If you saw this

If you saw this:

what would come to your mind? Would it be this:

If you saw this:

how could you not smile?

If you read this:

would you be surprised to see it on this:

If you saw this:



will you still be my friend?

Secret keeper

I've been keeping a little secret. No. I am not pregnant. The last one almost killed me, so I'm not going there again. Anyway, this is not exactly a huge secret. I've actually talked about it several times in the past, but now I've got more to show than just talk about.

The INShape Indiana video segments I've been shooting since last fall have been arriving in people's e-mail boxes and on the INShape website. The first two of six episodes have been released. That's my big secret. Sorry if you were expecting something more fun.

When INShape Indiana approached me, they said they were looking for an "everywoman" type person. From the very beginning, I've been putting myself out there as honestly as possible. I'm not a fitness or nutrition expert (obviously). I'm just one person trying, not always successfully,  to build healthy habits for myself and my family.  For the record, I am not getting rich doing these. In fact, I didn't get paid for my participation at all. Of course, being asked to participate was quite ego-stroking which, as any attention-loving Leo will tell you, is priceless.

The first episode was e-mailed out a couple of weeks ago. I didn't rush right over here to tell you because I'm a little uneasy about it. I agreed to do the shoots last fall when I much thinner. I didn't know at the time that the process would go on for as long as it has and that I would gain 20+ pounds from fall to spring. So I feel a little hypocritical. There are plenty of people (like my friend Liz) who are making some great strides in the health and fitness arena. But I hope people are able to relate to my experiences -- and to the piles of folded laundry stacked on my couch that can be seen in the background of some episodes!

Although only two episodes have been released, I've seen four of them. I really like what I hear. I just don't like what I see. Whoever said the camera adds 10 pounds grossly underestimated. And why didn't Jason, the camera guy tell me that my necklace did not match my sweater in episode 2?! (Because he's a man, that's why.)

The process has been really fun. Jason and the rest of the crew from Cantaloupe TV have been great to work with. The style of the videos is like me -- casual and approachable. I've met some great people along the way. Maybe this will be my big break and I'll be discovered. 4thFrog TV? Who knows?

So...enough talk.

Meet Amy...Episode 1



and Episode 2



If you want to be among the first to see the new episodes as they are released, head over to the INShape Indiana website and sign up for their newsletter (bottom right of the homepage).

So...That's the big secret. Hope it was worth your time.

911 Fragments

Ok, I promise that this will be the last of the posts having to do with my little adventure on Tuesday. But I still have random thoughts tied to the experience and thought what better way to use 'em up than in a Friday Fragments post.

On hospital food: After I got settled into my room in the cardiac observation unit, the nurse told me if I was hungry I could just pick up the phone and order room service. Given that my usual response to stress is to eat and that I hadn't eaten anything for about 6 hours, I thought that sounded like a great idea. Imagine my disappointment to find that chocolate frosted chocolate cupcakes were not on the heart-healthy menu in front of me! But I could have all the low-sodium chicken noodle soup, sugar-free gelatin and Diet Pepsi (ugh! Sorry, Uncle Bill) I wanted.

On faith: The hospital I went to was one I've been boycotting because of some bad experiences we've had there in the past, even though it is a Catholic hospital and I like to keep my emergencies within the flock. However, it was the closest one to the kids' school and given that I thought I might be dying or at least having a heart attack, I decided to let bygones be bygones. One of the first things I noticed in the observation room was a crucifix over the door. I was immediately washed over with a sense of comfort and peace. I knew I was in the right place. And for the record, the care I received was excellent.

On cutting the cord: One of the toughest parts of the experience was to be without my laptop for 12+ hours. God bless Mike for bringing it to me at 9:30pm. In the absence of the laptop, I made do with Facebooking and texting from my cell phone. Yesterday, catching up on e-mails from work, I read one from my boss to all our staff that said "Amy is making up for not having a laptop by texting six times as usual." Seriously, if I was without my laptop and my smartphone for that long, I think I'd have a coronary for real.

On potassium: My friend Beth is a dietitian. I was telling her that I didn't know how my potassium could be low because I'd had a banana for breakfast on Tuesday morning. She said that bananas don't really have has much potassium as people think. (Sorry Chiquita banana lady.) In fact, she said for potassium, you'd be better off eating a whole fresh orange. Who knew?

On with the show: When I got home on Wednesday, I did lay down to take a nap. But once the boys came home from school, it was business as usual. Mike and the kids did a good job of picking up the house while I was gone,  (I should be hospitalized more often!) but I loaded the breakfast dishes that were waiting there, went to school to pick Annie up from play practice, met up with my favorite camera dude at the grocery store on the corner to shoot another IN Shape Indiana segment, then went to the grocery store. When the doctor said I could resume my normal activities, I don't think he knew what I was in for.

On grocery stores and milk: I still have more Nature's Dairy milk coupons for you Central Indiana people. 

Thanks once again to Mrs. 4444s for hosting today's Friday Fragments. That's one thing that's always good for the heart. And if Friday Fragments don't give you enough of a lift going into the weekend, check out the great links on Boost My Blog Friday at Design it Chic:

10 things that go up

1. Airplanes
2. Hot air balloons
3. The price of gas
4. A zipper
5. Umbrellas in the rain
6. Eyebrows
7. The hair on the back of your neck
8. Your hand when you know the answer
9. An aroused fellow
10. My weight

Ugh! I knew this post was a possibility. Heck, I might have even known it was a probability. But now, it's a reality -- one that I need to face and then to change. I have gained about 12 pounds since the beginning of summer.

It started with an interruption in my gym routine. It gained momentum with the "it's too hot to cook, let's go out to dinner/order in" phenomenon. But what has really done me in is the rash, often secretive, emotional eating that I've given into with increasing frequency.

I can feel the weight gain in the way my clothes feel. My newer, smaller clothes are snug. My old, fat clothes don't swim on me the way they did in May. It shows in my face (and likely my butt, except thankfully, I don't have to look at that.) I don't have as much energy. But I do have a renewed resolve for getting back on track.

In just 8 days, a camera crew (well, probably one dude with a video camera) will be at my house to interview me for a 4-part web series that IN Shape Indiana is working on. If there's one motivation to pass up the fries and hit the treadmill, it's that someone will be holding a camera in your face, asking about how you work to develop healthy habits for you and your family. And I'll be honest -- which is what they've told me they want. It's a struggle. It takes planning and dedication and an ability to see the possibilities on the other side of the mint chocolate chip ice cream.

So there. I've spilled my secret (which probably wasn't a secret to anyone who has seen me recently). And now I'm going to do something about it. With some hard work, and a little bit of luck, soon enough I'll be blogging about 10 things that go down.