July 2007 Archives

Hi guys. This is going to be a short entry. I would write more, but I can't feel my legs.

I just came back from an hour-long cycling class with this petite little woman - the instructor - who I believe is the representation of evil at its core.

I'll tell you guys more about it later on this week. By then, I hope to have regained use of my facilities.

Anywho, I found this article about a woman who is going through what many of us go through when we start dieting, or when we've dieted before and failed. Here's her story:

http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100166881>1=10212

I've got good news. I lost a pound and a half.

Please don't ask me how it happened. I do not know. However, I can't celebrate too loudly.

Why, you ask?

It's because I'm in hiding.

I'm hiding from the pounds.

According to the talk show guru and Superwoman, Oprah, weight loss is all in the mind. I'll keep that in mind as I continue my struggle to lose the same darn 10 pounds.

Here's the story on it:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/personal/06/29/in.your.head/index.html

and I really enjoyed it. I know they're supposed to be evil, but I couldn't resist it's yellow cake and creamy goodness.

Forgive me, oh diet gods, for I have sinned. I promise to go to a cycling class this week to repent.

Do you feel guilty when you eat foods that are not on your diet? What do you do about it?

Some of my favorite movies have fat people in them.

When I'm feeling down about my weight, I'll watch the "The Nutty Professor," the one with Eddie Murphy, and his interesting array of characters. My favorite scene is the first family dinner scene. I LOVE the dad's monologue on Oprah, and Luther Vandross.

Here's the scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddwfwVDyGTs

Disclaimer: This scene contains some adult language, including the use of a synonym for butt that rhymes with gas, and crude, but funny, fart humor.

Let the screaming begin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4T6FzLP1_0

I feel your pain, girlfriend.

For the reason why I feel like running through my home screaming, please see the first entry about weighing 245 at:

http://www.yorkblog.com/weigh/2007/07/holding_at_245.html

Tell me, what do you do when you can't seem to get past the weight loss hump? BTW - Eating lots of cookies is a suitable answer. I'm trying to avoid doing that.

So far, it's Michele 1, Chips Ahoy, 0. (That could have alot to do with the fact that I don't HAVE any Chips Ahoy cookies on hand.)

My sister, Debbie and her husband, Bryan, came up to York together for the first time this weekend to visit me with my nephew, Jason, and my two nieces, Aisha and Kaiya.

Debbie has been up to York a few times a year since I moved here in 2000, but this weekend was the first time her whole family came up.

Here's a picture of the kids in my computer room. Aren't they just the cutest ever?

This is another shot of them, being silly (Deb, I cut out as much of Kaiya's goodies as I could).

Some of my other family members were up this weekend too, my homey, Amanda, who spent many of her years in journalism at my side, slaying the dragons on pages, laying out my stories, and those of other reporters and making them look tight.

She's a darn good copy editor, and a great friend, too. Thanks for coming up, homey.

Another member of my extended family, Sharon (who also share's my mother's name), also came up to York for the first time this weekend.

She marveled at how pretty it is here, noting the lovely trees that line the Avenues neighborhood in York, and the beautiful old houses, one of which, I live in.

Sharon picks on me because I always tell people we've known each other longer than we have. It feels like she's always been in my life, but we've only known each other since high school.

She's my homegirl from "Around the way," and also a great friend. This shout out's for you, fool.

Through it all, family is the most important thing. Without the love and support from the family I was born into, and the one I picked for myself, I wouldn't be the crazy person that I am today. Thanks guys.

I needed a new mug shot done, so I called on one of my favorite photographers, Bil, to help me out.

As reporters, our mug shots usually run with things like our blogs, our columns or the stories about us being arrested.

In this case, I needed a new mug shot for the paper, our archives and for my blog. Here's some of the products of the photo shoot.

This is my homage to the incredible Hulk, Michele-style:

Ok, so I went a little crazy with the hue, and didn't know how to fix it. . . Next picture. . .

Hi guys. I was out on Thursday, one of my usual days to put up new postings. I was a little under the weather. I'll be back soon with more diet fun and excitement. Thanks for checking the site regularly.

Stay tuned.

this doctor needs to win a Pulitzer or something.

How to stop "emotional" eating:

http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100166042>1=10212

Between three to four years ago, my favorite aunt, Aunt Brenda, gave me a George Foreman grill for Christmas.

Until this weekend, the gift had sat on my counter in its box. (Sorry, auntie.)

However, I wanted something grilled this weekend, and didn't feel like dealing with charcoal, lighter fluid (fire! fire! fire! said in Beavis voice) or trying to keep my cat, Mo, from escaping every time I open the patio door.

So, I dusted off the box and freed the Foreman grill. Much to my surprise, it's one of the best gifts ever (other favorite gifts include my heated blanket - Thanks mom and dad - my make-up travel bag - from Ann - and the "In Death" books I got from Amanda.)!

I used the grill to cook a bunch of stuff this weekend, and I wanted to share a good, healthy recipe with you guys.

And it was fabulous.

That's all. I just wanted to share that with you.

Well, I would have sore muscles, if I'd actually been to the gym this week. I haven't.

The gym and I are going through some things right now. It's been rough, but I know the cause.

I can't get motivated enough to go to the gym. It's not the gym, it's me.

In my heart, I know we will work things out - together - and I'll be back to cursing those who invented "treadmill" time in no time.

For those who actually go and work out, I found some tips on how to deal with the soreness that comes after the workout:

http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100166115>1=10212

I'm at 245. Again.

I feel like I'm the star in a weight-loss version of "Groundhog Day." I just keep revisiting the same darn 10 pounds over and over and over again.

I get down to 240. I gain two pounds. They bring friends, making it four pounds. I drift back up to 246 before going to 247. I've avoided 250 for several months, but can't get down past 240.

It's so bleeping frustrating! Why can't these pounds stay away?!?!? Do they miss me that much?

So, I've got a new plan. I'm never eating again. Ever. I mean it.

Seriously.

Until dinner, that is.

If I haven't said this already - dieting sucks. And yes, I'm feeling a little discouraged.

To look at my weight loss "progress" (and I use that term loosely), scroll down to the bottom of the main "Weighing In" page and look at the weight graph.

Hi guys. For the record, I did not win the lottery, marry rich or come into any money that would help me quit my day job. I'm still here.

I know I haven't been providing you with refreshingly funny blog posts this week. I suck. :)

I've been swamped this week. You see, my editors make me do my real job - writing news stories - before they let me play on my blog. Unfortunately, the work that pays the bills has taken up a lot of my time this week.

News happens.

So, thanks for being understanding, and checking for updates.

You guys rock. Seriously.

you're trying to eat healthy while you're out and it costs you an arm and a leg? I mean, it's diet food - shouldn't it cost LESS money?

So, I was at the airport Friday morning, and I needed to eat something before I got on my flight. I picked up a bottle of water and an 6-oz container of yogurt.

When I got to the register, the woman behind it told me the total - $5.76.

I blinked and looked down at what I purchased. Surely, there had to be someone else's sandwich or something that had been added to my order.

Nope. It was just a yogurt and a bottle of water. It cost $5.76.

Was this some kind of special water that made all your worries go away? Is this magical yogurt that makes you shed 15 pounds and a dress size in seconds?

No. It was food that would normally cost you about two bucks marked up to airport prices.

Darn airport. Darn high prices for healthy stuff.

I have to give a shout out to my homey, Amanda, for pointing this story out. I'd read about Alli, a new, over the counter diet drug, and thought about trying it.

After reading the side effects, I decided to stick to eating healthy and being more active. Crapping your pants is sooooo not cool.

Here's the story:

Diet pill's icky side effects keep users honest

Dieters have been flocking to drugstores to pick up Alli, the first over-the-counter weight-loss pill to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, despite the scary warning: Stray too far from your low-fat diet, you just might poop your pants.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19587389/from/ET/

If you don't use Alli the right way, and stick to your healthy, low-fat diet, you may need this product:

http://hillison.com/snl/oopsicrappedmypants.html

For those looking for a low-fat way to have "fried" chicken, Bisquick offers this recipe.

Ingredients

2-3 lbs meaty chicken pieces

2/3 cup Bisquick reduced-fat baking mix

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon butter

I was in the grocery story today, buying another crop of healthy, wonderful foods to sustain my body when I discovered this product - Hostess 100 Calorie Chocolate Snack Cakes.

I know cakes and sweet things are supposed to basically off limits, but here's the thing - I can't leave them alone. They're like that ex-boyfriend that you just can't get out of your head completely - no matter how much he sucks or is really not good for you.

It's not good, but I can admit to doing that, like I can admit to not being able to cut sweets out of my life. So, I'm a fat girl who loves cake - sue me.

But I digress. . . I've got to tell you about the chocolate. Apparently Hostess is jumping on the 100 Calorie snack bandwagon, and has come out with cupcakes that fit the bill. They are smaller, lower in fat versions of the larger cupcakes.

These don't have the neat swirl on top, but they pack a lot of flavor. Tasting them, I almost forgot they were just 100 calories. Now, the key is to only eat one set of cakes a sitting. . .

Here's what they look like, and they should be at a grocery store near you.

Thanks to everyone for visiting this blog regularly and making it a success. Because of you, "Weighing In" is one of the most popular features of the York Daily Record/York Sunday News' online community.

If I can brag a little, the blog has only been up for weeks, and it has had over 1,000 hits! In June, this blog and its entries made the top 20 as one of our most frequently viewed items.

"You like me. You really like me. . . "

Please help me keep this going. If you'll keep reading, I will keep writing about my weight-loss misadventures. Bookmark this page, and pass it on to anyone who needs a good laugh, or who is interested in fashion, dieting and weight loss.

Again, you guys rock. I wouldn't have been able to do this without your support.

And, no, I'm not going to have some cookies to celebrate (I do, however, have a deep affection for Chips Ahoy cookies). I might, however, have some yummy, delicious and filling salad.

That didn't even sound right.

Thanks, and y'all come back now, ya hear!

Don't you hate it when you're at the gym, and there are plenty of cardio machines, and someone comes up and gets on the one right next to you?

So, I'm at the gym Friday morning, right, and the gym is almost empty. Fridays are a glorious time at the gym, because there are no crowds, no fuss and the music isn't as awful as it usually is (when it is, thank God for the iPod).

In a row of 10 or more treadmills, I was on one, and this guy is on another one - about eight machines away. Beyond him, another 10 or so treadmills are empty.

So, can you tell me why this woman comes up and gets on the treadmill right next to me? With all the empty machines in the house, did she need to come up to that one? I was so annoyed, especially when she started running and shaking BOTH machines.

I gave her "the look of death" more than once. She was on my last nerve.

Thank you for reading the first installment of "Don't you hate it when. . .," a new feature on the "Weighing In" blog. If you have any examples or suggestions for the feature, please message me mcanty@ydr.com