There's Nothing To Fear But...

As Hazira's niece, Arabela, showed me her new high tech camera, Hazira said, That's an unkind camera; it shows everything.

Right before heading into Jasper, AR, we pulled into a gas station and I cracked up when Leah pulled out her camera. I'm a shutterbug but I seldom take gas station photos. I had forgotten about the pic until Leah sent a link to her pictures.

I was apprehensive about clicking on the link because Leah has one of those unkind cameras that shows everything.

See for yourself -- the camera.





Shooting Back at Leah

What I Feared...The Thunder Everything Thighs Up Close

The Gas Station Shot of Patti & Me

Campground

Part of the Climbing Posse

In the end I accept, if not fully, that my ability to be active trumps this epic plateau that I'm experiencing.

Victory Is Mine

As some of you know, I've been uncluttering and, in the process, I've unearthed some ancient artifacts including a pair of shorts that I bought in Atlanta eons ago.

I wanted a souvenir from Spelman College and assumed that I would be able to wear a large but I was not able to. Disappointed, I put the shorts away and haven't thought about them in years.

As I was getting rid of more stuff and assessing what needed to be shed, I got the urge to put on the shorts not completely sure whether or not I'd be able to wear them and when I was able to comfortably pull them up, I got completely weepy.

As the scale stands stagnant like old water attracting mosquitoes, I remind myself to stay focused. To eat, as Gingersnapper said, nutritionally useful food and to honor those non-scale victories.

Any victories, non-scale or otherwise, in your corner of the world? Do tell...

One Pound Advantage

Okay, so I lost a pound recently and I've been dwelling on how it would be nice for one or two more pounds to join the reindeer games. One seems like the loneliest number until I think about how some Biggest Loser contestants have foregone $10,000 dollars to have a one pound advantage.

'Drea is trying very hard to focus on the non-scale victories. Each time I put on a pair of pants, they are loose. (((And the crowd goes wild))).



My pants prove that there's progress. My focus on the pound had me thinking about Miss Q'n, a Zap Mama song; it could be because I've been listening to old music. It could be that I just like Zap Mama. Along with Sweet Honey in the Rock, I feel like they've never made a lackluster album.

There's always multiple interpretations to a work of art but Miss Q'n reminds me of my fascination with pounds.

Lyrics to Miss Q'n:

When i was a little child i dreamed to be a princess
when i tried to be this princess i dreamed to meet a prince
when i was this princess i dreamed to be a queen
when i was this princess i dreamed to meet a prince
travelling from the north to the south

Travelling from the north to the south, southern stories
South to the east.
East to the west
we all looking for the best

Travelling from the south to the north, northern stories
North to the east
East to the west
were all looking for the best

When i met this prince i dreamed to be a queen
when i tried to be this queen i dreamed to meet a king
When i was with this prince i dreamed to be a queen
When i was this queen i did not know what to do with this prince

Travelling from the north to the south, southern stories
South to the east.
East to the west
we all looking for the best

Travelling from the south to the north, northern stories
North to the east
East to the west
were all looking for the best

When i was this queen like society tell us to be
I realized that i was indeed i was empty inside
When i was this queen (2:30 in song hard to understand)
I realized that i wanna be...
I wanna be, i wanna be, i wanna be me

Travelling from the north to the south, southern stories
South to the east.
East to the west
we all looking for the best

Travelling from the south to the north, northern stories
North to the east
East to the west
were all looking for the best

Dont try to be somebody else
Dont try just be...

(Thanks to maria for these lyrics)
[ Miss Q'n Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

The original version of Miss Q'n is slow but I like this house mix too.

The Imposter Rut

Diane, over at Fit to the Finish, had a recent post called My Lame Excuse List and posed the question What’s been your favorite “I can’t get started” excuse?

My response? I never made excuses because I thought I was sexy as all get out. In fact, in high school, my nickname was Sexy Wren. Don’t ask what high school I went to…

Recently, I have been feeling unsexy. How weird is that? I lose 60 pounds and my body image takes a dive. I won’t even delve into the psychological ramifications of this inversion. Denial? Coping? Who knows?

My scale has not moved since early November 2009 and being in a two month rut makes the imagination run wild. You start to wonder what you are doing wrong, if you’re eating enough or too much. Maybe you’re eating too many fat calories or not the right combination of carbs, proteins and fats.

Lately, though, I’ve been seeing quite a few posts about non scale victories and I was really moved by this post at *Bitch Cakes* who talks about reframing and focusing on what you’re doing right.

Also, Mish’s collective post, Getting Fit, Not Thin, stuck with me.

*Bitch Cakes* brought it home in another post in which she said that this fitness journey is not a race .

Likewise, it was helpful to be reminded on MizFit that the calorie is king.

Even though the scale hasn’t moved, I do have more room in my clothes. My rings no longer fit on my ring finger. I wear an L in most clothes instead of clothes with tags that look like a Super Bowl championship number.

My once snug glasses are loose.

I'm also having to adjust my climbing harness more than I did before.

And the biggest bonus? I am fit. Very. I hit the gym six days out of seven.

I eat up – trading white rice for brown.

I no longer drink soda.

I don’t eat food with high fructose corn syrup.

While I can and should eat better, I’m still doing a lot of things right.

I’ve shrunk out of five swimming suits…

Speaking of swimming, I went tonight after a three week hiatus because of a cold and the cold.

After swimming 18 laps, I got in the hot tub. I know why the lifeguards walk around the edge of it; I’m sure someone has fallen asleep and almost drowned.

'Drea Vs Agent Plateau

I've been taking Fridays off for awhile now but I went to do a quick 30 minute stint today. I want to get over the hump and I feel the need to shake up the ol' routine.



I did more running jogging today and my calves were tight as all get out but it's all good.

Tweets Of The Day

I put the kibosh on running out of concern for knees but I tried a little running this p.m. in one minute intervals & it was exhilarating.
31 minutes ago from web


Aha moment: when I get abt 30 minutes deep into exercise, it's hard for me to stop. And when the sweat starts rolling? I'm close to nirvana.
about 1 hour ago from web

I'm going to incorporate running at intervals into my routine. I won't lie; I will take on running to burst through this current mountain of a plateau. I'll do anything as long as I don't have to give up the carbs.