Extreme Fat Farm Experiment #1

OKOK,,,,, enough already. Time to come clean....... if I haven't blurted it out already.

The Extreme Fat Farm I operate....has how many members???
Do tell.

OK, ok.....it's really just me. I put myself into my own self orchestrated massive
Extreme Fat Farm Challenge.

The fat farm is just me and my big fat ego.
No members....other than me myself and I.

But since my readers are smarter than I am, y'all figured that out months ago no?

Sigh....feels good to be in the clear.

Ok, so now an update on the Extreme Fat Farm Experiment.( and thus it will be called from now on)

Well, so far I've convinced one other person to also jump  in her local lake too. Not my zone,but in her own local  zone's lake/bay. And I must say that I am quite surprised that someone actually took my advice at face value and tried it for herself. She said it was quite refreshing.

Have you done anything kooky lately and convinced someone else to try it too?
Did you spend many days, weeks....er months or even years trying to get someone to try that new thing you discovered?

Part of the miracle or natural wondrous power of a pure natural jump into the lake is the
massive change in temperature that quickly affects the whole body, mind and spirit.
Lakes are usually cooler rather than hot, and this cooling affect resets something in the inner core of our being.

I've written before about how Tony Robbins, ( yes THAT Tony Robbins) makes a regular habit of soaking in ice cold water before he gets going on one of his high octane conferences/seminars.
Tim Ferris is another celeb who also touts the extreme "inner reset" that occurs when you immerse your body in ice cold water. ( his own ice machine will bear testament to his extreme approval of this type of ice cold water plunge 'therapy".)

Well, that's all for now, friends. Thanks for riding with me this unruly moose called life.
Peaace.
Carla
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Extreme Fat Farm 8 No Numbers

Not gonna share the numbers yet....perhaps I will further on in this journey.
I want my family and friends to be able to read this blog years from now and see and sense the transformation.

This isn't a small journey. It  is life transforming.

i could talk about the weight loss. It has begun.

But I also know in my gut, that it is the muscle formation that is far more important than some bragger pounds of fat lost.

They...the little grey men...tell me that muscles weigh more than fat.
But the vain woman in me still wants to feel lighter...to see those measured numbers
go far below what I have carried with me for a portion of these my precious middle age years.

For a woman....of any age,....one's weight can become an unhealthy obsession.
But for others it is simply a tool to measure something to do with one's health and with one's appearance.

When I watch videos about IRON MAN competitions, I see the brilliantly lean muscle mass. I hear reports of 2% body fat.
2% body fat????

I would like to walk around and feel what it feels like to have that kind of body fat composition.
To feel what its like to trip lightly up a hundred stairs, to go for a 5 k bike ride in a few fast min.
To feel the waist of the pants I wear to rest lightly on my hips, not clinging madly to a plus size.
To tap lightly on harder abdominals....and know they can easily carry my frame into my next years.

i have discovered with glee, that the local industrial section, with huge flat parking lots, is wonderfully vacant on sundays. I can cycle for chunks of time without having to battle potholes and traffic and  staring motorists. Thx God. This new discovery is going to be a blessing.

Onward,
C.




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Extreme Fat Farm 7....Sometimes Moderation Will Not Do!

There's something else I want to write about.
Unfortunately the pressing idea has just briefly escaped me.

Oh great. I remember now.

There's this notion of boot camp.
and then there's this notion of moderation.

I have often been persuaded into the "do all things in moderation" way of living. It appeared prudent and has the appearance or illusion of calm wisdom.

But this is what I have discovered so far this summer. Sometimes moderation will not do.

Sometimes only the EXTREME will do. A MASSIVE change. A BIG step.

I have always been a big fan of baby steps, of small consistent steps in moderation to accomplish one big goal.

But the problemo with moderation....is that it's kinda hum ho...kinda dull and kinda boring.

Moderation will get you places....like a turtle, slow and steady wins the race.

But EXTREME is a heck of a lot more fun .....AND it gets you there faster!


So voila, the notion of the EXTREME FAT FARM.....where extreme notions turn into BIG ACTIONS to get obese, or overweight folks like me to take a flying leap into a freezing cold lake and just start walking. Walking and walking and walking in the cold water.

This EXTREME notion of motion in the cold water has resulted in weight loss and muscle formation and rejuvenation of emotions and mentality.

It wasn't about making some mild and gentle daily strut around the block. It was about....I am sick and tire of this crap and I am going to make  a BIG CHANGE....and NO ONE and NOTHING is going to stop me.

I had in my mind this notion of a boot camp. Where folks run hot....run fast and furious like mad for
like 1 or 2 weeks straight and transform their bodies and mentalities so that they become fit for army service.

Well, life is sometime as challenging as army service. WE neeed to have the tools to perform the service that life demands.One BIG TOOL is our physical body.

It will either be able to carry you through to accomplish your goals or it will fail you and will wind up at some diet and exercise club with some stupid monthly payment and a "gentle plan" designed by some spandex king with a condescending disgust for "older" folks.

No thankyou.  I will design my own EXTREME FAT FARM....and it will knock that sucker out of the park.

with a practical  toothy grin,
Carla.


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Extreme Fat Farm 6

Ok second post in one day. I wanted to fess us something.
These results I am getting are not only from lake walking.
A little bit of cycling has come into the picture.
Not oodles, but every now and then, my purty pink bike is doing it's  thing.

So there, it's off my chest.

Sometimes the lake walking has morphed into swimming.....sometimes not.

Sometimes the lake walking changes into a bike ride.

I am not talking IRON MAN levels yet....but hey  I have put no limits into what I am headed for.

This body was headed for middle age hell...and I just woke up one day and said....No. Not today, not me. NO!

and so I began with a giant blasted leap into a very chilly local lake and away I have gone.


Peace part 2,
Carla.


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Extreme Fat Farm 5

new beach today. new area to water walk/swim. High waves....very rocky lake bottom.
Turns out my MEC dry bag is more "water resistant, than water proof..."  because I see too many
water droplets when I unravel the folding top of the bag after swimming.

So I've invested in a waterproof small size clear cell phone bag from the same MEC. I must admit...I really just love going into that store....browsing the kayaks, the "instant meals on the run" for those who love sports and camping and adventure as much or more than I do".

The great Napoleon Hill, I think it was, talked about how "Thoughts are things" and that when you are often around people who think positively and with energetic prosperous ideas, that it affects you and how you yourself think and feel when you walk through an area. MEC has very  cool people working there, full of energy and great ideas. The customers too are like minded and understand the call of  the water.

Well, back to today's water walk. Since I  used a new area for water walking/swimming...I didn't have the same measured out area to "lap". So I just used the nearest buoys to walk/swim between.
The lake was very wavy today, so the going was slow. But I brought a trusty new floaty board with me today to help me battle the waves.

I presume that authentic lake swimmers would frown on the use of a floaty board, but alas, I don't really care. Lol.

Have you done anything wacky outside the box lately to help you reach some goals?

Sometimes, doing something extreme that other folks would call "odd" is just the ticket to the progress you are craving.

It's probably been about a month now  and I must say that......Jumping straight into a very cold lake was just the ticket for me.


Peace,
Carla.






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Extreme Fat Farm 4

The Lake was too warm today. How bizarre. How can it be that a great big lake like Lake Simcoe can actually become warm???

Perhaps there is a good side to this....that if I actually feel the water being too warm, that this might just mean that my body is becoming more acclimated, in a good way, to spending significant time in lake water.

Perhaps also, this is the first day I actually have a tiny bit of understanding what Tony Robbins and Tim Ferriss struggle with, in seeking out very icy water for ice cold baths, to shock their systems regularly into higher performance mode.

I never thought I would understand the attraction to going into ice cold water. To me it was always something to run away from. But my experience this summer with the mental and physical rejuvenation I attribute to regular walks in the cool lake water, has changed my mind.

Do you have extreme ways you use to boost you into a high performance mode?
Do share.

Peace,
Carla.

P.S. If you're looking for some entertainment that will also double as a motivational speech, try the two following biographical flicks currently on Netflix...by the names of "Kim Swims" and "The Iron Cowboy".


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Extreme Fat Farm 3

Yes yes yes....you've noticed I am not politically correct when I talk about "fat-ness".
The reason being....that yes, I have been there and done that myself....live and in living color.


I have faced almost every obstacle that any other overweight human being has or is facing.

That's why I refuse to sugar coat it....for lack of a better word.

Here are some of the obstacles that are being overcome
as the Extreme Fat Farm Challenge continues with 
Epic Lake Walks.

DISCLAIMER: This blog post, as well as any other post in this blog is  intended for conversational purposes only, not for medical advice. Please always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner. Any exercise discussed in this blog post or any other post on this blog should be approved by your medical practitioner before undertaking. Use proper water safety and supervision
when in or near lake water at all times. Use a life jacket if recommended for your condition by your doctor and/or the lifeguards.

Obstacle: When humans are overweight or obese, there are usually blood sugar control issues that creep into the state of the body. These sugar issues can dramatically impact regular daily life and also the ability or willingness to participate in hard core exercise. When an obese person has trouble with his/her body regulating it's blood sugar levels, he/she may be extremely fearful of engaging in hard exercise because he/she may rightly fear the potential for a "low blood sugar crisis".
A low blood sugar episode can  trigger a fainting spell and a mental and emotional panic while he/she scrambles to supply to his/her body the blood sugar  boost it needs as quickly as possible.
Answer:
I don't know the proper medically correct answer for this......but for me, it has worked in my favor simply to power through that fear and do the exercise anyway.....but in the gentleness of cool lake water, while trying to make sure I have a sweet snack on hand to boost the blood sugar after the hard core exercise is done....such as with a melted freezie on hand in my bag by the lake.

Obstacle: Worrying about appearances when you may have been hiding from showing your body in public for years....or at least for what seems like years.
Answer: Do it anyway. Despite what we may feel about our "imperfect" physiques.....it
really doesn't matter what any other human mutters or thinks about yours or my appearance. Let them point and stare .....let them take photos if they so choose. Be proud of your beautiful human body....no matter it's current state. God gave your body to you. Wear your body with pride. Chin up.

Lake walking can help you remold your physique to function the way you need it to ....in order to support your life's goals and dreams.



Obstacle: What to WEAR??? Nothing fits or the things that do fit are so costly.
Answer: Suck it up, buttercup. Don't ever allow your lack of fashionable fitness attire dictate whether you exercise or not. Wear whatever you have and if you have to wear your own tshirt and cut off pants into the lake to start your walks....then do so. Just make sure that you are always safe and
that your clothes are not weighing you down too much as you walk in the lake. Clothing such as tshirts and cloth shorts are still going to weigh much more when they get wet than if you wear an old bathing suit. My current fave "lake walking attire" is an old one piece bathing suit with a small tshirt over top for modesty sake. Note that it will be easier to walk in a bathing suit that is designed for being wet and functional than in any clothes made from regular fabrics.


Obstacle: People or perhaps YOU might think that walking instead of swimming in a lake in public is weird. Kinda like those folks who are "mall walkers" and strut in their joggers round and round the interior of a shopping mall before the stores open.

Answer: Well, the point is one of the BIGGEST obstacles ALL of us face whenever we try to move ahead is overcoming the fear of what other people or even ourselves may think of us if we do something that is a little out of the ordinary.

My question is this....Do you really want to waste your life being ordinary? Have you been able to accomplish you goals by doing what you think "looks cool"????
I rest my case.

Well, that's enough chit chat for now. Embrace your goals. Write them down. Speak them outloud to yourself and God six times a week. Be proud of your goals. You deserve to accomplish very  Interesting things. Your body was given to you by God to permit you to accomplish wonderful things.
Be encouraged today. Small Changes begin with little steps in a brand new direction.

Peace,
Carla.

P.S. If you're looking for some entertainment that will also double as a motivational speech, try the two following biographical flicks currently on Netflix...by the names of "Kim Swims" and
 "The Iron Cowboy".





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Extreme Fat Farm 2

If the regular "watch your diet and exercise"theme song worked for most folks, all of us would be fit and trim as star athletes. We wouldn't be running around in oversized stretch pants and XXL tshirts.
We wouldn't be hiding from bathing suits and swimming pools and muttering about the folks who actually feel good about their bodies and have good energy.

But methinks that many of us, need an Extreme Jolt to get our bodies in motion again.


Jumping in the lake...yes literally.....provides that extreme jolt and then some. The cold wakes up, and
cleanses out the cosmic dust of the day. The natural aspects are just fun distractions from the sand that clings to everyone and everything.

The other day I saw a seagull fly with a live wiggling fish in it's beak ....the sideshow was the entourage of other gulls that came to poach his dinner.  I swoosh away the floating flying ants that dot the translucent green lake path. I try not to step on anything that doesn't look like sand.

So, what's the progress so far with the fat farm?

No weight loss yet. Like as in NONE.

I told you there were no guarantees.

But here's the good part, the good and noticeable improvements:

Accumulation of new muscle tone and noticeable firming of abdominal and leg muscle area. Skin is smoother as these muscles are being used in the water in a gentle and persistent transition. Starting to feel more "put together". Energy lasts longer throughout the day with fewer energy drops in late afternoon.What was 4 lengths is now 6 lengths of the buoyed off area. There is now Less morning stiffness of both leg and feet joints.

A "high" similar to what is called "runner's high" kicks in a few hours after the lake walks.
The positive mental and physical mega boost affects everything.....the ability to problem solve,
optimism towards life and one's own physical future. An ability to handle a little bit less sleep.

The lake drops our inner core temperature to a wonderful new low. It's like a huge RESET button is hit to the metabolism. The modern motivators Tony Robbins and Tim Ferriss both are great fans
 of  dunking into freezing cold water. They loudly laud the positive effects of this temp "RESET".

Tim Ferris, if I am to understand his podcasts accurately, has installed an ice making machine in his home in order to be able to have icebaths whenever he needs that kind of "RESET". Tony Robbins jumps into very chilly water before he starts off his day to conduct one of his high powered motivational conferences.

Temperature jolts are  a new tool in my creative tool box. I  recall how being outside in winter weather often provided that jolt that created a positive mental stream, but I had really forgotten what it felt like to be in the lake and really enjoy myself.


Peace,
C.

P.S. If you're looking for some entertainment that will also double as a motivational speech, try the two following biographical flicks currently on Netflix...by the names of "Kim Swims" as well as  "The Iron Cowboy".











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