Just a quick update.

            I started a new meal plan on Saturday. It’s a pretty good meal plan. My calories actually increased! According to my newest Bod Pod my lean mass went up 2 pounds, so I get to have more calories to keep that muscle going. I’m totally fine with it.

            The meal plan is almost the same as the old one so I hardly notice a difference; thank God. Usually I do notice a difference and I’m grumpy for a few days while I adjust.

            I’m also paying more attention to how much water I’m drinking every day. I should be drinking around a gallon. Most days I do get close, but I’m really trying to be exact every day. It’s not really hard, because beside my black coffee I only drink water. The only problem is the increased trips to the bathroom. Once I get adjusted again it won’t be a problem.

            I had to weigh myself on Saturday and I’ve officially lost 76 pounds. I’m not gonna lie; I’m pretty excited. I only weigh myself every 2 weeks; otherwise I would be on that scale every day and freak out.

            Zach, Janelle, and I also set a date for me to be at 100 pounds lost; May 11. I’m ok with this because it’s only 24 pounds. I usually lose 20 pounds in 3 months so I will have to step it up just a tad to get those extra 4 pounds. Ordinarily I would not want to set a goal to be a certain weight by a certain time, because I think that's setting me up for failure, but I really want to get to 100 pounds lost, so I’m willing to bust a little ass to get there. I think having the date in mind will help. 

            Now for my favorite update: I’ve been Sweating to the Oldies. Mom got the DVDs in the mail and I borrowed one. Honestly, I can only handle about 20 minutes at a time. I know I love Richard, but he is a lot to handle. I’m not a dancer, so the videos are perfect. They are totally ridiculous and you kinda feel ridiculous doing them. Really, you just laugh at yourself the whole time which makes it even more fun. I took the DVD with me to Kelly’s one night and I made her check it out too. She can dance and she is goofy as hell. She was really getting into it and she was sweating her ass off after a few minutes. I think I’ll try to get Kelly to do the workout with me a few more times because it’s easier to get into when a friend is with you. So if you’re looking for something easy and fun, get a Sweating to the Oldies DVD; seriously. 

Hi, my name is Sarah and I'm addicted to infomercials.

             I know I’ve previously said that Richard Simmons is my new obsession and that is true, but my real obsession is infomercials. Richard even started as an infomercial. I love infomercials, especially the workout ones. I’ve watched them all.

            I started watching them out of boredom. I’m an early morning person and even the best cable in the world doesn’t have anything on before 8 AM on the weekends. They all show infomercials. I also fanaticized about being one of those people who successfully lost weight and kept it off from doing one of the programs I would watch. I also wanted to buy all of them, and sometimes I buy the cheap ones that would end up in Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I know that I shouldn’t buy them or even want to because I know that I don’t have to motivation to work out “in the privacy of my own home”. I need the gym and the gym needs me.

The key to Insanity

            I couldn’t stop watching the P90X and Insanity advertisements. They were amazing with all their talk of “muscle confusion” and “max interval training”. I love how the people in the Insanity commercial can’t think of any other way to describe the workout besides, “insane”. I love how they try to convince you that you can’t get results in the gym and ask you if you are tired of tedious, time consuming workouts.

The best thing to do
 in an Ab Lounger

            I also love to watch the ones advertising ab machines. The Ab Rocket, Ab Circle Pro, The Ab Lounger, The Bender Ball, The Ab Flyer, etc, etc…these commercials are amazing. There is so much information to get from every one of them, and they all have conflicting information about abdominal workouts. One wants you on the floor, one wants you standing, one wants you in a chair, and one talks about making your core muscles fire faster than the others, but they are all confusing. A good friend of mine bought the Ab Lounger as a late night internet shopping impulse buy. I asked her how it was working out for her, and her response was, “Well, I’m lounging in the Ab Lounger.” I think she uses it as a lawn/camp chair. The Ab Circle Pro looks like a carnival ride more than anything, but it looks like fun and want to try it.

            My sisters bought the Shake Weight for one of my other sisters. It was more of a joke than anything. We were all curious to see what it was like. I’m not gonna lie, there is no way to not look like you are an aspiring porn star while using it. There is even a video that goes with it, and it is scary. The angle that they record the woman at is not flattering to her and she looks like an anorexic giant…if that’s even possible.

            Fluidity Bar…yea, I bought it. It’s pretty cool, but I don’t use it. Iron Gym Pull up Bar…bought that too, but I bought that for the unruly teenagers in my class. They used it when they were upset and needed to blow off steam. I do like it, I’ve gotten good use out of it.

            Growing up we had a Nordic Track, Total Gym, and later we even had a Bow Flex Ultimate. All of those actually got some decent use through the years though by me or someone in the family.

            I don’t know what it is about the infomercials that draw my attention. Maybe it’s the promises they make, maybe it’s how excited everyone is, or maybe it’s the “patented technology” or “new exercise breakthroughs” they all promise. I know for sure that I love the acting in infomercials. I love how they show how hard it is to lift a weight, do a sit up, or even fit into clothes. I love how they struggle to do anything before they get whatever is being sold. Then I love how they use whatever product is being advertised and they suddenly have excellent form and strength.

            I usually watch them in the morning and then go to the gym and tell Janelle and Ashley all about them. Janelle just laughs and tells me to stop watching them and Ashley wants to know why I’m always up so early. Lately I keep telling them about the Brazil Butt Lift infomercial. This guy claims to be “the secret behind supermodel booties” and he uses his “patented triangle training”. I think this guy is a creep. I think he probably touches people inappropriately.

            If I could just sleep later into the morning, I bet I would miss all of the infomercials and this problem would go away! Until then, people around me are going to have to listen to me talk about the awesomeness of these commercials.

My new obsession.

            I’m not even ashamed to admit it, but I love Richard Simmons. I was actually writing something different and looking for pictures to go along with it, and a picture of Richard Simmons appeared. I immediately decided to switch topics.

            I really want a Sweatin’ to the Oldies dvd and until about a month ago, I didn’t think you could even find them anywhere. I was looking for a yoga dvd and I kept coming across new Richard Simmons dvds. I didn’t buy one because they were backordered for like 3 months. I knew I couldn’t wait that long, so I passed. I did call my mom and tell her about them. I think I have her convinced to buy one.

            I know I have my mom convinced. She said she wanted one and wanted to know if I would come over and do it with her. “Hell yea,” I told her. I want to rock out with Richard. He is freakin’ awesome. He is peppy, happy, motivational, energetic, helpful…basically, everything I’m not, and I can’t get enough of him.

            He was on Ellen the other week, and I was sad I couldn’t watch the whole interview. I was at the gym (go figure) and it was hard to hear what he was saying. I did stand there doing nothing for a good 5 minutes before Janelle brought me back to reality. After that I’m sure I told her about my love of Richard.

            I mean, really, what’s not to like? He wants to help people and shows them how easy it can really be to get moving. He’s been helping people for over 20 years and he really enjoys what he’s doing. I tell anyone who will listen about how awesome he is, and I’m sure most people are tired of hearing me talk about it.

The other night I was telling my friends mom that we were going to start “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” and she said that she would be there every time! She then said that she still has her old Richard Simmons vhs tapes. It also sparked the same ol’ conversation of me telling everyone who would listen about how awesome Richard really is. This time, everyone listening totally agreed with me too!

I’ll leave you with a few photos of Richard. How could  you not love him?