Bye bye 22lbs, HELLO DEFINITION!

21 months ago I invested in my overall health by signing my life away to a fabulous all-female franchise near my office, ultimately leading to my weight loss of 22lbs. A decision I had previously hesitated to make from a financial standpoint was suddenly put into perspective:  My body is a symbol of my overall happiness, and self-respect. And if I want people to respect me, I needed to respect myself. 

The beginning
Initially, when I began to truly start kicking my own ass in my workouts, I was attending semi-regular kick boxing classes at the local 24hr fitness. I wasn’t completely out of shape, but had MUCH room for improvement. These classes bored me, and the instructors were out of shape, which is always discouraging. There’s just something about a chunky personal trainer that screams ‘untrustworthy’.  After spotting a Groupon for The Girls Room in 2010, and having pole fitness in the back of my mind ever since, I decided to sign the dotted line and become a member.  My life was changed at the simple swipe of a debit card, and viola, I was a pole fitness enthusiast. 

The difference between a purchase and an investment
Losing weight is nearly effortless once you’ve become aware of the poison you’re currently eating, and the consequences. When I was bouncing around in 24hr fitness, wasting time and energy, I was also eating junk (in moderation, of course).  I was ‘one of those people’, who thought that if I ate crap, I could just exercise really hard that night and everything would beokay, no consequence. I mean, right? Nope.  Who the hell even said that’s how it works? Moral of the story, I had no self-discipline and I was only exercising to ‘look good’.  
It was until I joined The Girls Room, got cheated on in a long term relationship, and wanted to defy gravity (like a boss) did I begin to take myself 110% seriously. My drive came from wanting to redefine the independent, optimistic young woman I was pre- toxic relationship, and change my lifestyle-not just my body.

 

How did I lose my weight?Unfortunately, some of you happen to be dudes, who can’t frolic over to the nearest pole fitness studio and begin your weight loss journey. Some of you also happen to be opposed to pole fitness, whatever your reasons may be, and just want to know what worked for me. So let me state thatthis is an entry solely based off my personal experience.  HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) has CHANGED MY LIFE and turned my fitness around entirely. I swear by it, the proof is here! 

Did you know that your ‘diet’ is the main contributing factor in your weight loss? Did you know that food is your fuel, and that burning calories requires that fuel? Of course you know that! So wouldn’t it make sense to fuel your body with the most essential nutrients it NEEDS in order to get the most reward from your workout? I don’t know about you-but I don’t sweat 2+ hours a day to let my workout be laid to waste by a post-pole sesh cheeseburger. Learning about nutrition out of pure curiosity and dedication was literally one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. Being a vegetarian for a little over 2 years, I am able to now say that I am fully in tune with my body and what it needs to execute my workout regimen. 

The question of the hour
WHAT did I do to lose the weight? I worked out regularly, 4-5 days a week(more like 6 lately) and ate whenever I was hungry. I’m talking in the past tense, as if I don’t continue these habits today-which I do (remember that word, lifestyle).  Like I said, some people do it differently, but this is how I did it. 

Specific foods 
Breakfast 
First off all, I get ALL my ingestible goodies at Sprouts or Trader Joes. If you haven’t checked out either of these places, go now. Carrying on… Every morning start out with a delightful kale smoothie, which is basically a boat load of nutrition jam packed in a glass, jump starting your metabolism and providing you TONS of energy! Sure, it sounds disgusting-and looks pretty gnarly also, but they’re delicious once you find your groove with making them.  Mine consist of:
-9 Kiwi 
-1 bundle of Lacento Kale (any kale is fine, this kind is softer and less bitter)
-4 organic bananas 
-2 oranges (I keep the peels to add to my Epsom salt baths-for the citrus, and to smell awesome.)

Blend those bad boys up after giving it all a good rinsing, and put it in a pitcher to drink throughout the week. Usually that’s not enough to hold me over till lunch time, so I also grab packs of organic steel cut oatmeal that is easily made with the hot water faucet on the coffee machine at the office. This gives me some carbs to use up after fasting all evening. 

 

 

 Lunch 

I’m usually ready to maul someone for food at this point, so basically anythingsounds good. I take advantage of this and tend to eat a large salad, or black bean quesadilla. The salad holds me over till it’s time to reload up on carbs pre-pole, but the black bean quesadilla is where it’s AT! I received a Panini press for Christmas and it has changed my life. It’s serious. Just be sure to find good tortillas with ZERO corn starch products and you’re golden.  Black beans are a tasty, excellent source of protein, free of additives or preservatives-unlike most meats. My Black Bean Quesadillas generally consist of:

-1 can Organic Black Beans (Mash & stash in fridge for use throughout the week)
-1 finely chopped Red Pepper (mix in with the black beans for easy and fresh storage)
-1 awesome tortilla
-1 fist full of chopped Spinach 
-Sprinkle some (organic, unprocessed) cheese on dat. 
Load your desired amount of goodness on half of your tortilla, fold it on over, throw it on the Panini press. Yes sir! 

After lunch, I’m content for like, 1 whole hour. Then I usually snack on almonds or a cliff bar to keep my stomach satisfied till it’s time to do work in the studio.  Fast forward to 8:30, and again I’m ready to mow anyone in my path of food. Around this time, I’m wrapping up dance and hauling home to cook for myself as well as my younger brother (22), who is also my roommate.

It is important to eat 30-45 minutes after a strenuous workout to replenish the energy and nutrients your body has burned, and believe it or not-doing this can be hard. Between my carpet line/vacuum obsession and cleaning Stifler Cats litter box, starting dinner can be a task. My advice: prep the kitchen, and while everything is heating up-do your tasking. While everything is cooking, clean your area.

Dinner is usually inhaled standing up in the kitchen while reading emails and starting laundry.  Here are a couple vague examples of my dinner. I usually post a picture of my hurried masterpieces on instagram (but of course) @JonnaPage
Dinner 
a. 
-Cage free eggs 
-Finely chopped organic Spinach 
-Finely chopped Tomato 
-Cholula. And sprinkle cheese on dat too 

b.
-Baked potato
-Organic plain yogurt (as a substitute for sour cream-tastes just the same)
-Little bit of cheese 
-Pepper to taste
-Steamed broccoli on the side

After dinner and 10:00PM rolls around, and I’ve completed uploading the day’s pole tricks on YouTube of course, I’m hungry again. Insert veggie chips and delicious vegetable dips here.  I shamelessly snack on these all throughout the day. I was POSITIVE my cellulite would hang around if I continued to eat these items, but SURPRISINGLY it vanished entirely!

Also, let’s not kid ourselves. A woman needs chocolate. I keep a stash of chocolate covered raisins at an arms distance at all times. If you think I’m exaggerating, then you may not know me that well.

 

I have admitted to a few “fitness no-no’s”, considering a. I eat all hours throughout being awake b. I eat (natural, unprocessed sugar). These are some things I overlook considering all my other efforts to be healthy. In my PERSONAL opinion, I think it’s okay if I snack all throughout the day if it prevents me from eating a whole pizza. Which I can do. In a matter of minutes. It happens…

All that being said, this is what worked for me, and is continuing to work.  I’m sure I forgot some things in my modesty; it is still surprising to be asked by so many people what my fitness tips are. If you have any questions, please ask! 

Thanks for reading something very personal and meaningful to me <3

Neon pants and a bad choice of words

Rant,

 

Stomach growls. I haven’t eaten actual food since lunchtime the day before. Grabbing my wallet and making my way towards the elevator, my coworker GS joins me. Him and I usually take our coffee breaks together and chat about his recent engagement, health, food, fitness-you know stuff we actually enjoy talking about, unlike all the other small talk frequented throughout my office walls. Entering the lobby café with full intentions of getting a bagel (yeah, carb city, I know) I approach the waitress also noticing a lovely woman to my right. It was hard not to notice her; I mean she was wearing neon pants after all.

While contemplating whether or not to get cream cheese on my toasted bagel, GS leans towards my ear and softly says “When I used to work at so-and-so, a company that does blah-blah-blah, all the coworkers there were women her age, and wore clothes just like hers, it was so awesome. Coming to work didn’t such nearly as bad”

Maybe it was the fact that I was running on an empty stomach, or maybe it was the simple fact that I’m a female, a little bitch switch flipped. Calmly, I said to GS “Yes. Women dress like that in 2013 that is the style.”Trying to shrug it off and focus on my food order.

He rolled his eyes and searched for more words to describe her particular style, which isn’t really much style considering it’s the trend for today, and she could have walked into any retail store with her eyes clothes and left with the outfit she had on. “Like, her watch, and those shoes, and her pants…” he added.

Was what he was saying provocative? No. Was it directlydemeaning towards the woman? Absolutely not. Why was I so peeved that he was sharing his opinion on this woman with me? It is so hard to explain, but I will surely try… let’s start with a little daily dose of perspective.

 

-     Running out to my car last night in my pajamas around 11PM to retrieve my phone charger, I heard shouting coming from a nearby balcony. The generic rants such as “OH DAMN BABY” and “COME UP HERE AND DRINK WITH US” didn’t really surprise me, but were pretty annoying. All I could think to myself was “Raise your standard dude-I’m in sweat pants rockin’ a bun on my head” Still; I went about my business and did not acknowledge the imbeciles. 
Moving onward.

-     Last week three women were recovered from captivity. A middle aged man, father to a beautiful daughter, kidnapped 3 women for his own sick pleasure and forced one poor girl to have his baby. For ten years. For ten years, those women were degraded, raped, beaten and starved simply because of their poor luck and outer beauty, ALL by a man who looks like any Joe ‘Shmoe out there. This story weighs heavy on my heart as it does all women, and is a perfect example of why us women must stick together and stay strong today. 
Disgusting. Moving on.

-     Every day when I come to work and get settled in, I see a shadow behind me slowly start to form. The pace and the shape give away the person as they creepily waddle towards my cubicle. It’s JS. He is one of those fitness freaks that eat 12 eggs whites a day, ignorant to the fact that the whole egg serves fantastic protein (look it up). His stride is something resembling the terminator and a constipated wind-up doll. His speech is even slower, making it easy to finish his sentences for him because his words are delivered at such a glacial pace. Maybe I’m impatient, but all the women here love making fun of him. 
    Traveling to his coworker’s desk for their morning chat, he slowly paces behind my desk making a wide turn in order to gaze into my work area. Could you make it more obvious, creeper? Apparently not, my suspicions were confirmed when two of my male colleagues approached me after noticing the same thing. They also threw in that JS had a developing curiosity about me and asked them about my personal life from time to time. 
    The other day he held the door open for me. I turned around to catch his gaze and noticed as he trailed behind me that he was indeed, staring at my ass. 
What a pest. Moving on.

 

Given the day to day routine of a woman and all the (little or big) opportunities of sexism to endure, it is easy to see why a woman should be defensive and stand up for her sisters. Right? No actually, evidently it’s NOT that easy to see, based on this highlighted conversation with my male coworker. Did he say he wanted to sink his teeth in and ravish our new friend in the café? No. But his simple comment proves the ignorance and lack of consideration men have towards women in the workplace and their efforts to blend into the workplace. It’s almost like the simple fact of knowing someone is judging you by your frame and clothing grosses me out. Am I alone? Also it makes me uncomfortable to be in the presence of a man who is soon to be married to his girlfriend of 10 years, talking to me about the attractiveness of other women and how he should be allowed to express his appreciation. I am having trouble finding the words within to portray my disappointment and disinterest in these small minded people.

You might ask “Well, what if a woman said that about a man or men in general?” Good point, let’s play out that role reversal, shall we? “When I used to work at so-and-so, a company that does blah-blah-blah, all the coworkers there were men his age, and wore clothes just like his, it was so awesome. Coming to work didn’t such nearly as bad” A guy would be far too pleased with himself knowing a woman took notice in their wardrobe and physique. In fact, they’d actually think they’d have a shot and probably ask you out for drinks. Men welcome the sexual attention while most women do everything in their power just to be equal. Do I love embracing my sexuality and expressing myself? Abso-freakin-lutely! But that is something I consider private and should not be unfolded or played with in the mind of a man, let alone who I don’t even know. 

So, this is a shout out to the hot chick with neon pants who doesn’t realize my ‘friend’ was staring at her rack.

Am I tripping?