The Weighting Game - November 2012 Article

Dying to know if I hit my 80 pound goal by October 1? No, I didn’t!!! I’m currently at a loss of 78. It’s time to really kick it in gear with the holidays around the corner. My goal by December 30 (my 45^th birthday) is 100 pounds and the holidays won’t make it too easy for me (or any of you in the same boat). For those who don’t know my whole story, I set my goals last December so that I could enjoy the holidays and then commit 100% on January 2. I truly pre-planned the whole process to set myself up for success. So far, so good!

Now let’s talk about some of my other successes and challenges for the past month …

Exercising without a gym: At the end of September I went to San Francisco for an improvisation conference. My motel did NOT have an exercise room. I used to be one of those people who said, “Oh, I’m so busy traveling; there’s just no time to work out.” That’s just a bad excuse! The old me would have really used the excuse of no exercise room to not work out, but not this time. Once again, I pre-planned (see the planning trend going on here?). Before arriving in San Francisco I researched nearby health clubs and found the closest one a mile away for $15 a day. But when I realized how early I had to be at the conference every day, I knew distance might be a challenge. So, what did I do? I turned the motel parking lot and second floor into my own personal gym. I always bring a jump rope with me when I travel, so I used the parking lot for jumping rope in between doing a series of exercises including sit ups, push ups, tricep dips and squats (on a bath towel). I turned the second floor into a running track and ran for 18 minutes each day, mixing in running up and down the stairs. And yes, people looked at me like I was crazy, especially the smokers who didn’t know how to do their morning smoking with me in their space.

New wedding pictures: So, one of my goals was to have new wedding photos taken as I clearly was not happy with how I looked in my original ones. I had been so busy that I completely forgot to work on this project until my very creative friend Sara Wise (owner of The Bride’s Maid) convinced me that I could make it happen in 48 HOURS and she was right. Within 48 hours with the help of amazing friends, I had my wedding dress taken in by Ursula. I forget how many inches she removed; I think she said nine or 10. Photographer and friend Michele Smith (of Silver Charm Photography) changed her Sunday plans to help me surprise my husband with a surprise photo shoot on our anniversary. I’m so excited with how the photos turned out and have shared one with you today. Following the photo shoot Sara created a very romantic dinner ambiance for us on our patio, utilizing a few items from our wedding day. A perfect one year anniversary!

Lifestyle Change Award: Another highlight in October was being awarded the Lifestyle Change Award by the American Heart Association at their Heart Walk. What an honor and what a blessing to have a new lifestyle and new habits that have stuck.

Other approaches and goals: In the past week I’ve been adding a second work out to my day (when possible) to get me out of my weight loss slump and it helped almost instantly. I’ll continue to do this, especially with 10 days of travel in November on my schedule. On Thanksgiving I’m running in the Turkey Trot at Market Common; this will be my second 5K. I’m hoping to break my 36:57 running time. It continues to amaze me how my habits have changed. I used to feel guilty about eating bad food and now I feel guilty if I don’t work out TWICE in one day. UPDATE: I ran the 5K trot in 36 minutes and broke my record!

This blog was originally published as an article in the November issue of South Carolina Woman Magazine.

The Weight Game - October 2012 Article

Who am I? When I look in the mirror I see the same person I was 75 pounds ago in January. And then a very good friend of mine took a picture of me to send to one of her friends after exclaiming, “You look so small. I need to send this to Kim.” Sometimes I think people are just being nice by saying these things because I really don’t see it, even though I feel it. So, I looked at the picture on her cell phone and said, “Oh my goodness I look so small!” It’s weird how I see it in a photo but not in the mirror.

The lifestyle change journey continues successfully even with its challenges and temptations. I continue to view it as a series of learning experiences and experiments to incorporate into my life permanently. It’s actually kind of fun, like an adventure or a puzzle to solve.

The day my friend took the photo I was feeling pretty good in some new wardrobe – size 12! I can’t believe it but I was a size 20 in January and now a size 12. Now, not all size 12s fit me but according to my good friend Eileen, “if you fit into anything size 12, you’re a 12.” My original goal was a 12 because I always thought I looked good at a 12. I’ve always be comfortable in my skin, no matter what size, but I especially liked the way I looked at a 12. And here I am at my original goal and I want more. It dawned on me that I’m enjoying the adventure and don’t want it to end, so why not reach for a size 10 and tighter muscles?! It’s also rewarding to see my muscles become more defined and my strength improve. I really understand the meaning of adrenaline rush. There’s nothing like it. Oh, and I’m really excited about seeing my collar bone again!!!

In September I had many challenges to face. For one, my weight loss slowed down, so I decided to do another three-week detox that basically eliminates everything except lean chicken, turkey, beef and fish (no shell fish) and vegetables. At the time of this writing I’m still on the detox and have lost 5 pounds. The detox ends while I’m in San Francisco on business in which alcohol consumption will be tempting me. Additionally the motel we’re staying at doesn’t have an exercise room and since I’m there for five days I had to spend time pre-planning how I plan on eating, drinking and working out. Thank goodness for the internet as I was able to find a nearby gym with visitor passes. Just in case I don’t make it to that gym during my tight conference schedule, I’m bringing a jump rope and resistance band. I’ll also have the option of running. I’ve also plotted out the nearest grocery store so I can visit it as soon as we arrive to stock up on healthy snacks.

Another revelation I’ve had is that I love inspiring other women and sometimes it can be overwhelming, while flattering. Everyone wants my advice, which I’m happy to give. Unfortunately I don’t always have time for this and now refer everyone to the “expert”, my trainer Molly. I want to continue to inspire others and I also want to keep myself focused on me so that inspiring others doesn’t feel like a job.

My original end goal was to lose 80 pounds by my one year wedding anniversary on October 1? Will I do it? Read next month’s issue to find out!!! Happy Health! 

This blog was originally published in the October 2012 issue of South Carolina Woman Magazine.

The Weighting Game - September 2012 Article

I'm 70 pounds lighter since January! Yes! My goal was to lose 80 by my one year wedding anniversary of October 1 and I’m on track. Of course leave it Molly The Trainer to push me by telling me I can lose more. Everyone needs a Molly. Someone recently asked me if I still plan on using Molly when I’ve complete my goal and my gut reaction was “Leave Molly? I don’t think I can do that.” Molly is now a habit that may be hard to break.

Last month I mentioned that it’s just as easy to form a good habit as it is to form a bad habit and now I can attest to this being so true for me personally. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned the fact that I’m easily bored and need constant stimuli to keep myself interested in things be it personally or professionally. I told Molly I was getting bored of my nutrition routine of two shakes and a meal a day and that I wanted a new structure – I thrive with new projects so I thought it might be good to change things up. So, Molly gave me a new diet to follow. I won’t tell you too much about it only because some of you will think it’s a little crazy (and some of you have already told me that). Let’s just say that this diet includes a “cheat day” every five days. I was a bit excited because I really haven’t had one of those since January. Cool, right? No!!! It was awful. I hated it. I felt like a recovering addict being tempted back to the dark side and it made me so uncomfortable. I’ve spent so much time re-training my brain to eat healthy that I really had no desire for the pasta lunch and all of the starches and dairy at dinner. It felt so weird. Being dairy and sugar free has been awesome. So, when it comes to cheating I wasn’t really sure what or how to eat and I can’t even believe I’m saying that. I immediately returned to my previous plan of two Body By ViSalus shakes (I’m a distributor) and a meal. 

That is a habit I’m enjoying and keeping for now. As Molly says, “It’s working.”

My exercise habit is still in place as well. Variation is the key to keeping this habit in place. I really can’t imagine not working with Molly at least once week after I’ve reached my goal. The leaner and stronger I get, the more addicted I become. I’m competitive. I need to be challenged and pushed and while I’ve learned to push myself more than I ever thought I would, it’s good to have someone on the sidelines to push you harder when you get tired or bored. It’s rejuvenating.

Let me stress that my progress is based on a concerted effort to make a lifestyle change and I equate this to starting up a new business or taking on a new job. It is definitely a part-time job that requires an investment of time and money. Starting up Carolina Improv Company and UptownTheater were both exhaustive efforts of time, money and dedication. To keep the businesses running successfully I’ve needed to be disciplined, visionary and resilient through the tough times. It’s no different with my health now.

Some have said, “How can you afford it?” My response “I think I’m actually saving money with my new lifestyle.” How do I figure this? Here’s some simple math:

Pre-Lifestyle Change:

Meals & Drinking Out - $500 a month

Prescriptions for blood pressure and acid reflux - $100 per month

Total: $600 per month

Post Lifestyle Change:

YMCA Membership: $40 per month

Personal Trainer: $275 per month average

ViSalus Shakes: $50 per month average (most of my shakes are free now)

Total: $365

The monthly savings does not account for the long term health benefits; however, I must mention that I recently tried to change my health care plan now that I’m off medication and was denied coverage for losing too much weight!!! True story! The other costs that are not factored in are all of the failed attempts to lose weight – the unused gym memberships, home exercise equipment, diet pills and other diet fads. How much money have all of us wasted for no true and sustainable results, in hopes for a quick fix? Something to think about the next time you say that you can’t invest in your health.

This blog was originally published as an article in the September issue of South Carolina Woman Magazine.

The Weighting Game - August 2012 Article

Ah, summertime and dieting. The two are not very good friends. Most of us start a new diet program in January. The health and nutrition industries capitalize on this – just take notice to the increased advertising for health club memberships, diet shakes, etc. every January. And most of us quit our health resolutions by March and by June, well, some of us our gaining the weight we lost between January through March. It’s a horrible cycle and often referred to as “yo-yo” dieting. That used to me. This is the longest I’ve lasted without a “relapse” in my quest to lose weight and be healthy. I often surprise myself with this small miracle.

What is the magic answer, you wonder? If I had to sum it up in a simple phrase I’d say “commitment to a lifestyle change.”  I never truly understand what this meant until I tried it. Choosing a new lifestyle requires many changes in habits. If we can form bad habits, we can form good habits. It requires constant thinking and re-conditioning of the way we think. In the world of improv we call this “re-training the brain.”

So, at this writing it’s the middle of July and I’ve only lost five pounds since last month’s article. The old me would have gotten frustrated and went on an eating binge. The new me learned to be patient as well as self-aware of what I’m really doing (or not doing). Some of you are quick to say “you’ve hit a plateau – that happens.” Molly (my trainer) has convinced me that plateaus are a bit of a myth.  I do think our bodies get accustomed to the same food and exercise routines but the truth is if we eat less and burn more calories, we will lose weight. If we’re not losing weight it’s because we’ve messed with that simple formula. Molly often asks me “Have you been perfect?” in regards to my eating. In the beginning it was easy to be perfect because the diet was like a new toy. Results motivated me to continue to be perfect. But I’m not as “perfect” as I could be, especially in the summer and double especially when I travel on business. Social drinking during these times is my weakness that prevents me from losing more weight at a faster rate. Great food in other cities is also a huge temptation. But the small victory here (and something new for me) is that I’m not gaining weight because I continue to exercise at least five times a week and I eat completely differently.  My new way of over indulging is eating too much trail mix instead of cookies.  Being bad with my exercise routine is exercising four times instead of of not exercising at all. It’s official – I have truly changed my lifestyle. I’ve set the foundation to continuously lose weight and improve my health, maybe not at the speed I want but that doesn’t matter anymore to me because I feel and look better than ever.

My biggest highlight in the past month has been having my trainer back on the job after giving birth to her beautiful baby. She really pushes me hard and while I haven’t lost a lot of weight this month I can really see a change in my body in the past month. My body is getting tighter and toner and I’m wearing smaller clothes. And I’m physically stronger. There’s something about building muscles and producing endorphins that’s truly addictive. I feel amazing after a good sweat and feel even better when I hear “You look amazing.” I just don’t want to hear that phrase too often because I don’t want to get complacent. Yet, I also don’t like hearing “Great job. Keep it up.” My gut reaction is “How much more do you think I need to lose?” Ha! How ridiculous, right?  Next time you run into me just say “Hey, you’re perfect the way you are.” At the end of the day we need to be happy with who we are and others will be too. Love yourself no matter your size … as long as you’re healthy. 

This blog was originally published in the August issue of South Carolina Woman Magazine.

The Weighting Game - July 2012 Article

This blog was originally published in the July issue of South Carolina Woman Magazine.

Six months into my health journey I’m down 60 pounds and three sizes! I look in the mirror and I actually see a different PHYSICAL person, which is echoed often by my husband and others around me. This journey is so rewarding and at a price of hard work and dedication. The more I lose the harder it gets. The old me would have given up by now. Can you relate? I know many of you can. Recently a friend said, “I’m not losing anything anymore. I might as well enjoy myself and eat.” Ah, warning, this is the danger zone. This is where it all goes wrong. Don’t listen to that inner, evil voice! This is, for me, the hardest point where you need to maintain will power, confidence and endurance to keep going. Don’t give up. Trust me and step away from the ice cream.

May and June were not the easiest months for me because Molly, my trainer, went on maternity leave at my most vulnerable point. I told her that in the past I usually gave up three or four months into a weight loss plan. I did not remind her of this when she went on leave because I didn’t want her to worry about me. Despite the fact that she would be consumed with having a baby, Molly is so dedicated to her clients that I knew she’d worry at least a little if I told her I was scared to be without her. So, I worked that much harder to at least not gain weight in her absence. She had made a work out plan for me to follow but I got confused with it and hated trying to do it alone, so I pulled out the YMCA group exercise schedule and literally scheduled on my calendar all of the classes I would be taking each month. Once something is on my calendar, I’ll do it. I had fun exploring new classes and new teachers. I checked out Shanti Yoga Studio and started taking yoga for a new challenge. I ran more in preparation for the Run Like A Diva 5K. Bottom line, I kept going with both exercise and diet, even when traveling on business.

Some Suggestions To Keep Going:

-          Introduce new exercise options to stay challenged and to prevent boredom; vary your exercise with weights and cardio and include interval work outs.

-          Keep a journal of what you’re eating and drinking, including your water intake. Don’t like to journal? Try one of the many free online options or phone apps, such as myfitnesspal.com

-          Join or start a Facebook group where others share their daily accomplishments – it will inspire and guilt you at the same time, while holding you accountable to the world.

-          Schedule exercise with friends so that you have to show up since they’re waiting for you.

-          Eat out a lot, be it preference or no choice? Don’t feel bad to ask for what you want (as long as it’s healthy), such as “Salmon, dry, no butter and steam the vegetables.” Today restaurants seem to expect these requests and it makes dieting so much easier.

-          If you like to drink (alcohol) like I did (do), stop it! Well, at least modify it. I didn’t believe Molly when she said that drinking would slow down my weight loss until I stopped it and watched four pounds disappear in a week. Sounds crazy, but try scheduling your “drinking” night to one night a week and look forward to it like a special day.

-          Do not let summer be an excuse for over indulging. Instead, visit a farmers market and buy fresh vegetables and fruits to put in containers to snack on.

-          Set mini-goals and celebrate the small successes. It doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing approach”. For several months I was addicted to the scale and it drove me crazy. I’ve been much calmer by not weighing myself constantly and instead focusing on following the path to a healthier life.

Some of my recent successes:

-          Hearing my husband constantly telling me how good I look.

-          Ran my first 5K without stopping! Didn’t think I would actually run it, but I did and then I cried for accomplishing such a feat for me.

-          Lost weight while on a business trip because I worked out every day in the hotel gym and watched my diet.

-          Cheating by eating chips and French onion dip to discover I no longer like the way it tasted!

-          Saying “Oh my goodness, I haven’t worked out in two days and couldn’t wait to work out today.”

-          Blood pressure continuing to remain at 120/75 WITHOUT medication.

-          Went down another size and threw away more clothes.

-          Being called “skinny”… often!

-          Having my mother pick me up from the airport and not being able to recognize me.

-          Was hit on by a gorgeous 20-something man and felt like a sexy “cougar”.

The Weighting Game - June 2012 Article

Ah, my weight loss secrets. What all y’all been waiting for, yes? That’s the first thing I hear about my weight loss – “What are you doing?” There’s no magic. And for some, it’s disappointing to hear that success has come from good, old fashioned hard work of reducing calories and exercise. Yes, some people get disappointed. I used to be one of those people. We would all love a quick fix. “If I could only lose x amount of pounds first, I promise I’ll follow the rules later.” I have had this talk with myself a million times over the past 20 years. The true motivation for me has been to improve my overall health so I can live a longer life. The fear of dying like my father (of a heart attack) woke me up. Most of my family dies of heart disease and heart attacks have been known to occur in our family in the 40s.

I approached this journey like I approach a project for work or for a client. I needed a process to follow. As I mentioned last month, I started by drinking meal replacement shakes by Body By ViSalus. I became a “passive” distributor of the shakes and figured that if I was actually going to sell the shakes I should show that they work. Shakes are a great way to lose weight because they help you manage your caloric intake, which is key. I knew I’d lose weight this way but for the first time I accepted the fact that to increase the speed and retention of weight loss I would have to exercise as well. Along came Molly!

Many of us have said it before: “If I had a celebrity’s money I could get thin too with a personal trainer.” It’s clear that people have lost weight with the help of a trainer. Just watch The Biggest Loser. I didn’t really pursue this route initially but Molly was a friend and a previous improv student. She had started her weight loss journey while a student of mine. I think I may have mentioned something about the shakes on Facebook and she emailed me and said, “Hey, if you need a trainer …” It was a sign. In the theme of an improv philosophy of “yes, and”, I emailed her back, “Tell me more.” I was at my thinnest at 20 when I had a body builder/coach boyfriend and while I hated him for it I now realized that in some sick way his toughness worked on me being in amazing shape. And that’s what I needed now – a tough coach, but an understanding one I could trust. I trusted my Molly enough to at least hear what she had to say and I instantly felt comfortable with her approach and style. I think deep down inside I felt so helpless and here was a lifeline. Literally, a line that could actually save my life. All I had to do was commit and find the money, both which can be difficult for most of us. I’m a true believer that people value what they pay for. When you get something for free you don’t really commit to or appreciate it. There was a part of me that knew I had to pay someone to help keep me accountable. For those of you wondering how I found the money, it was pretty easy to sit down and look at how much I had been spending on eating out, buying wine to drink at home every night and going out in general. So, instead of spending money on gaining weight, I shifted that same money to losing weight. Pretty simple. Sometimes it’s even harder to face our financial fitness plans by looking at how we’re spending our money.

And so it began. I signed up with Molly in addition to becoming a member of the YMCA. The first thing Molly did was put me on a three-week detox (without shakes) to eliminate toxins from my body and give my body a foundation nutrition-wise. Molly is not a nutritionist, I should mention. She has literally researched and tested a variety of methods and diets. The detox was pretty simple and gave me a lot of food options. I wasn’t starving but I was learning how to eat healthy. In three weeks I lost 14 pounds which gave me such a boost of confidence. More importantly I was feeling amazing from the loss of things like sugar, dairy and caffeine. In conjunction with the detox we started an exercise plan of working with Molly three times a week for an hour, plus two additional days of cardio on my own. The working out is what scared me the most – would I be able to do it without dying?! The answer is YES because Molly showed me I could do it in baby steps. 

This blog was an article published in the June issue of South Carolina Woman Magazine.

The Weighting Game - May 2012 article

Welcome to my first “The Weighting Game” column! First, let me start by saying I am NOT an expert in health and fitness. I’m merely an active participant with plenty of help from other people to improve my health. Most specifically, kudos must go to my personal trainer Molly Piercy who has been an amazing coach and source of motivation. Anyone who has experienced any weight loss at all knows that at some you start to hear “what are you doing?” or “how did you do it?” Translation: “I want to lose weight too. Tell me how.” And it’s those questions that inspired this column from a “real woman’s” perspective.

There are two reasons for this column. First and foremost I want to be able to share my struggles and successes to educate and inspire other women who are fighting the weight loss battle. Second, I started my health and wellness journey this year by being very public about it as a way to hold myself accountable. There’s no turning back once you post “I’m on a diet” on Facebook. Everyone starts to watch you and they really watch you once success sets in. I figured since I am already so public about it I might as well write a column too. This column is more of journal which chronicles my experience. Hopefully it inspires and educates others. If you’re looking for the “silver bullet” of weight loss, this column isn’t for you. This is about committing to hard work.

As of the end of April, I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds since January 2, 2012. Like many women, my weight has fluctuated all of my life. And for the first time in my life, at age 44, I feel like I truly understand what works and what doesn’t work for me. I’ve made a conscious commitment to make a “lifestyle change” versus “go on a diet” and that mentality has made a world of difference. In late 2011 I was dealing with an extremely stressful and bad experience that affected me emotionally and mentally. Already overweight, I gained more and my blood pressure started to skyrocket. I was overwhelmed with feeling like I had no control over this bad experience, which I truly had no control over.  Aside from my physical health concerns I was motivated for the opportunity to have control over something, anything. The light bulb went off and I said to myself, “I have full control over health. No one can mess with that.” And so the journey began.

One thing that kick-started me were Body by ViSalus shakes, a meal replacement shake. My friend and hair stylist Brittney was selling them for extra money and made one for me. They were delicious and I saw an opportunity to start my health campaign. Not only did I like the shakes, but I liked the company and the opportunity to also sell these shakes. Not that I had time to start a full-time job selling shakes since I already own a business, but I thought “What the heck? If others buy shakes from me, it couldn’t hurt.” Quickly I realized that if I expected others to buy shakes I would really need to hunker down and truly commit to losing weight to show that the shakes work and that’s when I hired a personal trainer. 

I know what some of you are thinking, “Personal trainer? I can’t afford a personal trainer.” Well, neither can I. But if you want something bad enough you find a way to pay for it. I knew myself well enough to know I couldn’t do this without help. I knew I needed to change everything about my health and thinking. Drinking two shakes a day and eating one meal wasn’t going to be enough. Maybe initially it would be, but I knew I needed to change my behavior and thought process. As president of my own company I really wanted someone to tell me what to do since I spend most of my day making all of the decisions at work. I wanted to be managed and coached by someone else instead of having to coach myself!


This blog is a re-published article from the May issue of South Carolina Woman Magazine.