I Don't Like Mondays...

Mondays are absolutely brutal. I woke up feeling the soreness from yesterday's work out. I always take that as a good sign but it doesn't feel too good. I was determined to up my protein intake so I started the day off with some eggs and a Greek yogurt. Lunch was some chicken and salad followed by some fruit later in the day.

Today was cardio day, my least favorite day of working out. I just can't get excited about running on a treadmill or being on an elliptical. Still, it had to be done. I usually barely make it through 15 minutes of cardio mostly because I'm bored but today I pushed myself to 22 minutes between the treadmill and elliptical. I've been dealing with a little bit of a knee issue so that has kind of been limiting the amount of incline I've been doing. My breathing was a lot better than it's been so I was happy about that. For anyone who has been over weight before, running is the bane of our existence. When we used to have run the "Mile" in gym I used to seriously want to cry. A mile seemed like an eternity of running and I could never handle it. I would almost always finish last or close to it and I hated the feeling of my lungs burning. It wasn't until I was 15 that someone pointed out to me that I was running on my toes rather than my heels which was putting more pressure on my shins/knees. I'd like to think if that had been pointed out to me sooner maybe it wouldn't have been so bad...maybe. I still get the lung burning feeling but it's not nearly as bad. I guess that's something to be glad about.

After the cardio and some stretching I did a light ab routine. I head to Florida in 2 weeks so I'm really trying to behave myself. Tonight for dinner I made steak, asparagus salad and eggplant caponata (sauteed eggplant in a tomato sauce). There are always so many things I want to make. I think that's what makes "being good" even harder. I've been having a craving for pie so I started thinking about the kinds of pies I could make...but then I reminded myself Miami is just 2 weeks away. Finished the night off with some fruit instead of the cookies and cream ice cream that has been calling to me from the freezer. Tomorrow is my big lifting day which means I get to eat some heavy carbs at dinner... YAY! It's sad when the thought of eating carbs makes me that happy. Time for some sleep...until tomorrow...
Marisa

Working It Out...

Well it's no secret that I've had the hunger of a teenage boy the past few weeks and it's been driving me crazy. When you battle your weight something like constant hunger makes you worry. After my awesome day in NYC yesterday, I planned on making up for it today.

For breakfast I had some cantaloupe and two egg whites and one egg scrambled with some cheese. I washed it down with some coffee and then got ready for my work out. Today was my serious work out day & my favorite of all because it was a boxing day. In an effort to step up my calorie burn, it was a combination of weight lifting and boxing. If you've never boxed before it kills your lungs no other. If you don't learn to put your whole body into a punch your arms will feel like someone gave you a dead arm. Needless to say by the time I was done I was a sweaty mess and exhausted. But I had to drive up to my aunt's house to get all the stuff out of my car from my cousin's apartment. In this gross humidity my cousin and I took all her stuff out of my car and into the house and up to her room. Dripping with sweat seems to be a state of being these days. She told me I should be happy her stuff was giving me a second work out. I guess I gotta give her that one.

In an effort to deal with my insane hunger, I was advised to up my protein in take and add a little more fat to my eating. I wish I liked those protein drinks..I've tried about 3 different types but they all make me gag. I've been told to try them with some fruit so I may have to venture down that road again. In the mean time I will be eating more eggs and chicken. I didn't think it was possible to eat more chicken but I guess I'll find out. Lunch was a chicken club on whole wheat with a little bit of mayo. For dinner I made pasta with sausage, peas and some mozzarella. When you're Italian having pasta on a Sunday is an unspoken rule. Having the sausage in it definitely held my hunger longer than usual. I finished off the night with a Greek yogurt. Tomorrow is a cardio day... my least favorite part about working out. Below are some pictures from my work out today. I used to not be able to hold myself up on a stability ball and do a push up at the same time but now I can which is a pretty big deal. Doing a push up like this really makes you use your core and I'm all for any exercise that forces me to make my core work even though it's usually hard as hell. I like a challenge.

Well, until tomorrow and my dreadful cardio work out!
Marisa

The Heat Is On...

The past several days we've been going through a heat wave. It wouldn't be so bad except that there's this lingering humidity in the air that makes you feel like everything is sticking to you. Needless to say, when it's this hot out working out is not at the top of my list.

Thursday was my off day and Friday I planned on going to the gym for some cardio. However, given the heat/humidity and how hot the gym has been this past week I opted to go home and start cooking since I had to get to my sister's graduation by 7:30. Another long day so by time I got home I was beat.

Let me start by saying that today was not about watching what I was eating. There just are going to be days like that and the sooner you accept that eating well and taking care of yourself is a lifestyle choice rather than some "diet", the sooner you realize you are going to have "cheat days".

Today was a really fun day. My cousin has been living on the Upper East Side in NYC for the past 2 years going to grad school. This is her last month there so she's trying to accomplish things she had on her list of NYC things to do. Two of the things on her list were to have brunch at Sara Beth's Kitchen and go for pedicures at the Dashing Diva. She had been asking me to go in so I decided to go in for brunch and pedicures and also to help her move some stuff out of the apartment.

By 11 am it was already close to 90 degrees out which meant it felt like 100 in the city. We took a cab to Sara Beth's because it's too far of a walk on a day like today. There was a half hour wait so we walked up a couple blocks to a street fair and perused tables of books. Even though we only walked maybe 3 blocks in that heat it felt like a lot more. The sweat just drips off of you in no time and we decided right then that we would be eating INSIDE the restaurant rather than at an outdoor table.

Brunch was AMAZING. We split a spinach & goat cheese omelette & lemon/ricotta pancakes...may sound weird but don't knock it until you try it. So light and fluffy they really just melted in your mouth. We topped it off with Orange Flower/Pomegranate/Banana Mimosa. From there we walked 9 blocks and one avenue over to the Dashing Diva. By the time we got in there I felt like I had partially melted. The pedicure totally made up for that. They seat you on these couches and give you a menu of all their services and I have to say not only was it the most luxurious pedicure I've ever had it was also just really nice sitting there. Everyone was very pleasant and it was definitely a really cool experience even though I should've went with my gut and gotten a DARK color on my toes :)

Back in the cab we went and headed over to the other side of town where we hit up a fruit stand and Tasty D'Lite. The fruit stands are ALL over the city. There is just something about being able to pick your fruit from a stand that some how makes it seem better (AND it's cheaper!). We stopped into Tasty D'Lite for some froyo (it's soft serve frozen yogurt with the consistency of soft ice cream & it only has 100 calories). Definitely the perfect treat on such a hot day. Our last stop of the day was to Agata & Valentina...an AMAZING Italian market on the Upper East Side. We made a few quick purchases and walked back 6 blocks to my cousin's apartment. A store like that is KILLER to someone who likes to cook and eat. I had to remind myself that I'm on a mission for a slammin beach body & I couldn't just buy everything I wanted. The paranoia that settles in is ridiculous, but it's there none the less. You start thinking "Okay, so I'll eat this just this once, and then it tastes SO good that you figure okay if I eat it another time it's not a big deal and then you just keep on eating it and before you know it you're having trouble getting into that cute summer dress you've been dying to wear. At least I felt satisfied that we did so much walking so I didn't feel guilty about not making it to the gym. On top of all the walking I helped my cousin move some of the stuff out of her apartment and into my car which also added to the melting feeling.

Once I got home the only thing on my mind was a shower and to figure out what I was cooking for dinner. The heat really can take effect on you in strange ways. I opened the fridge and NOTHING was appealing to me. I knew for certain I didn't want to be standing in front of my grill, but there was nothing else that I really wanted to make. After an hour long debate, mom and I decided on some chicken club sandwiches. I fried up some bacon and we had a sandwich and a half each of chicken breast, bacon, lettuce, tomato and a little mayo on whole wheat toast. I have to be honest, it completely hit the spot. It was refreshing and very tasty. I'm about ready to crash so I'm thinking of finishing things off with this new brand of Greek yogurt I picked up in the city. Tomorrow morning I've got a work out scheduled (BOXING DAY LOVE IT!) and then I'll be spending the rest of the day cooking/doing homework. I'll definitely be stepping it up in the work out tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll have some more recent pictures to post so I can compare them to ones I plan on taking in a few weeks. Until tomorrow...
Marisa

Long Day's Journey Into Night

For most people, Wednesday is hump day... the middle of the week and one more day closer to the weekend. For me, Wednesdays are my longest day of the week. I usually leave the house around 730am, work from 745 until about 430, head to my dad's for dinner, drop my grandma off at home and end up back home usually before 8 pm. Needless to say by the time I get home, I don't want to do anything.

This morning I was out of bed before 6:30, which is never easy, but I was determined to make myself eggs to go along with my breakfast. Tuesday was my heavy lifting program and usually the day after that I am STARVING. Without fail, this morning when I woke up I was feeling the hunger so I had 2 egg whites and 1 egg scrambled with some cheese and a Greek yogurt. I figured that would hold me over, but alas, by 930 my stomach was screaming for food again. I managed to back away from the 2 boxes of munchkins that the pharmaceutical reps brought in, and only had a half of a corn muffin I made. For lunch I had some left over chicken, sausage and peppers that I made for dinner the other night. I steered away from the potatoes at the bottom of the tupper ware in an effort to try and eat less carbs. Why are carbs SO good & so damaging at the same time? If broccoli were a carb, there would be far less people on carb free diets. I am completely fine admitting that I am a carb addict... give me a potato, pasta, rice or bread and I'm a happy girl. Of course those things don't agree with my hips so I try to avoid it when possible.

Dinner was some London broil, salad, and corn on the cob. I did have a few fries (My dad has this awesome potato cutter that makes McDonald-like-fries...pretty hard to pass up.) The meal was made complete by a glass of red wine. I am not one of those people that believes in completely cutting out alcohol. Being Italian means learning to have a love for wine so wine is almost as important as food is in my family. I thoroughly enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner and that's not something I'm willing to give up so if that means a few extra minutes of the treadmill or some extra crunches I'm okay with that.

I got home a little before 8 and did a quick ab work out. I have become slightly obsessive over my abs. It's almost bathing suit season and I don't know about everyone else but it feels like you are more on display in a bathing suit than in regular clothes and you feel like everyone can see EVERY fat roll and every ounce of cellulite you have on your body. I always hated wearing a two piece because it wasn't exactly flattering...now I feel a little bit better about it but I definitely feel slightly paranoid that everyone is looking at my mid section come summer time. There wasn't time for a full work out by the time I got home so the least I could do was get in an ab work out. I'm ending my night with some Greek yogurt even though I'd rather dive into the pint of Cookies and Cream in the freezer... Tomorrow is my give the body a rest day so that I can actually feel my body by Friday. Bed time absolutely beat so until next time...
Marisa

Then & Now

Thought I'd try something a little bit different for my blog. I got to thinking the other day that the thing that I struggle with the most as well as so many other people is managing my weight. This blog is called "The Diary of a Former Fat Girl" because I was for most of my life a "fat girl". This isn't one of those situations where I deluded myself into believing I was fat because I was. I'm the type of person that calls a spade a spade so yes, I was fat. That's not to say I was obese, but I was always trying to lose weight.

When I was 11, I managed to drop 25 pounds & I kept it off for a few years, but then I got into high school & it all went down hill. I spent most of high school & college trying to lose the weight that I had put back on, but for one reason or another I got lazy and never dedicated myself to the cause the way I needed to. I LOVE food. I like cooking it and eating it. I'm Italian, it's kind of in my blood and my family almost centers around food. There is always something not on the diet laying around and it's always so appealing that it's hard to pass by. If you're Italian I don't even have to explain what I mean about there ALWAYS being delicious food around. Someone is always trying to get you to eat something and after awhile you just give in. It wasn't that I didn't exercise either. I belonged to a gym, I had trainers but I just couldn't dedicate myself the way I really needed to.

A year after I graduated college, I became so disgusted with how I looked and how I felt that I decided to really dedicate myself to eating well and working out. At first, it was pretty awful. Every muscle in my body hurt and I thought I was going to turn into a piece of poultry from all the chicken I was eating. Slowly, it started to pay off and I started to drop weight. In just 6 months I was down almost 30 pounds and was on a mission to keep my figure. I'm tempted all the time to forget about my salad and just eat the salami sandwich. I have a HUGE weakness for ice cream so I know all about wanting to lose yourself in a pint of Hagen Daaz. There are times when I have to talk myself out of reaching for the cookies in the cabinet...I wish I could say that was a lie but there would be no point in lying.

Okay, so that's my back story. The purpose of this blog is to show where I started, where I'm at and where I hope to go. For those of you out there that struggle with your weight (especially the ladies) you will understand the daily battle you have to have with yourself. For the past 6 weeks I have increased my mission to get a slammin beach body for the summer. This blog will document my progress and hopefully encourage other people as well as make them laugh as they go about their daily battle with trying to keep off the weight... So while this may be slightly embarrassing to put myself out there here it is for you to see...

 This is at the start of 2007

This is the start of 2010 more than 30 pounds less
Stay tuned for daily updates & progress pictures as I aim to get the body I'm after. Until next time...
Marisa

How A Trip to A Pool Hall in February Changed the Yankees' Season

2008 marked Joe Girardi's first year at the helm of the Yankees' ship. After his first year in spring training, Girardi was viewed as somewhat of a drill sergeant with his emphasis on drills, and making sure that all his players were in top shape before leaving camp. 

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 1995, the Yankees decided to try and return to some of the ways that helped them win four championships over fiver years in the late 90's. They spent the off season signing some high end starting pitching as well as some other key players to improve their team. 

The new and improved team had a new goal coming out of spring training. Girardi sought to inspire more than just physical fitness, but team unity. He made his team take a break from their workouts, and put together a field trip to a pool hall in Tampa. It was an opportunity for the new guys to get familiar with their teammates, and get away from baseball before the long season started. 

It's highly unlikely that Girardi could have anticipated just how well his players would get along, but there is no question that the field trip to the pool hall helped cement a good sense of team unity. 

While the Yankees have had their share of ups and downs this season, they have rarely looked like a team that didn't think they could over come whatever odds were thrown at them. No matter what the deficit, they always have the look that they feel like they're going to come back and win the game, and usually they do. 

Of course success is built on a lot of different variables. Everything has to be clicking at the right time in order for a team to be successful, but the difference between this Yankee team and teams of the recent past, is that while a player or two might go through a bit of a slump, there are a number of players that are on the right track. One player isn't trying to carry the whole team, and therefore no one is getting burnt out. 

A lot of the team's success also has to do with the fact that the players on the Yankees genuinely like each other. That doesn't mean that everyone gets along with everyone all the time. I'm sure some guys like some players more than others, but there is still that sense of unity that hasn't existed since the late 90's. 

There will be those who will argue that team chemistry is not an important factor for a team to be successful, and that is most likely true. The championship Oakland A's teams of the 70's were known for their fighting with each other, and the '77-'78 Yankees weren't called the 'Bronx Zoo' for nothing. Those teams were successful, and they certainly weren't all going out and eating dinner together, but it seems that when that sense of togetherness exists on a team, there is a greater chance for big things to happen. 

The Yankees have posted thirteen walk-off wins this season, and with each win, they make it look like it's their first. Guys jumping out of the dugout and rushing to home plate to greet the player responsible for the winning run, the tossing of the batting helmet in the air, and of course the pie in the face courtesy of A.J. Burnett have all become customary in the Bronx. 

There is also "Kangaroo Court" that has been in session twice so far this season, where Mariano Rivera resides as the judge and various players are fined for "crimes". A "crime" can consist of showing up late for practice, not wearing a shirt during an interview, or giving up a hit in a game. 

Some people may view something like "Kangaroo Court" or the Yankees' players bonding as unnecessary details in order for them to win in October. There is no doubt that to make it in the playoffs, the Yankees have to pitch will and hit when it counts, but there is also something really nice about seeing a team that genuinely likes each other. 

Perhaps Girardi sensed that was the final piece of the puzzle. For years, the Yankees have had talented players on their teams, but they haven't been able to take that talent and translate it into a championship. 

If the Yankees are able to go all the way, there are going to be a lot of reasons why they were able to do so. However, one of the reasons that will undoubtedly be overlooked, is the day that Joe Girardi brought his team together for an afternoon at a pool hall. That day helped spark something the Yankees have been missing for a long time; team unity and appreciation for every guy on the roster to get the job done. 

How Will the Yankees Regain Their Championship Form This October?

Throughout the 90's, the Yankees ruled October baseball amassing four championships in five years. However, they haven't been to the World Series since 2003, and they haven't made it past the ALDS since 2004. 

Despite their efforts to bolster their team to return to postseason glory, the Yankees have fallen short in 2005, 2006, and 2007. 2008 was the first time that the Yankees weren't in the playoffs since '94. 

Falling short is what made Brian Cashman step up his efforts in the offseason this year. Cashman's goal was to sign some legitimate pitching, have a solid bench, and have someone who could actually play first base. 

He landed free agent aces CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, he traded for 1B/OF Nick Swisher, and he signed free agent Mark Teixeira, the switch hitting first baseman who can actually throw and catch the ball. 

As most seasons go, injuries happened, people under performed, and the plan that Cashman and the Yankees had envisioned for returning to October baseball seemed like it might not happen. 

The bullpen couldn't hold a lead that the starters had struggled to keep, nor could they get the ball to Mariano Rivera. The big aces, Sabathia and Burnett, weren't living up to their hype, Wang was a mess mentally and physically, and Joba Chamberlain could barely get through four innings every time out. 

The lineup was struggling without Alex Rodriguez for the first month or so, and the depth that the Yankees thought they would have was relatively nonexistent. 

And then, things took a turn for the better. The rotation got its act together, and Sabathia and Burnett started pitching up to expectations. The bullpen got turned over and Alfredo Aceves, Phil Coke, and Phil Hughes started shutting down opposing hitters, and turning the ball over to Rivera with great ease. 

Alex Rodriguez returned to the lineup which ignited Mark Teixeira and the rest of the Yankee hitters. The Yankees started scoring runs, and put the fear back in opposing pitchers. 

More than any of that, the Yankees started to show something that fans haven't seen since the championship years... team chemistry and unity. From Kangaroo Court to the pie in the face after walk off wins, the Yankees look like a team that genuinely enjoys playing baseball together. That may seem like an unimportant aspect, but it has made a huge difference for the Yankees this season. 

If the Yankees want to return to October glory they need to keep with all the things that have earned them the best record in baseball. 

The pitching staff needs to keep the Yankees in the game. Good pitching is usually the key to teams prevailing in the playoffs, and the Yankees have been without it for some time. Now that they finally have some, they really have a chance to go the distance. 

The offense needs to not drop off the face of the earth. They have to manufacture runs when possible and realize that the long ball isn't going to win them a championship.

The years that the Yankees won their championships, they did so not only with home runs, but with bunts, hit and runs, base stealing, and clutch hitting. Those things really matter come October, and the Yankees need to keep them in mind if they want to win. 

The team finally has a decent bench to call on. Brett Gardner should be returning from his thumb injury within a week or so, and with him in the lineup, he can steal bases and provide a spark the Yankees may need late in a game. 

Not to mention, they have Eric Hinske and Jerry Hairston Jr, whom Cashman traded for in July. They can play a multitude of positions and provide a little pop with their bats. Girardi is going to need to utilize these players correctly, but the fact that he has them at his disposal makes the Yankees that much more of a threat. 

The bullpen needs to keep doing what they've been doing since June. Aceves, Coke, Robertson, and Hughes have been pretty much lights out. Bruney has flashes of brilliance and then deflates. If he's not cutting it come October, Girardi is going to have to stick to the guys that are able to get the ball to Mariano, and if Bruney can't be effective he's going to have to deal with sitting on the bench. 

For the first time in years, the Yankees have a well put together team that can fend off opponents in a variety of ways. They have a real chance to return to post season glory, and everyone around baseball knows it. 

There is no doubt that the Yankees and their fans were starting to wonder if we'd ever see the semblance of a championship team, and it looks like we might finally have one.