Game On!

I hate diets - they're pretty much the worst thing ever.  This is tough, because I also really miss my size 8 jeans.  Actually, a lot of things were easier in size 8.  Clothes fit better, I could shop more places, long pants were long enough.  My current size (14-16) means that a lot of places I like to shop don't have my size.  Plus sizes are too big and the biggest size at most other stores is too small.  I can find pants that are long enough or pants that fit around my midsection but not both.  It was also easier to do a lot of physical tasks two years ago than it is now.  These are all good reasons to try to reduce my waistline.

But do you know what sucks about it?  It's not eating differently or exercising more although those have their challenges.  It's people.  When you're a little overweight you pretty much disappear.  In some ways that's nice.  Actually, a lot of ways.  Men hold doors open for you less.  Men stare at you less.  Men catcall less.  (I was going to say 'people' but realized these aren't problems with people, it's rather specific to men.  Not being a manhater here, just never been catcalled by a woman.)  You get more respect from men for things you do, say and think when you're a little less conventionally attractive - or at least that's been my experience. 

And there are some 'people' problems too.  People are weirdly obsessed with what you eat.  Declare that you're trying to eat better and about half the population will try to tell you what's wrong with the method you've chosen and the other half will try to convince you not to do it altogether.  It suddenly becomes everyone's mission to help you either drive yourself crazy with insane dietary restrictions, judge everything you've put into your mouth or find a way for you to 'treat yourself' when you may not want or need to do any such thing.  It's as if the declaration that you're making a change is tantamount to admitting that you're helpless and begging for salvation. 

Last fall I threw out my back and was in quite a bit of pain so finally sucked it up and and went to see a doctor at the Seattle Sports Medicine Clinic.  I've dealt with this from time to time for awhile now so asked what I could do to make sure that this time was the last time.  He looked at my chart and mentioned that I'm 30 pounds overweight which could have something to do with it.  I suspected that weight might come up and was hoping for some sound advice.  What he told me was that I should exercise more and try to eat about 1700 calories a day and then went with some crap about the Mediterranean diet.  I stopped him and mentioned that I already exercised 6 days a week and that I wasn't sure that 164 pounds (the theoretical maximum healthy weight for my height) was a reasonable number given my strength - that I had been 158 pounds when running 50 miles a week which is still barely under my 'maximum.'  Not listening, he said "well then you can do it again" and I took that as my cue to ask for a referral to a dietitian because this fool clearly had no idea what he was talking about. 

Just so we're clear, 1700 calories a day is a starvation diet for a very active, very strong 195 pound 29 year old woman.  Been there, done that, ended it in a binge of epic proportions.  MyFitnessPal recommends that I eat 1400 calories a day to lose weight.  Slim Fast says 1500.  Weight Watchers is a little better at about 2000.  I can stand about one or maybe two weeks on any of these before I'm just too hungry to function and too neurotic to continue.  Food obsession doesn't really seem to lead to a healthier lifestyle but it sure as hell makes me crazy in a hurry. 

Fast forward to today.  I'm trying again, but much more hopeful about my chances.  Liberty found a food plan called "Game On!"  You don't count calories but they suggest somewhere between 2800 and 3300 calories a day is a reasonable intake for someone like me.  It's the first time I've seen a number that high along with a plan that lays out a way to eat that much healthy food without feeling like you're spending all day every day chewing.  It's 5 whole food meals a day.  But the best part?  IT'S A COMPETITION - and we all know how much I love winning.  So we'll see.  In the very least it's good to start to eat food that I'm cooking again.  I haven't been able to do much cooking until very recently and then it's always hard to get the motivation to start up again after a dry spell.

Team Awesome

Peer groups are SO IMPORTANT. 

This is all I could think two weeks ago, driving home from the Big O in Eugene after spending the weekend with my friends Liberty and Razor and Waffles*.  Last year I started a cross training group with the specific purpose of trying to provide a place for myself within the league where I felt like I belonged.  Skating for a league with home teams is great, but it also means that the mix of people on my team is pretty diverse.  We have a handful of skaters on their 8th season this year, a handful on their first and everything in between.  Some are all stars, some would like to be, some need a way to get away from home, some want a way to exercise and be fit within a community but we all skate together.  I love my teammates, but its pretty clear that we're not all working toward the same individual goals.  So I needed a peer group and I was hoping to form one by cross training.

*Technically waffles are not a part of this peer group.  They are a delicious breakfast item.  3 of 3 meals eaten outside of the fairgrounds that weekend were eaten at Off the Waffle and I don't regret a single bite.

In my mind (because everything is grander in imagination) I thought that group was going to encompass 8-14 of Jet City's mid level skaters who were aspiring to become A team players.  We would inspire our home teams and work together to provide support and be total bad asses and the derby community would look to Jet for providing such a great example of how to get people motivated and fit.  What  I rapidly discovered was only two of the people I invited would show up on a regular basis.  Thus began Team Awesome.

Team Awesome is great for so many reasons but partially because it helps with motivation.  Not sure you want to get up early and cross train?  Too bad, people are waiting for you.  Can't decide whether to attend the next boot camp?  Nope, because we're all going.  Don't have anyone to drive to the next tournament?  You do now.  Think you're going to let yourself off the hook for doing good enough?  They're there to remind you that good is the enemy of great.

And am I writing this because I LOVE MY FRIENDS AND I'M FEELING REALLY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT HOW GREAT WE ALL ARE RIGHT NOW?  Oh yeah totally.  This is my love post to dedicated people everywhere.  And waffles.