Derbalife: My Success Story

I never thought I'd do a before & after picture thingy!

I know I will be accused of tricking this image. Myself I look at it and think it totally looks like I pushed my belly out on the left and sucked it in on the right. And I wouldn't blame anybody for thinking it.

But where would that take me? I pushed myself so much during this challenge... My goal was not weight loss. It was simply to increase my strength. I'm 45. Getting older by the second. I woke up one day a little over a month before my birthday and for the first time in my life: I felt old. I couldn't bare to look at myself in the mirror. I was in a transition from working 80 hours per week, living on the road, touring with a racecar team, signing autographs simply because I was the only female "wrench" at my level of competition to ... nothing. Unemployed, suddenly moved to San Diego, and living on a boat. The word transition does not do justice to all the changes I was going through so of course that evil old MIDLIFE crisis was bitch slapping me on a regular basis.

I needed to do something, and fast. So I did what any crazy 45 year old French Canadian would do and joined roller derby. Assuming 3 derby practices per week would be enough to whip me back into shape I quickly realized I needed more. I was no longer a 20-yr old bouncing back without effort.

Then Angela Bergman (cue angelic sounds and bright lights) asked all her Facebook friends to support her and vote for her. She had just completed the Derbalife Challenge. Her results were absolutely stunning! She inspired me to do more...

Like I said, weight loss was not my goal, as you can see from the pictures above... But what have I accomplished? I started this challenge on September 19 and it has just ended. Six consecutive weeks of:

• daily tracking my calories;
• reducing certain "toxins" like coffee - now down to 2 cups per week rather than one a day and an average of one or two cocktails per night max rather than... (the past is the past right?);
• daily routine of crunches, squats and lunges;
• with the help of a heart monitor I started tracking my calorie losses, and in doing so I turned everyday task into a work out from doing the laundry to taking the trash out - I strapped on the monitor and performed my chore with an increased speed and being aware of how I did everything trying to make every action count;
• I rode my bike 2 or 3 times a week, etc.

I look back and see 42 consecutive days at maintaining a healthy routine. They say all it takes to create a new habit is to perform it for 21 days... Well, I've doubled that time during this challenge so my Derbalife Routine is now MY routine.

I feel so much more confident and happy about myself. My track speed may have only increased a slight bit, but at least its better! The buddy system and the coaching support is a definite plus. And of course, I recommend the Derbalife Challenge to anybody who seeks any kind of self improvement.

I still have some of that "bag of jell-o" hanging out around my core area, actually 2 inches less than 6 weeks ago so just imagine where I'll be 6 weeks from now! 

Derbalife: 2 Weeks To Go?

www.jmgower.posterous.com

If my involvement with this challenge has proven anything to me it's that I am definitely a classic case of OCD.

When my coach instructed me to write down ALL that I ate and to tabulate my calorie intake, I thought to myself "Yeah, right! As if..." As if I would ever do or maintain such a thing (as I sit here with my heart rate monitor strapped on just to see how I'm doing!) When I first looked at the documents she asked me to fill in, I gawked! Such work!

*shakes head in wonderment over such low self knowledge*

I downloaded the app My Fitness Pal into my phone. What looked like a HUGE hurdle was actually like crack for a need-to-check-in-regularly-whore like myself.

You see, as a kid I was obsessed with coming home and checking our mail box. I always hoped to find postcards from the unknown. Of course nobody ever wrote me, so sometimes I actually mailed stuff to myself just so... I'd get something in the mail. Oh the shame! As I grew older and technology offered me more opportunities to check in (the mail box lead the way to the answering machine that lead the way to the remote answering machine which lead the way to the pager then the email then any addictive website known to womankind, yeah Facebook - IN YOUR FACE YOU ADDICTIVE BITCH).

So... this brings me to today. My Fitness Pal allows me to jot down every single thing I eat. It even allows me to factor in my exercises and calorie reduction (thus clearing my guilt trip over the extra cookies). But, the average results from the exercise I did really was nothing more than guestimates the program offered. After doing an intense workout with my Derbalife Accountability Partner (howdy partner) I realized just what I was missing out on: accurate info on burned calories!

I have 2 weeks left of this challenge. So far I can tell you my waist has lost close to 2 inches, my back fat has trimmed down and my track speed has increased (almost 2 laps on the 5-minute time trial).  And now I get to strap this new toy on and push myself to make everyday activities part of my workout (again, I'm OCD so of course I'll find a way to turn doing the dishes into an actual workout, or walking to the laundry room, or ... sex?)

Derbalife - Week 4

I'm thrilled.

Joining this challenge was the push I needed to get back in the groove. When I lived in Canada, I was an avid gym user. I was lucky enough to work-out with some of the best! Actually, one of my work-out buddies was the Canadian Middle Weight Body Building Champion! I had access to top notch coaching on muscle building and toning. If I missed out one morning, then I'd eat shit the next.

Having this unofficial club was the motivation I needed to set my alarm at 5:30 am 5 days a week.

Then I moved out here, joined a race car team and toured the country for 5 years. Truck stops and McDonalds was our regular food fare. Although I lead a highly active lifestyle from being on my feet from 9 in the morning til midnight, the food certainly did not contribute to being healthy. Restaurants 3 times a day, 7 days a week for 10 months out of the year... it was a killer!

I needed incentive to whip my ass back into shape. But the fact I was unemployed and enjoying a cushy lifestyle aboard a boat made it so hard for me to hit the pavement. My motivation was at an all time low. I easily convinced myself the 2-3 derby practices I went to each week was sufficient. But it wasn't. My core was wasting away in a land that oddly resembled a Jell-O filled balloon. And the back fat? Not very becoming!

A derby pal was what inspired me! She posted before and after pics from her Derbalife Challenge. OK, the fact she won a sweet pair of Antiks also helped sealed the deal! Now I find myself tracking my food and even lowering my alcohol intake (to actually see the amount of drinks on the screen glaring at me like a silent guilt reminder was not good) and I am now more aware of what I eat AND drink including the water (no, I wasn't solely referring to beer and Malibu)!

I may not win a pair of Antiks, but already 4 weeks into this challenge I feel like a winner!

Diary of a Derbalifer - Part 2

www.3dsbuzz.com

My first week in the Derbalife challenge went off with a BIG start! In terms of working out I did not cut corners:

1. Ran a 5K on day 1 with all those other things I mentioned in Part 1;
2. Went to Derby practice twice (or was it thrice, not sure);
3. 2 bike rides with a minimum of 5 miles each times and pushing it hard;
4. Worked all day at our home bout so that kept me on my toes and running from 2:30 to 10:30 pm (ok so it was followed by a couple of beers);
5. Participated in the 1-mile sprint on skates for the Girl Scouts;
6. Went sailing so we could try out the spinnaker sail and had my heart rate up in the gazillion beats per minute (yes, it was a killer!)
7. Did the week 1 workouts daily (the balancing thing, the one leg stand-ups, the ice skates...)

And what's going on THIS week?

I started a cold. I've been a sick puppy. I went to derby practice but once! OK, kudos for staying beyond bootcamp and hitting the track with the league girls, and I did go sailing twice and swam with the luminescent fishies one night - but still. I'm a bit disappointed in myself.

I know, I know - I'm under the weather and this cold is seriously kicking my ass! But, I have been without energy. Today is the first day that I started feeling less like a zombie and more like a real'ish person. Kinda.

I have 2 days left to honor my promise to myself for this week.

p.s. As I'm writing this post I have the oven toasting up my new snack - Pita Chips. I'm a big snacker. So may as well make it on the healthy side with some homemade pita chips. Yumalicious! 

Diary of a Derbalifer - Part 1

Derbalife Link.

I witnessed some pretty awesome changes in derby pal Indy or, Angela after she completed the DerbaLIFE 6-week program. So many changes that to be totally honest: I couldn't recognize her! She slimmed down, she toned down all that didn't go down was her speed. Which went up.

So, I went ahead and dove right in. Monday was the day it started and as I watched messages inviting us to join just as I was watching my belly jello-up I just went ahead and did it. I did it. I did, I did!

So motivated to kick start my new me I laced up my running shoes and hit the pavement. But, running was obviously not enough to achieve the new me: I made it a cross-training extravaganza. Being that I live on Harbor Island, I have access to a wonderful bike-walk path. This path is exactly 1.5 miles, give or take. So from one tippy top end of the island to the other, or from the river paddle boat to the lighthouse and back I get to rejoice in a true 5k.

Again, as I mentioned the run wasn't enough for me, oh no sirree boppy! I mentioned the cross training. Every park bench I crossed on my way back from the paddle boat (to celebrate that I was accomplishing the 5k) I added a work-out. Push-ups, dips, leg lifts, and when the bench was occupied - lunges.

After this wonderful work-out, my husband and I went sailing for 3 hours, thankfully I got back just in time to load up my gear and race out downtown for 1 hour of derby.

Overdid it? I did indeed overdid it. I did, I did, I did overdid it!

Tuesday was a day of pain. Total excruciating pain. But I was wiser - I skipped out on derby that night. I'm not a total idiot, just a partial one. But some could beg to differ.

And now I am looking forward to my fitness profile and goal assessment with my new AWESOME coach On-Ya. Life is grand for a Derbalifer... life is grand.

p.s. I need an accountability partner (and a spellchecker for every time I write out that word)
p.p.s. as I was making a cheese quesadilla for breakfast I happened to spot an apple glaring out at me with the angry eye, so I generously handed the quesadilla to my husband and ate dry toast with apple slices
p.p.p.s. the quesadilla looked yumalicious, but my apple was better

Marr's Golden Rules to Derby Bootcamp

In celebration of my first 6 months of derby, I've come up with (cue for the trumpets: ta-ta-ta-taaaaa!) MY very own RULES to derby bootcamp! Tighten those skates, strap on your (no, not the strap-on bleeeeep! but the pads) cover your head with your helmet and sit back AND READ. Then follow the rules. I beg of you to:

-1-

STAY LOW

God gave you knees that bend, use them wisely and often. Stay low, bend down, and if your back doesn't hurt (that lower portion?) then chances are you're just not bent down low enough. And when in doubt for why a skill is just not working out for you: chances are, it's because you just aren't assuming the derby stance.

-2-

LOOK

Look behind you, around you, not just ahead of you. The action is behind you. Its all about what's coming up - the jammer passing you, the blocker getting ready to catch up and *ouch* slam into you. Use that neck of yours and turn around. Practice doing laps where you are constantly looking behind you. And, then look behind you from the other side. Get used to it - the more you practice looking behind you the more you'll actually enlarge your perception width.

-3-

SHARE

Come on, share with Sugar Bear! And I'm not talking about your candy bar or your Pacifico, although THAT would actually be nice... Share the info. Tell your teammates what's going on. Even if you are looking behind you, there are things you may not notice, "Jammer - coming up!" "On your inside!" You get the drill, don't ever assume others know what you know. And it'll make you a better teammate - others will know they can rely on you and they'll (hopefully) want to play with you more.

-4-

GET UP!

We all fall down. All of us. It's not if you fall that matters, its what you do after you fall. Your team relies on you and needs you. Every player on the track is actually indispensable to each other. If you fall and stay down, then you are letting your team down. And every time you let your team down, they slowly learn to not count on you. And that sucks. You may still be in bootcamp (like me) so now is the time to make it a habit. Get the fuck up. Fast. Quick. If you're hurt, then get off the track - the least you can do is not become an obstacle.

-5-

HURRY!

Derby is a sport. And most sports involve speed. Hurrying isn't solely about how fast you can skate but how fast you react. And as long as you're still in bootcamp, this often means how quickly you respond to your coaches commands. I know, "command" sounds harsh and military'ish. But, it is called bootcamp for a reason after all. Practice time is so limited, add up those wasted minutes it takes everybody to get on track and in a pace line when asked, and those minutes quickly build up to hours. Hours of wasted time waiting... Again. Take everything you do in bootcamp to build positive habits. A positive habit is easier to keep up than to undo a bad one. (Yeah, trust me, I've got the flailing arms to prove you I am so friggin right here!)

-6-

OWN IT

I so wanted to stick to a pretty number like 5 or 3. But I could NOT end this without talking about the primary rule to learning anything in life. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for what YOU learn. And that - is golden enough, I don't need to explain it.

Simple enough? These are my rules and I'll see you at the track!

Focus On The Journey: And All That Jazz...

www.ryanscottlum.tumblr.com

For 4 years I worked in the career management industry in Canada. Oh those were the days... I gots to travel alls over the country meeting nice ladies and gentlemans even going aaaaaallll the ways up to Inuit Nirvana aka Nunavut (pronounced: So Friggin Cold) and hads me a doggy sled ride in the snowy blizzardy desert... yes them was the days indeed!

And during these glorious days I repeated clichés such as:

• Follow Your Heart
• Focus on the Journey
• If You Build it They Will Come

OK, so the last one is from a movie, only because this sweet life is so far away I can't remember all the wunderbar stuff I told people repeatedly. That and a new thing I've developed recently called "forgetting". Joys. Of. Aging.

Even if focus on the journey was a principle I believed in, practicing it was a whole nuther matter. Do as I say, not as I do. But recently I've come to the realization that (cue bright lights and angelic voices coming from the heavens, yes HEAVENS in plural one heaven for each religion) for once in my life I've engaged myself in something that is really about the journey.

I know you're all expecting me to reveal something deep such as re-kindling with religion, or taking on a new career, or whatever... but it isn't. What has finally made me shift into this new paradigm is roller derby.

I know. I'm sounding like a cheap late night infomercial as I'm dangling on some weird new exercise machine screaming "YOU CAN DO IT!" And I apologize for that.

But roller derby is what did it for me. Lot's of ladies join derby hoping to rush through bootcamp and quickly become league members competing in bouts. Not this little freshmeat bootcamper. I'm enjoying the challenges as I go through them one by one. OK, well, as I repeat them over and over and over until I kinda meet them is how I should put it. But still.

Whether it takes me 6 months, a year or if I never even graduate from bootcamp: just being there, doing the drills, meeting the challenges, and facing new ones regularly is my thrill. My new nirvana. Its the here and now no matter where it takes me simply because where I'm at is beyond my wildest imagination.

This is my journey...

What's Your Excuse?

www.mycathatesyou.com

I learned last night that one of our coaches is a cancer survivor. She battled that nasty breast cancer like a seagull will fight for the last leftover french fry after a beach picnic.

And she's a bad ass derby coach, a badass blocker, just an all-round badass chick in a positive way. The kind you want for a best friend. The kind that if you're ever in trouble, she'd be the first person you'd want to call because, well just because you know she'd not only know what to do but be willing to do it.

And she's not out there playing the poor-me as a post cancer victim and shit. She's fighting her way through a simple happy existence. And I was inspired when I heard about this and thought - hold your horses now...

I started roller derby just one month shy of my *cough* 45th birthday, about the same time I went and got a scuba diving certification. And know that when you see me walk it is in itself nothing short of a miracle.

I was hit by a car once on foot when I was 8 years old then twice on my bicycle. The first cycling incident was during a bike tour in the Magdalen Islands off Canada's East Coast. I was staring at the sand dunes and how they covered a 7' fence. Somehow I found myself face to face with a car doing 70. Last thing I saw was a 3" Virgin Mary standing on the dash and a string of light blue pompons in the rear view window. And the look of fear and shock on the faces of the young couple staring right back at me. Next thing I knew, I was sitting on the gravel shoulder, my bike thrown over 50 feet away playing hide & seek behind the dunes.

Not a scratch, not a bruise just wicked charlie horses on both legs. But if you'd seen my bike! It's chilling.

Then 2 years later I was riding my bike to a job interview. It was rush hour. Cars were driving at a speed around 50 mph. A cop drives by me and waves. I guess he felt the need to let me know he agreed I was being safe... Then BOOM! I get hit from behind. It looked big and the first thing to go through my mind was "Not again!" and off I went flying over the truck who never even knew he hit me. I landed behind him and lucky me the car following saw me airborne and stopped a mere 3 feet before driving over me.

My memento from this one is a light scar on my knee. Basically unscathed.

I won't even go into the details from when a car literally fell ON me when I was working as a race car mechanic. That broke my finger. And my pride, because it was my own fault for putting myself in that stupid situation in the first place. But still, when a car falls on you, it hurts.

But see, the point is this - why is it that it's always the people who've had this kind of ordeals that go out and DO stuff? But those who sit on their couch all day have a list as long as Santa's shopping needs for excuses as to why THEY don't go out and exercise! Go out and do it. Stop the whining and the excuses.

Sorry. It's not my style to be sermon'y, but I had to get this one out. And the worse thing is I feel I'm preaching to the choir because if you're reading my blog, chances are you're into derby yourself...

Skills VS Endurance

www.tucsonrollerderby.com

The balance between working on skills and focusing on strength or endurance building is ... not easy to establish.

In the recent weeks, practices appeared to focus primarily on endurance building. I've been leaving the Dollhouse a tired, exhausted sweaty mess. But under this layer of icky salty smear was the glow of a satisfied skater. I felt energized from that mighty morphine of endorphin running through my blood. Nothing can replace a heavy workout!

I mean, really... who the hell needs drugs when you can skate your ass off until you drop. Or puke. Or whichever comes first... right? Am I right or am I right?

I'm right. But with this intensified focus on making us stronger skaters, we may have been neglecting our skill reviews.

skill
   [skil]
–noun

1. the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude,etc., to do something well: She could jump like a show horse and never stopped smiling 
2. competent excellence in performance; expertness; dexterity: The skaters performed with skill.
3. the review of skills requiring endless hours of standing in line waiting your turn to execute and determine your capacity to: stop, turn, jump, bump, balance on one foot, and other fun crafty stuff like that!

Can we do both? Endurance AND skills? Surely there is a way. Our coaches are focused on watching us work, and correcting us as we go. With new girls coming in every month, and constant drop-outs – remembering all our names is a skill (pun intended) not given to everybody.

Should there be a practice secretary on hand? Somebody shadowing the coaches each night to check off acquired skills? "Check her off on slamming!" to which the duty'ious little secretary quickly figures out the name and places a correct check mark as the practice focuses on improving our endurance and pack skating capabilities.

Food for thought.

No Matter the Question: Derby is the Answer!

I must admit, I love seeing my derby friends progress and move forward.

Even if their progress is faster than mine. I love witnessing these girls improve. It's an inspiration. It truly is. Among my gang of boot-campers (which was HUGE) there are a few that are amazing. OK, so more than a few, but some really stand out. And last week, 2 girls were invited to stick around after practice to skate with the big girls...

Being invited to join league practice is a big deal. And the fact that some of the girls that started in February, like me, are already invited to step it up is wicked!

It's cool to feel sheer joy for them. We're all in this together, and I love feeling part of a team. Your success is my success, and mine is yours as well.

One night I stuck around after practice to video-tape a scrimmage. Waiting around until it was time to stand behind the camera, the recruiter was talking with 2 new girls from orientation. She asked me if I had any suggestions to give them. And we talked about how nice everybody is. And how cool all the girls were. My reply was: no room for catty girls here! They're staying at home so they can make other people miserable.

So that's that. If you're wondering what to do with your spare time and looking for a new social activity that will not only get your ass in shape but hook you up with amazing new friends: DERBY is the answer!

I'm Stoked!

I wrote an article for Yo, Roller Derby and this article was snagged and featured up front on The Roller-derby Daily!

I know what you're thinking: "Man, this chick sure gets excited over nothing!" But to me... To me? This is like as cool as being published. Writing is not my top craft. My style is spunky, ya sure but it certainly lacks finesse and tact. I'm aware of it, because it sure has hurt me in my more professional endeavors. Hee hee, some of the emails I sent out required some serious live talk time to cover up!

Oh well, its not my fault some people have no sense of humor!

Anyhow. I'm also totally stocked because this is good exposure for my league! Of course there's a link. And since it's MY league I want it to shine like the disco-ball'ish roller skate hanging above our track!

Have I mentioned I'm thrilled about this? And I owe it all to the Yo, Roller Derby queen herself - Robin!

Thanks Yo, you rule! Word.

Hit That Pavement!

Thought roller derby could replace your work-out regime? Or that going to practice could count as working out?

Think again!

You want to be a derby girl? Then start building your endurance now! And the best way to do that is to go out and hit that pavement! You can start by running. You don't need to run a marathon, but just go outside and run. Go easy at first, like a mild jog around your block. But sooner or later you will have to increase your endurance and longer runs is the only way to build that.

OR, better yet: GO OUT AND SKATE! Skating on a nice smooth surface where you practice is one thing, but skating outside on uneven terrain (like going over those ba-bump lines on the sidewalk) with occasional inclines and wind will add to that oh je-ne-sais-quoi degree of difficulty the French judges love slamming athletes in the Olympics with!

And modify your pace, skate or run at 70% of your speed capacity for 5 minutes then insert a death defying 100% capacity sprint for 15-20 seconds where you're teasing that line of in-control-and-outta-control. Keep alternating between both paces until you are blue in the face!

Go home. Shower. Rest. And repeat.

Again and again. Think about the nice lean hard body you'll get! ツ

Velcro Is Part Of The Process

www.autodealerpeople.com

There are nights where, to be honest - you just don't feel like it. You're home, all comfy, enjoying a cold drink or thinking of grabbing one, wondering what you're going to cook for supper when it dawns on you: derby practice is in 45 minutes!

What are you going to do? Close the fridge, and change your clothes? Or proceed with a drink selection?

I say close the fridge. Go to practice. As hard as it may be, especially if you don't have a buddy honking the horn out your front door hustling you... Keeping up with your personal engagement is the hardest part. JUST DO IT! And even if you do get yourself changed in stripper derby clothes, get your ass out to your secret derby headquarters and make it in time - you may still sit there surrounded by the other dolls still wondering if you really want it!

Then you hear it. The scratchy ripping sound of the velcro straps. It's like music. It's almost hypnotizing, but in a good way. For me - this sound is an elixir and instantly puts me in the derby mood. Gets my inner gears running. I close my eyes and start picturing myself on the rink. And suddenly my body is screaming and howling. And I am finally ready to rip it up!