Category Archives: Misc

Ya Gotta Play With Numbers, Rejoice in the Math, and Revel in the Research!


Curious Cats ©2011My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Arts; I majored in Library Science and Drama.  Which means [drumroll please] I have a B.A. in L.S.D.!  Honest!  I’m not kidding.  Neat huh? 🙂

One nice thing about getting a liberal arts degree was that only one semester of the lowest level of algebra was required. Yay! Yippee! Woo Hoo!

So, who knew that years later I would actually *need* some of that math to become fit!  The other thing that college taught me is how to do research.  Which is a good thing, I guess, since I’m a Librarian.  A big chunk of my job is finding information.  But who knew that I’d be using that skill set to get healthy?

After writing Setting Goals: You gotta do the math! Ugh!,  it occurred to me that I’ve been using some fitness formulas, terms and guidelines without really defining or explaining them.  This post will elaborate on the following points:

  • How I arrived at a goal of 194 lbs and 12% Body Fat
  • The maximum safe amount you should plan on losing per week is 1% of your total body mass.
  • When losing weight the goal is to lose body fat, not muscle; in other words your “lean body mass” should remain fairly constant.
  • The “Healthy at Every Size” Movement.  It is important to “listen” to your body; weight and body fat are only two indicators of health, they should not be relied upon to the exclusion of other factors.

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2011-12-15, Weekly Stats (Starting Over–Third Time is the Charm!)


2011-12-16-Ticker ©20112011-12-15 Table ©2011Ok, this past week marks the end of a renewed effort to become fit.  I have been more aware of what I’ve been eating and making better choices.  I’m at the beginning of a very long road.  Wish me success! 🙂

So far… so good. Yay me!  See ya on the dance floor!

Related articles

Rejoice and Revel for it has been a good week!


I iz Awesome ©2011Let the reveling and rejoicing begin!  🙂  Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!  (doing a chair dance and the circle your fists in the air thingie!)

Ok, ok, ’nuff silliness already!  This is serious stuff here!  😉 I’m following my own advice and rejoicing in the little things.  Because those little things eventually add up and “Voila you have met your goal!”

This has been a good week!  And I’ll get to check off some of the things on my “Check List“.  So in no particular order, let’s get on to the recap.

The switch has been flipped…

The gauntlet has been thrown, the tide has turned, the balance has shifted, midnight has past, and the dawn has begun; a lot of what I’ve been doing over the past month, but especially this past week is happening in my brain rather than in the “real” world.

Thinker (CC)In other words: I’ve been “thinking” a lot.  And it hurtz!  Owie!  I needz somebodies to kiss itz and makes itz bettersz. (Preferably some hunky guy in a speedo–Yummy!)  *AHEM*  But I digress…  😉  Back to the topic at hand…

It boils down to this: (1) Being healthy is now my top priority and (2) creating positive momentum is vital to working on that priority.

My health and fitness, or current lack thereof, affects everything in my life.  EVERYTHING.  It seems simple doesn’t it and very rational to make  the thing that affects everything else in your life your top priority?  Sounds good to me!  Sadly, in life, the things that seems conceptually simple are actually incredibly complex and difficult to execute.

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New Pillows! New Pillows! New Pillows!


Sheraton PillowsYes, I’m a little excited. 🙂  It’s the little things I tell ya!  And it means I can cross an item off my “Check List!

I’ve been watching the little tracking widget on the FedEx website and I knew that my pillows would be waiting for me at the UPS Store.  I have a PO Box at the one close to my house because my neighborhood, while not a slum, is not the place you want boxes sitting outside your door.  Better to have the delivered to a place where they are more secure.  🙂

So…  My pillows!!  Woo Hoo.   I stopped off at the UPS Store on the way home and picked them up. The guy at the counter brought me this box and I was a bit concerned for a moment, because to fit in the box they must be squished a bit.   But then I noticed the top of the box bulging a bit.  And since bulges are a good thing, I set aside my fears of pillow squishyness.

I had gotten these pillows before (12 months ago) and I loved them.  Funny how as something slowly changes, you don’t notice it?  Well OMG!!!! When I put the old pillows next to the new ones….  “Houston we have a problem!”  OMG!  I briefly, very briefly considered taking a photo of the old pillows next to the new ones and posting it here, but nope, not gonna do it.  Let’s just say that the old pillows are past their prime and they have to go!

So tonite, tonight, tooooooooooniiiiiighhhhtttt (insert image of me singing like a broadway diva) I’m going to have a better night’s sleep with my new pillows.

See ya on the dance floor!

Related Links / Articles:

 

YouTube Gleanings


YouTube LogoSome friends on Facebook posted links to these two videos and I just had to share them with you.  I hope you enjoy them.  🙂
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Confessions of a Ballroom Addict


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23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?

See ya on the dance floor!