Day 2 of Transition

Breakfast
Handful of Cashews
Banana
Bacon
Tea with Stevia and Almond Milk

Lunch
Cashews
Dried Mango
Pistachio, Dried Cranberry, and Agave Bar

Snack
Green Juice made with Kale, Agave, Lemon, Apple, and Cucumber

Dinner
Salad with carrots, tomato, balsamic
Steak
Margherita

So yeah. I had a margherita. Not exactly Paleo even a little bit but it was one drink out with friends so I'm not going to sweat it.

BTW. Green juice is kinda gross. I'll put spinach in ANY smoothie but guys. SO GROSS.

There and Back Again

In an effort to refocus this blog more on my personal goals and to get back into the swing of things, I've developed a plan. When I was eating Paleo, the biggest question I got was, "How? Just how could you do it? What do you eat then?"

So in a nutshell, that's what I'll be doing here, whilst also giving you some insight into my goings on in my life.

All I can really say is that in the last year I've been through a lot of stuff that has had some less than positive effects on my health and my relationship to it, but that's a battle we all face daily for the rest of our lives. You can't fail if you keep trying, so here I am; An emotionally broken, more artistically successful, and slightly plumper me trying to navigate whatever this new reality is with a little bit of dignity.

Today I did alright. I hadn't done all my shopping at the beginning of the day so I sort of made do with whatever was around until dinner time. Also I was distracted by catching up on Legend of Korra and Outlander. Sue me.

Today's log:

Breakfast
Mango/Banana Smoothie

Lunch
Mango/Banana Smoothie
Eggs

Dinner
Steak marinated in EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar
Salad with sauteed onion and sweet pepper

Cranberry/Pistachio/Agave Bar

Winter Workouts: Staying Fit During the Holidays

Don't hibernate: stay active this holiday season!

[source]

Hey Slayers, Simone here! I know winter, for those of us in colder climes, can be a downer sometimes -- you have to bundle up, watch for ice, scrape snow off of your car, and say goodbye to the sun. It's also the time when many of us are tempted by holiday cookies, seasonal alcohol (Southern Tier's Krampus, anyone?), and a strong desire to hibernate until the sun comes back.

I'll stay in here, thanks! [source]

Don't let go of all of your progress this December! Get a leg up on the New Year's resolution crowd and take advantage of the fitness opportunities winter has to offer.

1. Shoveling

You don't have much choice on this one, and I know no one looks forward to it, but it is a great workout. A snowblower may be faster, but if you're not in a hurry, shoveling can really get your heart rate up. If you're feeling generous or don't have a driveway of your own to shovel, you could also help out a neighbor or a friend!

I'd say he could use your help, but it looks like he's got it under control. [source]

2. Snowshoeing

If you've been walking to Mordor with Anne and Nerd Fitness, why not change up the scenery a little and go for a snowy hike? Places like REI offer free introductory classes as well as gear rentals if you're looking to try it out for the first time. 

"One does not simply snowshoe into Mordor" just doesn't have the same ring to it. [source]

3. Cross-country Skiing

Fly across the snow and get a great workout while you're at it! If snowshoeing isn't your thing, rent some skis and hit the trails that way! 

[source]

4. Snowboarding

Winter surfing! Sure, gravity helps get you to the bottom, but there is a lot of coordination involved here. You'll be feeling your core the next day! (And, for those of us less-coordinated folks, we might be feeling sore from our repeated falls, too. We all start somewhere, right?)

[source]

5. Winter Fun

Not interested in snowshoeing? No access to snowboarding locations? No worries! You can stay active just by playing outside. Going sledding? Those hikes up the sled hill will get your legs working! What about making a snowman, building a fort, or having a snowball fight? 

This takes snow forts to a whole new level. [source]

Finally, if you're lacking both motivation and snow, now is a great time to investigate a new class or activity. Use the regularly scheduled time and a workout buddy to keep you accountable. Skip the cold and try a yoga class, martial arts, crossfit, zumba, spin, fencing, swing dancing, etc!

What are your favorite ways to stay active and avoid hibernating during the winter?

--Simone

Is it spring yet? [source]

Project Reroll's Holiday Wishlist

It's that time of year folks! Here are 10 Holiday Gift Ideas for Slayers!

1. Meat Thermometer: Even if you're not eating Paleo, protein is power. Delicious protein that's cooked properly will only make you want to make and eat more. It's the gift that keeps on giving.
2. Food Processor: You can get your feet wet with more complicated recipes that keep things interesting. You can also use this to make Paleo treats to get you through the hard times without breaking your diet rhythm.
3. Sewing Machine: When it comes to cosplay, this is an eventual must buy for everyone! This is certainly on my list after doing hand sewing on four different costumes. Time is of the essence when it comes to your hobbies and I definitely don't want to craft at the expense of crunches! Here is a great pinterest page of sewing machines that my friend Angela from The Anomaly Podcast put together to help me choose my first one!
4. Fitbit or other Distance/Pedometer/Calorie Monitor: Monitoring everything is a real key to learning what your specific body and lifestyle needs for success. Everyone is different and if you don't start tracking your calories in/calories out and general activity level, you may not know how to make the changes you need!
5. A great set of non-stick pans: If you're going to make cooking a major staple of your life, you'll want to make sure you set yourself up for success! It's definitely an investment, but you'll be loving yourself when you have all the equipment you need to make a variety of dishes in the kitchen with minimum effort for cleanup. 
6. Netflix Subscription: All geeks love binge watching their favorite show. The best part about netflix is that it will keep track of where you are in each series and you can load it on to mobile devices and take them to the gym with you. I have whole series that I've only watched on the elliptical machine and treadmills. It's a great motivator when you make a contract with yourself that you'll only watch reruns at the gym!
7. Gym Membership: This is one of those things that we all complain that we can't afford. Using up my bday present to ask for a gym membership last year was the best thing I ever did. Now I do most of my working out on my own, but having a place to go and resources to pull from is incredible in the beginning. Plus, most gyms will offer classes so you can easily mix it up or try something new!
8. Etsy: Supporting fellow crafty slayers is awesome. You'll find unique gifts that help people show their fandoms in ways that can't be mass produced. You'll find outerwear, ornamets, jewelry, and all sorts of nick nacks. Seriously. It's your friend. 
9. Nerd Fitness Books: These guides are incredible and written for people like you and me. There are a lot of tips for working out outside of the gym and of course advice on diet and getting your feat wet in running, lifting, and much more. I really couldn't recommend supporting Nerd Fitness more! 
10. Geeky Gym Attire: Wearing my geeky Teefury t's and my Mockingjay pin to the gym gives me the extra push I need to work out like the badass I want to be rather than the lazy wimp I sometimes feel like. I love to keep my connection between my fandoms and my fitness going throughout my day to day life because it reinforces the idea that these things are no longer separate. Plus, imagining you're a tribute and your life is going to be on the line is a huge motivator! You can always check out the Project Reroll store for t-shirts, waterbottles, and more! #shamelessplug

So Happy Holidays, Slayers! Thanks for reading and for all you've done to support me and my guest bloggers this year! If you have any things you think people should have on their wishlists, then add them in the comments! What are you asking Chthulu- I mean Santa- for this year?

Become Galadriel: Creating Charisma through Self Empowerment

Last week I became fascinated by an article posted by The Art of Manliness about establishing a sense of power in relationship to people around you in order to make oneself more charismatic. The article is the second in a series that will break down charisma into three elements. This one basically states that one way of establishing charisma is to make yourself seem like the most powerful person in the room. It takes the stance that even if you aren't naturally powerful or charismatic, there are active steps you can take in order to fake it till you make it.

Why am I on about charisma and power? Part of being a Slayer is creating the ideal future for yourself through the betterment of your health as a means to help you achieve the goals you set in the rest of your life. Getting to the gym and consistently making healthy choices sure is hard, but at the end of the day it won't be the only thing that helps you achieve the life you want. It's just one subset of creating inner confidence and projecting pride and care for yourself outward. Here, nearer to the end of my initial weight loss journey, I can tell you for sure that simply losing the weight is only one part of my journey. It's not going to make my costumes, get me auditions, or monetize any of my creative pursuits so that I can spend my life doing the things that make me happy. It sure did help with all of those things, but it isn't the whole picture. That's why I want to take some time to talk about what can make us powerful and help us get one more set closer to being the Hero in our own action movie called Life. 

Firstly, the article on The Art of Manliness has a heavy slant towards things men can do to achieve empowerment. There is some cross-over, but ultimately being a "big gorilla" and draping yourself over all sorts of furniture isn't really something I'd recommend a woman do in the workplace. All that talk about inflating your chest and getting people to step aside for you just doesn't seem like something a woman would do to establish power. I'm a firm believer in equality for women and men, but I think our body language is a bit different based on our sex. Therefor, instead of trying to get all my Lady Slayers to embrace their inner gorilla, I'm going ask you to find your inner Galadriel. 

There are lots of wonderful female characters in sci-fi and fantasy out there that I could choose from, but honestly Galadriel seems to be the best overall example of how to establish power in a professional environment. I'm thinking of course of scenes like welcoming the Fellowship to Lothlorien and her dealings with Gandalf and Elrond in Rivendell in The Hobbit. Aside from magic and a very special ring, what makes Galadriel so powerful and what draws people to her?

Grooming: The Lady of Light is described as the "mightiest and fairest of all the Elves that remained in Middle Earth." It's time to get "fair" up in this blog! 

How you put yourself together has a lot to do with people's impressions of you. This doesn't mean you need to wear suit, but it means you need to dress the best you possibly can for the kind of job you want to have. That will be different if you're an actor, an art dealer, a lawyer, or a marketing executive. Every line of work has it's own dress code and you need to do the research so you can look the part. 

The other aspect is that you need to make sure you're wearing clothes that fit you. Maybe you don't have an art department and an army of seamstresses designing clothes specifically for you and dressing you, but make sure that as you're losing weight and reshaping your body, you have a few professional ensembles that make you look and feel like a million bucks. When you feel like you look good, your confidence sky rockets. When others think you look good, you'll be the center of attention. 

The other aspect of grooming yourself as a woman is that you want to have clothes that emphasize the shape of your body, but do not reveal too much. It's a delicate balance. You'll notice that Galadriel wears form fitting clothing that emphasizes how tall and slender she is, but never shows any cleavage or leg. She is amazingly beautiful but she stands aloof from those who need to flash flesh for attention. In this case, flashing flesh would only diminish her power and create a scenario where more people would tend to objectify her. 

One thing you can do is create your own color palette. The major color in Galadriel's wardrobe is white. It gives her a constant luminescent quality only equalled by Gandalf when he returns in The Two Towers. It gives her a lightness and an attention grabbing power when compared to those who are perhaps well groomed, but in darker apparel or those who are travelers covered in grime while she remains impeccably clean. You can create a "character design" for yourself by choosing a favorite color and working it into most of your ensembles. Whether they actively realize it or not, people will come to expect it from you. It establishes a weird sense of reliability. When a person is stable and reliable, it is an empowering thing. However, you can also break this rule if you want to dress for a specific. When Galadriel reveals her blue ensemble during the Rivendell section of The Hobbit, it seems like she knows darkness is about to descend over Middle Earth. It's almost jarring. You can use that kind of "costume design" to your advantage when it comes to your own fashion sense in the real world. 

People who dress well automatically garner more respect from people around them simply because it seems like they have their lives in order enough to spend time and effort putting themselves together in the morning. It's simple, sort of silly, but no less true.

Places of Power: Be tall. I'm five feet tall, so I'm naturally more hobbit sized myself, but Galadriel is taller than almost everyone else around her either by fact or design. Some of us win the genetic lottery on this point and others, like myself, don't. If you're shorter, you can wear heels in the workplace, but only if you can maintain grace while doing so. I, sadly, cannot so I have to figure out ways to physically move myself into places of power. 

You'll notice that Galadriel will find any way to stand above the people she's talking to without being insulting. When the Fellowship arrives at Lothorien, she greats them on a stepped dais. When negotiating with Elrond and Gandalf in Rivendell, she takes the higher ground again. 

When dealing with people closer to her status she will tend to stand apart from them, while when dealing with those who are naturally below her, such as hobbits or dwarves, she will step in closer and incline her head downward. It seems like she is creating greater height, but increasing the intimacy of the interaction to let them know that what they have to say or do is welcome. In either case, she is in control of how close anyone gets to her. If you're standing and giving a presentation to a group of people seated around a table, you can let them know you're inviting their input by leaning forward with your hands on the table when you're done speaking and asking confidently for their opinion. It keeps you looking down at them, while also giving the impression that you're interested and prepared to hear what they have to say now that you're done speaking.

In The Hobbit, Galadriel lets all the men gather around the center table to discuss the rise of Sauron whiles she slowly an methodically circles the room in thought. She places herself apart from them and therefor gives herself a different status. 

You'll notice she touches Gandalf at one point in The Hobbit. No one ever dares to initiate touch with her which is an aura you can create by embracing the technique of standing in places of power. If you're at a meeting and everyone is seated around the table. Sit up straight when you're speaking or if you really need to impress a point or make a presentation, get up and stand while everyone else is sitting. If you're speaking in front of a group of people, stand apart from them and make them come to you if they want to ask follow up questions. Remain in control of the physical flow of conversation.

Posture of Power: Seriously, stand up straight. Don't apologize for your presence by slouching. The's not just something Galadriel does. That's pretty standard for most elves. Even at her weakest point, when Frodo offers her the ring and she Super Saiyan freaks out, she's standing up straight as a board. Her limbs and her face are the only things that become wild. 

Note, that posture of power is straight and not sensual for women. Do not push out your bum and your boobs and expect to be taken seriously. You will garner attention for sure, but it probably won't be for the reasons you want in the work place. 

Speak When You Have Something Important to Say: If you are a woman who remains mostly silent, it's hard to be taken seriously. However, if you're a women who is a non stop blabber you won't be taken seriously either. You can increase your charisma score by waiting to speak or make a joke till the opportune moment which is to say, be sure of what you're saying and make sure it's relevant to what came just before. Do not let yourself be passed over because what you have to say might not be popular and do not cover up your opinions with senseless babble and overly diplomatic terms. State how you feel and/or what you want as clearly and concisely as possible. That way, when you talk people will listen. Otherwise, you're just crying wolf.

Galadriel always knows what to say and how best to help because, well, she is practically immortal. She's been around a long time and seen a lot of things. Plus she's got that whole "Mirror of Galadriel" thing going for her which can educate her on the past, the present, and the future. 

Make sure you're knowledgeable about what you're saying. Educate yourself and get passionate about your hobbies. Know everything there is to know about them so that when the opportunity comes for your input, you're ready. If you have a wealth and well versed breadth of knowledge and people discover that about you, you'll be the point person they come to for answers whether that's how to get into crossfit or how to code the HTML for the company's new website. 

Don't Let People Get Away With Lying to You: At work, it's hard to call someone out on something they've done that undermined, hurt, or otherwise left you undeservedly in the dark. Galadriel has the magical bonus of being able to telepathically let Frodo know that she knows he has The One Ring and has seen The Eye of Sauron.

She could easily have called him out on this in front of the rest of the Fellowship and revealed that every time he uses the ring, he's practically inviting Sauron right to him, but she doesn't. She approaches him privately (albeit in his head) and speaks with him in detail later on. This allows him to keep his secrets from whomever else he chooses, leaving him some sense of power and control over his affairs, but also forces him to be vulnerable specifically to her. All of this is to say, if you have an issue with someone at work, try to sort it out on your own before inviting anyone else into the mix. You'll assert your worth to the person you feel has wronged you without tarnishing their image to others. Usually, they will respect you more and be thankful for the grace you've shown them. Hopefully this will make them a future ally rather than a very public and unpredictable enemy.

Don't be an Ice Queen: All of this talk about being aloof and separate does tend to make for more of a White Witch of Narnia aesthetic than one that's approachable. At the end of the day you want to be in control of who you "let in" and make yourself vulnerable to. Galadriel is not without a sense of humor. You don't want to be the wise cracker who no one takes seriously, but an important part of Charisma is being able to laugh and make the best of every situation. You can use your power to lighten the mood when something serious is going on. You can share personal jokes with those around you, raising yourself in their esteem as long as when it's time to get serious, you're able to return to decorum. 

Are there any other sci fi and fantasy heroines out there that you think make great models for establishing charisma and power in the workplace? I'd love to hear your suggestions in the comments!

Bigger On The Inside

Every man is a Tardis; defined by a rigid structure on the outside and containing infinite possibilities within. I think the most common misperception about weight loss is that it's a physical act. You move your body, you eat the right food, and then your results happen. 

Yes, the Tardis travels, but it's what's inside that gets it from place to place. 

More important than your physical ability to become more athletic and active is the decision to take the first step, the second, and so on. It takes a strength of mind and sense of vigilant determination that I'm not sure everyone is ready to deal with, especially if what you're seeking is a major transformation. 

Losing 100 lbs took a little under a year for me and in that year, my size wasn't the only thing that changed. It was a little bit like regenerating. I discovered I had a "fighting hand." I confronted my demons, I stood up for myself when I felt I was being mistreated, and when I made mistakes I fought to get back on track. Those were not things that were a part of my personality before hand, but they feel like a second skin now. 

The fact is that life is going to hand you a lot of distractions that fall outside of your rigid little plan of action. During the last year, I had to constantly ask and remind myself why I was putting myself through it. I reminded myself of all the things I was rejecting from my life and why. I had to get in touch with why I was worth getting up at 6AM to run, why my decision to not enjoy Holiday season treats along with everyone else for one year was a necessary step, and why I should keep exposing myself to new workouts, and nutrition knowledge despite being comfy with my routine. I got in touch with what I wanted. I wanted to be able to go to the doctor and not have my weight be an issue. I wanted to cosplay with confidence. I wanted to be able to experience a more physical body. I wanted to salvage a chance at a career in the entertainment industry. I wanted to be proud of every part of myself and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I live without regrets. 

What you want can change, but it's important to keep revisiting it or you'll lose direction and focus. Hell I wanted to be an astronaut more than ANYTHING when I was younger. I still want it, but it was unrealistic given my complete lack of mathematical prowess. It felt like an earth shattering regeneration when I realized I needed to look somewhere else for a goal and drive, but it's what has made me who I am today and it got me in touch with my more natural inclinations and talents as a story teller and as a performer. I'm sure I'll face a ton of wibbly wobbly timey wimey transformations throughout my life as I learn more specifically what I want, but as long as I keep asking the question, I think I'll get where I'm going. 

When it comes to your health, keep asking yourself what you want. Don't be afraid to change things up as long as you keep traveling. Don't be afraid to end up in the wrong place and learn from it. Don't be afraid when you see your personality changing along with your physical body. Don't be afraid of the destination when you arrive. 

Don't blink. Not because of the angels, but because if you do, you might miss all the fantastic nuances of the journey you're on. You won't remember the number on the scale as much as you'll remember everything you learned on the way there. That's what will keep you traveling in the end. 

Fus-Ro-DO IT!

FUS-RO-DAH!!

Alright, guys. I need to share a story with you: I think I've discovered my new fitness-related "pet peeve."

In addition to my full time day job, I work part time as a cashier at an outdoor retailer, selling gear for camping, hiking, snowsports, climbing, etc. One day, a woman came through the line to buy a hydration belt for running. I'm not an experienced runner, so I asked how she liked using the belt over other options. We chatted about staying hydrated and how she was taking up running to try to get in better shape.

"I should probably start running myself," I said. "I do some CrossFit out of my garage twice a week, but I just signed up for the Tough Mudder, and I could really use the extra running practice!"

"I've heard of CrossFit!" she replied. "It looks like so much fun, but I need to get in better shape first."

I was crushed.

I tried to explain to her as I finished ringing her up that no, she didn't! I had 20+ years of athletic inability, excuses, and fear under my belt when I started doing CrossFit with friends in my garage -- we all start somewhere. But there was a line building up at the register, and though she smiled, I could see that she remained unconvinced by my plea as she left the store.

This happened nearly a year ago, and it's still with me today.

Guys, I was a timid and shy teenager. I picked dandelions on the soccer field and quit swim lessons when I got old enough to become self-conscious about my body. (Thank you, puberty.) I'm frequently anxious or at least quiet in public and I hate drawing attention to myself. Crowded places full of social interaction and loud people are just about the last place I want to be. I'm truly an introverted homebody at heart. Yet my intense group fitness classes are the highlight of my week, and have changed my life for the better in countless, immeasurable ways.

That timid girl I just described? Yeah, she walked into a kung fu studio at 16 with no prior martial arts experience, no strength, no coordination, and a huge, heaping dose of fear. Nearly 8 years later, the people at that studio have become my family, and I've accidentally turned into someone who prioritizes health, enjoys physical activity, and runs the Tough Mudder for fun. It's a far cry from the only child who hated sports, and it never would have happened if I'd told myself my only option was running on the dingy treadmill in the basement. (Ugh!)

Last spring I found myself in a similar situation, trying out parkour classes at our local YMCA with a group of those same kung fu friends. Um, let me tell you how much I am not a natural at running and jumping and being generally acrobatic. I am nearly paralyzed by my fear of falling -- even if it's only a 5-inch fall from a balance beam to the soft gymnastics mat on the ground, I'm terrified. But hey. I was with my friends, a great teacher, and surrounded by soft padding. So, I went out and tried it, and I had a blast!

Another friend of ours mentioned that it sounded like fun and asked if he could come along some weekend -- "But I should really get in better shape first." No! Come along and DO IT!

Look, I know how it is. Some of us legitimately prefer working out on our own, whether it's the solitude of a long run, rocking it to a workout video in your living room, or zoning out in the weight room. But so many of us avoid the gym or group classes not because we're not interested, but because we're afraid or embarrassed and don't want to stand out as beginners -- and while I fully understand that, it breaks my heart. I was just like that too (and I'm still not a fan of going to a gym!). I'm a terrible runner, gasping away after moments on the treadmill while Perfect Hair in her sexy workout clothes on the treadmill next to me goes for miles without the bright red face or death-rattle-breathing I display.

So what did I do? I stopped running on the treadmill at my university gym.

Instead, I found something that suited me much better: a small, supportive environment with folks who helped coach me through weight training, gymnastics, and functional movements in a more private setting. I couldn't do a pull-up. I'd never done a deadlift or a proper squat before. We all start at the beginning. And sometimes we progress very slowly. I'm still juuuust shy of a strict pull up -- and that's okay. We each learn and progress at our own pace.

Here's my point: If you enjoy running on a treadmill or working out to DVDs in your living room, rock on. That is awesome, and I mean it! But if you hate it, and you're just doing it because you "need to exercise," and there's something out there that's more appealing to you -- don't avoid it just because it seems challenging. There are modifications for everything that you can adapt when you're just starting out. And if you want to improve your health, you might as well be doing something you enjoy. Right? You don't have to punish yourself for hours on the treadmill before you give yoga a try, or sign up for that spin class, or walk into that CrossFit gym. Zumba sound like a blast to you? (It is!) Girl/guy, get in there. Want to try fencing? Go find a class right now. En garde!

There are no "prerequisites" for fun physical activity except a willingness to learn, a priority on safety/proper technique, and the patience to progress at your own pace. I think you'll find that your fellow zumba goers and fencing enthusiasts are going to be excited and supportive when it comes to sharing their passion with you.

What it comes down to is that there are a lot of different ways to be active out there. Don't suffer through something you hate because you think you're "supposed to." Ultimately, if your goal is to be healthy, fitness and physical activity will need to be a part of your life. Make it a part that you enjoy and look forward to!

What are your favorite ways to be active? What new thing have you always wanted to try? Get out there, Slayers! Show 'em how it's done!

-Simone

Even the Dragonborn starts at level 1!

Avenger's Eggs: Breakfast of Champions Recipe

I know a lot of people who don't eat breakfast, but it's arguably the most important meal for the day. It jumpstarts your metabolism and gives you the energy you need to start the day right. I find that with the right breakfast, I don't feel like I "need" coffee quite as much. In fact, for my Whole 30, I'm forgoing coffee (even though it's not a requirement), just because I always think it's good to cleanse the body when it becomes reliant on any sort of chemical.

So this is my typical breakfast and it's very easy to whip up in about 20 minutes with the right amount of prep. I'm have it on high authority that The Avengers eat this every morning. No really. That's totally true. Check wikipedia. Well don't. Just take my word for it because I did not in any way just lie to you to promote my work. 

Keep in mind, I make my friend Catspaw's seasoned beef every week. I chop up a bag of two bell peppers and a bag of pre-sliced mushrooms. 

Ingredients

• Mushrooms
• Peppers
• 4-6 oz pre-cooked ground beef
• 2 eggs
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Sea Salt

1. Put the stove on medium heat. 
2. Spray pan with EVOO.
3. Add one handful of sliced mushroom and one handful of chopped pepper to the pan. Add a little sea salt, garlic and onion powder. 
4. Mix everything in the pan until the veggies are evenly coated.
5. Sauté for about 5 minutes till mushrooms are soft and brown.
6. Crack two eggs into a bowl and 2 tbs of water. 
7. Whisk eggs.
8. Add to pan and scramble with the veggies for about two minutes.
9. Add in 4-6 oz. of your ground beef mix. 
10. Move all ingredients in the pan so that the eggs don't get burned or over cooked while your ground beef heats. This should take about a minute.
11. Serve and put it in your face mouth!

How to Stop Making Excuses

Excuses are bad, mmkay? They're a slipper slope and here's why.

When I spend so much time and effort working on changing my life and writing about it so other people can get inspired to change theirs, I can get a little obsessive. 

"If I don't work out every day and eat perfectly all the time I'm letting myself and everyone else down."

Then I'll be out at some event and someone will say, "I made these cupcakes!"

It takes some convincing, but after a year of saying no, I'll sometimes say yes on these special occasions. 

Once I got down close to my goal and went Paleo, I decided I'd give myself a free day a week. Just one. How bad can one day be?

I'll tell you. It was insanity. I became an obsessed behemoth on the prowl for baked goods and ice cream. It was beyond allowing myself a treat. It was completely gluttonous. 

Then vacation came. I allowed it to be vacation. I got some exercise, but nothing like I normally do. I made a plan for how I'd eat, but I was pretty free to try whatever I wanted!

So now I'm back from vacation. I am managing to eat primal with a few exceptions... but my "time to exercise" mental muscle is just not kicking into gear. That's not something you can wait for. You have to get yourself back in the habit and make some choices that your mind isn't too crazy about right now. 

There are just too many excuses out there and the margin between rewarding myself after great behavior and just allowing myself a chance to misbehave because I want to is steadily getting smaller. That's on me. It's something I need to change. Primal allows for a serving of bread or cheese a day so I take it, whether I need it or not. I'm at a concert or comedy show? Have some drinks, eat the food there even though there's NOTHING close to Primal. Could I have packed some food. Sure. I didn't. I chose not to and I chose wrong.

This is my latest excuse; A tiny jellicle ball of cuddles and playtime named Tonks. I've spent two whole days off rolling around with her on the floor, cuddling in bed, and playing with her without going for a run or stopping for some yoga. Sure, I'm nesting, but I could have taken half and hour to an hour and done something for ME. 

So in the face of a mountain of excuses how do you gain any purchase? How do you get back on track.

I started to look back on how I started. I started with small goals and changes and kept adding. I feel like an idiot for needing to go back to that model because I felt like a super hero before my vacation and now I feel like an invalid. The first thing I did was to actively stop making an excuse the second it happened.

I was waiting in line for tickets to Shakespeare in the Park. You have to get there around 8am to get tickets and then you have to wait in line till noon when they get distributed. I was hanging out with my boyfriend and snuggling and then I thought... what am I doing? We have FOUR HOURS. I can snuggle for 3.5 and workout for half an hour. So I negated the laziness and got started on a bodyweight circuit. Sure, I got some weird looks from people in line, but I didn't care. I had the time, it was a nice day, and there was no reason to waste another moment worrying about all the reasons not to do it. There are always a billion reasons not to do something. You just have to buck up and make it happen. 

Next up, diet. For this, I feel like I need accountability and support. So, I've decided to hop back into the next Nerd Fitness challenge on the 16th and do a Whole-30 to cleanse my body of toxins and really get back in the Paleo swing. For increased accountability, I'm doing it with my friend Shannon from work. 

It sounds dumb, but the best way to stop making excuses is... well, to just stop making them one by one. If you feel like you're trying to convince yourself something okay, ask yourself why you're doing it and why you want to veer away from your plan. Most of the time, you'll find that the "reasons" you come up with make you feel ashamed because they're not really reasons at all. 

"I couldn't work out because I had to play with my cat." Seriously Anne? You are ridiculous. After hearing myself say that out loud, the next day, there I was, working out in the park even though I felt like people were giving me the "oddball" stare. 

"I'm at a comedy show. I want to have fun and I don't want the hassle of bringing food." There were people who brought chairs and coolers and blankets for the lawn seating. Would it have been that weird if I'd brought some fruit and slices of turkey with veggies? No. I just made the excuse not to. The next morning, I started out right with veggies and eggs with coffee. 

I could sit here and feel bad about it and frankly, I almost didn't write about it on the blog, but this is something we all do! It's time to make a change. It doesn't have to be big. I'm not back sliding because I needed to return to the mentality that helped me get started in the first place. I should be celebrating that I even have those tools cause I sure as hell didn't know what I was doing when I got started. 

We aren't perfect. We make mistakes. You have to remember a failure is only a failure if you stop trying.

So never stop! Bite, scratch, and crawl your way back to the top of the mountain one excuse at a time and you'll be back on track in no time. 

What excuses are you making and what are you doing to change them? Do you have any tips to share? Discuss with your fellow Slayers in the comments.

What a Difference a Year Makes! Huzzah!

Hello slayers! I've finally returned from three weeks of adventures across the pond in England and while it was wonderful and I gave myself a vacation pass to eat what I wanted, it's time to get back to reality, not to mention the gym and the kitchen!

But! Not without a pit stop at ye olde New York Renaissance Faire! This a yearly tradition and last year I was 20 lbs down from my initial weight when I attended. While I was there I really did my best to eat healthy and stuck to fruit and cheese. I didn't really partake in faire treats and all I've dreamed of  is to have a day, now that I'm confident in my ability to return to my plan afterwards, where I could really enjoy some of the things I used to AND, of course, upgrade my faire garb. I've lost 100 lbs and last year, my garb was laced all the way. I'm swimming in it now! 

Like everything, it's important to have a plan. I planned on two meals, since I was staying late to see my best friend Emily (the Harley to my Ivy!), who is performing the role of Maid Marian this year, after the faire was done. I knew off the bat that this would not be a paleo day, but that I didn't want to spend a huge amount of money on random food grazing. I decided I would have two drinks and one desert. I had my eye on the pulled pork BBQ sandwich because that's what I've lusted after since last year, but found once I got there that it just seemed like way too much for me. I was really on the go because I wanted to be able to mosey around and catch all of Emily's scenes, not to mention attend to my garb needs. I ended up choosing a chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato for lunch. By dinner, I was exhausted and hot and when I looked at the pub menu, the only thing that spoke to me was a caesar salad. Most healthy salad? No. But it wasn't a burger or chicken tenders with fries, so a healthy huzzah was raised! 

For my drinks I had an apple cider and half of the  shire's equivalent of a mocha frappuccino. For my treat, I shared a slice of cheesecake on a stick with my boyfriend. All of it was delicious and I really only ate when I was hungry or needed a refresher. Am I saying it was the healthiest day of my life? No, but I am fascinated that when faced with the ability to eat whatever I wanted, I shared a lot of stuff that was rich and I made better choices than I'd planned for. 

One of the first things I did was spend an exorbitant sum of money on new garb. Just to give you an idea, over the years I've spent about 500+ on building my Ren Faire costume. I budgeted all year for a similar expenditure so that I wouldn't bankrupt myself when the time came. Just like planning for food, I had a plan for garb. Last year, a friend of mine linked me a Son of Sandlar piece called "the huntress." While expensive, it was beautiful and everything I've ever dreamed of when it came to embodying my favorite fantasy archetype, an elf rogue. I played one in WoW and I almost always gravitate towards playing rogues in table top games. As far as my own physicality, I could never pull off a rogue costume before because elves are generally more lithe than I was and certainly at my weight, I wasn't going to look like I belonged on the field of battle. The first time someone told me I had elfin features during this weight loss journey, I squeed. It was time to enter the fray at long last and after a year of saving, I was finally able to put together an elf rogue costume.

I bought some cheap boots ($30 on sale at some hole in the wall shop in Greenwich Village) and I used my pixie top from Moresca. I had that from my old garb and the size didn't really matter because it was just going to go under a bodice. I had a dagger from a previous visit to the fair and my father bought me a dagger in Tintagel on our visit to England. Dual wielding FTW! The skirt was bought at Urban Outfitters when I was trying to lose weight in college. All that I needed to buy at the faire was "the huntress" and some elf ears.

As soon as I got fit for the bodice, I felt amazing! It was a dream come true! It has a hood and beautiful gold lining and it went really well with my woodland elf circlet from my former costume. The quality and craftsmanship are evident and the leather is treated so that it can get wet. I got to test it out because there was some light drizzling this year. I just put up my hood like a BA! Emily, ahem, Maid Marian swung by the booth to celebrate. After lunch, I got my elf ears custom painted for me and before I knew it, I was a living legend! My boyfriend was kind enough to indulge me in a short woodland photoshoot and we captured a few great images so I got to really commemorate the ocassion in an ideal setting (aka, not in front of my mirror at home with a mess strewn about the floor behind me). 

The whole day I walked taller (maybe just in my head because I'm only 5 feet tall in reality...). I was transported by my costuming efforts, and of course by the performances of the talented actors who populate the village of Sterling. I was so proud of Emily for realizing her dream of working at the faire. She was wonderful and I know she is enjoying the hell out of the whole experience. She lights up the shire every weekend, so if you haven't made the journey out to Tuxedo, DO IT NOW. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to perform alongside these fine folks! The sky's the limit.

My life is so different now. It doesn't mean that I can't enjoy some great food from time to time or take a day off from the gym to get to the ren faire for the opening ceremonies, but it means that I tend to make very different choices most of the time and I don't feel like I HAVE to make them. I actively want to. Seeing my fantasies realized made me aware that anything is within my grasp. I never would have thought his transformation would have been possible a year ago. I know that's corny but I didn't know if I'd be able to keep up my restrictive and exhausting health regime. It felt like prison. Now, I really want to make the better choices. Perhaps it's weird to most people who want to look better for their wedding or for work, but the days when I get to live out my fantasies at the faire or show off a cosplay with confidence at a convention are a huge part of why I'm motivated to keep working on this change. I don't care that some people think it's weird as hell or a waste of money and time. It's what makes me happy and if it's what makes me healthy, that's all to the benefit!

So what motivates you, slayers? I'd love to hear about your milestones and the things that keep your head in the game whether it's just being able to fit into your favorite pair of jeans, or making your own set of N7 armor. Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Meet Our New Friday Guest Blogger: Simone

Greetings from London, Slayers! Anne here! I just wanted to drop a line quickly and let you all know I'll be on a brief hiatus until after the 30th. I'm on vacation and while I WANT to write, I also know I should be focusing on enjoying this once in a life time chance to explore instead of worrying about when I'll be able to get wifi access again and post my blog. Please don't think I love you all any less! I am very excited to post when I can over the next few weeks and give you the "skinny" on my exercise adventures in England! I'll definitely be taking a run around Chelsea tomorrow morning so that should be exciting! I'm also going to the Harry Potter Studio tour in the afternoon and I am pretty much DYING of excitment already. 

BUT, my dears! You shan't be without entertainment. You'll still have posts from Michael on Mondays and he is doing an AMAZING job with his juice fast. The guy is nearly down 20 lbs since he started blogging here and his progress is mindblowing. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

I'd also like to use today's post to introduce you to Simone, our new guest blogger for Fridays! She's a Kung-Fu and Crossfit badass with the desire to get stronger. Her tale is so different from mine or Michael's and there is so much we can learn from each other! I could go on, but I'm going to let you hear about it from the horse's mouth!

Tell me a little bit about who you are and what you do.

My name is Simone, and like Anne and Michael, I’m a huge nerd, too. I’ve been reading voraciously since I was three years old, and I love good sci-fi and fantasy. I grew up without a gaming console (I know!) but dived in about two years ago with Assassin’s Creed and Skyrim, and I am currently loving my first taste of the Lara Croft world with Tomb Raider Reborn. The theme here is that for my entire life, I’ve loved adventuring from the safety of my home – but I’ve always been too afraid to get out there and try to be an adventurer myself. I don’t even have an arrow to the knee as an excuse!

When did you decide you needed to make a change in your health and fitness level and was there a specific moment where it clicked and you actually committed to doing it? 

I actually have a different story than many, and I’m a little guilty about it: I’m not on a weightloss journey, exactly. I’m a healthy weight. But for the majority of my life thus far, I have never been athletic, never strong; never particularly physically capable at, well, anything. I picked dandelions on the soccer field and spitefully walked my entire mile in gym class (still managing to turn bright red from the effort).

Because I’m in a healthy weight range, I’ve always felt like I should be perfectly happy with my body – like it was selfish of me to envy the strength and confidence of fit people when my own body was “fine.” My lack of talent at sports as a kid had convinced me that I just wasn’t cut out for physical activity. Oh well, right?

I’m the kind of person who overanalyzes and overthinks everything, so I haven’t really had a “moment” yet because I still don’t fully believe in myself. But I’ve had some major turning points in my life, such as joining a kung fu studio at 16, finding Nerd Fitness a year ago and learning about paleo and healthy habits, and starting CrossFit. I’m still too afraid to admit to myself that I might actually be able to be strong and capable – so for now I’m letting my progress kind of sneak up on me.

If you gave up or didn't make it a priority in the past, why do you think that was?

Like many people, I’m afraid of failing. I get bursts of enthusiasm where I vow to do X workout and eat Y food EVERY DAY, and then I burn out and let it slip away. I’m a pro at rationalizing all the “I can’t” excuses in the book! Keeping a positive and realistic attitude is definitely something I’ve been working on for a long time.

What are your goals and how do you plan to accomplish them? 

I have so many goals, they’ll have to be in a separate post. Things like deadlifting twice my body weight, running a mile in under 8:30, and throwing a punch that would actually be effective are all on my long, long list. In short, I’d like to be a leaner, stronger, and more confident version of my current self!

As a recent graduate, I’m transitioning to a new job and uncertain future right now, so life is chaotic. For now, I do CrossFit twice a week and I just started adding two nights of running with the “Zombies, Run!” app that Anne recommended. I also plan on adding some extra stretching and will be targeting a few of my other goals in the near future as my schedule settles down. I’ll keep you posted!

There are so many options when it comes to diet and fitness. Why are you choosing this particular path?

I’m terrible at working out on my own. I really love the camaraderie and community of my kung fu studio and among my friends in my garage – it helps me to push myself and keeps me coming back each day. Running is more of a struggle for me, but having exciting radio transmissions of zombies shambling along behind me is definitely helping!

Even though I can still hardly believe that I am, in fact, becoming an athletic person, my own experience in the past year has been so heartening overall that I’m beginning to consider pursuing health and fitness as a career somehow. There are still a lot of things that I’m struggling with, but my life has improved drastically even with small changes, and I want to show other people that if this introverted bookworm can pick 200lbs up off the ground, they can, too!

What made you want to guest post about your journey on PR?

I loved Anne’s story on Nerd Fitness. I’m pretty sure nerds and fitness are my favorite combination! I think it will help me to have an outlet to share my struggles and successes – and even more, I hope that it helps other people who may be facing the same doubts and experiences. We’re all in this together!

10 Things Animal Crossing Teaches Us About Living Healthy

It's no secret that the world has been playing a lot of Animal Crossing lately. When I get a street pass from someone, 9/10 times that's what they've been playing. I basically had to pay an attunement fee to socialize with my friends because I couldn't understand what all the fuss about perfect cherries was and that trips to "the island" weren't about Jack and Kate having to go back (WE HAVE TO GO BACK, KATE!). 

There was only one problem. Once I picked up my pink 3DS XL and founded the town of Olympus, I couldn't STOP PLAYING THIS ADDICTIVE GAME. 

For the life of me, I couldn't understand what was so damn appealing that I wanted to sign in and water flowers every day on my subway ride to work. I feared Tom Nook breaking my kneecaps if I didn't pay my housing loans promptly. I found myself yelling at visiting friends to stop running on my grass and killing it. YOU KIDS STAY OFF OF MY LAWN! Apparently a mixture of environmental responsibility and a palpable fear of a raccoon mobster "coming to collect" is super addictive. After spending about three hours that should have been allotted to working out and cooking food for the week ahead on planting flowers in a circle around my town square, customizing a Rainbow Dash themed home gym in my house's basement, and completing sundry tasks for a social climbing pink dog named Cookie instead, I realized I had better come up with some reason why this game is a good influence or surely I would suffer all the guilt ever for wasting so much time on a video game. It was actually kind of weird because as I thought intently about how the structure of the game relates to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle, it wasn't all that hard to draw some positive comparisons. 

Here are 10 things that Animal Crossing teaches us about living healthy.

1. You cultivate your town at your own speed, but things go wrong if you do absolutely nothing. In order to enjoy the game, you don't have to progress quickly, but logging in and spending a little time daily keeps your town looking nice and helps you pay off parts of your public works projects and home loan. If you don't log in at all, for one day, it probably won't make a huge difference, but if you go a long time without paying any attention to your town, your fruit trees will rot, your flowers will die and you'll find yourself having to retrace your steps.  The same can be said of weight loss. If you skip a day of working out or have one bad meal, it's not the end of the world, but if you let yourself slump away from good habits for a long time, you can lose the progress you've made. 
2. With a little effort each day you can keep things the same. With just about half an hour of playtime, you can organize your house, water your plants, dig up your daily fossils, and check in with your residents to keep things copacetic. Things might not move forward at an alarming rate, but at least you're maintaining your progress. When it comes to weight loss, if you're plugging away at it for a year or more, sometimes it's nice to go into this mode for a week or so to give yourself a mental and physical break. You workout routine might drop to three times a week for half an hour and you could allow yourself a few treats throughout the week. If you're careful and don't let it become a lazy bingefest, you can totally maintain your weight with just a little bit effort. 
3. With a lot of effort each day, you can make progress. If you sink a few hours into your game  beyond general maintenance by farming bugs, going scuba diving, making trips to the island, and chatting with your residents throughout the day, you can really make some strides in your town. You can finish projects, pay your bills, make custom plantings, and design fun outfits that visitors and your townspeople can purchase. Similarly, putting in the time with your health to read articles online and learn more about the process can help you make better and more interesting choices. Putting in more time at the gym doing the right things can take you from squatting on the elliptical for 30-45 minutes of Xena episodes, just going through the motions each day, to running a 10k and making new personal records. Sure, you start small, but if you put in the time,  effort, and the willpower each day, you can achieve great things.
4. At some point each day, there's not much more you can do. There are limiting factors. Like construction. Unless you just want to farm bugs all day or fish, there's a point at which it might be better to accept what you accomplished and put the 3DS down. Construction happens overnight so if you're waiting to decorate your new housing renovation or to celebrate the construction of a new town fountain, you HAVE TO WAIT. If you continue to play, you're just going through the motions of the same mini games over and over. It's unnecessary and you're wasting your time and doing the rest of your life a disservice. When it comes to your health, if you've already done an hour of cardio and you're desperate for results, adding on another one may actually be more of a detriment. You could injure yourself. If you've already done your eating for the day and you're harping on yourself for going over your allotted calories, just stop! It's already done. Punishing yourself more isn't going to change it. Just "turn off the game" and get back in the swing of things tomorrow. 
5. Each town is unique to each mayor. They can build it around their interests or needs. One of the fun things about Animal Crossing is that every town is unique. You decide what the layout will be. You decide where to plan trees or build projects. You have unique townspeople that might have their own wishes they want fulfilled. I might put my fountain by townhall and someone else might find it more appealing to put it between a bunch of houses. With health, you have to do what's right for you. Everyone's journey is going to be different because everyone is different. Some people might move quickly and others might progress more slowly. Some people might like Weight Watchers while another finds success with Paleo. If you do your research and stick with a plan long enough to see results, I don't really think it matters what it is as long as you aren't starving yourself or overworking yourself at the gym. 
6. Everyone's town is different but features a lot of the same elements. There's a common language with similar but unique results depending on how you build your personal town. If you like fairy tale bridges, then you can make them, but someone else might prefer suspension bridges. At the end of the day, both of you are getting from one side of the river to the other on a similar structure. Both mayors have houses, but I might go for an "astro" aesthetic while someone else might go for a mermaid themed wall around their house. It's all cosmetic but it's built using the same tools. Just because someone is doing a juice fast to jumpstart their weight loss and you're on Nutrisystem doesn't mean you can't talk shop about health and give each other support. You might be going about it different ways, but talking with other people who are trying to accomplish similar things can get you the support your need to keep going when it gets tough and also teach you a lot. 
7. The more you improve, the more options you have. More shops get built on main street over time, new neighbors move in, and you get invited to a special island by the former mayor! You build more bridges over time and get more mobility to travel around your town. You can eventually help build a night club and a a second floor of your museum, not to mention a barber shop where you can get a makeover to suit your mood! All of this happens gradually over time, but every time you make an improvement, it opens up a whole new set of options for your to pursue. This aspect of the game makes me think a lot about the process of getting fit. When I first started going to the gym, it was a hassle just to get myself moving for long enough to raise my heart rate and burn off some calories. Once I got passed that phase, I started looking into more structured workouts like HIIT or body circuits. Then when I felt I'd lost enough weight to avoid injury, I started training to run long distance. After I'd lost about a hundred pounds, I got to try wall climbing. Every stepping stone brought me more mobility,and more ability to do and try new things. It doesn't happen overnight. Take it in steps.
8. There are infinite ways to progress. I might be better at fishing and more focused on building my own personal house. A friend might be more focused on paying for public works projects. Others might be obsessed with touring on the tropical island and getting medals to buy unique items for their home. I might love visiting other towns and inviting friends into mine, but another player might never want to take advantage of that aspect of the game. It's completely up to you. Similarly, I might love Paleo and think it's the bees knees, but I have other friends who love Atkins. I like running, but I have other friends who are all about crossfit and if they never had to run over 3 miles again, they'd be happy. All of us are making progress, we just have different priorities, and that's cool! It's going to result in unique "towns," or bodies (hehe!), and it should because we're all unique people. 
9. The game is designed to be pleasant. There's something serene about arranging furniture and harvesting fruit. Sure you're just completing chores, but this is a world where you don't have to fight some great evil to feel like you've accomplished something. It's a liveable world. The same thing can be said of successful health plans. You have to be able to live with them daily and sustain them over time in order to achieve lasting results. If you're driving yourself into the ground trying to be a perfectionist, you're going to fall off the wagon at some point. 
10. Every day is different. There's always something new to learn, experience, or build on. Animal Crossing is designed with 365 days of unique content! That is bananas to me. Every day builds on the last and stores get renovated, you make your own improvements, and special events birthdays, and holidays occur. The combinations of events are endless! I think its important to approach your own life like that. Yesterday is gone! What can you do today? What's unique to this day and this season that you can take advantage of? Who's in town? What new things can your learn and how can you challenge yourself in a way that you didn't before? You can build on each little experience to create some pretty cool results when you piece your progress together  the fabric of a healthy lifestyle over time.

Now to get off my butt and go to the gym. No, not the pixelated one in my fake basement. The actual one.

BUT WHEN I GET BACK HOME... I'm going scuba diving off the coast of Olympus to hunt for new species of fish!

How to Tell Your Friends They're Fat

Short answer: You don't. 

At the beginning of this journey, people wanted to know a lot about how I was going about losing weight and sticking to it. What was I eating? What were my fitness goals? Later on, questions started pouring in about how I felt in my new body. Was it different? Did I have more energy? However, following the publication of my "success" story on Nerd Fitness, there's been a huge upswing in questions from people who want to know how to approach their friends about their weight issues and get them to change. 

It wasn't someone telling me to lose weight that caused me to take up arms and accept the mission. In fact, for years people told me to do something about my health and the more they insisted, the more I dug in my heals. To be told by someone you trust and love implicitly that you are less than acceptable in their eyes can be extremely hurtful, and what's more, that particular "f-word" can sting forever. I still remember every time that someone used it in regard to me whether it was out of the desperation of love or as a jibe. It hurts just the same either way and you can guarantee that when that person gets ready to face their demons, they are not going to come to you for empathy, guidance, and support. 

When a doctor or a parent told me I was overweight to the point where it would affect my health significantly, aside from the very first time when I was elementary school and I wouldn't have realized otherwise, I always wanted to ask them if they thought I didn't know that. 

I look in the mirror every morning. I can see that I'm fat. It's old news. Telling me isn't going to make me have some huge revelation that I haven't had already. Seeing photos of yourself where you've significantly gained weight since the last time you saw yourself in a picture or attempting to do something you could always do physically and then finding out you're unable to do it anymore- those are the things that will make you hit rock bottom and realize that you need to change for yourself and not for anyone else. I feel like I can pretty much guarantee you that the impetus to lose weight and keep it off never came from someone telling someone else they were fat. Truly finding redemption for your body through health and fitness isn't about anyone else but you. 

That's why it can be hard when we watch the people we love going down roads we know are toxic for them. At the end of the day, you can't want it enough for them. They have to want it themselves. So how can we help them along the way?

Let's look at some successful redemption tales, shall we?

Xena doesn't decide to change her ways because someone tells her she's an evil warlord. When they do that, she laughs in their face and slaughters their entire village. She eventually changes because of the people in her life. Hercules and Gabriel see her for her potential as a whole person and not just a force of destruction.

In Buffy, Spike doesn't change his ways because of a chip in his head. That limits his behavior, but it's Buffy's presence in his life that causes him to want redemption- to chase after his lost soul. 

In Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Quark slowly changes his smarmy cheating Ferengi ways because he's deeply affected by the people living around him on the station. Without them, he wouldn't ever start sticking his neck out for people or making selfless acts.

These characters change because people in their lives set an example for them to follow that they admire.

So what do you do to be that example for your friends so they can morph into the rerolled heroes they were meant to be? 

You can love them for who they are right now, inside and out. Tell them that you do, because more than likely, they berate themselves and think they're worthless because of the place they've let themselves get to without doing anything. Tell them they matter to you. Make them feel good about themselves. If they feel good, then they'll think they're worth fighting for. 

You can "be the change you want to see in the world," as Ghandi said. Tackle your own health and addictions. Sometimes seeing someone else succeed is what will inspire someone to take charge of their own problems. 

You can educate yourself on nutrition and fitness so that when they are ready to ask questions, you have answers.

You can empathize with them and make them feel validated when they open up to you about their emotions, health related or not. That way, when they are ready to expose themselves and do the work to get healthy, they'll feel like you've created a safe harbor for them to express their trials and tribulations. They're going to need a fellowship to get that ring to Mordor and you could be a part of it. 

I'm certainly not an expert and I don't have all the answers. I just know how I've been affected by these kinds of confrontations and more importantly, how I'd like to be treated. So how 'bout it? If you have any related questions, advice, or experiences you'd like to share, please leave them in the comments.