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January 4, 2007
It’s a New Year and a New Me
Two new me(s)
Happy New Year! And welcome to BOTH of the new me(s)!! First off, I’m proud to announce that my dark side finally got to come out and play, and Alyssa (yes, she has her own name, it’s scary) is having a fabulous time! Check her out for a sneak peek at my super cool movie-style book trailer and an excerpt of the first book in her/my Warriors of Poseidon series, ATLANTIS RISING, here . Alyssa is being featured on the cover of the March issue of the Romantic Times BOOK reviews magazine, the wench. (Not that I’m bitter since I never got my own cover story, but whatever.)
The second new me is the one who’s going to get healthy and into better shape!! So it’s healthier eating and more exercise for me. The lovely and talented Navy Guy came through in the Christmas buying department and gave me this wonderful Xavix system, where I now box with Jackie Chan and run obstacle courses through the streets of Hong Kong, fighting ninjas, these days. It’s a load of fun and, as my editor said, helps work off the tension . . . Keep reading till the end of the post for my special LC new me challenge and a chance to win a copy of ATLANTIS RISING!
Speaking of working off tension . . . As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago after the cookie spectacular , my new me would include a report on the evil diet industry in America. My outrage has been building for a long time, but then I happened to have one of those straw/camel’s back moments. I read an essay by the editor of a very famous national weight loss magazine in which she said:
Nothing makes a woman feel better than looking great in her jeans.
Now, some of you may be nodding at that statement, because you have been brainwashed by the media and the fashion industry and the multi-billion-dollar diet industry, but let me break you OUT of the crazy right now and reply:
Are you, Ms. Editor, out of your FREAKING MIND?????
Okay, so I know this was a throwaway line and almost certainly does not reflect this woman’s life philosophy. But the fact that the line was in this major magazine, totally dedicated to weight loss (and buy our products, sign up for our program, give us your money), made me cringe.
Nothing makes a woman feel better than - - - LOOKING GREAT IN HER JEANS????
What about - Nothing makes a woman feel better than:
Playing with her children?
Building houses for Habitat for Humanity?
Teaching someone to read?
Caring for an elderly parent?
Achieving a long-held career goal?
Graduating from college?
Having coffee with a good friend?
Taking her dog for a walk at sunset?
Or, really, anything that has any sort of non-superficial, non-shallow, non-commercial (hey, Levis! Seven! Lee! Nothing makes us feel as good as fitting in your product! We’re brainless women!!) and even – GASP! – possibly soul-fulfilling value to our lives?
But, no. We’re women. We only aspire to look great in our jeans. Can you imagine if this were turned around? Think of a Budweiser Super Bowl commercial:
DRINK BUD LITE, BECAUSE Nothing makes a MAN feel better than FITTING IN HIS JEANS.
Yeah. That’s what I thought.
Okay, here’s the challenge: Sign up in the comments to join me on my lose weight/get healthy journey. We’ll check in periodically to see how it’s going. Anybody who stays with me faithfully, reports in with me regularly here in the comments when I talk about the healthy me challenge, and either loses 10 pounds or reaches a new fitness goal (running a mile, lifting weights, whatever your goal is) by March 4th will win an autographed copy of ATLANTIS RISING! (Up to a max of 25 copies; author’s supplies are limited. Hee.)
A new year and a new me. Or 2. And a new you. May all your resolutions be as easy to swallow as all those cookies were for me. . . .
Hugs,
Alesia, whose only resolution is to be happy
Posted by Alesia at 6:00 AM | Comments (35)
Comments
I'm in! but 10 pounds by 04 MAR??! Holy crap!
Jen
Posted by: Jen at January 4, 2007 7:35 AM
Is that woman serious?? Never mind. Don't answer that. Aside from the very practical and wonderful options you listed, Alesia, it offends the fashionista in me, because fact is, NOT EVERY WOMAN LOOKS GOOD IN JEANS, no matter what they weigh or what kind of shape they're in. Especially if the fashion industry insists on torturing us with ridiculous styles such as peg leg or skinny jeans better meant for a twelve year old boy, rather than a woman who's had kids. Or legs so flared they make someone who's only 5'2" look like the smokestack on a tugboat. Not that I'm bitter or anything...
Puh-leeze.
I'm in. And no, don't laugh. I'm not in it to lose another size or weight-- just redistribute muscle and also act as encouragement and wet noodle flogger. Besides, I skipped working out for nearly three weeks over the holidays and went back yesterday and I'm paying...
Posted by: Barb at January 4, 2007 8:42 AM
Definitely in on the fitness regime. Too much extra padding has to be turned into muscle. Will workout seriously towards this goal.
Posted by: sharon at January 4, 2007 10:18 AM
Becoming lazy is not a good idea so I have an urge to tighten up and get back to the original weight from over a year ago.
Posted by: pearl at January 4, 2007 10:28 AM
I am committed to this new goal. No matter how long it takes or how hard it is I will achieve this and before it is too late to move.
Posted by: ellie at January 4, 2007 10:37 AM
Weight loss definitely, tone up a must and endurance even more. I need this badly. Thanks for the motivation.
Posted by: alissa at January 4, 2007 10:42 AM
I'm so in.
Posted by: Whitney at January 4, 2007 11:33 AM
Great idea! Thanks for providing me with a new interest which is productive to my mind and body. It will be hard but I hope worth it in the long run.
Posted by: joelle at January 4, 2007 11:51 AM
I love you ALL!!! I'm just back from the doctor's - had a bit of a scare. Bad bloodwork news and I was afraid it was diabetes (much, MUCH in family) but it's NOT! Yay! Something different and entirely fixable. However, there was also a slight cholesterol issue. My doctor said to drink a glass of red wine with dinner. I LOVE that woman!! hee. But the scare was enough to reinforce my goal to get on track! Also, joined WW today and sat in the packed room with all the other new year, new me people. Best tip from the day: ACHIEVABLE goals. For me, a perpetual "set insurmountable goals" person, this was something I had to WRITE DOWN.
This is our year, Chicklets! Healthy, healthy, healthy.
Posted by: Alesia Holliday ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.literarychicks.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 4, 2007 12:42 PM
Oh, and Jen, 10 pounds is only a little over a pound a week, which I thought was reasonable. But if it's not for anybody, pick an ACHIEVABLE GOAL! (phrase of the day!) yippee! I feel healthier already!
Posted by: Alesia Holliday at January 4, 2007 12:44 PM
I'm in, too! Ten pounds by March 4! Yippee!
The LC Eileen
Posted by: The LC Eileen at January 4, 2007 12:54 PM
BTW, I love that your dark side has her own name!
Posted by: Whitney at January 4, 2007 1:10 PM
>BTW, I love that your dark side has her own name!
She also has to have her own black leather author photo, don't y'all think?
Posted by: Barb at January 4, 2007 1:20 PM
Ooo, yes, that's a great idea! I think Alyssa would also wear really heavy, smudged black eyeliner, red hot lipstick and rocker-chick hair!
Posted by: Whitney at January 4, 2007 1:24 PM
Trust me, when I'm handing in those books with the hot, sometimes slightly kinky sex scenes to my agent (who is a GUY), I'm thrilled to say "Alyssa did it." And, yes, Alyssa has red snakeskin pants for the RT convention . . .
Posted by: Alesia Holliday at January 4, 2007 1:32 PM
Oh, I'm so in. And ten pounds sounds reasonable to me. I'd like more, but ten is reasonable.
And I'm totally jealous of the Xavix.
Posted by: Janet at January 4, 2007 1:58 PM
One of my goals this year is to get back into the kind of shape I was in in the Army. I need to lose 15-20 lbs, but the real goal now is just to start running regularly again. (If I do that the weight will follow lol.) I'm aiming for about 10 miles a week by March. ;)
Posted by: Loribelle at January 4, 2007 2:01 PM
I don't have a scale (sometimes good, sometimes bad). But I am toying with the idea of joining up the 100 miles in a 100 days thing. (I already walk roundtrip a half a mile to my car, so doubling that should be so super easy, in theory...)
Posted by: RandomRanter at January 4, 2007 2:24 PM
I, too, need to get back to excercising. So, I am in. I will set my goal as 2 treadmill days per week and 2 or 3 yoga days per week.
Am I the only one that is getting tired of seeing the diet commercials 20x a day on tv, right now?
Posted by: Brandy at January 4, 2007 3:39 PM
100 miles in 100 days sounds pretty good, too! Or the equivalent on the elliptical. Or running the streets of Hong Kong. Oooh! Must go fight some ninjas!
Posted by: Alesia Holliday at January 4, 2007 3:39 PM
I'm not going to lie and pretend I'm going to lose weight, but I do promise to eat relatively heathfully and to stay active!
Also: I think finally finishing my @#%% PhD felt SO MUCH better than fitting into any jeans ever will. Add to that getting my driver's license, seeing my first book in print, and reuniting with friends I haven's seen in a long time.
Posted by: Beth at January 4, 2007 3:51 PM
THANK YOU, Beth!! Rubbing my puppy's belly, playing SceneIt with the kids, holding Navy Guy's hand, the list has been running through my head all day - all the things that make me feel better than "looking fabulous in a pair of jeans." aargh.
Posted by: Alesia Holliday at January 4, 2007 4:21 PM
I want to play. Really. But it wouldn't be fair. I just had gastric bypass so I'll lose at a different rate. How about if I join you chicklets on the elliptical just to feel like one of the gang? Just give me till Monday to get over a bout of diverticulitis. (Nothing makes a girl feel festive on New Year's Eve like having an ultrasound wand in her hoohoo. Not.)
Posted by: Janina at January 4, 2007 4:35 PM
Janina, take care of yourself! And of course you can play - this is about making healthy choices more than a number on a scale.
Posted by: Alesia Holliday at January 4, 2007 7:19 PM
I'm definitely willing to give it a try! Just had a new knee put in in oct. and need to lose weigh for the other knee, my heart, etc. This may just be what I need to stay on track!
Posted by: Joyce at January 5, 2007 12:04 AM
Ok, I'm in. I just went to my doctor this week (nasty sinus infection) and was weighed (shudder) and I need to get blood work done in the beginning of March. I was diabetic when I was pregnant so I get checked every year.
I also love to play Scene It. My son kicks butt on the Nickelodeon version.
Posted by: Terri at January 5, 2007 8:01 AM
Check out www.theshut-in.com!
Posted by: Eileen at January 5, 2007 9:05 AM
I'm in too! 10 pounds by March 2nd for me - as that's my birthday!! ;-)
I've been using this online food diary where you type in what you ate and how much exercise you did and it calculates everything for you. It's called MyFoodDiary.com. It's really easy to use and only $9 a month.
My real resolution though is to get into better shape. Will full time job, writing, and friends it's hard to motivate to the gym!! But I swear I'm going to do better this year.
Good luck everyone!! :)
Marianne
Posted by: Marianne Mancusi at January 5, 2007 11:08 AM
I'm in!! I've been meaning to do this anyway, but it's awesome to have inspiration.
Berni
Posted by: Berni at January 5, 2007 8:38 PM
Before today, I would have said there's nothing better than looking great in a pair of jeans.
Then my baby decided to finally CRAWL and crawled to me, her mama!
Jeans are a close second, though. On an even scale, though, would be out-shrinking your favorite pair of jeans so that you have to go out and buy new jeans you look even better in. Hurrah for breastfeeding-related weight loss!
Posted by: Jennifer at January 6, 2007 9:00 PM
Ugh. Stupid TypeKey refuses to sign me in. Again. For the 100th time.
Anyway, I'm in. I joined the gym back at the beginning of August and then got sidelined by a bunch of travel. And haven't been back. Plus, we're going on a cruise in April and I want to be able to fully enjoy running all over the ship.
Posted by: Dia at January 7, 2007 2:27 PM
I am not going to commit to a weight thing--those always freak me out and then I start craving all these crazy foods and I GAIN weight! but I have a treadmill gathering dust (okay, the dust may actually be dust bunnies multiplying, but I digress) so I will make a commitment to get on the damn thing at least once a day for 10 minutes. I need to lose weight and what not so this may be the push I need to get off my expanding backside and work off some of this baby fat that has been with me for 13 years... Hey, I can claim it as baby fat because it came at the same time the baby did! It just never left....*grin*
Posted by: Sheri at January 9, 2007 9:40 PM
Hopping in late, but count me in. Time to put the bowflex back to the use it was intended for and not an extra bench to store things on
Posted by: Lis at January 11, 2007 7:42 PM
Okay, I'm in. Gotta see Alyssa in the red snake skin pants at RT. Going to hit the gym while my youngest is in preschool. They are right next to each other.
-Serena
Posted by: Serena at January 11, 2007 11:45 PM
I'm in for losing 10 pounds by March 4th! It's so awesome that you are doing this! I am going to a personal trainer 3 times a week so this is extra incentive.
Congrats. Alyssa, on the cover of Romantic Times. I am a faitful reader of RT.
Whooo Hoooo. I am ready to get into this.
Becky
Posted by: Becky at January 14, 2007 12:40 AM
