Okay, for those of you that really hate off-perfume-topic posts, let’s do a sample giveaway so it’s not a complete waste of time for you today. Drop a comment and you’ll be in the drawing for a sample of the two Guerlains, the Robe thing and the Mitsouko flanker and also the two new Hermes scents, Pamplemousse Rose and Gentiane Blanche. I’ll even give away two sets of all four.
Since we do delve off into the beauty realm from time to time, this will be tangentially related to beauty since we have to be pretty on the inside to be pretty on the outside. But first, can we talk about American Idol and The Biggest Loser briefly? So booting Allison off last week just made the winner totally predictable. Yes, Adam probably deserves to win it, but with the three they have left, there’s no other winner but him possible. I’m bored, I’m turning it off for the season. And Biggest Loser, I am so torched that Tara didn’t win. I adored her spirit and drive and how she kicked those boys’ butts at most of the physical challenges.
And Real Housewives. Kelly in RHof NY is — OMG, I throw things at the TV every time she’s on. But Ny is over, and we are in NJ now. How come I got addicted to this show now? I avoided it for years, but Atlanta sucked me in, and NY completely unhinged my vow to never watch it. It’s like crack, and my brain feels like it’s been watching crack.
That leads me into my new fitness obsession. I’m not sure where it came from. Maybe boredom, maybe it helped me work out a lot of stuff in my head? Don’t care, but somewhere along the line in the last year, the girl who has hated exercise all of her life got hooked. Now, that doesn’t mean that I’m muscle challenged. I’m not. I grew up on a farm, and we worked all the time, so I built max muscle capacity in the first 18 years of my life, and I’m genetically built for strength and endurance. I took all that for granted until I hit my 40s, and then I realized it’s either use it or lose it.
And where does that all lead to? Well, you can’t laugh. You can, but don’t tell me you laughed. You have to know, first of all, that I’m deathly afraid of heights, and I hate to be cold. What I really want to do is to climb Denali. It’s brutal. You need to be in top condition on endurance, cardio, strength. It’s weeks of going up 1,000 vertical feet a day, dragging 60-80 pounds on a sled behind you in snow and ice. The summit is 20,000 feet.
Why? I don’t know exactly, but I had this aha moment a few weeks ago where I wanted to take all the limits off, that I didn’t want there to be any place on the face of the earth I couldn’t go. And that meant I had to get in the best physical shape of my life to make sure that my body wouldn’t hold me back.
So. Yeah. I know, right? Well, I work out about 2-3 hours a day now. An hour walk, an hour of cardio or two (hot yoga, spin, running, intervals), and 30-60 minutes of weight lifting, plus a 6 to 8-hour hike once a week to build endurance. I do that 6 days a week and rest a full day. I’ve also signed up for a basic climbing class to try and tackle this height fear thingie and get at least minimal technical climbing skills. I’ve changed my diet, added plenty of vitamins, now drinking that Amazing Grass green superfood 2-3 times a day, chugging protein shakes. It’s ridiculous. But you know what? I’ve never felt better. I had no idea that jacking around with your muscles, tendons and innards could be quite that exhilarating. Well, I would have known if I hadn’t tuned it out for the last 30 years.
It’s never too late, is it? I may not make the top of Denali the year that I’m 50, but I’ll be in shape to go even if I can’t get the timing quite right next spring/summer. Am I crazy? Tips, things I should be aware of, other things I’m missing?
As someone who has been out of the exercise groove for too long, you’ve inspired me to try to find the time to get back into the swing of things. I’m a working Mom in her forties with too small kids and I owe it to them and myself to make this a priority. Thanks!
And I’d love to be entered in the draw if it isn’t too late.
Your exercise routine evokes envy and inspiration in me. I used to be incredibly fit, but over the years I’ve let my physical condition slip badly. Lately I’ve been trying to get back into shape, but I have so little willpower to continue with any exercise routine that anything I try is abandoned in a few days. I wanted to thank you for such an incredibly inspiring post; maybe this will be the kick in the well-padded rear I need to finally STICK with something! 🙂
please throw me into the drawing, thanks!
kudoz to your exercise routine, it’s really impressive, damn, and i’m not saying this just to please but know well enough how hard is to get those things started and maintain a routine.
reality shows-wise, i don’t watch any of those, since our cable companies in europe do not broadcast, but would love to see the next top chef (my guilty pleasure, love cooking), although it’s not so dramatic to watch as those singing and losing weight contest
Totally inspiring post, Patty. I am filled with an urge to run out and buy you a set of crampons.
I’ve hit my early 40s and similarly am starting to realise that it’s ‘use it or lose it’ time. I’m still trying to find my way, but your example is definitely giving me ideas.
May I suggest L’Air du Desert Marocain as your climbing frag – should keep you warm and toasty, if only in your mind.
Oh, I wish, I wish…I wish I had a fish. Or samples.
Just wanted to say I loved this inspirational, full of zest post and that I am SO proud of you!!!!! (this sounds weird, saying ‘proud of you’ might sound silly when one isn’t your parent, but the english language fails me atm, so please take it as it’s intended! *hugs*)
As for tips, I believe into the Barry Sears nutricion diet and his fish oils (which are clean of heavy metals and pollutants due to the mollecular distilation, unlike most fish oil capsules out there)… Sears has helped training athletes reach peak condition with his diet. The capsules themselves give energy, help the body fight inflamation and of course the benefits to the brain and memory are amazing.
I would like to try those samples, because I was in New York this week and suffered such a case of nose fatigue that I didn’t even TRY the two new Guerlains (because on Sunday I was in Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue, which is heaven, and after nosing around the Tom Ford counter and the Carons and By Kilian and a bunch of other things I was starting to flag, and by the time I got to the Guerlain counter I tried Vega and a couple of others and that was really it for my poor nose).
Wow, Patti – your dedication is truly impressive. I can’t wait to see the pictures you take when you climb Denali. You’ll also be the best-smelling hiker ever I think! 😉
(PS I would love to try those fragrances, so please enter me in the drawing.)
Lordy,Miss Patti….I’m getting ‘the vapors”(heh heh…these youngsters won’t have a CLUE,as to what that is)…waves scented hanky to fan herself,after hearing your exercise regemin…guess this is the Amighty hinting for me to put the exercise machine together that I ordered A YEAR AGO!!….And I LOVE OFF-TOPIC DAY….you all do all the work,and I sit on my butt and order it online…don’t stop…please add me in the drawing….would ‘luv to try these newbies….carry on.
Well, as someone no longer pushing 50, but dragging it, and the chain keeps getting longer, I admire the climb. I think it is less shocking then watching the Real Housewives, which I see when the channels are churning and I’m walking through the room. I no longer watch TV, I quit when “reality” shows came out and I couldn’t pry the remote from my husband’s fingers.
Back to Denali. Climb it while you can and while it is still there. The glaciers holding it together are melting, and parts of it are falling off. Wear a helmet. Why have goals and dreams if they aren’t big ones? Go get ’em, Grendel.
And please enter me in the drawing.
Dying to try the new Hermes scents and hoping I will discover regular exercise again in my 40s. I joke that with a four kid household I do “aerobic parenting”.
Following up on lunarose, forgive my stating the obvious: Read Into Thin Air, if you haven’t! I can see the beauty of climbing, having spent a day here and there in the Alps (oh, the ibexes were amazing!), but never even a night atop a mountain. (Wow, I could go for a few days there now!) But somehow I don’t have the urge to go straaaaaaiiiiight up! Definitely get some expert advice and do some practice climbs in Colorado to see if it’s really for you, or better off as a goal. There must be some beautiful spots around you.
Your exercise program sounds awesome! I am in a rowing club full of members who started in their 40s: better late than never, absolutely! There’s a high-school program as well, and it’s rather funny to overhear kids talking about their bodies recovering from a hard workout. (Like sure, try it at twice your current age, kiddo!) The cross-training sounds good for you, but make sure you get enough rest.
Now don’t take any of this too seriously, because I don’t know anything about mountain climbing… or physiology…
Oh, and please enter me in the contest! I have really been wanting to try Pamplemousse Rose! Thanks.
hi Patty! not to be a party pooper, but seriously, do some serious reading and research before you decide to try a mountain like Denali. Forever on the Mountain by James Tabor gives you some insight into what can go wrong, and the type of physical, psychological and emotional risks you run by taking on that type of challenge. In the Shadow of Denali: Life and Death on Alaska’s Mount McKinley by Jonathan Waterman is a wonderfully written collection of stories by a man who was obsessed by Denali – he climbed the mountain during winter, and spent a number of years as a guide on the mountain and rescue team member in the park.
There is a fair amount of literature on what is involved in climbing really high peaks, especially the kind where you get into ‘thin air’, which would give you a better idea of what’s involved. High mountain climbing can be exhilarating, obsessive, rewarding, but also shattering – on many levels.
hi,
Your goal sounds amazing!! I have always been fit, but now that I am entering my early 50s, I sure wish that I’d worked a little harder at it when I was younger. The younger you make the commitment to healthy living, the better.
Please enter me in the draw. thanks.
Now I am going to go ‘google’ Amazing Greens….
Whoops!! I guess that it’s Amazing Grass….
Yeah, I wish I had too. Amazing Grass is great, seriously.
I would love to receive a perfume sample from you…
thanks.
Melanie
I’ll enter you in the drawing!
Girl, this is just fan-frickin’-tastic…you are incredibly inspiring and just plain ol’ FUN. I know without a doubt you will be able to achieve whatever you want to!
Well, thanks, Tammy!
Endolphins. Remember Annette Benning’s character in Postcards From the Edge? “I’m in it for the endolphins.” Me too, baby, me too.
Good lucky, find the balance…and toss my name in the draw as part of the big picture. 🙂
Yeah for the endolphins. I have to remember that.
Good on you (she said, from her vantage view at 52). You’ll never regret getting into shape, whether or not you tackle Denali.
Would love to try the Robe thing and Hermes thingies, and I’m even willing to give Mitsouko another chance.
I’m right behind you. I turn 50 in December.
PlPlease put me in the draw as I would love to try these two perfumes.
Will do, Janelle
Oooo, please enter me in the drawing!
Don’t feel bad. I am addicted to Hell’s Kitchen with all its shabby, put-on tantrums. But I have to say, if Adam (the most talented contestant this silly show has ever had) does not win AI then I will start liking AND wearing Angel…
You know, I finally gave up on Hell’s Kitchen. I just couldn’t take one more Chef Ramsey, “Get the &*(#ck out of my kitchen!” moment. 🙂
For some reason this reminds of of “Eat, pray, love : one woman’s search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia”…
Well, I’d like to do that too. 🙂
ppPlease enter me in the draw! I am very interested in the Hermes scents especially. And Denali? Really? WOW!
will do, Flora!
I admire your desire to stay healthy and strong-nothing worse than flabby 50’s(hard work now can prevent that).Good luck on the mountain-it should be an awesome experience…please enter me in the drawing as well…..
Yeah. No way do I want to go creaking into my 50s, only to have it get worse!
You are inspiring me, Patty.
Please add my name to the drawing.
As far as the vitamins taking part, just make sure that your nutrtionals are quality– as in research, formulation and manufacturing. The standards companies adhere to is the difference, as they say, between making pizza and penicillin. Not that anyone asked for my opinion on that….
Climbing Denali is not on the agenda yet, although I’ve read a few of your posts and gone and ordered fragrances unsniffed. So you never know, mountain climbing might sound like fun soon. Sort of worried about that. But for me just improving my nutrition enabled me to get off the floor without every muscle protesting. Now I’m doing T-Tapp and thought I would die the first few times but the results are great.
I enjoy the off topic posts, perfume posts and all the comments too.
I’m really careful about my vitamins. I get them from a really reputable company that deals primarily in menopausal women.
You go girl! Great job in taking care of yourself. Keep up the good work. How is that grass drink anyway. I’m sure an acquired taste!
Please enter me in the drawing. Thank you.
The Amazing Grass superfood is actually pretty great. You can do it alone or stick it in some juice. They also have it in chocolate so you can put it in milk, too!
I too enjoy the off topic posts–thank you for the inspiration and much luck to you!!
Please enter me in the draw…thank you!
Thanks, Linda!
I’ve hit my 40s. I’ve realized it’s either use it or lose it. Oh, crap.
That’s an amazingly awesome goal! Hearing about your new routine is really inspiring to me, woman!
And I’d LOVE to be in this sample draw! Thanks!
Uh-oh. It does seem to go downhill fast, depending on what you’ve done up until now. It shocked me!
I love the off topic posts, but I now feel incredibly lazy! Good luck with the training.
Please include me in the drawing.
Thanks!
I’ve spent a lot of years being lazy, and it has a lot of value, you know?
I’ll be cheering you on from my comfy, warm chair. What perfume, I wonder, to scale mountains with?
Please throw my name in the draw. Thanks Patty!
I love comfy, warm chairs too!
You are so amazing and I wish you the best of luck. We’re the same age and you put me to shame. I don’t mind your off topic posts at all. Please toss my name into the hat.
Hey, I’m just getting started, and I have a long way to go!
Babe, there is no greater high than climbing to the top! I love rock climbing, and hope you will too. I’m impressed with your new-found stamina–can you decant it and share???! 🙂
Please enter me in the drawing!
Well, I’m not going to do a lot of rock climbing, I don’t think, but maybe I’ll surprise myself?
I am always embarrassed to admit that I watch American idol and this season I’ve been almost fanatic about it (which is obviously even more embarrassing to admit..lol).I actually disagree with you that booting Allison made the results predictable (tho’ this season has been predictable from the very beginning)..However much I would have loved to see an Adam/Allison final- that would have been a verrry predictable final as I don’t think Allison’s fan base is comparable to Adam’s…And even tho’ it seems like Adam should and will win, I think he actually might not..(Judging by Kris’s take on Kanye West’s Heartless and everybody’s response to it..)I actually think that is what the producers are building up toward- hyping Adam up throughout and then ensuring that he doesn’t win..
I actually don’t believe I typed all that out..lol..One more week and I vow that I am not going to be caught in the AI trap again next season (I said that last season too..:))
And I love your off-topic posts, but would still love to entered in the draw!..
ANd I love how you physically challenge yourself..It is inspiring! (Must. atleast. go. to. the gym)
I don’t know. Adam really does deserve it. The guy is unique, and that’s what should win.
I am a big Adam fan (much to my husband’s amusement)- It is just that many people seem to have gotten used to Adam doing a great job (and some people just hate him)..It’s like he keeps needing to out do himself each week..
Well, your samples offer is enough to make me respond. It’s not something I’d want to do, but more power to you: go and climb that mountain. Me, I want to prove some theorems, write books that people will read, and be proud of my sons. I’ll live with the pot belly, only trying to limit its growth…
What does it smell like, at the top of Denali?
Accomplishment. “You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare.” — Georgia O’Keeffe
I think Andy Tauer could create this one.
Would you commission this so we don’t have to?
I think every goal in life is well worthwhile, and I applaud yours!
Inspiring post, Patty! Best of luck reaching the top of Denali–it sounds as though you are well on your way…
Please do enter me in the drawing–I’m dying to try the Mitsouko flanker and both of the new Hermes scents. Thanks for being so generous with the samples!
Thanks, Kate!
I look forward to a diary of your progress, especially the training hikes and climbs– you have so much beautiful territory locally. Put my name in your hat. I’ll be thinking of you as I take my daily walk.
You know, it was looking at the beautiful country I’m surrounded by and realizing how little time I’ve spent in it that got me moving.
I will keep you guys updated and will take plenty of pictures from the tops of everything we go to!
GO PATTY!!!! That’s awesome. You’ll now have to start a blog about your progress and eventual climb. 🙂
Thanks,Karin! I was thinking about doing a note page in Facebook about it.
Congratulations on having such determination! There are a few of us exercise nuts who will probably tell you the same sorts of things but as far as tips go:
1) Drink more water than you think you need. Dehydration can lead to so many problems with a workout, and according to at least one study many Americans mistake thirst for hunger, and then they wonder why they’re injured and headachy after working out.
2) If you do get injured or sick, take lots of time to rest.
3) Ankle weights can be an excellent way to help train for uphill hikes. I would start around 2-3 lbs per leg, and incorporate them into your weekly hike if the terrain is reasonable enough to do so. Don’t feel like you have to wear them the whole way either; they fit nicely into a pack and can help train you that way as well.
4) If you have time to work extra abs into your workout routine, now is the time to do it. More ab exercises will help strengthen and stabilize your back, which will help you prevent injury in the long run.
5) I can speak to the merits of the grass drinks, but the protein powder shakes aren’t horrible. Most nutritionists would argue that you’re better off eating small portions of lean white meat and fish, and I tend to agree with them, however, I know that it’s sometimes easier to grab a shake and go than to cook a meal. As long as you are getting enough protein to support the demands of your workout, that’s more important that where you’re getting it from, IMHO. Just don’t try anything named Soylent Green.
Good luck with your great adventure!
Thanks!!! Great tips, and I appreciate them. I”m great on water, I hydrate like crazy, always have.
I do need to do more ab work, I’m just trying to figure out what and how often. Ideas?
Abs are one of those things that you can theoretically do while watching TV, just that nobody ever really wants to do them… =)
FOr more bang for your buck when you do get around to doing them, you can always add a medicine ball up top for crunches, and ankle weights for the lower half extensions and lifts. Or you can combine both for a horrible bit of torture that we call jack-knifes: start off laying down on your back, slowly raise your legs and arms (while holding a dumbell and wearing ankle weights) up to a 90 degree position. Do 5 crunches upwards, lifting your shoulders off the floor, attempting to touch the weight to your feet. After the 5 crunches, bring both the arms and feet down slowly, using your lower abs to control the feet. Lather, rinse, repeat. I ended up adding an hour long abs only class to get my weekly dosage, if you don’t have that option you can always use any walk or sedentary time to throw something in.
That’s awesome! I hope you manage it.
I can only envy your dedication. I’m a clumsy, scaredycat couch spud by nature, and my occasional attempts to change haven’t lasted long.
Most recently, I discovered that
a) though I could work out three times a week and lose weight ten years ago, all it does now is exhaust me and maintain my (over)weight at it’s current level;
b) choosing a gym 15 minutes fast walk away was actually NOT a great idea – go figure! It’s all the extra incentive I need to sit back and watch TV instead…. 😉
Hey, maybe doing something AT home? You know, you’ll do it when it works for you or you’re just ready, or maybe not. I don’t think a complete life needs extreme physical exercise to make it great.
I don’t have room for any exercise equipment at home – or I’m sure I’d be one of those people with an unused exercycle subbing as a clotheshorse! 😉 And I’ve never been one for exercise videos.
I prefer to leave home to work out, I just chose the wrong gym. I know I’m lazy, so I should have joined the one closest to me, as there’s more chance I’d use it! But it was more expensive, and I told myself the extra walk to the cheaper one would help. Yeah, right…
I agree, a lot of exercise isn’t necessary to have a good life. Some people just are more sedentary by nature, and it’s hard to change that permanently.
Wow Patty, you are amazingly active — and inspiring. It’s all I can do to get my sorry butt out for a walk every day. I really want to start yoga.
I would love to be in the draw, but just wanted to shout out that I am impressed!
Yoga takes a while to get into, but once you do and get the stress relief benefits, it’s hard to give it up again. I had to commit to doing it 2-3 times a week for two weeks so it got a fair chance, and by the end of it, i was hooked.
Patty, I completely understand the fitness thing. I had been trying South Beach diet for a few years on and off and finally gave up. It worked great at first, but wasn’t sustainable. So, last spring I discovered the Ripped! exercise series on DVDs at my library. I also bought YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT by Dr. Gillian McKeith, a great book that really gave me valuable tools. I’ve wondered about those green superfood liquids, but never got as far as buying them. What brand did you buy? My husband brought home some fresh grass, can’t remember which kind, but our juicer couldn’t handle it. Then I read that a special grass juicer was needed, and the whole idea was postponed. I think buying the already juiced grass is the way to go, at least at the beginning. I was amazed at how fabulous fresh carrot juice tastes and all of Dr. Gillian’s recipes were quite good. BTW, please sign me up for the drawing!
That’s great that you found something that works. Whatever diet changes people make have to be ones you can live with and that don’t make you ever feel deprived. I have my one Pepsi Throwback per day, and I enjoy it so much!!!
Patty!!!! I’m so happy for you! Exercise is a drug for me, but it wasn’t always like that. I rode horses as a kid and was always a hiker, but in the past 5-6 years I’ve gotten really hardcore about it. It started with running and hiking, then I added taekwondo, now I’ve added yoga and spinning. I’ve never felt better or been stronger in my life, and I’m so happy to hear you’re feeling great, too. I’m 40 and am in better shape now than I was when I was 20, go figure. Denali isn’t going anywhere, it’s never too late, you’ll be climbing that shizz in no time.
Please do enter me in the drawing!!!
That’s so great. I figure even if I never did it before, it’s not too late to just go for it big now.
Kudos!!!!! Patty, you’re awe inspiring; I can only imagine how energized and powerful you’re feeling. As for the climbing part….while I understand your remarks regarding that challenge, my own fear of heights and dislike for cold make me think mountain climbing is nuts, haha.
Keep up the awesome work and enjoy the rewards! Please enter me in this drawing as well….thanks for the drawing and also for the inspiration.
Climbing is nuts. I’d never do a technical climb. I just need to know enough about it to do little patches of climbing without fear. I mostly want to hike up there!
Patty, Got for it. My father-in-law climbed Mt. Kiliminjaro at age 73! Now I am sure that Denali is much more difficult, but I believe people can do anything they set their minds to. I am hoping to do the Machu Picchu trek some day, which I am sure is not as difficult as Denali, but it would be an accomplishment for me. For my 50th, which is not that far away, my best friend and I plan to go to Australia and the South Pacific, not exactly Denali, but we can’t wait!!!!
Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks..Good Luck.
73? That is so great, and I do believe age shouldn’t define you or what you can do. Sometimes your bones and health may do that for you, but until it does, the only limit is in our heads.
Your hiking sounds fun! That is on my top 3 list of places I want to go and hike, you’ll have to tell us how it is!
Patty –
I am super-impressed, both with your determination to scale some heights and the prep you’re doing to achieve that! You ROCK! (pun intended).
Do some smaller mountains before Denali, though. A client of mine did Denali – it was rrrrruff! I recommend the Italian Alps to start, after you do a couple of CO peaks.
xo>-)
oh! can I be in the drawing, please?
xo
Absolutely plan to do plenty of colorado peaks! I think we’re goin back to Italy fall of next year, and we’ll do plenty of hiking, so maybe we can get a summit climb in too
Whew! That made me tired. Please enter my name in the drawing.
I know, it makes me tired some mornings to think about it, but I just do one thing at a time.
Fantastic! I wish you success and fitness and health! I would love to enter the drawing!
Thanks, Sara!
OMG!! I’m a walker, not a hiker, but I admire your goal!!! Please enter me in the draw. Thanks!!
Will do, Chris!
Wow!! Keep it up!! What scent would you wear to climb Denali? Not that you could enjoy it while wearing 10+ layers of clothing and undertaking a strenuous climb. For me, Parfums Delrae’s Bois de Paradis. Something comforting and indulgent but not overbearing or gourmand, I think I would just like to know it was there to remind me of all the rewards of such and undertaking!
And I would love to be entered in the drawing!
Yeah, I was leaning towards something warm, snuggly and vanillic.
Good for you for doing it! Let us know how the getting in shape goes, I could use all the inspiration I can get for wakin gup earlier and getting to the gym.
(Also, please enter me in the drawing! Thanks!)
I definitely will!
Wow! Very inspirational for those of us pushing towards the big 5-0. I know what you mean about the HW series. They just suck you in with all their drama. I feel like I have to hide from my husband the fact that I’m watching these shows! I would love to be in the draw.
It is an embarrassing admission, the RH attachment, but those women! My hat’s off to the producers for arranging their lives so I want to follow them.