Token Video of the Week

An old classic...EAT IT!
Weird Al spoofing Michael Jackson
Link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcJjMnHoIBI

We are using this song in our Obesity and Impulsivity presentation in Advanced Research & Writing

Take a look at this one (sort of offensive):



More Weird Al spoofing a Michael Jackson song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2mU6USTBRE&feature=channel

I have never seen that one before. It is kind of wrong. He touches on some 'fat' stereotypes and quite a few insults. Not sure how I feel about it.

I'm on a roll...

Well a small roll. I didn't go to the gym this week at all. That is very bad. Same excuses as always. I have been getting on the Wii though so that is good. I have done Just Dance 2 three days in a row now. Wahoo! I can't say enough how much I love that game. It is super fun.

I also did Wii Fit the last two days. Yesterday I was down 2.2 pounds from the last time I was on two weeks ago. Today I was down even further - it said I lost a little over a pound since yesterday. Now those are results I like to see! I know that is unrealistic but hey, maybe all the dancing and sweating is the way to go. Or maybe I unloaded all the Thanksgiving dinner I took in on Thursday. EWWWWW, sorry TMI.

I Feel Like Singing!

Tonight I decided to put my ipod on while I write. Bad idea. The first two songs were old favorites and now I just want to forget writing and sing my heart out. I haven’t done that in a while – I don’t sing like I used to; I don’t listen to music as much as I used to. I think that is a byproduct of depression. I am starting to come out of it so now I can allow music back in my life. I just can’t sing and let in all out tonight because I have a lot of writing to do and my husband and stepson are home – I can’t belt out all my favorite love songs for fear of embarrassing myself. I would probably scare the crap out of them too, ha.

I wonder how many calories singing burns? Sitting and singing for an hour burns about 157 calories. Standing and singing for the same time burns around 367. Awesome! I will have to remember that. I usually stand and sit while I am singing and my ‘concerts’ usually last at least an hour.  I could add singing at least once a week to my exercise/activity regimen.

Activity Calculator:

http://health.discovery.com/centers/cholesterol/activity/activity.html

I sometimes think that if I sang every time I got a really bad food craving, I might not eat, I might forget about the craving. I have never really tried it because (my will power isn’t strong enough) I am weak when it comes to food. I want to eat! Well there is always my lack of energy problem, and food gives me a short term high. Singing usually tires me out. I would still like to do some research on this concept - can a person be successful at replacing food cravings with a hobby or activity? Interesting… I wonder if there are any studies out there on that – something I will have to investigate.

Just Dance!

Yay! So I got on the Wii today and I have lost 2.2 pounds since the last time I was on two weeks ago. Of course my BMI is down a slight bit also. That is awesome considering all the food I ate yesterday. I did a few balance exercises on the Wii fit and then I couldn’t wait to try out Just Dance 2 again. First I decided to try the other new game I bought – Gold’s Gym Dance Fitness.

I popped that one in and set up my profile and did a little bit. I didn’t like it very much – it is too hard and goes too fast. You really have to be coordinated to work out to that. Plus I wanted to see what music was on it but I couldn’t figure out if I could pick my songs or if I had to work my way (earn it) through. I had to give up. I think I will put that one away for when I get a little more coordinated.

Then I put in my Just Dance 2. I was thinking that I would just do one song and then stop but I ended up having so much fun with it I did about 4 songs. That kicked my butt again but I like it. I just don’t know what is so fun about that game but it is fantastic. If I only have enough time to work out to that every day I will lose weight in no time. Most of the time I don’t even move my legs – the whole not coordinated thing prevents me. With practice I hope to get better.

It is so weird that I like that dancing game. I was never much of a dancer or at least not one for choreographed dance. When I was a kid all the girls I knew always wanted to pretend like they were dancers (that was back in the early 80’s and Solid Gold was a big thing, haha – look it up young’ins)or cheerleaders and that never interested me that much. I am surprised I love Just Dance 2 so much. It might be because it is more fun than just regular exercise or aerobics and the dances aren’t all the same – more variety. Anyway I am happy I bought that game.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. I have been having a pretty good one although it is not going to help my quest to lose weight at all. I had TWO Thanksgiving dinners! Well not all on the same day, thank goodness. My husband and I went to my Mom’s last night and had Thanksgiving dinner with her and my sister-in-law and my nephews. I did not stuff myself, which is a good thing. This was partly due to this not being the best Thanksgiving dinner my Mom has ever cooked. Don’t tell her I said that.

My youndest nephew, the holy terror Brent

He took a picture of my rolls, ha.

Today we went to my husband’s family get together. I must say I did some damage to the food table. I did go back for seconds. All the food was sooo good! I did a really good thing though. I brought a Wii game I just bought, Just Dance, to the party in hopes I could get my two youngest nieces to play with me. They were excited to play so after dinner we popped the game into the Wii. That is one hard game! It kicked my butt and made me sweat big time. I did about two songs and that was it for me. It was fun though. My youngest niece (she is 7) lost interest in it pretty quickly because the game is pretty difficult. I thought my idea was going to fizzle out but most of the family started playing and those who didn’t play had a lot of fun watching the dancers. I was surprised to see my nephews really liked the game and even my brother-in- laws got up there to dance. We all played for about four hours! I must have laughed my butt off - that burns calories too, right? Everyone had a good time and it sure beat sitting around nodding off to football on the TV. So I am happy I brought the game and I think I am going to bring it to the family Christmas too.

Dancing after dinner.

Token Videos: Shake Weight - the perfect Christmas gift =)

Shake weights, what everyone wants for Christmas. Almost as popular as the Chia Pet.



OK, even though it looks totally silly and wrong, I wonder if it works? My arms need all the help they can get.

Parodies:

WARNING, sort of explicit material.



OMG! So wrong, but funny.

Another one, WARNING - bad language.


This one had me ROFLMAO!

More Research

After much rumination and list making, as well as database searching I have come up with a research question for my obesity research! I am going to do research on impulsivity and research again but I am leaving the media portion out. Here is my reasoning and research question from my initial proposal to my professor:

There is a link between food cravings and impulsivity and this leads to obesity. I would like to investigate this with an eye toward food as an addictive substance. My research question thus far is:

People who experience food cravings will also score higher on impulsivity tests. People who experience food cravings and score high for impulsivity will be overweight to obese.

***

I am not completely happy with it; it seems rather simplistic but I am limited as to what I can do as an undergrad. I can’t measure people’s physiological states or do brain scans nor can I alter their brain chemistry, etc. I don’t think we have the resources to do research with rats or mice so this is what I am stuck with. I am interested in my question, don’t get me wrong, I just wanted to do something more. Not sure what I mean by that but perhaps a true experiment, plus I want to see the affect food has on the brain. I know what I feel when it comes to food cravings and I believe food is addicting (is it food or eating that is addicting) but I want to be able to show something concrete.

The research will be survey based. I intend to have my participants take an impulsivity survey then answer questions about their weight, height and eating habits. I also will ask about food cravings and favorite foods. Since there is a correlation between impulsivity and addiction (it is thought they have or act on the same brain pathways) I am trying to draw a connection between food cravings and addiction.

Obviously I have to do more research to back up my argument. I have some good articles picked out but I just haven’t had the time to go through them. My professor didn’t give me any negative feedback so I assume I am on the right track.

Back On the Wagon - Good Workout

I had a good workout today! I had to get back on the wagon and make sure I made this workout count! Of course I didn’t overdue it. You can’t make up for lost time.

There is a new ab machine at the gym. I am excited because the couple of machines they had just weren’t doing anything for me (I didn’t feel anything in my abs!) and I ain’t into sit-ups! I call this new machine the sit and spin, haha. You sit on a rotating seat, grip two handles and pull yourself to one side or the other. It works your oblique’s the most, I think. I can really feel it and it doesn’t feel like a torture device like the other twisty machine there. I am so bad at remembering the names of the machines and describing them.  

So hopefully this week I can keep on track. As always I am stressed out about my workload, plus I have a wind symphony concert on Wednesday so my anxiety is high. I think I took too much on this semester (17 credits, yikes!). All I really want to do is concentrate on losing weight and getting healthy – mentally and physically. I am just getting tired of the constant struggle. If I had more energy I know I could handle everything but my energy is so low. I am so tired of saying that, so tired of writing that. I hope it gets better. I just have to keep on trying, keep on pushing and hopefully things will get better.

***

So I have forty more words to make this a complete post, hehe. What to write about? I find writing about exercising can be a bit tedious. You have to write about the challenges, the mental state. I have a lot to say about my challenges and my mental state. I just hope I don’t overwhelm my readers or I hope I don’t come across as a big baby. I just want to paint an accurate picture. At times I feel I go to deep into my issues, at times I feel I don’t go far enough. At times I feel like I just can’t win. I hope this feeling isn't an indicator of the week to come.

Token Video: Falling Off The Wagon

Sooo stupid but apropos, haha. In honor of a falling off the wagon week...

Not Having a Good Couple of Weeks

I have not been good about going to the gym. This week I only went Monday. I missed Wednesday and Friday because Melanie (my work out partner) wasn't going to be there - or wait...maybe that was last week. I am drawing a blank. One of these Wednesdays I was sick so I didn't go. Oh well, I have no ont to blame but myself. I just don't have enough will power to go on my own, without having someone there waiting for me. It is not that I am afraid to go by myself it is just that given the opportunity to not go I will take it. Often times because I just need some alone time or I hope to get some homework done. Damn anxiety over all my work piling up! I am behind on writing. UGH!

 I also missed last Friday due to work. I did get on the Wii on Fridays after work but I miss the work out I get at the gym and from the weight machines. So far I like the results I have been getting from going, even though I perceive it as not being enough. I just want more...I want to lose more and get stronger and stronger. I have to try to do better. I have fallen off the wagon and I have to get back on.

Wii and Wii Fit

Well I finally got back on my Wii. I have  Wii Fit 2. Actually I got on it last Friday after I got home from work. I just forgot to write about it. I couldn’t go to the gym because I had to work in the morning so I made sure to do the Wii. I was a bit apprehensive to see how much I weighed but the results are good. I hadn’t been on it since last spring but I have lost about 10 pounds since then. I really think I have lost most of that since I started working out at the gym. I didn’t weigh myself when I started going but I was up to about my top weight and I had been to the doctors and they weighed me their also and I was maybe about 2 or 3 pounds off my top weight. So I am pretty happy I lost about seven to eight pounds going to the gym. Wahoo! I just need to keep it up. Either go to the gym or get on the Wii.

Today I blew off going to the gym (shame on me - I fell off the wagon this week. Didn't go Wednsday either) because my work out partner wasn't going to be there. I got on the Wii instead. I was a little perturbed to see my weight was up from last week but I suppose you have to allow for that sometimes. It could be I am wearing heavier clothes or I am building muscle. I know I feel a little stronger.

I forgot how much fun the Wii and Wii Fit can be. I also have lost some of my skill at it. I will have to build my balance back up. That is what I enjoy the most about it – the balance games and the aerobics. I want to start doing some of the other exercises but I feel like I need to lose some more weight first. My knees aren’t strong enough to do some of the yoga positions/exercises or my big belly gets in the way. I just figure I will do what I can do and try a little more as I go along.

Research Frustrations

So as I have written in earlier blogs, I am doing research on obesity for a psychology class. Right now I am working on a group project, creating an experiment and writing a research proposal. We are not actually going to do that experiment, which is a shame. I guess the experience of thinking through the experiment and writing the proposal is so we get the practice because soon we have to come up with an individual project. I think this individual project we come up with we will actually get to do.

I have been racking my brain trying to come with something I can do at the undergrad level. Research is not my strong suit. I am fine at information searches but coming up with an experiment is always very difficult for me. UGH!  And eventually I want to get my PhD, which I will have to do a ton of research and experiments for. This stresses me out. I am anxious… I want to eat.

I found those articles on the relationship between feeling safe/childhood abuse and obesity but I can’t use those at this time. I am trying to think of something else. I am interested in the link between depression and obesity but there again it would be survey research and I would have to ask intrusive, possibly painful questions. My professor and the Internal Review Board would not approve it. My group project is on impulsivity, media influences and obesity so I can’t do that again. I found an interesting on how being a couch potato may have a biological basis in the brain. All I could do with that would be survey research too – I can’t scan anyone’s brain dammit! Well they used rats in that study but I can’t do that. UGH! Frustrated. I have to come up with something soon.

Token Video: Treadmill Dance

Cool! If I tried this I would fall on my ass.

Desk Size & Being Larger

One reason I can't get any fatter - the desks at school are too damn small. Well at least the ones in the Murchie Science Building (UM-Flint).I don’t think this is just a weight/size issue because not only are they too small, they are uncomfortable. There is not enough room for a book and a notepad, or a book and laptop, or a laptop and some notes, let alone all three. And they make my butt hurt – not good.

Apparently they are having some problems with this in Britain:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article5083896.ece

If they are having that problem over there imagine it over here where 65% of the population is overweight and obese. We need bigger and more comfortable desks people!! Before I started working out I was afraid one day I would come in and not be able to fit in the desks anymore and have to sit at the ‘fat desk’ or handicap desk. Yikes! Usually each classroom in MSB has one desk that is not the traditional student desk. Embarrassing! I suppose I am exaggerating my size because I have seen bigger people than me fit into the desks. Still I worry. I can so see myself either (A) tipping over a desk trying to get out of it, or (B) getting up from the desk and it just hanging onto my butt shelf and moving with me, HA HA.

Bad Day

UGH! Today I had a bad day at the gym. I just did not feel like being there and I was not able to push through it. I tried the stationary bike, the treadmill, then went to the weight room and tried to work out on the machines but just wasn't feeling it.

I am stressed out over homework - too much to do. I am slowly getting caught up but of course new assignments come along. Then this morning there was some drama with my husband's ex-wife over their son. She is going to file all sorts of complaints over a stupid situation that she is totally blowing out of proportion just to try to make my husband miserable. That is the worst part about it because it is really going to hurt my stepson and not my husband. Her complaints will go nowhere.

It just sucks that I let this stuff get in the way of my workout. Really, this is a good day to take up boxing. I could really beat the shit out of someone right now or write my ass off - one of the two. I have to do better I will do better. I am at the buffet on campus now. That's not good, although I have not overeaten. I ate a bunch of junk food this week-end though. I still have to get serious about getting my eating under control and making an effort to eat better - more fruits and vegetable and less sugars/carbs. It is tough when there is so many stressful things going on.

 http://extremestreetfighting.com/self-defense-tips-for-women/women-boxing

I did weigh myself when I was at the gym today - I may have lost a pound or two. I think I have probably lost about 5-7 pounds since I started this blog. It is hard to say though because I didn't weight myself when I started. Perhaps I will get on the wii and see how much I have lost since the last time I was on there. I am seriously considering posting my weight. What's the big deal - it is apparent that I am obese. Ha, really I wouldn't mind having the World Wide Web know how much I weigh, I just don't want my husband to find out. Ha.

http://www.slate.com/id/2169767/