I must have been on the Biggest Loser, Israel edition and no one told me?!?
Yea ok.... I've been to Israel before a few times, but this time was very different. I went on a trip to Israel, with a great organization called birthright, which is for Jewish people 18-26, for 10 day trip. I knew there was tons of walking and sightseeing but I didn't know about how much hiking I'd be doing. OMG. Hiking to me, is alittle up hill, nature walk etc. NO HIKING IN ISRAEL, is fucking like rock climbing and crazy extreme climbing, or sliding down rocks and it was INTENSE. I was no prepared for any of this extreme shit. Hiking, omg, I did it almost every fucking day. The first hike was in the Jilaboon Creek, in the North of Israel, and that was ridiculous. We hiked down a mountain, not a fancy trail but on a intense decline of a trail, that me being afraid of heights, didn't help. We hiked through things, and across river beds on rocks, and then after 2 and half hours of hiking through this shit, I learned if if goes down, it must come back up. I looked at this fucking mountain I climbed down and had to climb the fuck back up. During the hike, I lost it, because my legs were so exhausted, my body hurt. They didn't tell us, that this was going to be intense. They told us to bring bottles of water, but didn't tell us you'll need your hands, and you'll be throwin the bottles to and from your friends, while you try and climb down, and up on rocks. The next few days, even walking down stairs in Jerusalem, killed. My thigh muscles hated me, and entire body killed. We did a 5am hike up Mount Masada (a very special mountain in Israel during King Herod's time), this was a sunrise hike. Yea nothing like hiking up a mountain in the dark, up stairs and trails, and you die. DIE! I don't care how fit you are, this shit was ridiculous. There were other awesome hikes, and Long story short, I got up these mountain, and did things in my NY life of driving everywhere, I would never have done. It's hard to explain to people what I did, and the hiking, cause it's not what we're use to in NY. It was intense, and the rocks that i climbed and trails I walked were gorgeous, but I couldn't admire it because I was trying to keep up and survive. I learned from this trip, how incredibly strong I am and pushing myself is something I'm capable of and did and that I hate hiking. I did come back 10lbs lighter, and inches smaller. My boobs became even smaller, and my legs thinner. The first few days, even though I'm use to walking on the treamill, my body wasn't use to the extreme hiking, and I had water weight. I drunk water like it was going to run out and dealt with it all. Though the entire time my friends and I were convinced that we were on the biggest loser Israel edition and no one told us! It must have been a joke, because it was just surreal. I'd call to complain to my family and they all went, oh well it is good for you! Yea awesome, they're not the ones fucking doing this, I swear it was bootcamp. Up at 6am, breakfast by 7am, 8am bus, hiking and walking everywhere. BOOT FUCKING CAMP. It's done, and everyone saw my weight loss and just went, "omg, I'm glad your back, where did your boobs go?" Soon my C cups will be B's if I lose more weight and they disappear. It's ok, it'll be fine. It jump started more weight loss, and I know if I did this, I can do anything. I'm lucky I bought an amazing pair of sneakers, and now those sneakers are having me walk on the treadmill every day.
Omg, I went away in the summer, and seriously...forgot about my lovely blog. Plus I couldn't for the life of me remember my password.
It'll be a year in March I believe that I started by weight loss. New pictures to follow soon. My weight hasn't gone up, I've maintained but it hasn't drastically gone down, and that's fine. I've not gained, and I'm happy. I'm going away in about a month to Italy then Israel for a few weeks, I've been traveling like a crazy person, Holland, back to Paris, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Prague, various states and so on......the food...oh the food. Mostly when I'm on vacation I'm one of those people that loses weight, cause I'm walking everywhere and although the food is great, the walking is ALOT. Luckily my endurance has built up for walking, as well the weight is alot less that I'm carrying around. It all makes the difference. When I'm in Israel, I'll be hiking ALOT and I've been there before, and everything there is down, then back up. Tons of stairs and in the old city, there are NO ELEVATORS.
Things are good, I've been doing weight watchers, and going to meetings.....boy they're amazing. I had a friend going with me, but she gave up..... she said she was too busy, I say you make time for what is important to you. I'm back on track, and I hope you're all well. I've been so busy, my head is left spinning. I will write a proper blog soon, since I need your support and am here to push ya'll. omg. hi!
I went to the gym this morning, since I was at the bank at 830am making a deposit and called my sister to see if she wanted to go to the gym....woke her up and told her lets go.
Honestly thinking she'd yell at me, call me nuts and hang up.
Since Fri & Sat are such long days, gym we don't do.
But boy, she got dressed...and we went.
After we were done, I was happy I got it over with.
I'm Jewish and follow modest dress, meaning I wear only skirts below my knee or longer, and shirts that cover my elbows etc....
so....Totally forgot where I was....
normally when I worked out at a non-kosher gym, meaning men & women...
I always wore my comfy work out pants, under a comfy black skirt hit below my knee.
But since I'm at curves, that's all women, I just keep on comfy pants.
So I went right to the gym to just get my eye brows done, and ran in with my sister to do this, and when I walked in the all the Veitnamese nail ladies, whom I've used for years.... all went ....WOOOOOOOW.
I'm like huh?
They go, "you're in pants, we never see you in pants, you look good in pants, you always in skirts."
I totally forgot I wasn't wearing a skirt on top of them, and they reacted like it was this grand sight to see, and it made my sister and I laugh. They kept staring at me and commenting, it was definitely an experience....and I'll definitely remember my skirt.
anyway my nutritionist whom I'm seeing on Sunday... just sent me the following email...
I guess she's too excited to wait until Sunday.
" Just want to give you the heads up. I am very excited for you!!! I did something very unique. I put together a 7 week guided meal plan with a booklet of guided meal plan choices for you to choose from. I also put together a great guide of tips to follow when you eat/order out, since this is a huge part of your lifestyle. I chose not to give you a set menu with specific items each day because I feel that it would not fit into your lifestyle or teach you the proper way to eat. Well I will see you Sunday, we will discuss it all then."
in other not so related news, I'm getting my world together with all this changing.
I'm organizing my whole life, inside and out
so.... Thursday consisted of ....laundry.
I had 5 huge loads, of left over clothes I'd been putting in bags from cleaning my room, and my mother the master of folding clothes was a doll...kinda..
and folded it all.
which bit me in the ass because...like I've said... every hour, she'd scream my name, make me sit with her while she folded my things, then made me shlep it all downstairs.
Normally I'd leave it in the guest room, folded until I decided....to take it down.
But I made several trips up and down the 2 flights of stairs to shelp my things.
Then I had to put them away.
I hate this part, because I'm anal.
Although I'm messy/lazy for the most part about my room, and things... I'm still a HUGE Virgo and need things not only color coordinated, but organized, like long sleeves and sweaters in their own respected area's.
I color coordinate because I've so many clothes, and they'd just get lost in themselves.
I have this one favorite ballerina neck black shirt, that I love so much because I love that style neck line I've 4 of the same shirts...like... I'm one of those people. If I like it, I buy it in every color, and normally if I know I'll wear the shit out of it, two in each.
Like they had these amazing GAP skirts, just recently and I loved them all so much I bought every single color except orange, because it reminded me of a lifeguard.
My closet is COMPACT.
I've to do the bottom with the shoes and throw things out, but most of all my next big day off, perhaps Sunday...I need to go through it all and throw things out, and organize & color coordinate.
This girl has so many skirts it's surreal.
If I had the closet space, I'm hang up my entire world, I like things better on hangers, but I don't have one of those sex and the city closets, my mother has something similar though haha.
My mother has been on me to just throw things out, since I've so much and obviously don't wear it all and with so much newer stuff (so much has tags) she told me get rid of old things, so slowly if there is stuff I can't donate, it's in the garbage.
I've so much to do, I can't wait until Sunday for my meal planning stuff
I just bought more whole natural almonds, because I eat them with everything.
anyway, tonight everyone had their delicious food and milk shakes, I stuck to a veggie burger, no bun with sweet potato fries and water....took my multi vitamin, and I was content.
I've learned to cut my food in half, save the rest for later, when I'm hungry and everyone is ordering late night snacks.
anway, I've one more night of work Saturday, then Sunday... is gym, nutritionist, cleaning and a late movie with my sister and her boyfriend....
somewhere under there, there are abs, that are killing me....my abs are killing me from yesterday....I took today off from the gym, even though when you're hurting you should still go, it hurts to inhale, and move, perhaps I over did it yesterday on the crunch machine thing...since it was double time.
I finally took my sister to Curves gym
let's just say, she loved it.
When my sister walks away from something, excited...it's rare.
She's so blah about everything that.. when she likes something, truly likes something you can't help but be excited too.
She did the trial work out, and couldn't believe how it doesn't feel like you're working out, but you walk away sweating and it's intimate and everyones so friendly.
I'm letting her do her week free pass and if she still loves it, we'll sign her up.
It's $44 a month, I asked her how much she can afford, she said $25 (she doesn't work nearly as much as I do, so I told her I'll pick up the rest)
So anyway, it's very nice and I'll have my sister do the nutritionist thing with me.
This morning.....
the cleaning ladies should learn how to tip toe at 8am.
they woke me up, from a great sleep and I always have a hard time falling back, so here I am at 10am.
Plus my sugar was dropping so I ate two granola bars, and I'm normal again.
Then to top it off, I attempted to go back to sleep but my mother decided to have a phone conversation outside my window in the garden, and.. SHE'S SO FUCKING LOUD! OMG.
They just got back from their Chicago, Tennesse, Florida trip and I thought I missed her, but I don't anymore
since her voice is already on my nerves.
but it got me up, and my sister came down to ask when we're going to the gym?!?!
MY SISTER, the most unmotivated girl in the world, was ready and came to get me up?
I told her after I check my email, I'll get ready.
my email consisted of Kat the owner of the curves I go to, is so cute.
She sent me little email reminder; Don't forget to keep working out, you are on the road to success!!! you will be so proud !!!!!!
too funny.
anyway, we went to curves and apparently it was double time Monday, which meant it's a 45 min session and not a 30 min, and you're supposed to work harder. It was funny, sometimes you walk in and it's just you, and sometimes it's busy, depending on the day time....
it was just my sister and I... at first.
The general manager acted like a little personal trainer, pushing us and correcting us.
It was great, we were sweating and working harder....I'll be sore in the morning.
It's a lot of fun, going to this gym, with my sis especially because you're right next to each other and we laugh.
I'm weighing myself once a month, sounds nuts right?
I'm letting curves do it, and I'm not so anal anymore with how much I lose in a week etc.
They do it, and I know inside I'm losing, and feeling good....so ...can't complain.
anyway, Tues is another gym day, and it's great, going with my sis again, I'm still in shock she likes it.
So I've been working out every day at curves, everyday. I really actually enjoy working out, which I never thought I'd say but it's because it's different machines, and I don't have to think and be on a particular machine for an hour.
I met with the nutritionist whose amazing. She's totally personable, sweet and totally gets me and what I want out of this.
She commended me on wanting to lose the weight healthy, and not do some crazy diet. Before she makes my plan, she has me doing homework. Three days write down everything I eat, so she can have an idea etc.
I'm totally excited about all this, I felt ridiculously comfortable with her. Also the price was awesome. I'd priced out nutritionists for a few months, many I came across were like $1000 for 4 sessions, which is super pricey. I never thought they were expensive like this, it's like more money then personal trainers etc. Anyway, this was one is $125 initial consulation and $45 per session, which is nothing for me.
But I feel great, the one thing about working out tho for me is, yes it gives me energy but usually after I work out, I have an amazing deep nap. Anyway, it's 5am and I just too a shower and... should go to bed.
So I got my ass up and went to Curves gym at 11am, like the owner I would when I asked her last night if I could swing by.
I always laugh when people really use this !!! exclamation points in their emails and text messages. She was like super excited, that I was going. I decide why not jump in fully clothed and start right now.
So I dragged myself out of bed, threw work out gear on and shlepped the 10 minutes there.
I was weighed, BMI taken, and measured.
The whole works.
Then they they gave me the whole tour of work out machines and I worked out.
It's great, it's this 30 minute perfect work out, and it's just my speed, and it left me sweating.
Anyway, I see the nutritionist next week, which I'm totally excited for and I think I'll go to the gym in the morning too.
I like this place better then home, and any other gym I'm tried. Plus it's KOSHER, meaning it's only women, hence I feel ridiculously comfortable and there are women of all shapes and sizes and ages....plus it's super friendly, clean, small and nice. - sweet.
I'm super glad I went this morning, and it's 1pm and I feel energized and although I have work later, I feel great. Usually I work out at night, so it was a different feeling.
I called my grandmother to tell her all about it, and she's loving that I'm doing this.
She told me, she loves me for who I am and no matter what but wants me to continue on my way to be completely healthy.
So this was day 1 of Curves.
All I have to do is get myself going and actually go, because gyms aren't my thing. At home working out is no problem, it's right here and I enjoy it. Though being with others it's like.... weird. I even surprised myself with actually getting up because in all honestly I thought I'd be like.. eh, I'll go tomorrow, I'm going to continue this sleeping funfest I've going on.
When you ask for help, it shall come.
I've been searching for a nutritionist for sometime now. In part because my grandmother thinks it's best for me, and I know she's right. I need to learn how to eat healthy. Granted I've cut the crap out of my regular everyday diet, and have done a good job at it. My lifestyle doesn't help being that my entire life is at night, and well, I've never really learned how to eat properly. I'm still missing proper nutrients. It should be simple to know what to eat properly balancing food groups, it shouldn't be hard, but not knowing where to even begin is difficult, frustrating and I just need some direction and a little help on how to lead a healthier lifestyle in conjunction to the crazy lifestyle I lead.
All in all I've still not learned how to eat right. I work best when I have a regime, follow A, B, and C and you'll get D. I've always worked best like this, when it came to my break up, I followed a way to handle it, the best plan my lawyer aunt explained to me and it worked best. When it came to getting into a great college, I did this, study, work hard get good grades and acceptance to a great school will come. With life if I make lists, and can cross them out, I work bests in outlines. So when it comes with weight loss and healthy lifestyle if I decide to do it, then that's it. Plus someone guiding me, giving me a regime, it's not hard.
Anyway, in search of this nutritionist , I decide to ask one of the girls I work with Kat, since she's in the health business.
How great!
So Kat is one of our waitress' (my bosses best friends daughter in law) also owns a Curves gym.
(You make great money here and most girls have a full time job, but keep this on weekend to bring some extra)
I asked her if she could recommend a nutritionist, because I'd like to continue to lose the weight healthy, and I've always been a firm believer to not follow any fade diets, and haven't done this throughout my weight loss.
I told Kat I've been doing it on my own since March, and doing WW has been amazing for me, and OBVIOUSLY I'm doing something right since I've lost almost 50lbs since the start months ago. It has alot to do with not eating at 2am anymore, more water, working out consistantly and the point system on weight watchers has made things so much easier. But I want to put more nutrition into my body, and finally learn how to eat more healthy as the time goes on. So I'm excited truly, to start and I meet with this women in two days.
So Kat told me she has an amazing one that works for her gym and she'll hook us up, and why don't I also come to Curves. She'll help me out with eating and work out more....so I can get fit and eat right. Listen I can't see myself passing up this offer, Curves is supposed to be great. I work out at home since we have two treadmills, weights and elliptical (we've a biiiig house)
Kat said her mother battled her weight her whole life, been on every diet out there and she went from a size 18 to a size 6 losing over 80 lbs at her Curves.
Sweet, I'm kind of excited. I've been working out on my own, and doing good, but I think this sounds really good.
I can't wait until I tell my grandmother. She'll be thrilled. I'm ridiculously excited. My whole world is coming together nicely, everything I want and need in life, is slowly coming together.
I've been traveling for work, and play back to Montreal and then I was in L.A. and then Texas and Nashville and then a cruise.
But boy of freaking boy I've been working my ass off, the more I lose weight, see results, feel amazing the more motiviated I become.
Almost 50lbs lost, almost.... it's surreal. It's eating right and working out, but I've been following an eating plan and weight watchers and... wow.
I had a friend Amy who was my work out partner, who was about the same weight I was when we start, maybe she was a little more? I'm annoyed she kept bailing out on me when it came to the gym and going to WW, and... long story short, she went away and then didn't return my calls. I wanted to keep her motivated like you guys have her with me, I wanted to be each others support system.
She disappeared and I was annoyed but... you have to decide yourself what to do, so what did she do? Went and had gastric bypass. I'm sorry, I think for her sake this was crap. I just don't feel it was necessary at 220ish lbs to get it done, but it's her decision. What annoys me is that she got this as her quick fix, I know this because I saw her the other day, granted she's lost weight but she still eats like a pig. SO UNHEALTHY, just smaller portions. She tells me how she always gets sick, but still loves food. I told her, it's a lifestyle change, and if you don't change your lifestyle and relationship with food, you'll gain all the weight back. I mean look at Carnie Wilson, she's heavy again.
I'm frustrated, I'd be happy for her if she changed her life. But she got this done and... still the same.
i've a close friend Eric who had the band done, and looks amazing. Eats right and kept the weight off. So I'm fine with this procedure if you know how to change your life and not just think it's a quick fix. I'm jealous her weight's coming off much faster, and I'm running and sweating my ass of and eating right, but I'm change myself for the better, so it's slower results but I feel amazing inside.
I don't know, it's frustrating but.... I'm doing great. I'm so PROUD of myself for once in my life I'm doing it.
My trip to Montreal....wasn't exactly what I expected.
I've been working out, truthfully doing my thing.
There was a gym in our hotel, and we all brought work gear with us to go together.
The first morning we went at 8am...freaking 8am....
I biked 4 miles, did some weights....I love weights.
However...Montreal itself kicked my butt.
I took my two best friends with me, and one loves to walk.
Just walk, and walk and walk.
I personally thought we did a lot of aimless walking and taking a cab...would have done just fine.
I've never in my life, walked so many miles per day as I did in those 4 days of the trip.
It literally got to a point where, I had to purchase sneakers, since the cute little walking shoes were killing my feet and my legs hurt so bad, it got to a point where it felt like I was pulling tree trunks, my feet swelled and blisters were pain fucking full.
It's interested, yes I've lost weight but the extra 80lbs that I've still left, really showed, when you're walking around and carrying it all day, for miles.
I spent majority of walking, BEHIND my friends. They were walking normal, but I was walking extra slow because I was in pain. I didn't look around, I just prayed they'd be done for the day...and we could stop.
My best friends are healthy weight, and had no problem....just walking.
I didn't complain at all, it was their little trip too.
But I couldn't even keep up, the pain was so bad. When you go from walking on the treadmill for a good miles, at your own pace...to walking miles a day..it hits you.
I physically wasn't ok to do this, I did it... but my body let me know..."hey we're not in shape for this"
It's funny, we didn't eat bad at all, but in the end.... I had my exercised whether I liked it or not.
It's so funny, being away from home meaning the USA... whenever I'm in a different country....I feel incredibly healthy. Why? The food is so different. Less fat, less oil...more pure and hearty.
I made sure to drink so much water, and by the end of the trip I'd lost a few pounds.
Was it good for me? Yes.. did I hate it all, all meaning the walking? yes.
After 30 min's of walking, I was so over it... but we'd start our day early say 9am...and it would end....oh.... 4pm.
blah.
We did go out every night, we drank, but in fun.
We ate some great food, and had a great time.
I uploaded a couple of pictures of us at night.
My skin looks pretty great, my face is slowly sliming. Inches are slowly showing as they come off....
I'm still at it, I think even more so now being back home from my trip...
