk and explained I needed access to cash and got that taken care of on the way to the airport. I then called the taxi cab office and asked how they could make this right since I specifically requested a cab that took credit cards. They charged my card over the phone, but not before we haggled about the charged price vs. the quoted price.

I arrived at SeaTac and moved swiftly through the line. I found my gate and all was easy. That should have been a warning for me since nothing should be that easy during international travel. I boarded my super amazing business class seat and pulled out my Ipod and book. That’s when it began. The Total Panic…and I was not alone.

The gentleman who took the seat next to me was from the Middle East somewhere by his attire. No problem. I will admit I was a tiny bit apprehensive but my rational brain took over and I decided I was being silly. This is a man who belongs to a very peaceful religion and I refused to give into the stereotypical reaction we American’s have to a Muslim on a plane.

I smiled at him and said good morning. He just looked at me as if I had insulted his mother. Ok…I thought…this is better I guess than sharing a 13 hour flight with a beef salesman from Iowa! I’d take the silence over cattle talk any day!

Let’s name this man Manmeat (a reference to the insanely funny NBC show Outsourced)

Manmeat took out a little velvet bag and I of course was watching with much interest. He pulled out a small book with golden Arabic looking letters, a veil, and what looked like a headlamp. He assembled his gear and began to bow and pray at his seat. He was reading out loud, bowing and praying. He had three feet of leather cord and was wrapping his forarms over and over again. OMG! I tried to remain calm. I didn’t want to think the worst. I know that Muslims pray a lot, just never had someone pray and bow out loud next to me on an intercontinental flight.

The other passengers began to turn and look. I made eye contact with several passengers and tried to express through facial expressions that I had no idea what was going to happen or what Manmeat was doing. They looked at me like I should have an answer because I was sitting next to him. I just got my big “I don’t know” eyes on and shook my head slightly indicating I was as lost as everyone else. I sure as hell wasn’t about to interrupt his prayers and ask him if he was making peace with his maker and if I should bow my head and do the same.

He put everything except the little book (Koran?) away after he was finished and pulled out his IPad. He was browsing through pictures of his family and still muttering to himself. That’s it I thought…we are all going to die today. I had no way of writing my husband and children as I was 30,000 feet in the air. He got up and went to the restroom and was gone for quite some time. I refused to make eye contact with the passengers around me as that was just adding to my irrational fear that was taking over. He came back to his seat, buckled in…which at that point I figured was just overkill given the fact that we were all going to die in a giant orange explosion in the sky.

Manmeat must have went to the restroom 12 different times and each time I imagined that was when he was pulling the pin or pushing the button or detonating what ever device he had in the green velvet bag.

I did not sleep. I have never been more awake in my life.

Now as you know…I am here writing about my imagined terrorist attack and not so near death experience and I feel rather stupid for even thinking the worst about this man. But COME ON!!! REALLY??? Was that really the best time to pull out the Koran and pray and bow?

I never thought of myself as intolerant of religions. I guess I am just a typical American who remembers the events of September 11 as vividly as if it happened yesterday.

By the way…this is actually how retarded I am. After describing the airplane ride from hell to a friend, my friend informed me that this is a Jewish prayer and the man was praying to God…the same God I was praying to the entire flight. The little gold book was a Bible. I really need a little more education on the various religions in the world.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Fat Fall Off Nov 08, 2010

I am trying to keep this blog to diet and fitness and trying to keep my personal life out of this, but as many of you know, that’s tough thing to do when diet and fitness is so closely tied to emotions. I went over to my parents today for a family dinner and I tell you…Family is a true test for any binge eater. I am the biggest one in my family and have been for years. I was the butt of many diet jokes today. Oh they didn’t mean anything by it…I was told. They were calling this the diet of the month and were teasing me for the whole gluten free thing. I have to admit I was irritated. I laughed it off of course, but it hurts. I don’t think our relatives understand how much it affects us when they mock our efforts to lose weight. I got through the dinner and picked at what I could eat. My hubby said all the comfort words and I considered the source. I should have worked out today and that just added to my failure feelings. This is where I would have come home in the past and cleaned out the cupboards. No emotional binge eating for me today, so I guess that’s a win!


Tomorrow is a new day…

Today’s food:

Breakfast: No breakfast, I slept in! Its Sunday.

Lunch: Had a late breakfast…just the Detox shake today

Snack: apple and almond butter

Dinner: Halibut steak brushed with oilive oil and steamed broccoli

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Fat Fall Off Nov 03, 2010

I never want to hear another excuse about working out again! I missed my training session yesterday so Cheri and Mike let me switch classes and come tonight instead. I was in class with two sisters that were grandmothers. Mike modified the workouts a bit for these two ladies and I must tell you, I was impressed. It sure made me feel like a whiner when I was making my “OH MY GOD This Burns” face and they were doing the same thing. We were all sweating and making faces at each other. Mike said he was kidding when he said we were going to work out tonight until someone threw up…but I think he was secretly trying to make me hurl. I worked my butt off tonight! Working out in a group really is motivating! There is a certain level of not wanting to be the weakest link that makes you keep going 20 more seconds.


The sprints in the gym tonight almost did me in, but there was no way I was going to be outdone by two silver haired grandmothers….plus these lovely ladies were cheering for me. I was forced to give it my all! I left the gym tonight feeling like I had given 100% effort. I am turning out the lights now as I am exhausted. Since I have been working out, I have not needed my Ambian to fall asleep. I am too tired at night to stay up worrying about the next day. I never thought I could sleep without Ambian…

I think in the next couple of days I am going to write a top-10 list of the changes I am seeing in my health. It’s time to recognize more than weight loss…but not right now 



Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

Snack: pear

Lunch: Take out brown rice sushi with carrots and avocado, and a large green tea

Snack: Bag of Mary’s crackers

Dinner: Ground turkey burgers topped with the Amazing Salad ( I wrote about this simple salad a few days ago

Dessert: coconut ice cream during Grey’s Anatomy

My Fitness:

See Above

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 30, 2010

Yesterday was so busy. We had an airplane crisis and I had to work late to prepare a presentation I had to give to leadership this morning. I came into work yesterday and was hit right away. I went to my first meeting of the day to try and gather information on the situation. In one of the meetings someone brought in coffee and muffins. I resisted the muffins, but I confess I poured myself a cup of coffee. I didn’t have cream or sugar; I just wanted to taste it. In all the chaos, I spilled my coffee all over myself, the conference room table and my paperwork. There is no way to describe in words how embarrassed I was. I was wearing a light colored pant suit and it was everywhere. After cleaning up, I went to the restroom to see if there was any way to salvage my outfit…nope. I was a mess. It was 7:30 in the morning and the mall wasn’t open yet. The only place close to Boeing that I could think of to find something to wear was Wal-Mart . I jumped in my car and off I went. I am not sure if it was the sizing of the clothes at Wal-Mart or what, but I had a really difficult time finding pants that would fit me. On a side note…did you know Lee and Vidal Sassoon are still in production? I had no idea!


My body is changing. My normal size was too big, but a size smaller was still too tight causing a little muffin top. I settled on a dark pair of Lee jeans…with a high waist and tapered leg (The horrible mommy jeans are still being made and sold). I had to buy a new blouse since my jacket did not match the jeans I was buying. I found a very purple poly-cotton blend button up and spruced up the outfit with some plastic jewelry. On the plus side, the entire outfit only cost $34.00, but I looked ridiculous!

The rest of my day was more of the same.

The moral of the story: DON’T CHEAT- pass on the coffee! The fitness god’s will punish you and you’ll end of wearing tapered leg jeans as your punishment!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

Snack: none

Lunch: Leftover Beef Soup

Snack: almonds and a date bar

Dinner: bag of carrots, apple and another bag of almonds. I was grazing at this point.

Dessert: Strawberry banana shake with coconut ice cream. I was too tired to make anything else when I got home.

My Fitness:

None

Friday, October 29, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 29, 2010

I did my second I-Melt session today. I have another tip for any other ADHD people out there that might get bored easily. You are literally strapped onto a table while a machine melts the fat away. You’re hot and sweating out of your toes and elbows. It’s not painful or anything…just hot. It can go really slowly if you watch the clock. I downloaded a couple movies on my IPod and watched the first half of “Meet Bill”. I was laughing my way through the session and didn’t realize how quickly the time had flown by. The next thing I knew I was being unhooked and sent on my way. It did not feel like an hour at all!


Oh and one more I-Melt tip. If you’re running late and forget to pack a bag in the morning for your 4:00 pm I-Melt session, don’t just grab the first sweatshirt you see. Make sure you grab one without a zipper. The zipper will get burning hot. I had to borrow a t-shirt from the gym and I would have sweated more if I was properly dressed. The whole goal is to sweat out the toxins and melt the fat.

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

Snack: Hard boiled egg and fruit salad

Lunch: Romaine lettuce and tomato with olive oil, balsamic and ground pepper.

Snack: A bag of broccoli and carrots

Dinner: I made the most delicious beef soup. I couldn’t use flour to thicken it to a stew. I used sweet potatoes instead of brown potatoes and it gave the soup such an autumn-type feel. I used carrots and celery and threw in a can of organic stewed tomatoes. My base was a box of organic, low sodium beef broth.

Dessert: I had about a cup of coconut ice cream.

My Fitness:

I-Melt. My legs felt like jell-o after the session and just wanted to go home and shower and make a wonderful dinner.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 25, 2010

Ugh…I hate Mondays…


I came into work to an email explosion. I wanted to hibernate at my desk and attack my inbox but I walked away from my desk and instead…went to the kitchen and made myself a cup of peppermint tea. Trader Joe’s sells a delicious brand with a hint of tarragon. Peppermint has been used for hundreds of years as an herbal remedy for an upset stomach, it also relieves stress via aromatherapy and aids in weight loss. Peppermint acts as an appetite suppressant and helps digestion. I drink it because it is sweet without any added sugar. I love it cold in the summer and piping hot in the winter. I peeled my egg I brought and sliced my pear. It was nice to take a moment and actually have a conversation with my co-workers in the kitchen. I tend to be very focused at work and do not socialize much. I know in my heart I do this because I don’t like myself very much at this weight and can’t imagine other people would either. Something is changing in me. I feel more confident right now. I thought about this after I got back to my desk and realized it has everything to do with the power I am giving myself. I have been battling PCOS and blood sugar issues for over a year. I would take my medication at night and eat candy during the day. I was on a constant energy roller coaster ride and sitting next to me in the front seat were my good buddies Shame and Guilt. I have nothing to feel guilty about now. I eat like a healthy person, I work out and I feel amazing! I am coming out of my shell!

Tonight I left TF feeling like an athlete! I climbed the rock wall. Let me repeat…I climbed the rock wall! Mike showed me what to do and I got on. He started it very slow and I fell off on my first time. The second time I made that wall my “Biotch!”

For any of you wondering if a trainer or the detox is worth the price…well how much would you pay for self confidence? How much would you pay to be able to walk into your workplace kitchen and just join a conversation? How much would you pay to get your power back?

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

Snack: Hard boiled egg and pear

Lunch: red leaf lettuce with tuna, lemon and a cut up tomato

Snack: Almonds

Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, brown rice with a tiny slice of butter and steamed broccoli



My Fitness:

1 hour Kick fit class and 1 hour personal training…oh…and did I mention I CLIMBED THE ROCK WALL???

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 21, 2010

I feel so much better today. I am out of bed and cooking again. I stepped on the scale and actually gained a pound! How is it possible to get food poisoning and gain a pound? I was so frustrated this morning I called my good friend Angie. She told me to throw my scale away, that the number doesn’t matter! I had to remind her that I am trying to lose 27 pounds in 30 days. I don’t have room to gain a pound. I told her I hadn’t been to the gym on two days and she suggested we go together. We met at TF at 3:30pm and did interval runs on the treadmill until we were both physically exhausted. We then hit the rowing machine and did 5 min on that beast. Then we went downstairs and did a few of the exercises I did with Mike last week. I left the gym feeling extremely satisfied with the level of effort I put forth. I was determined to lose the food poisoning pound I somehow gained!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Egg white omelet with basil, tomato and onion.

Snack: Detox shake

Lunch: Apple with almond butter

Dinner: Grilled Chilean Sea Bass (available at Central Market) with the following Amazing Salad and long grain brown rice

Amazing Salad:

Dice tomato’s, green onions, avocado, cucumber and an olive oil drizzle with a dash of sea salt served over red leaf lettuce.

My Fitness:

See above

Friday, October 15, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 15, 2010

I was so excited today for 1:00. My first I-Melt session couldn’t come fast enough. I was told when I made my appointment I would need to hydrate several hours before my session. The receptionist also told me to wear three layers of 100% cotton clothing. I drank water all day. Being a woman, the decision of what to wear is always on my mind so I evaluated my options and I decided on a pair of yoga pants, my comfy sweats, a pair of my husband’s sweat pants, two long sleeve t shirts and a sweatshirt. I packed everything in a bag and was off to my session. When I arrived Courtney brought me to a massage room and instructed me to remove my watch and all my jewelry.
Tip #1: Don’t wear jewelry. My necklace chain got tangled in my purse on the way home.

Courtney then left me to put my layers on and came back with a piping hot cup of green tea for me to sip on and a bottle of water. She laid a pillow out for my head and told me to hop up on the table where she began to strap me in. She pulled large straps around each thigh, two around my upper arms one around my hips and rear, and one all the way around my abdomen. It was really difficult to move once I was strapped in and I left my IPod on the little table next to me. She was very helpful. She handed me my Ipod and even put the headphones in my ears for me. She told me to relax and she left the room.

Tip #2: Lay down with your IPod in hand and headphones in place.

I was laying there for about 5 minutes and was thinking, ok…I’m strapped in…I am warm…but how is this going to burn 1200 calories in an hour? My question was answered around the 10 minute mark. I became really warm. I started to sweat. At 20 min, I had pools of sweat on my forehead. At 30 min it felt as if I was laying in the sun on the beaches of Mexico. I was really sweating at the 40 min mark and my clothes were soaked through.

Tip #3: Don’t wear skimpy layering tee shirts, the straps get really hot and I should have worn thicker long sleeve tee shirts. I had to loosen the straps a little as it felt like it was burning me. These are called “Hot Spots” and can be avoided if your clothes are thick enough.

I was ready to get off the surface of the sun around the 50 min mark, but wanted to finish the whole hour. I didn’t want to cheat myself out of 200 calories. Do you know how long I would have to be on the treadmill to burn 200 calories? I cranked up my Mama Mia soundtrack and sweated out the last few minutes.

Tip #4: It can feel a tiny bit claustrophobic because you really can’t move all strapped in. Just breathe and remind yourself why you are doing this.

I rang my little bell when the hour was up and another gal that works in the salon helped me out of the straps. I was soaked all the way through all the layers of clothing. I have to tell you it is difficult trying to peel off layers of soaked clothes. I wore my yoga pants and a t shirt to TF and had to drive home in sweat soaked clothes…very uncomfortable.

Tip #5: bring a towel and an extra change of clothes. You will want a shower as soon as you are done.

When I got home, I stripped myself and jumped on the scale. I lost a pound and a half in an hour! AMAZING! I was so excited. Then I took a cool shower and brought my body temperature down to a more human level. I was floating on air…I have never had such amazing results with anything I have tried in the past.



I had planned an amazing dinner of acorn squash stuffed with shredded zucchini, diced cooked chicken breast and chopped apple and onion. For the life of me I could not figure out how to cut the top of an acorn squash off. The thing was as hard as stone. I used my best knives to hack into this thing. The directions said to remove the top and scoop out the middle then stuff it with the filling. The directions said nothing about needing garage tools to accomplish the task. I was half tempted to get out the saws-all, but thought that was a bit extreme. I asked my daughter to hop online and look up the directions for slicing an acorn squash…and…nothing. In the end, I threw the mutilated acorn squash in the garbage and said “Forget this!” I improvised. I sautéed all the vegi’s and threw in some tomatoes for color. I boiled some pasta for the family and tossed it with some olive oil and sea salt. I scooped mine over some raw spinach leaves and we all enjoyed a very tasty meal.

Today was a good day!



Today’s food:

Breakfast: I slept in today, so no breakfast

Snack: detox shake around 11:00am

Lunch: Pear, banana and strawberry slightly blended over baby spinach leaves and thinly sliced red onion. The flavor combination was delicious.

Dinner: See above

After dinner snack was another pear. They are really good! I also had a coconut bar in bites throughout the day.



My Fitness:

I did not work out today as I was soaked through my clothes.

Final Tip: Work out before the I-Melt session. You will be a little tired after the session and will want to shower right away. No part of you will want to work out once you’re off the table.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 14, 2010

Mike is back from vacation and I have been looking forward to my first training session with him all day. My weight loss has not been what I have been hoping for so I’ve decided to step it up a little more. I went to the 6:30 kick fit class tonight. I have to tell anyone who has never been to Kick-fit…THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN! The class was an hour but it didn’t seem like it at all. The music was blaring, and it was all songs we know and love. I looked around and saw several people singing along to “Pump up the jam” and “Let’s get this party started.” Mike teaches it and he made it awesome. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a party, it was a really intense workout. It has come to my attention tonight that I am physically incapable of jump roping. I looked like I was having a seizure trying to get my rope under my feet. The part I loved, loved, loved was karate kicking the bag all ninja style! I was all like…oh yeah…don’t mess with me! Kickfit ended with an ab-workout that was really difficult but really fun. I paired up with this amazing woman that has lost 100 pounds, she is really funny and I liked working out with her. We sat on our rears and interlocked our feet. We did sit-ups while throwing a medicine ball back and forth. We were only supposed to do 25 each but we sorta didn’t hear that part and kept going waiting for Mike to say “Time!” Finally we noticed everyone else had stopped and were waiting on us. I looked at Mike and said…”Did we miss something?” It was really funny.


After Kick Fit we went into our personal training. I have a new goal. I lack the strength to pick up my own body weight and therefore am unable to lay on my back, feet on the giant orange ball and lift my own rear off the ground. Every time I lifted my behind I would roll to the right or the left. I looked like a spaz and it was really difficult! I have mastered my form on the Ab-Solo (the previous bruise causing machine), but it is still very intense. I must have been making some kind of ugly face, because Mike said…and I quote “That’s the face I am looking for…the OH MY GAWD FACE!” We ended in sprints across the gym. To all who are reading this and wondering if you get your money’s worth with the trainer…the answer is a resounding yes. You will be sore…but if you’re not sore, you’re not working hard enough.

My favorite part of these workouts is when the sweat drips into my glasses. It’s so cool!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake and pear

Snack: almonds and orange (they taste really good together)

Lunch: Package of albacore tuna, lemon and a package of Mary’s crackers from TF

Snack: coconut bar

Dinner: vegi scramble- it was so good last night, I had it again.

Shred zucchini, dice onion and tomatoes and slice some mushrooms. Separate your eggs and whip up the whites. Sauté the vegi’s in a tiny bit of olive oil and add a dash of sea salt and two cloves chopped garlic. Add eggs and enjoy! Prep time 5 min, cook time, 5 min.

My Fitness:

See above

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 13, 2010

I had to work late tonight and I didn’t get home until nearly seven. I survived off the almonds and an apple I had stashed in my desk. I was literally starving by the time I came home. I was not expecting to work so late, so I was completely unprepared. As my co-worker went to the vending machine I resolved it was better to stay hungry than eat a bag of chips or packaged doughnuts. I am not one who advocates skipping meals at all, but I didn’t see I had much of a choice. I kept telling myself the almonds and apple gave my body the fuel it needed and I just needed to be strong until I could get home.

Lesson for the day: Prepare for the unexpected. I now have several ¼ c. raw almond baggies and two paleo bars in my desk drawer.

When I got home, I went to the fridge and scrambled some egg whites with mushrooms and tomatoes and green onion. It was very quick to prepare and very filling. I devoured it!

I am exhausted and going to hit the sack. Big fitness day tomorrow!

Today’s food:

At 6:00am detox shake with strawberries and almond milk

Breakfast: Steel cut oats in the microwave (I was hungry this morning…and I know…no microwaves)

Snack: pear

Lunch: Leftover zucchini spaghetti

Snack: Almonds and apple

Dinner: Vegi omelet



My Fitness:

I did not work out today, so it looks like I am trading my Sunday for today.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 12, 2010

The closest I have ever come to working out with a personal trainer is watching the Biggest Loser and thinking to myself…I wish I had someone to push me like that. The wishing fairy answered me with force. Every muscle is sore…but in a good way. I think we have all seen the t-shirt “Pain is just weakness leaving the body” and that is really how I look at this. It’s similar to the way that a tough guy will brag about his scars… “I got this one in Nam or in a MMA cage match or when I was fighting ninja’s.”

This is my pain story and I am just as proud of the bruise on my behind as the tough guys. Ladies who have some junk in your trunk be warned…There is a machine called the Ab-Flexor. You are supposed to sit in a little padded chair, lean back, and hurl a basketball at a target. You do this as many times as you can in a minute. Here’s the problem with that…Where the seat flexes, it leaves a gap, and apparently my butt is so big that it settled into the crack of the flexing chair and I caught and pinched it with my full body weight. I have a Viking purple stripe across my rear. The good news is you only do it once or twice and tend to really focus on your form after that.

I am writing this article early in the day as I am headed out for a quick overnight trip for work. It’s noon and I am all packed and ready to go. I have my cooler packed with hard boiled eggs, cut broccoli and carrots, a couple apples and I found little almond butter packets with no sugar added in the organic section at Haggen’s. They are a bit pricy, but when you’re traveling I think it’s ok to pay for convenience. Haggen’s also sells turkey that is preservative free and very lean. I had them slice it for me thick and I cut it into little squares to top my salad. Glad makes tiny salad dressing to-go containers and I mixed a little EVOO and Balsamic for a dressing. We are supposed to stay away from microwaves as much as possible, but in this case I had to make an exception. I know what is available for breakfast at the hotel and there is no way any of it will be allowed. I packed some steel cut oats I bought at trader joes in a baggie and plan to attempt a microwave cooking. I also have some strawberries for my oatmeal and packed my Truvia. I plan on asking for lemon at the kitchen in the morning for my hot detox drink.

I am excited to see how this plan will work on the road. My hotel has a fitness center so I plan to do a workout tonight after I arrive. Ok…I am off! I will report in full tomorrow.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 11, 2010

I am feeling really proud of myself. This is a really easy program to stick to. It’s been a full week with no gluten, no sugar and no dairy. I don’t have headaches anymore and I am feeling really energized. I will confess I had a sip of my husbands coffee today and it tasted just as good as I remember. The one thing I have learned is I was really addicted to coffee and when I am off of the detox, I now know I don’t need a pot of coffee a day. I can enjoy a cup for the flavor.



My tummy is feeling a bit rumbly as this is day two of the detox. I spoke to the gal in the salon while making my I-melt appointments and she showed me how to massage my intestines to move some of the gas. I guess my unhealthy lifestyle before needs a little more motivation to get out of my body.



My family is rebelling a bit against the food. I made a meal that I absolutely loved, but they were not big fans.

See the link. http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/10/04/cooking-demo-paleo-spaghetti-baked-green-beans/

This recipe is amazing! I am really enjoying getting out my kitchen tools and really cooking. I’ve been so used to cooking out of cans and jars that my food processor has just collected dust.



Trained tonight and got a good sweat pouring workout. I made my I-Melt appointments and my first session is Thursday. I am really excited about this part.



Basically today I just wanted to share how alive I feel.



Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake with almond milk, fresh strawberries and half a banana

Snack: almonds and half banana

Lunch: Leftover shrimp and Aztec salad

Snack: Carrots

Dinner: Spaghetti with zucchini noodles

Something sweet: Two squares of the approved chocolate sold at the Team Fitness counter



My Fitness:

Worked out for an hour with personal trainer. OMG!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 10, 2010

I woke up this morning excited to try my detox powder. I blended ice and strawberries, a banana, some almond milk and put two scoops of powder in the blender. I held my nose and prepared to drink. I was indeed surprised at the taste. It was great! I handed it to my husband and had him try and he was blown away that this was a detox shake. It really tasted good! I was also really full. Something I had not been for 5 days. I took my other supplements as directed also. I found the directions somewhat confusing on when to take each pill so I found a sharpie and labeled each bottle with the qty and time to take each one.

I was out of food today so I had to get to the store and quick. My daughter had a bi-week today so we didn’t have a soccer game to rush to. I had some time to plan the menu for the week. I ate my last apple and my last egg for a quick lunch with a bag of Mary’s crackers and was in need of some variety. I went to Traders Joe’s which might just be my favorite store of all time. It is so easy to shop there as everything is clearly labeled organic or free range. I came home and made little snack bags for the week. I cut up carrots, and celery. I measured out ¼ cup bags of unsalted almonds. I chopped broccoli and strawberries. I figure work will be easier if I have everything made up already.

I made an amazing dinner tonight. I grilled large shrimp and served it with the Greek Aztec Salad from the detox menu. My family was a bit scared of the quinoa, but they ended up liking it very much. The fresh basil was incredible.

I also found a great tasting product at Trader Joe’s called Larabar. It is just Cashews and dates. That’s it…nothing else. The bar is gluten free, soy and dairy free with no additives. It tastes delicious!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox smoothie

Snack: none

Lunch: apple, egg sliced on Mary’s crackers

Snack: Larabar

Dinner: Grilled shrimp over Greek Aztec salad



Today’s Fitness:

No fitness today…it’s Sunday

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 9, 2010

Cheri emailed me today and suggested I add more protein to my diet. I am hoping that will help keep me satiated. I picked up my supplements when I was at the gym tonight and I plan on starting them tomorrow morning. I can’t wait to see the difference in how I feel with them.

Today was a busy day for moms in Lake Stevens with teenage daughters. The morning started with a 8:00am Pee-Wee football game. I packed my “to-go” breakfast and made hot peppermint tea in my usual coffee thermos. After the game friends wanted to go out to breakfast and I joined them at the buzz inn but just had a cup of tea. I didn’t want to miss out on the socialization and they all understood. After breakfast it was to Target to pick up last minute homecoming dance items and to Safeway to pick up the boutonniere. I started to get hungry and had another apple. Note: Five days of apples get old!

After she was ready I drove her to the meeting house and politely resisted the snacks laid out for parents. We took photos and I left. It was easy to resist the snacks, especially with a public weigh-in in less than a month.

Here is the part I am excited to write about. After that busy day I would have crashed for an hour power nap. NOT TODAY! I went to the gym and worked out for an hour and a half. Normally I would not have had the energy. This just goes to show that changes in my diet and starting a fitness routine really can increase your energy all natural. This must be what skinny people feel like!



Today’s food:

Breakfast: 2 hardboiled eggs and an apple with cinnamon

Snack: Apple

Lunch: Grilled Chicken Arugula salad with tomatoes, mushrooms and basil. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Snack: Coconut bar

Dinner: Same as lunch (I was not in the mood to get creative today)



Today’s Fitness:

42 min on treadmill (5K mostly at level 4)

15 min on elliptical (Level 1)

20 min on machines

100 crunches

50 side to sides holding ball

Friday, October 8, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 8, 2010

What an adventure! I left yesterday around noon and had my little igloo cooler in the front seat. It was a four hour drive and I was prepared. I drove straight through and arrived and checked into my hotel. My room had a small fridge so I unpacked my food and headed off to the supplier site for a quick introduction before the big meeting today. I had snacked on what I brought but was starving at 7pm when everyone announced they were heading out to dinner. As many of you know, business is discussed at meals and I was required to go. I didn’t plan for this. Restaurants are forbidden during detox and I was unsure how to pull this off, plus I still had to get my workout in. I arrived at the restaurant and was a bit panicky when looking at the menu. When the waitress came around for drinks I ordered water. That caused some minor ribbing from my dinner mates and I thought to myself, oh man…wait until I order my meal. I did the best I could given the situation. We were dining at an upscale steak and seafood house which actually worked in my favor. I ordered the grilled salmon prepared with no oil or butter and the steamed fall vegetables. I skipped the bread and the baked potato. For dessert I had a fresh fruit cup. My order generated quite the conversation around the table. As I was the only woman, I expected some smart ass comments from the guys, but instead they started talking about how they needed to lose weight. I was able to tell them about this program and they promised to check on the blog and follow my progress. We have another meeting next month and they will be expecting to see a little less Lacie.

This morning was much easier. My oatmeal cooked perfectly and I had my salad for lunch. I didn’t get my workout in last night, but woke up early and used the fitness center in the gym for 45 min. I was starving on the drive home because I ran out of the food I brought. I pulled off the Intersate and found a sushi place in a little strip mall and ordered a brown rice roll with carrot and avocado. I made a huge salad when I got home and headed to the Lake Stevens Homecoming game. This was a really difficult trip and I am glad to be home.

I am hoping to start the I-Melt system next week and am looking forward to writing about that. I received an email from Cheri and was told my detox kit will be ready for pick-up tomorrow. I am super curious to see how this will help the hunger and cravings. I can tell my stomach is shrinking just based on the smaller portion sizes it is taking to become full, but I am getting hungry shortly after. I am going to talk to Cheri and ask her to review what I am eating and give me some advice on foods to keep me fuller longer. I am also feeling a tad more energized and I didn’t have a headache today. I’m exhausted tonight but I think it’s just from the whirlwind trip.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 7, 2010

The closest I have ever come to working out with a personal trainer is watching the Biggest Loser and thinking to myself…I wish I had someone to push me like that. The wishing fairy answered me with force. Every muscle is sore…but in a good way. I think we have all seen the t-shirt “Pain is just weakness leaving the body” and that is really how I look at this. It’s similar to the way that a tough guy will brag about his scars… “I got this one in Nam or in a MMA cage match or when I was fighting ninja’s.”

This is my pain story and I am just as proud of the bruise on my behind as the tough guys. Ladies who have some junk in your trunk be warned…There is a machine called the Ab-Flexor. You are supposed to sit in a little padded chair, lean back, and hurl a basketball at a target. You do this as many times as you can in a minute. Here’s the problem with that…Where the seat flexes, it leaves a gap, and apparently my butt is so big that it settled into the crack of the flexing chair and I caught and pinched it with my full body weight. I have a Viking purple stripe across my rear. The good news is you only do it once or twice and tend to really focus on your form after that.

I am writing this article early in the day as I am headed out for a quick overnight trip for work. It’s noon and I am all packed and ready to go. I have my cooler packed with hard boiled eggs, cut broccoli and carrots, a couple apples and I found little almond butter packets with no sugar added in the organic section at Haggen’s. They are a bit pricy, but when you’re traveling I think it’s ok to pay for convenience. Haggen’s also sells turkey that is preservative free and very lean. I had them slice it for me thick and I cut it into little squares to top my salad. Glad makes tiny salad dressing to-go containers and I mixed a little EVOO and Balsamic for a dressing. We are supposed to stay away from microwaves as much as possible, but in this case I had to make an exception. I know what is available for breakfast at the hotel and there is no way any of it will be allowed. I packed some steel cut oats I bought at trader joes in a baggie and plan to attempt a microwave cooking. I also have some strawberries for my oatmeal and packed my Truvia. I plan on asking for lemon at the kitchen in the morning for my hot detox drink.

I am excited to see how this plan will work on the road. My hotel has a fitness center so I plan to do a workout tonight after I arrive. Ok…I am off! I will report in full tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Fat Fall Off Oct 6, 2010

I would say my mood today was a mixture of excitement and apprehension. I had no idea what to expect. Would I get a Biggest Loser Jillian or Bob type? Could I make a full hour? The walking on the trail yesterday nearly killed me. I arrived early and Cheri told me to go upstairs and get on the treadmill before my session started. She was smiling like “Don’t just sit there! Get moving!” I was on the treadmill at a level 3 for 30 min before my training started. I met my group and talked to one of my team mates about why we were here and what our goals for the program were. She said she owns a chain of fast food restaurants and talked about how difficult it was being around burgers and fries all day. I could only imagine. When we went downstairs and the trainer started to show us what to do, we just met glances, our eyes wide. I was thinking to myself…um…my body does not bend that way. I was surprised how far I could bend and I believe a contributing factor was that I didn’t want to be the fat lady in the group that couldn’t do what the others did. There were so many times tonight that I wanted to quit halfway through thinking I could not possibly do another step-up or Ab-Flexor. But something happens when your in a group and the trainer is counting down the time. I thought to myself...”ok..30 seconds down…I’m done…wait I can go 10 more…” then the trainer would call out 15 seconds left…and before I knew it I had completed a full minute. Me…doing a full minute of crunches? Amazing!

I am developing a fitness plan now. I will be working with Mike Monday’s and Wednesday’s. The other 5 days I will do an hour of cardio and then do the workout I did with my trainer. I am determined to beat the record of 27 pounds and in order to do that I will need to put some serious hours in.

I will be sore tomorrow. On a side note, I am feeling really proud of myself. I drank right at 64 oz of water today, so that was a huge improvement over yesterday. I didn’t have any coffee, and had a slight headache this afternoon. I poured a can of coconut water over ice as Cheri suggested during the nutrition class and that seemed to help a little. I think I am going through sugar withdrawal also.

Today’s food

Breakfast: 2 small hardboiled eggs and one cup of cooked steel cut oats with almond milk and Stevia

Snack: 4 slices of turkey wrapped around a cored and sliced apple. (Turkey was nitrate free and free-range from deli counter) One can of coconut water.

Lunch: salad with tomatoes and shredded carrots with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I was still hungry after lunch but didn’t want to eat my snack too soon.

Snack: Pear and handful of unsalted almonds

Dinner: I did not prepare well for a busy night, and had two sports practices to attend before training. I went to Haggen’s and grabbed some premade sushi. It was brown rice, seaweed, shrimp, carrots, and avocado. I assume the ingredients were not organic, but am still proud of the choice I made as all of me wanted to drive through somewhere. I did not use any soy sauce.

Today’s Fitness: See Above

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Team Fitness Fat Fall Off Oct 5 2010

The shaking legs in the room last night were just one indicator of the nervousness felt by the men and women who signed up for the detox program. We all arrived at 7:30 pm and took our chairs. The class started on time and Cheri began explaining the detox program and why we need it. Our number one question was answered right away when Cheri explained what foods were not allowed on the program. She immediately followed with the list of foods we could eat, which of course was longer than the "Don't" list. I had to applaud one lady's effort when she asked we were allowed to drink organic wine after we were instructed no alcohol or coffee. My husband Joe attended the presentation with me which I think helped him understand how I would need support. Joe has the metabolism of a fruit fry and considers fried zucchini a really good vegetable. No matter how poorly he eats, he never gains a pound.

I will be starting my detox program on Thursday 10/07/10. The detox supplies won’t be in until Wednesday night as there was some kind of shipping glitch. Cheri went through each product and explained how each one worked and the purpose in our bodies. My brain likes to know exact reasons why I am supposed to do something. It drove my parent crazy, but once I understood a rule, I usually never broke it. If Cheri said "Don't eat anything blue" I would probably end up eating blue food, But when she said "Do Not eat food that has artificial color listed as an ingredient and then explained what those artificial colors do to our body, now understand the logic behind the statement and will not be drinking any electric blue Gatorade anytime soon. She handed out some recipes I am excited to try and will post those as I make them.

The weigh in was next in the pool. This weigh in will determine how much muscle we have currently and establishes our baseline. We were also told our weight and body fat percentage. I latterly almost passed out when I was told my body fat was 45%. That is nearly half of me composed of fat! My weight is 229.00. The record is 27 pounds in 30 days and I am determined to beat that.

I am meeting with my sister tomorrow after work to take before pictures and measurements.

Today’s Food

Breakfast: Steel cut oats with Truvia and splash of almond milk.

Snack: Organic strawberries and blueberries. (I packed these in ziplocks for easy snacks)

Lunch: 2 hardboiled eggs and carrot sticks (Free range and organic snack pack)

Snack: Apple slices dipped in whole unsalted almond butter (Safeway lets you create two tablespoon snack containers for .75 cents each.

Dinner: Brown rice with grilled lean steak strips and salad with balsamic and olive oil

I am still struggling with my water intake and am determined to do better tomorrow.

Several cups of organic peppermint tea without sugar.

No coffee today and experienced a major headache. I am craving sugar today and experiencing hunger pains. I will be interested to see if the protein shake in the morning will help keep me more satisfied and how long it will take to break the coffee addiction.

Fitness

Today was supposed to be the last sunny day for a long time so I walked 2.5 miles on Centennial Trail while my 7 year old rode his bike. I was sweating for about 45 min. Looking forward to my workout with Mike tomorrow.

Monday, June 14, 2010

The Crazy Interview!


Had a bizarre day today!


I was on the panel for what might have been the most bizarre interview of all time.

It started with my manager asking this man for an example of diversity in the workplace that he has found a challenge and how he dealt with it. The answer ended, no lie 20 min later after he told us how his wife left him for another woman she met online, how she filed restraining orders against him, how he was living in his car, and the fact that he has been out of work for two years because he was being garnished for child support. He further explained that he should not have to pay child support since SHE was the one that left and took the kids. He ended his story with looking at the other female interviewer in the room and myself and saying “You women are evil!”

Seriously! I almost lost it. So I of course was trying to keep a straight face during this very long, long story. I’m pretty sure he did not know what the word diversity meant. My favorite part of the interview was when my manager asked him why he left his last job and he point blank said out loud that his previous boss was trying to make him do work he didn’t want to do.

It was my turn to ask a question. I explained what I needed in a tech person and asked how he would update an Access database to meet the specific need I described. He said (and I couldn’t make this up if I tried) “On the computer.” All I could do was stare, nod and blink at him in disbelief.

Here’s the kicker! I was actually talked to about my body language by my boss. He told me I need to hide my emotions better during the interview. Really? I asked him if he had ever met me. I don’t do that well…I’m pretty much an open book. He laughed and said when I folded my notes in half and put down my pen that everyone in the room knew I was done.

Um…yeah…that was kinda the point. That was my way of saying:

“This guy is a crazy restraining order nut job…let’s wrap this up people!”

I was told that even though the guy was a serial stalker to his lesbian ex-wife, I should not have rolled my eyes when he was professing his love to her…furthermore the staring off into the distance while he was talking about “the drama” of finding a good-looking woman who would accept his kids was quite rude.

I told boss-man I appreciated the feedback and moved on. I must say I kept giggling to myself all day.

I came home and made an amazing dinner.

Turkey-bacon wrapped scallops over red leaf lettuce, fresh cucumber and sliced tomatoes. It was delicious and the whole family loved it.

Friday, May 7, 2010

This Is Why Some Animals Eat Their Young!!!

It’s Friday and holy cow what a crazy week! I am currently wrapped up in my super fuzzy red Snuggie I received as a gag gift. Don’t knock the Snuggie till you’ve tried one. Given the options of “AS Seen on TV” gifts I could have received, I am grateful I did not receive the obscene Shake Weight or another Magic Bullet blender.

Today was filled with melt-downs. It started at 8:00 am with a hysterical phone call from my 7 year-old because he forgot the special flowers we bought his teacher last night in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. He spent 30 minutes printing “You’re the best teacher ever!” on the tiny little card then struggled to get the card between the prongs so he could stick it in the flower pot. I had to call in a favor from a neighbor to deliver the flowers to The Boys and Girls Club so my son could proudly present the flowers to his teacher.
Crisis solved.

I had a few free moments before a meeting and decided to open the mail I have been carrying around in my purse for a week. I started with my Verizon Wireless bill and had a mini stroke at my desk. No Lie…$604.32!!! HOLY GAWD! Here’s a little tip from me to you…free of charge. When you order a replacement phone and they ship it to you in that little box, they are dead serious about wanting the old phone back. I tasked my usually responsible 15 year old daughter with placing her old phone in a box, putting the label on it, and dropping it off at Post-Net. Surprise…She forgot.
After begging and pleading and escalating the call to a manager, I received special authorization to return the phone late. I will be handling this return personally.
Crisis Solved

Not an hour later I received a phone call from JRA (Juvie Prison) that my son was hysterical and they were wondering if I could talk him down. Sure…I excused myself from my cubicle and went out in the hallway where I used the Mom Soft Tone to get him breathing normally again. Apparently some of the gang members in prison had pushed him just a bit too far and he snapped. He went ballistic on the two other boys and now my son is in solitary for 24 hours. We talked about using communication skills and bullies and how to avoid them, but honestly I am glad he finally stood up to the boys. He is suffering the consequences of his actions, but hopefully the other boys in the unit will think twice before messing with Joe Joe for fear they will release his “crazy”.
Crises Solved

After coming home I spoke sternly to my loving daughter about the cost of “OMG Mom I forgot about the phone…you got it fixed, what’s the big deal?” I am convinced she had lost her mind…she obviously forgot who she was talking to. Our little discussion turned into a full fledge mom/ daughter showdown. I ended the conversation telling her that she needed to retreat to her room immediately. I told her I was protecting her from my inner bitch...that normally I keep my inner bitch locked up tight. My daughter tried to release her inner bitch on me and I warned her that her inner bitch was no match for mine and she better run because I was about to let my inner bitch fly! She ran.
She is lucky I love her so much, because I’m not sure I would have stayed so calm if any one else spoke to me the way she did.  

Earlier my husband asked me what I wanted for Mother’s Day. I told him I wanted to be alone in my house with a pot of coffee and a good movie for no less than 4 hours. He looked puzzled and asked “Don’t you want to spend the day with the kids?”
I replied with “Um…no…I spend 364 days a year with them…I’m taking the day off!”

Question: Do any other mom’s feel this way or is it just me?

Thursday, May 6, 2010

It’s not a question of IF you’ll get hurt, But WHEN you’ll get hurt!

I pulled or strained my thigh muscle last night while rowing 3000 meters on the rowing machine and I can barely move. It’s a sport injury and the reason I am not tore up over the whole thing is athletes get injuries, and I guess I am an athlete. I have been icing the muscle all day. On the plus side, I took the day off work and spent the day catching up on my TVO.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Not that it matters...

Not that it matters or I even care but my weight was 224 pounds this morning.

So in one month I lost 5, gained 8, then lost 6 total...but like I said...it doesn't matter! :)



Here we all are...We survived and look fabulous!
Janel, Lacie Charlie and Brendan!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

What If?

Nothing cures a good case of Writer’s Block like a trip to prison!

I should probably clarify that statement. My 17 year old son was sentenced to a year and two months to Juvenile Detention (JRA) in February for Burglary and Possession charges. He currently resides at Maple Lane JRA run by DSHS in Chehalis, WA. I drive down on the first Sunday of each month to visit him. The round trip takes about 6 and a half hours and it is exhausting. I’ve had people tell me that a visit is too good for him and if he treated his family better and followed the rules; he wouldn’t be in that situation. And I agree completely. If he didn’t start rebelling…if he chose the love of his family over the love of his friends…I can compile a whole list of “If’s.” I can justify not spending an entire day driving, just to get patted and wanded down and searched, then escorted to the visiting room filled with metal stools where we get exactly 120 minutes to reconnect with each other. But let me ask all those people who so freely give their advice to me and offer their opinions.

What if Joe Joe recovers from this life of rebellion? What if 120 minutes a month is enough to keep him engaged in his Drug and Alcohol treatment program? What if my visit on the first Sunday of the month helps him to practice his skills and be cooperative to staff so his visitation does not get revoked? Joe Joe has been in trouble with the law for years and has blown up literally every bridge in his life. I am the only person left in his life that will visit him. I refuse to give up on him and I refuse to give up hope.

As always, I have to relate this to my own battle with addiction. What if people gave up on me? I have probably quit the same amount of diets as my son has been arrested; somewhere around 17 each.

What if Cameron said “I’m sorry Lacie, you’ve been given too many chances and I don’t believe you will ever change.”
Or
“Lacie…you quit the last time you tried to write a blog and were fired from the Lake Stevens Journal and TeamFitness.”
But he didn’t say that to me, what he said was “You’ve never tried CrossFit”

Cameron believes in my ability to change, he continues to have hope, he encourages me, yells at me and sometimes wants to throw things at me…similar to me with my son. My son thanked me today for not giving up on him and talking to him clean and sober was a blessing to a mom right before Mother’s Day. I would like to do the same for Cameron.

Thank you Cameron for believing in my ability to change even when I screw up…that being said… I couldn’t write on Friday because I fell off the wagon and binged big time. We will discuss that at a later date. I am a bit nervous about my big weigh-in tomorrow.  

Change is a process…