In Coach, Going Nowhere

The other day, I almost staged an intervention.

I was at the Y, talking myself into doing a treadmill workout. I have what I call a 3-to-1 relationship with the treadmill: I hate it three times more than I love it. I hate it for obvious reasons ... boredom, with a double side of monotony. But I love it because it allows me to squeeze in a quick run or walk when it's too cold or rainy or whatever outside. I love that it's there for me. It's like that shot in the butt you beg for when you have a sinus infection: You know you need it, you know it will do the job, but the fact of the thing is pretty god-awful.

I have learned, though, how to outsmart the treadmill. How to play games with the speed and incline buttons to distract that whiner inside (who whinges incessantly during my 20 minute or so ordeal). How to cover up the timer so I'm not aware of how achingly slow the minutes go by. How to only allow myself to peek during commercials on the TV monitor, where I may be treated to an I Love Lucy episode on a good day, or subjected to the yammering about the elections or the latest Britney episode on one of the 24-hour news channels.

Anyway, on this particular day, as I was on the treadmill, I noticed the woman on the machine beside me. I had actually seen her when I checked in at the front desk. She was one of those women who look completely put together, even on her way to a workout. Nice hair, nice makeup, what looked to be a new outfit straight from the pages of Athleta.

I think she was new at the Y, from the way she fumbled a bit with the treadmill buttons and neglected to use the sign-up sheet. (I'm no gym monitor--I only noticed because I was in the process of signing up for that very treadmill when she jumped on it.)

"Good for you," I thought (despite the fact that she stole my favorite 'mill). "You Go, Girl!"

She began walking at a decent pace, then picked it up to a light jog.

"Yeah! You're moving now!"

(Can't keep my inner cheerleader down.)

And then I glanced down at her feet and saw what could be her undoing.

Her shoes.

They were beautiful, brand new (apparently) Coach "fitness" shoes. You know, the ones with the little "Cs" on them.

I almost reached over and pushed the emergency STOP button right there.

Not that I have anything against Coach shoes. Or bags. I have spent my share of $$s in that store, believe me.

But trying to actually work out in Coach sneakers is a recipe for disaster. Those shoes ARE NOT fitness shoes, ladies. We all need more support than those sleek, chic sneaks have to offer.

Maybe I've drunk the sugar-free KoolAid, but I am a big believer in true fitness shoes and fitness shoe technology. I've been running for a long time (and hope to have many good miles in me yet), and the only time my knees start aching is when my shoes are worn down. It's very important to get the right shoe for your primary activity (ie, if you usually walk, get a walking shoe, if you usually run, get a running shoe). It's equally as important to get a shoe that works with the way you move. Does your foot roll in, roll out, or neither? Do you first land on your heel or your toes (more applicable to runners)? You can figure these things out by looking at the bottoms of your shoes to see which places wear down fastest. Or, you can just find a good fitness shoe retailer, take in some old shoes, and have them fit you.

And those stores aren't that hard to find. I used to tell people to go to a running specialty store (even if they were walkers), because the people who work there seemed to be more knowledgeable than the clerks in general sporting goods stores. But I did some events with Lady Foot Locker when I was an editor at Health magazine, and found out that the staff there really knows their stuff.

It helps, though, for you to take a few minutes to read up a bit on the subject. Here's a good article (I know because I edited it myself!).

Why invest in good shoes? Here's a cautionary tale. Once upon a time, I got a free pair of shoes from a company that was trying to woo me to write nice things about them (editors get stuff all the time, by the way--this particular incident really turned me off to the practice!). So I ran in them. After about the third time--no kidding--I started feeling this awful pain in my heel. It hurt so bad when I got out of bed in the morning that I could barely walk. Soon, I found out that I had what's called plantar faciitis, an inflammation of the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of my foot. Now, it could have been coincidence, but ... I think not. I have always blamed those shoes for the 6 months I lost to that horrible problem. That's right--six months of pain, six months of not running, six months of anxiety that all the hard work I'd done to lose my 70 pounds and change my life would all go to you-know-what.

All from a little pair of shoes.

I know, believe me, how much inner strength it takes to get yourself to a gym or get yourself up in the morning for a walk, or whatever your fitness resolution is. The mental thing is so, so hard--the last thing you want to do is have a PHYSICAL setback.

I didn't say anything to my treadmill companion in Coach. Should I have? I think not. I don't think she would have listened. And who the hell am I to give her advice? All I can do is make sure YOU girls know the score. Save the chic shoes for the post-workout Starbucks run (skinny latte no foam!).

Share your shoe stories--and ask questions, please!--here!

all my best--

Lisa D

ISO Fat-Free Fun

Hey, Girls--

I had a great time speaking to a group of women last night at the Hoover Public Library here. I love getting out and meeting you FFGs and Future FFGs--as I told the group last night, it probably helps me as much as it helps you guys. Just like you, I need inspiration every day, to Just Try.

Anyway ... one of the wonderful women in the audience asked me for ideas for things to do with girlfriends (and I guess boyfriends too) that DON'T involve food. I had a couple of ideas, but I know you guys probably have better ones! Here are a couple of ideas I had (they were fresh on my mind since my running friends and I were trying to think of something to do together to celebrate the holidays). Please post your own!

1. Mani or Pedi or Mani/Pedi night: Set up a time for everyone to get their nails done together. Each of you pays for your own service; the point is to just meet together, relax, and chat. You could even make this a standing appointment (monthly!)--the best would be to find a salon that had a small area with enough chairs for you and your friends. Lots of women do this before their weddings with their bridesmaids, but why wait for the ring and the white dress? If you get your nails done anyway, turn it into a social occasion.
2. Art night: A very cool idea here in Birmingham: Some art galleries have started having something called Sip 'n Stroke (sort of an unfortunate name). You bring a bottle of wine (not required; but if you do want to drink, go for champagne--the bubbles make you sip slower so you don't drink as much!), and create a painting with expert instruction. Here's info on one called Art Buzz; maybe galleries in other cities are doing the same thing?
3. Free night: There always seem to be cool free things--lectures, art openings, even films--going on around here. On your girls night out, why not make it your goal to choose only from the list of free stuff (INO paying for anything!)? I know--it's kind of random, but it's good for us girls to get out of our comfort zones.
4. Comedy clubs, concerts, local theatre: Non-free stuff that might involve drinking, but at least it's not all about consuming calories. And 10 to 15 minutes of laughing, according to experts, can burn as many as 50 calories. Don't (er, do?) laugh--every little bit counts!

OK--now I want to hear from you. Do you have any fat-free fun ideas to share?

Thanks!

Lisa D

Short and sweet: My new blogging mantra

Former Fat Girls, Future FFGs, and all who know and love me well enough to still care about reading after such a long absence:

Welcome to 2008! And I will just say it once, and then get on with it: I SUCK for neglecting this blog! No explanations, apologies, excuses, or justifications. It's time for a fresh start ...

Congrats to all of you who survived the holiday season, the "trying times" of food, family, fun, and more food. This holiday was pretty normal for me, which means that it wasn't normal at all: crazy schedule, tons of demands (mostly ones I put on myself!), completely no ideas for gifts (some years I get inspired--this one, sadly, I wasn't!), 13-hour car ride to Houston to visit family (I could just FEEL my butt spreading ...). But I took my own advice and tried to be forgiving, exercised when I could (even if all I could do was walk, or a Pilates DVD), sampled my homemade fudge and gave the rest to neighbors, friends, and family, and tried to remember to enjoy the minutes I had with Johnny, who was off for two whole weeks (he goes back to school tomorrow!).

The best gift I received: I saw my sister-in-law at one of the three Christmas celebrations we had. She looks great, and I told her so. She said she had dropped two dress sizes, from a 16 to a 12, and said, "Your little mantra is helping me."
INO (It's Not an Option, for those of you who need translation), she meant. That made me feel SO good. I had thought a lot about my sister in law when I was writing my book, because she is one of the most giving, sweet people I know--to the point of sacrificing herself for the needs of other people. I could just tell that she struggles with the same issues that all FFGs and Future FFGs struggle with. So to hear her say that sharing my struggle has helped her ... I truly can't describe it.

One of my big struggles right now is that I want to be here more for you all--I want to do more for the community of FFGs and Future FFGs out there. But real life and real job intervene. You all are constantly in my thoughts. I don't really make New Years' resolutions (I will explain what I DO do in another post), but one vow I am taking is to stop thinking so much and start acting. The thing with this blog is that I approach it like it's an essay, that it needs to have a start-finish-end, that it needs to live up to some kind of standards I set for myself as a writer. That makes blogging SUCH a big deal, when it should be more of a casual thing. I think that's why I could never really sustain a diary, either ... I just didn't get the point of sitting down to ramble ... it would be like sitting down at the piano and playing only half the notes in a piece.

But I'm vowing to write shorter and more often. I want to keep this momentum we have, to continue to share our successes and struggles. And lots is happening: I'm continuing to connect with new groups of women through speaking engagements, and I hope to do more of that in the future (believe me, I will make sure you get the info when I have it!), and the book is coming out in paperback (!) in March. I think I told you guys a while ago that I wanted to make a bunch of enhancements to this site ... I reached out to my fabulous webmaster only to find out that he is too busy (uh, directing music videos for some major stars, if you can believe!) to help. I'm hoping to get someone else to help me add all the features I want to add ... to make the site really more of a community than just ALL ABOUT ME!

OK. So in the spirit of brevity, I'm out.

I love you guys ... stay strong in your commitments to yourself!

Lisa D