Reshaping my Writers Bottom: Healthy BMI reached!

Today is Day 20 of the Tracy Anderson Method 30 Day Boot Camp. The last ten days have made a believer out of me. So much so that even though I haven't finished my revisions, I have ordered the TAM 90 Metamorphoses and have enrolled in her continuity programme for after the 90 days are up. (Metamorphoses is only available on via her website www.tracyandersonmethod.com . You can get the book that I have been using: Tracy Anderson Method 30 Day Boot Camp from Amazon)
Right so the good news. I am finally at a Healthy Weight BMI for my height. Just. But it has been a long time coming. Back in August 2010, I started trying to reshape my writer's bottom with a BMI of 32.3. I wince as I write this. I was fat by any measure.  When I started the TAM 30 Day bot camp my bmi was 28 or in the over weight region and stubbornly refusing to move.  My BMI is now 24.9 or just healthy.  I would like to lose 15 lbs which would put me at a bmi of just under 23.
Because I am in a healthy BMI, my reward will be NOT to do the TAM cleanse -- five days of pureed foods but rather to continue on with her lifestyle menus. The purees sound disgusting. I understand the chocolate blueberry mousse is great but corn and sweet potato puree, no thank you. I did brave the kale juice this morning and it is fine -- mostly tastes of apple with an underlying tone of kale. I can understand why people would do it, but I don't think it necessary. I figure with the cleanse you will lose more weight but I am already losing a fairly good clip. Thus far, it is 18 lbs. The first ten days saw the most dramatic weight loss of  13 lbs and the last ten days have seen 5 lbs.
My inches are going down.  To go back 20 days ago, 19 inches have been lost. I am now wearing things that I haven't worn in years! Included amongst are silk tops I made when I was in my early twenties and which I dearly loved wearing. When I went to NYC at the end of June, I couldn't even button them.
I fit into an orange A line skirt that I have had since I was about 16.  Again, I couldn't fasten it when I was going to NYC. Not sure why it was kept either but that is another story.
I have come to enjoy getting up and doing my exercises. Today is a change day so I had some new and killer moves to learn for the mat portion.  I can tell they are effective. I have also increased the cardio to 60 minutes. 50 minutes full on with 10 minutes step-touching.  I love that NO weights are involved. Just me, the mat and a kitchen chair. The dance  cardio is actually fun.I never ever thought I'd say that!
I have so much more energy! The lymph oedema in my arm continues to improve as well.
Anyway it is tremendously exciting. It works for me which is all that really counts. I suspect with this, I shall check in after the 30 days are up to give my final stats but really having reshaped my very large Writer's Bottom, there is no need to keep updating publically. I am just so glad that I FINALLY found something that worked for me. And yes, I have sweated tons and it has been hard work. If you have plateaued and are in despair, do think about trying The Tracy Anderson Method. It has worked for me.
My revisions are on going.

Update on reshaping my writer's bottom and bees

The big news is that a nucleus of bees arrived yesterday. Long time readers of this blog will remember when beekeeping came easy. Then there was the attack of the mice in 2009 and starvation and frozen bees at the beginning of 2010.  A fellow beekeeper knew he normally gets swarms and offered to capture one for us, if we'd supply the hive. A few weeks ago, he captured the swarm and put it into the hive we provided. He then allowed them to expand. Yesterday, he stuffed cotton wool/sheep fleece in the entrance and drove the hive over here. A very brave man is Mr L.
 The bees have a feeder full of 50/50 water and sugar. My only fear is that the wonderful Mr L doesn't live far enough away and the worker bees will fly back to his hive, leaving the nurse bees and larvae behind. This happened when we first got bees. Starvation is never pretty and I learnt my lesson -- always feed for the first few weeks.
The recent cold weather is not doing the bees any good. Mr L was going back to feed his own bees as they had eaten up their stores because of the cold weather. When it rains, bees don't fly.Plus there is often a drought of good nectar plants in June.
My youngest is now in charge of the bees. He says that I am not to do anything because of my lymphoedemia and the potential for getting stung. There is a suspicion that a bee sting or three might have contributed to the problem initially. I will be good.
In my efforts to reshape my bottom, I have started doing the 10 minute solution Perfect Pilates. I did 5 days of their total body blast off which was excellent and had never attempted Pilates before. The fact that Pippa Middleton did pilates gave me the push. Pilates is not easy but it is less intense..in some ways. It takes loads of concentration because it is all about form. As the days went by and I began to understand more what I was supposed to do, and therefore I could work harder. I did like the fact that there was no jumping. And the back of my legs were sore so I was definitely using differnet muscles. Tomorrow means the start of the 10 min belly fat blast off dvd for 5 days. This was the first 10 min solution dvd I tried and focuses heavily on the core. I enjoyed it the first time I went through it. 50 minutes of intense abs work.
The key with this is persistence and working out every single day.
Special mention should be made of my bee suit. the last time I had it on, it was snug about the beam as it were. This time, it looked like I had borrowed a suit that was three sizes too big and I was completely swamped! My son says that as I shall not be wearing the suit that often, this is not a problem.

Update on reshaping my writer's bottom line

This week, I decided that I couldn't face Jillian Michaels and as I had bought the 10 minute blast off belly fat dvd back when this whole exercise kick began, I would take it out of the wrapper and see what it was like. After all I had bought it. I opted for the full 50 minute workout. Suzanne Bowen is clear, concise and works you hard. She is a different personality to Jillian Michaels. It is a bit like changing editors.  Her manner may be gentle but she works you hard and goes on about the burn and feeling your body changing. I didn't think I was working as hard but I ended up marinated in sweat.
Suzanne is very keen on getting the right form and actually gives lots of tips like tucking your hips, navel to the spine etc that I think Jillian assumes you already do. It was quite fun to do and the next day my abs were sore. Within two days, I noticed more definition, a lot more. So on that basis, I ordered the two other dvds in the series that Suzanne does -- Blast Off Body Fat and Pilate's Perfect Body. Each are divided into 5 segments lasting ten minutes a piece. Body Fat came with a bonus dvd that includes 5 best of segments. Each segment is self contained so if you are pressed for time, you can do one segment. My current plan is to do a rotation of 5 days of each until I get to the RWA conference. I finished the first five days of Belly Fat one yesterday and so went for the Blast Off Body Fat. On the reviews on Amazon, someone mentioned that they had unwisely done the thighs and bottom segments in the same day and could not walk afterwards. Ha, I thought, but I am used to Jillian. Give me your worst!
I did the entire sequence.
My legs were like jelly after the trim thighs. I am capable of more than I think, and kept going. After the bottom one, came the abs and then total body which I remember in a dull haze of sweat and pain. There is NO jumping, just lots of little moves including a sadistic put the weight in the crook of your knee and lift sequence. 'Are your muscles shaking?' she asks -- to which the only answer is YES
 Suzanne is cheerful and perky. She does all the exercises herself, taking time to offer tips and hints and when she talks about it burning etc, you know she is experiencing it as well. Except she seems much more in control. She is also hugely encouraging but without  the forthright exhortation of Jillian.  When I got to the end, I understood and continue to understand that I will ache in a good way tomorrow. I was more than marinated but currently I can walk. Bring on tomorrow.

In a few days time, I will get to do the Pilate's one. It can't be too difficult, right? Hollow laughter here.
Some of it is having the motivation to do the workout. To a certain extent, it doesn't matter which one you do as long as you do it and are lathered in sweat by the end. The good part is that I am excited about exercising again.

And The Viking Princess gave me a Sweet Blogger award. The viking Princess has a very interesting blog so do take some time to visit)

The Rules of this award are pretty simple:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

So, here are my random facts about me:

* My maternal grandfather was Swedish/Norwegian

* I have discovered in order to lose weight, I have to sweat

*My next full manuscript is due on 1 September

* Thus far in my career with Harlequin I have had six different editors and have learnt tons from each one. I adore my current editor who is tough but with loads of heart.

*I have lymphoedemia in my left arm. It is under control.

*I am left handed

*I suffered from early onset cataracts due to my Swedish ancestry (7 generations and counting. I also blame the ancestry for my bad back) Having them sorted five years ago helped to transform my life.

 

I am supposed to nominate other people but really if anyone feels so inclined please do so and let me know that you have done it so I can visit!

Reshaping My Writer's Bottom Line: Update

Now is the time of a woman's discontent and her thoughts lightly turn towards chocolate. I have been working hard for 16 weeks and yes, I have come a long way BUT  I still have a ways to go. I know some of my eating habits have slipped. However, I am not beating myself up over it because I know why it happened (Easter) and what needs to be done. There are also several dates looming. I am going to London later this month to have my annual visit with my editor and then at the end of June it is the RWA National Conference. Two things to keep me on the straight and narrow.
With exercising, I have really been focusing on paying attention to the form. Making sure that my squats are low enough and my arms are raised high enough. Low weights, high reps. Sometimes, it is just the doing it that matters. Yes, it would be easier some days not to do it. Yes it is a pain in the butt to make the time, particularly when I have a very busy schedule and other claims on my time. BUT the reward is worth it. I want a better figure and the only way to get is to sweat and to put the time in.

The revisions for my full went in yesterday and I wait with baited breath to see what my editor thinks.  The revisions were hard and the book is now very different. Is it better? It has a lighter feel which hopefully give a more upbeat read.  Warm emotion.

I have also started working on my next one which I am very excited about. Again it is thinking about that warmth of emotion and trying to make sure that it is provides a rich but upbeat read.

Wasting Away

Over the past two days, I have had two separate and very dear people comment that I am wasting away. I beg to differ. I am sweating away. And it is NOT finished yet, despite the temptation of cake, crisps and other high calorie food as I wrestle this manuscription into submission.
Have I said lately how much I do love my characters? And how good I think this story is going to be?  I did get to the end yesterday. This is the fun bit! And I pray that my editor (and eventually my readers) will love it as much as I do... The new method does seem to be paying off, although it seemed very frustrating at the beginning.
Last week in reshaping my bottom line, it became clear that I could no longer ignore my top half. My weeks of doing arm circles and oblique stretch exercises had caused a realignment.  Plus I needed a sports bra with proper support... My bra has gone from a 40DD to a 34E. Thankfully my modiste is Rigby and Pellar trained and knows how to measure properly. Apparently I suffer from the same problem as my daughter -- small back with a sizeable frontage. Who knew?  It may be that the proper fit has resulted in my waist looking smaller as well. I do know that exercising in a properly fitting sports bra makes a lot of difference.
So if you have lost weight recently (particularly through doing Jillian Michaels), I would urge you to get your bras checked by someone who knows what she is doing. Bras should not cut into breast tissue. And the right underpinnings can really help.

Trying a another Jillian Michaels dvd

Belatedly I realised that Banish Fat Boost Metabolism was a companion dvd to No More Trouble Zones. So I have purchased No More Trouble Zones which is the sculpting or strengthening part of her programme.
6 week 6 pack targets the abs. BFBM is ALL cardio (and no weights) 30 Day shred is short (20 minutes) but combines all 3 for a killer workout. Anyway I can do things in a rotation now. 3 days per dvd and can schedule rest days as and when they crop up. If I have less time, I can do the 30 day Shred.
No More Trouble Zones involves weights. It is mainly concerned with arms, hips, bum and thighs. Being a Jillian Michaels dvd, it has a few killer moves. The Surrender is akin to torture. And I still do not like side plank lifts. She suggests using lighter weights, because well you are trying to shred and tone rather than build up bulk muscle. Plus your arms know about it. Have I mentioned the Surrender? I wanted to die!
By the end of the 55 minutes, I was sweating but not as much as BFBM or the level 2 6 week 6 pack. However everything also ached. One would think after doing these other dvds that I wouldn't have sore arms or legs...uh no. I suspect as I get used to the moves, I will be able to work harder and really push. Change happens when you really push hard. JilThis reshaping has not stopped. I am enjoying the after workout buzz too much.

My daughter found Woman in Fashion at the Lit and Phil -- it had been wrongly shelved. I happened to re-read Moore's exposition on waists. The cut of a dress can effect how big your waist appears by up to ten inches. The three governing principles are 1. contrast -- for example  shoulder pads or in the case of the 19th century a bustle or flowing train will make your waist look slimmer. 2. trimmings and decoration to carry the eye away from the waist and help camouflage less than slender figures. 3. Delusive focus which works the best. Basically by means of folds and emphatic converging lines, the eye is drawn to the centre point where there will be a point, buckle or ornament which takes attention away from the width.
I have taken to wearing a belt with my jeans making sure that my shirt is tucked in and the folds go towards the centre. It does work to a certain extent. My husband suddenly -- oh you have really lost weight!
Moore's theory about shifting waistlines and loose flowing gowns is that it shows the status of mature women in society. The Regency period and the 1920s were particularly favourable to fashionable women above 30 and waist lines were not emphasized.
And finally she pointed that the correct under pinning does much to support a figure. The correctly fitted bra and corset (or in 2011 magic knickers) can make all the difference!
I note in the coverage of Liz Taylor's death, there are a few comments about how she knew the angles at which she should be photographed. A good camera angle can help as well. KNowing how to hold your body -- shoulders back, chest out, head up etc can make a difference.
But it does start with SWEAT and working at it.

Weekly reshaping my writer's bottom line

It is really easy not to push harder. This is true  of my writing as well as my working out. One thing I have learnt this week is to keep pushing. I can drive myself harder and not faint! I may dissolve in a puddle or be marinated by the time I am done but I don't die. Not even close!
In this weird sort of way, it is enjoyable. The pounds are not melting off but I can feel myself getting stronger.
My measurements continue to improve. Not as dramatically but slow and steady. I happened to look at the measurements in the Land's End catalogue and was surprised to discover that a UK 14 is now a US 10! Clothing sizes have definitely become bigger in the US. For example, I have a skirt from the early 80s with a Land's End size 14 label. It barely fits. If I went for a current size 14 US Lands End, it would be way too big. (I know this as some of the clothes I discarded were Lands End). I also looked at the measurements.
It is funny you get used to thinking of yourself as a certain size and then you realise that your perceptions were all wrong.
Anyway, it is all about what fits now. And I can understand why I might eventually be a US size 6 (UK 10)...which would be odd to say the least. The measurements for that size are: Bust -- 35, Waist 28 Hip 38. My current ones are B-- 38, w --29 1/2. hips 39. It is my target now. When I started back in August my measurements were bust 45, waist 39, hips 48. So I have come a long way but still have some ways to go.

With my writing, it is about pushing and not taking the easy route. My editor believes that I am capable of so much more. Funny that! It is about putting the emotion I feel down on the page rather than hugging it to my person.

The Girls Night In at the Wellwood pub went well. I am not sure if it was the large glasses of wine that were served, but after we had finished, the entire audience of about 17+ stuck around, chatting and buying books. I forgot my camera but Janet MacLeod Trotter had hers and promised some photos.

Step up on reshaping and a writerly rule of thumb

First the rule of thumb: if your characters cry, the reader doesn't have to. The character is doing the work for the reader. If the character resists, the reader is more likely to cry and be emotionally connected. It makes perfect sense to me, but then I am ever likely to have my characters cry and I do try to remember not to as some readers find crying makes for water pots, but never knew the justification.
Have I said how much I love Characters & Viewpoints?
There is a lot packed into a little book.

This morning I moved up a level on the Jillian Michaels 6 week six pack abs dvd. I had thought that perhaps the dvd was more focused on strength and core than cardio. Umm no. Can I whisper -- plank moguls? Or jumping jack knifes? I am pleased I had 3 weeks at level 1. Even then I have learnt -- start with the beginner moves and work up. My heart rate was through the roof. This is cardio plus with a heavy emphasis on abs. I know I have already changed my shape with the first 3 weeks. I lost about an inch and a half from my waist.
I suspect it will continue. The workout is incredibly intense, insane but goodness me, I felt good after doing it.  Sweat is good. Taking care of my body does not come easy. And every time, I carry a large bag of dog food (15 kg) I remember that I have lost more than that!

Now to get back to my wip and to get ready to give the first of my library talks this afternoon. It is wonderful that International Women's Day is being supported by Daniel Craig...It is the 100th celebration of the day.

Take a moment

I've just completed day 2 of the Jillian Micheals 6 week 6 pack. I'm better at it today than I was yesterday but what she said during the cool down really struck home.
It is important to take a moment when you finish something and appreciate the accomplishment.
Your accomplishment might not seem a lot to someone else but it should mean a lot to you.
So for everyone who has submitted a manuscript recently, take a moment and think about the accomplishment. Think about the effort that it took to get it there. Savour it. It is worthwhile and time well spent. You did it.
Sure, next time your writing  might be stronger (I always hope mine is!) but that doesn't take away from what you have accomplished.
Take that moment, savour it. Enjoy the buzz. Really focus on that. Then put it to one side and be prepared to WORK on making the next one even better.
When I am doing the workout, I am focused on making that workout the best it can be, pushing my muscles that little bit more. Doing that bit extra. I am not think about yesterday's workout. I am in the here and now.
So it is with writing. Focus on the here and now. You can do something about that.
Savour the moment when you finish a project but leave it behind when you go on to the next one.