Feel the rain and do it anyways.

One of the primary lessons I've learned in getting and staying fit is that exercise sessions often don't go as planned.  Your exercise buddy doesn't show up, the class is canceled and on the day of your big group walk, it rains.  Sometimes it seems like the entire universe is conspiring against you in reaching your fitness goals.

In this situation, you have two choices.  You can say, awww the heck with it and go watch TV.  Or you can get out there and do it anyways.

This past Saturday was the final leg of our progressive Mara-thon at church where we raised money for the Mara district in Africa.  During the Mara-thon, we raised money to buy motorcycles and bicycles for the Mara missionaries--to help them cover their district which is 700 km from end to end.  This is roughly the distance between Los Angeles and Phoenix.  That's a long darn way over some hot and dry terrain.  And I think it's fairly safe to say, that their travel/exercise conditions are rarely optimal. 

So it was apropos, that this past weekend, for the final leg of our Mara-thon, we had some pretty tough weather.  It rained.  (and rained and RAINED!)  But I'm proud to say, that our little band got out our umbrellas and raincoats and just got on with it!  Yes it was tough.  Yes we got cold and wet.  But we didn't suffer anything that a cup of hot coffee and a nice warm bath couldn't cure.

Yes it was raining (cats and dogs) but we decided to feel the rain and do it anyways.  We were cold.  We were wet.  But above all, we were proud.

So my little chicklettes, here's my wish for you.  We're coming into the holidays--when there are built in excuses to avoid exercise around every single corner.  You may be tired.  You are undoubtedly busy.  But I'm asking you to put on your raincoat, grab your umbrella and exercise anyways.  Enjoy some well-earned pride along with your holiday pie.

Love,
The Fat Chick

A Big Fat Juicy Kiss!

(Fantastic Photo by Kelly Varner)

After the flap over the now infamous Maura Kelly blog post on MarieClaire.com about how she felt that fat people kissing or indeed walking across a room would be "gross", I've been thinking a lot about the simple kiss.  Much to my delight, I watched as rad fatties and friends staged a "Big Fat Kiss In" at Friday closing time in front of the Hearst building.  I participated in Big Fat Blog's Virtual Kiss in with a photo of my own.  I kissed and was kissed.

Right smack (hee hee) in the middle of all this hullabaloo about kissing, a new episode of Glee aired, with a kissing theme.  And intwined in the plot was a very sensitive and interesting story about two characters who had "never been kissed".  Both characters expressed their angst over never having been kissed and what that meant--were they good enough?  Were they desirable?  Would they ever find somebody to kiss?

And this strikes at a deep fear that many of us share--the fear that we are not kissable--that despite the prince (or princess) inside, folks just can't get past the "frogness" outside.

That's what makes Maura's post so dangerous and damaging.  That's also what makes the Kiss-ins so extraordinary.  This Kiss-ins show that Maura is just WRONG.  The kiss-ins remind us that we are all not only kissable, but liable to be bussed in public for all the world to see.  It's a simple and powerful statement--"It's not just the skinny chicks that get kissed.  Fat Chicks get kissed too, and some of OUR snogging is simply epic".

So, my little chicklettes, it's time to tell those who shame you or make you feel inadequate to "kiss off!"  And it's time to simply line everybody else up for a kiss.  Smile and share a smooch with somebody today.  Don't let ANYONE you love say they've never been kissed.

Love and Kisses,
The Fat Chick

Eat, Move, Live, and SHARE

I'm so excited!  I've been invited by the City of Hope to present fitness information and demonstrations as part of their Eat, Move, Live series.  In these sessions I meet with parents and children and help them learn how to integrate fitness into their daily lives.  We had the first session this past Tuesday and it was awesome!  You know, whenever I teach a new class, before I turn on the music and get everybody up and dancing, there's always a moment where my students are unsure.  They seem to ask themselves, "Can I do it?"  "Will it be too hard?"  "Will I hate it?"  "Will I look stupid?"  But after I turn on the music and get everybody started, there's that moment--usually halfway through the first song when I watch the questions on everybody's face turn to answers.  I watch their faces say, "Hey, I'm actually doing it!"  "It's not that bad!"  "It's actually kind of fun!"  "And I DON'T completely suck at it either."  Man, I gotta tell you, I love that moment.  As a teacher, it gets me totally jazzed.  I'd love for you to experience that moment too.

I wonder my dear friends, is there somebody in your life you could share that moment with right now?  Do you have a friend or a family member that just needs a little encouragement?  Is there somebody who just needs a little proof that they can do something totally amazing?  I want you to take a moment and think about it.  And if a name comes to mind, don't hesitate.  Call or email that person and help and share.  Because with all the talk about "runners high" and "endorphins", the high of helping somebody else find their strength, trumps all.

Oh and if you're in Southern California, and want to check out any of the two remaining sessions, don't forget to check my speaking schedule.  I can't wait to see you!

Love,

The Fat Chick

Acting Like a Kid Again

My newfound FAME, in the Pasadena Star News led to an opportunity to teach at a kids health camp in Duarte last week.  I led a 45-minute exercise class with about 25 young kids in it.  Was it ever a blast!  The kids were excited and enthusiastic about trying something new.  We did "dance around the world" with songs from Africa, Spain, Ireland, India, France and China.  We didn't talk much about exercise and we certainly didn't talk about thinning our thighs.  Some of the kids were genuinely surprised when I used the word "fat".  There were a few snickers and giggles, but mostly the kids just got down to the business of having a really good time.

And that's the point, right?

One of the problems with adult exercise is that so often, we lose track of what exercise's primary objective SHOULD be, which is having fun.  The minute exercise becomes about something else--fitting into a bathing suit, reducing numbers on a scale, toning your upper arms, the fun just leaks away.  And once the thrill is gone, it becomes a chore.  And we all know how we all feel about adding one more chore, right?

That's why it was so awesome dancing with these kids.  They were doing it just for the joy of it.  Nobody told them it was supposed to be hard work for them--so it wasn't.  So my dear chicklettes, that's my wish for you.  Take your inner child outside and play.  Swing on some swings.  Turn around in a circle until you get dizzy and fall down.  Turn on some fun music and boogie!  Above all, have fun.

Love,
The Fat Chick

Being Seen

Well, to say that it's been a while since I've posted is, um, an understatement.  But I've got an excuse!  I'm busy out there in the world being SEEN.  This might not seem like a big deal.  After all, my web site has like 20 pictures of me on it.  And my DVD is called The Fat Chick Works Out! for heaven's sake.  So it would seem that I am out there in the world.  And the answer is, well, kind of.  I've been out there in cyberspace.  I've been out there in spirit.  But I've kind of been hanging out, you know.  Not really putting it out there.  Hoping people would just find me and shower me with love.

But the time has come for me to take a more active role in taking my message out to the world.  And I've taken a few baby steps forward.  The picture above is from the NAAFA convention in San Francisco a few weeks ago.  There I am at a vendor table selling my DVDs.  I'm finally saying, "hey, I'm over here.  Come talk to me."  Believe it or not, even after all these years of working in size acceptance, fitness and health, it was still scary.  What if people don't like me?  What if they disapprove?  But I got to meet so many AWESOME people.  And I got to listen to so many inspiring stories of people reclaiming fitness for themselves.  It was so exciting.  And it was enough to get this girl right up off her big butt!

I have other exciting news to share, but I think I'll string it out over a few more posts--but only a few.  Because now that I've experienced the exhilaration of being OUT THERE in the world, I don't think I'll give it up for a while.  And neither should you!  Take your light out from under that bushel basket.  Wave it around and do an interpretive dance.  Film the whole thing and post it on YouTube!  Because by engaging in your own private act of courage and sharing, you help other people to do the same.

Oh, there you are.  Welcome back.

Love,
The Fat Chick

Thai Green Fishies

I promised to give you some fish recipes, so here goes.  This one is for Thai green curry fish and it's adapted from a recipe in Sunset magazine.  Yummy!

1 jar of thai green fish simmering sauce (like the one from Trader Joes)
2 14 oz. cans of light coconut milk
1.4 pounds mahi mahi or other firm fish
2 red peppers, seeded, cored and cut into 1/2 inch rings
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves washed and patted or spun dry
2 cups cooked white rice.

Put the curry simmer sauce in a food processor with half of the fresh basil leaves.  Process until the leaves are very finely minced and mixed with the sauce.  Pour the sauce into a 1 qt. saucepan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on low.  Cut the pieces into 4 or 5 ounce servings.  Dip the fish and the red pepper rings in the coconut/curry mixture.  Heat grill to medium high.  Grill fish on the center (hottest) part of the grill and the red peppers on the outside for 5 minutes until the red pepper rings are beginning to brown and the fish is cooked through.  Put the rice on a large platter.  Put the fish fillets and pepper rings over the rice.  Cover with the green curry mixture and sprinkle with fresh basil leaves.  Serve immediately with a crisp Asian-style beer like Singha.  Serves 4.

Having trouble finding the ingredients?  You can order them from my favorite Thai food exporter HERE.

Enjoy!

Love,
The Fat Chick

Something is a little bit fishy here...

As I have mentioned BEFORE, every month I try to tackle a new, very discrete, very tiny health habit.  I don't diet or engage in a "whole new way of eating".  I simply pick a small health habit and work on it.  This month's habit is FISH.  We all know that fish is good for us.  But there is increasing evidence that fish can significantly reduce our risks for heart disease and other health problems.  (Check THIS out...).

And fish is yummy.  Sometimes.  For a long time I didn't eat fish.  Truth be told, I hadn't really learned to enjoy fish until I tasted truly fresh fish.  A lot of my life I had frozen, reconstituted or just plain old fish.  And with apologies to those who think me ageist, old fish is bad fish.

So first and foremost, I've had to learn to find sources for really fresh fish.  I've been finding great tilapia and sockeye salmon at my local Fresh and Easy store.  And for the very freshest AND cheapest fish, look no further than your local, high volume, Asian Grocery.  I go to 99 Ranch.

I'm starting to compile some more fish recipes and pictures that I will share with you soon.  (Like THIS one, I posted back in April.)  In the meantime, here are some super easy ways to get fish into your diet:

1.  Canned tuna.  It's the perfect fast food.  Sprinkle it on salads, mix it with pasta, or even eat it straight out of the can.
2.  Fish tacos.  In a word, yum.  Go to your local, quality taqueria and order a few of these babies.  They are also usually very reasonably priced too!
3.  Canned salmon.  In addition to the yummy prep ideas listed above, you can make salmon cakes.  These are super yummy and freeze beautifully so you can make a bunch.  Recipes coming soon.

So for happy, healthy awesomeness I say, Go fish!

Love,
The Fat Chick