Any day is a good day for flowers :)

My husband and I have an arrangement, we don't do holidays. Not Valentine's Day, Anniversary's or Birthdays, Christmas, Easter etc. The pressure to give bigger and more impressive gifts that's so pervasive in our society just got on our nerves so we decided to boycott.

We give each other cards and gifts all throughout the year but we don't do it because Hallmark or the jewelry store said we should we do it because we want to :)

So today out of the blue, I got flowers and a very sappy note delivered to my office which was really really nice and very suprising :)

I love flowers but our ferocious kittens (4 of them) love them too so it's pretty rare to have them in the house.

Anyway, it's March 28th and there's no holiday to celebrate other than that my husband was thinking of me and wanted to brighten my day. What an awesome guy!!!!

The journey home begins...

It's been a really fascinating experience here in Shanghai. I'm about to head to the airport for the long trip home but I really (in spite of the turtle) have had a wonderful trip. From a business perspective it was very educational and eye-opening. From a personal perspective it was an adventure.

No matter where I am I always try to explore, seize the moment and make the most of my experience. Yesterday after spending a lot more time shopping and having lunch at a FANTASTIC Indian place with a co-worker of mine. I found my way into the actual market where fish, eels, turtles, chickens and who knows what else were waiting to be purchased for dinner. Just across the street was a KFC and a Nike Store. What a global society we live in.

So I'm off, it looks like I'll probably be back again in the next few months. Until then, leopard out!

Where oh where is the broccoli?

It didn't even occur to me when I went out to get dinner last night until I sat down and had a fork and knife in front of me that I haven't used one since I arrived in Shanghai. Thanks to all the sushi Preston and I have been eating I've gotten great at chopsticks so I've been able to use them for every meal.

Since I was on my own for dinner and DESPERATE for anything resembling a vegetable (and not an animal) I went to Tony Roma's because I know they have broccoli with their meals. So after completing my 2nd workout of the day (it's Tuesday so that means swim drills and ratio run) I walked over with my book for a delicious broccoli feast.

Denied. Apparently even though they show pictures of broccoli on the plate on the menu, they don't actually have broccoli. Why do they show it in the picture then I wanted to know? "It looks very beautiful" Classic! All I wanted was some dang broccoli. I got a BBQ chicken salad and part of a baked potato along with a Coke Light since the iced tea could be questionable due to the whole tap water situation.

It was delicious and very relaxing to read my book and eat my salad but I wish I could have had some freakin broccoli.

Shanghai - A sea of sights and smells!

Since I arrived last night in Shanghai it's been one adventure after another. I'm staying at a fabulous place. The JC Mandarin is a very western hotel complete with HUGE fitness center (all cardio machines have their own flat screen tv), little amenities like every toiletry you can imagine including a bathroom scale which can actually weigh you in pounds, a Starbucks just across the street and even little slippers in the closet.

So first let's talk Starbucks. Many people know I'm hooked on the 'bucks to the extent that I even got myself a gift card so I could keep track of my spending there :) Some of you also know how complex my latte or frappachino order can be, so I'm sure you'll find my experience at the Shanghai Starbucks amusing. First that there even is a Starbucks here is pretty crazy but in the course of my day I've actually already seen 3. They're beautiful and really blend in well with the architecture. They have identical drinks here and in the US except they are translated a little differently.

There is no word for sprinkles in Mandarain, which is a riot to me since they are a critical component to one of their main drinks and it literally took every employee who had any grasp of English to try to understand sprinkles before I gave up. They also don't have Splenda in China, or at least not at Starbucks. They did have Equal which tastes like crap in coffee, ah well live and learn.

After coffee and a low-fat muffin (see note about no Splenda, translation, blech) I met up with my co-worker Patrick and we set off to shop and see the sights.

Until you've been to Shanghai, you really can't comprehend just how massive it is and how brimming with humanity. People are everywhere, there were times when I didn't even feel like I was walking but rather gliding in the sea of people. Sights, smells and sounds bombard you from every direction and here in this huge city, personal space is a luxury. The city is absolutely beautiful as it blends old world China with new world commerce. Here are just a few of the sights:



We had lunch at one of the top restaurants in Shanghai where there were several pictures of global leaders (Clinton was a favorite) enjoying the fare. Smoking is rampant so that made lunch a little less enjoyable but OMG I did not expect what came next. Turtle is a delicacy here so we got that in addition to several other dishes. There are virtually no real fruits or vegetables (bamboo shoots do not count) on the menu so I ordered sauteeed cauliflower and hoped for the best. Note to self, they do not do much preparation in China with their food so when the "turtle" came out, all it was missing was it's head :( I tried a bite of meat to be polite but it was too much for me especially after swimming with the beautiful sea turtles in Hawaii last month on vacation. It wasn't until I was spooning some soup though that I just about lost it when I scooped up this turtle claw. Yikes!!!!!!
Otherwise, I've gotten extremely good at bargaining, marveled at how many US products are being knocked off in the underground markets and decided something I pretty much already knew which is I am not a fan of Chinese food.



So I'm off to bed with my first day of meetings tomorrow. Work here doesn't start til 10am and it ends at 6pm so who knows what the days will be like.

Kilometers and Coffee

We are pretty antiquated in the US. Still using miles, inches etc to calculate distance. I can't think of a single other place that doesn't measure in kilometers, so it always throws me for a loop when I travel outside of the country and use the exercise equipment at the gym.

Hmmm so if a 10k = 6.2m and I'm supposed to do a ratio run between 4 and 5mph how fast is that in kilometers :) Keeps my mind occupied trying to the calculations while running and today as I was doing my Sunday morning ratio workout it occured to me that while the measurement system changes very little else does.

As I looked out the window at this amazing metropolis of 17 million people, I could watch CNN on the news, read the US News and World report magazine and then head to the Starbucks just across the street.

So I'm off to see how my Tall, Nonfat, 1 pump Cinnamon Dolce, 3 Splenda, Sprinkles on the Foam, Latte translates in Mandarin.

Ni hau from Shanghai

Wow, what a wild trip so far. My phone works but it's $1.50 per minute :( Internet works, the room is fantastic and I'm on the 16th floor.

The flight to China was LONG and if you can beleive it we didn't get video screens in our seats like you do when you fly to EMEA. So I read books, magazines, watched a few movies, ate and rested. I'm going on 30hrs awake so it's night night for leopards.

But I'm safe, the fitness facility here is AWESOME!!!! Pool, weights, trainers, a lot of machines for biking and running. Sleeping pill is kicking in so I'm off to bed.

More to come.

Pure Motivation

I'm reading a book right now that talks about finding your pure motivation. Not an event or a person but what ultimately when the deck is stacked against you, drives you toward your goal, whatever it may be. I used to think my motivation was to hear those magical words "You are an Ironman" as I crossed the finish line at the Ironman Triathlon. But what then? You only become an Ironman one time so if all your motivation is wrapped up in that one event (like a wedding or a class reunion) then what happens when the event has passed?

This got me thinking about what really drives me. What motivates me to make choices that keeps me driving toward my goal. For that matter what is my goal...

179.2

For many that's a random number for me it's weirdly symbolic. When I weigh 179.2 I will have also lost 179.2. Exactly half of myself. Yes, training for triathlons will help me reach that goal but at the end of the day when I've worked 12-14 hours and I'm tired and just want to spend time with my husband and watch TIVO, the thing that keeps me focused on my goal is this:

Self-Confidence

For many that know me this will probably seem a bit odd as I don't believe I exude a lack of self-confidence even when I was at my highest weight. I was always bubbly and happy, well liked and fun to be around. But deep down I lacked the self-confidence that I could achieve my goal. 179.2 is just a number but to me it's also a state of mind. When I'm at that goal I will have completely reshaped my life. Every pound lost and new accomplishment successfully completed gets me that much closer to that goal and at the end of the day everything is affected.

I'm more confident in my job, more comfortable talking with business leaders, giving presentations etc. I don't worry whether I'll fit in the chair at the conference table anymore. I'm more confident in my health. With just 17lbs to go I am healthier than I've been in years and feeling really strong and fit. I'm more confident about myself. I feel happier, sexier and more youthful than ever and it comes across in my attitude and my activities every day.

So as I inch ever closer to that goal, I try to keep in mind that 179.2 isn't the finish line. It's just the beginning and my pure motivation comes from trying to be the best me that I can, enjoying life to the fullest and striving to be an example to others to set their goals high and then work day by day towards achieving them.

If I can do it, anyone can!

New Coach, New Direction

Spring, one of my favorite times of year. Things start to bloom and grow, the days get longer and there's more daylight. I actually noticed it was almost spring when I left my office this evening around 6:30pm and it was only just getting dark. Weird I thought although it could be due to the fact this was the earliest I've left in weeks (when there wasn't a dr appt or something).

Spring is the also the time I start plotting my training for the upcoming racing season. As I posted back in February I went into the sports lab and get thoroughly tested by David Renne of Advantage You Sports Consulting. After getting my results and discussing I decided to work with David this season. This is great for me because I'd always sort of known I wanted a coach just about a year out from Ironman. We charted my race calendar with everything centered around Musselman in Geneva, NY on July 16. My 2nd go at the 1/2 Ironman distance but this time I hoped to be much more fit and speedy.

After almost a week of training following my plan from David I think that is achievable. I've completed every workout thus far and given my best effort so maybe having someone help me plan and spell out exactly what to do is the key to helping me blossom as an athlete.

Now bring on the Daylight Savings :)

Onederland - The wait is over!

It's hard to put into words what tonight means to me.

15 months, 65 weekly weigh-ins and 5lbs lost. Since finishing my 1/2 IM in October 2004 I'd lost over 150lbs. Back and forth every week between 208 and 201. A pound up, 1.5 down and on and on. Through increased exercise and immobility due to my knee surgery, through 65,000 miles of air travel last year. Multiple vacations, mountains of macadamia nuts in Hawaii and streets lined with chocolate shops in Belgium, I perservered.

Every week hoping my body would finally let go and move off the plateau. I switched between CORE and Flex, I counted calories, I worked with a trainer, I spent hours in the gym and yet the needle never moved. I was so close to going under 200 I could taste it and yet the 1 on the scale remained elusive.

For those of you not indoctrinated into Weight Watchers speak, Onederland denotes that point when your weight begins with the #1. For those of us that started in the 3s or 4s, getting to see a 2 on the scale means you've reached Twoterville. Silly names I know but I remember almost to the day when I went from being in the 300s to being in the 200s. I never ever in a million years thought I'd ever reach Onederland. When I started Weight Watchers back in September 2002, it was a stretch to hope that I'd get to 230 which was my original goal. That would mean I'd lost a whopping 128.4lbs and I thought there was no way that'd be possible.

Slowly but surely the weight came off, I kept going to meetings, I passed many milestones and stood in front of our group and told my story dozens of times while getting my 10% keychain, magnets for every 25lbs lost, a certificate for losing 100lbs. Each goal reached was more special than the last, in part because of the tremendous support from my group and my leader Bobbie.

15 months. I went down two dress sizes as I waited. I started dressing in clothes that fit and ironically people who saw me every day started asking me how much more weight I'd lost. "None", I'd reply but it was gratifying to see the changes in spite of the numbers on the scale.

People who know me know I hate mediocrity. I don't like to settle, and Onederland was no different. I didn't want to tiptoe in, I wanted to make a splash which is what makes tonight so sweet.

Last week I was 203.8 and it's been months since I've lost more than 2lbs in a week so while I was hoping I'd get there tonight I wasn't counting on it. When the numbers registered on the scale Bobbie shrieked, I shrieked and I immediately had to jump back on just to double check what I had seen.

198.2

Onederland, I was there.
5.6lbs lost this week for a grand total of 160.2

After handing out the 5 and 10lb stickers, giving Bravo stickers to those who had a story to tell, Bobbie came to me and said "she saved the best Bravo sticker for last because there are no magnets or stickers for what I'd accomplished". She asked me to share in front of the group and before I left my seat I was choking up. Tonight there were a lot of new people, people who'd started in the last 6 months and many who'd seen me transform over the last 3 years, cheering me on and keeping me accountable as I tackled each challenge in my journey towards a healthy life.

Through my tears I told my story, how frustrated I was over these past 15 months with being so close and yet not seeing results. I talked about how important perserverance was and how in spite of all the obstacles this last year I never once thought about giving up and not coming back. I hope I thanked them for their tremendous support but I was so overcome with emotion, it's a blur. There were a lot of tears and cheers from the group and even a few stories about how I'd impacted others in their journeys.

There was no magic bullet, I guess it was just time. Reshaping yourself takes dedication and perserverance because eventually we all run into our own plateaus and living with them, accepting the accomplishment of maintaining and never losing sight of how far you've come is what helped me stay the course.

15 months and the wait is over. I'm at a number I haven't seen since high school and never thought I'd see again.

I remember the starting line. I remember the incredible people who refer jokingly to themselves as Team Bonnie (Pup - I'd never have made it this far without your unwavering love and support). People that have helped me get to each mile marker, encouraging me and reminding me that it's not when or even whether you make it to the finish line, it's that you had what it takes to start running.

Onederland you've got a new resident :)

Vacation, What's that?

I can hardly believe it's been almost 2 weeks since we got back from our AWESOME vacation to Hawaii. We had an absolute blast and came back refreshed, happy and looking for our next adventure :) Of course I immediately went right back to crazy-busy work and have hardly had time to even sort through our pictures. But...................... I made the time and here are a few of my favorites:







So we had lots of new experiences: sea-kayaking, deep water snorkeling, sushi, whale-watching and lots of wonderful fun time together.

Aloha!