Twirl for a Cause...an AIDS Walk Fundraiser!

Twirly Girls Pole Fitness and Club 1220 present...

 

Twirl for a Cause...an AIDS Walk Fundraiser!

Please come support Jimmy Gale in his quest to raise $10,000 for AIDS Walk SF! 

Date:  Saturday, July 6, 2013
Time:  6:00 PM (get there early if you want the best seats)
Location:  Club 1220, 1220 Pine Street, Walnut Creek, California (this is a bar so you must be 21 to attend)

Please join the event on Facebook HERE.

If you have any items you'd like to donate to the raffle, please contact me directly at tazzie at yahoo dot com! 

Come see pole performers from local Bay Area studios such as Twirly Girls, Club Etak, Poletential and Studio Botan.

If you are wondering who might be dancing this evening, here's who we have signed up so far!   From Twirly Girls: Of course, the amazing Jimmy Gale!   Seanmichael Rau!   Robert Carstensen!  Patrick Loranger!   Grace Garcia!   Diana Kottke and Kimberlee Larson!   Alyssa Tran!  We will also have the amazing Kate Cotruvo from Club Etak, Sasha from Etak/Poletential, and V-Girl from Studio Botan/Poletential. And I am hoping the super awesome Jill Anne might be able to join us as well! 

The charge to get in is only $5 and tipping the pole dancers WILL be allowed (respectfully, of course).  The dancers will be donating a portion of their tips to the fundraiser as well. 

Also, BEFORE this event, the charity drag show will be held at Club 1220 on Sunday, June 23.  And if you can't make either event, but would like to donate, please click HERE. 

Hope to see everyone this summer!

All you have to do is...

Warning...lots of ranting and side ranting ahead...

Lately, I have been going to aqua Zumba on Saturday mornings.  Although I don't really feel like I get my heart rate up high like in a real Zumba class, it is low impact, which is what I need for the bone spur in my heel.  A couple of Saturdays ago, there was a sub...a kind of chunky lady...and she did not teach aqua Zumba.  She did a little bit more of a hardcore aqua aerobics class (I actually really enjoyed it).  However, what I did not enjoy was her constant advice on how to get into shape.  You must do this to be skinny.  You must do that.  Eat this.  Exercise that way.  STFU!!!!!  (I did love the fact that after telling us how much we needed to be exercising, she admitted that after A YEAR, her regular class was finally seeing results.)  Anyway, it resulted in a rant on my Facebook page about how I don't want diet advice from anyone (fat or skinny).  It also caused everyone and their mother to come offer their advice.  (Side rant: 24 Hour Fitness appears to employ the douchiest of instructors with all the bad information...my cycle teacher is constantly screaming about calories in/calories out...it's not an exact science, people, you should know that.)

It is so presumptuous to assume that all fat people are looking for advice on how to lose weight.  Hey guess what, friends, I don't need and/or want your advice.  Not about how I should exercise.  Not about what I should eat.  Every time I'm stupid enough to let someone else tell me what to do in that department, I end up fatter and more unhappy.  If I don't come to you directly and ask questions or advice, you can pretty much assume that I'm not interested in what you have to say.  What works for you may not work for me.  And if you've never had a weight problem in your life (even if you've watched your mom struggle with her weight for years), you haven't been in my shoes and you don't know what I'm going through.

One person on my Facebook rant did bring up a good point...if I *were* interested in diet advice, an overweight person is going to be the expert.  Then I'm an expert.  We all know, right?  We've done it all.  Weight Watchers.  Slim Fast liquid diets.  All the drugs.  Supplements.  I've even done the surgery.  And I'm still fat.  If you want to know about diets, I already know all the information.  However, I am starting to get frustrated with all of the bullshit memes on Facebook that insinuate that just because I don't have six pack abs, I'm lazy.  I'm far from lazy.  And I am certainly not interested in hearing advice from someone who has never had a weight problem (no, gaining and losing ten pounds doesn't constitute a weight problem).  Guess what...if I ate only rice and chicken (I can't eat rice, by the way, but most people wouldn't know that because they are so fucking up on their high horse that they don't understand that not all people have the same nutritional needs), and did sit-ups all day, I still wouldn't have six pack abs. 

One of my good friends put up a meme on Facebook that said an hour of exercise is only 4% of your day.  It made me mad.  Sure, 4% of your 24 hour day.  Well, I have to sleep 8 of those hours, so 1/3 of the day is already gone.  I also have to work, which takes up another 1/3 (more, really with commuting).  Really, at the end of the day, after doing all the stuff I'm require to do to live, I get about three hours of "expendable" time each work day.  In that time I have to eat (yes, fat people still have to eat to sustain life...we cannot survive off of our fat reserves), prepare for the next day, teach my class at Twirly Girls, go to therapy, workout, relax, etc.  One of her Facebook friends came on to say I should sleep less to get my workout in.  WTF?!  Really?!  Who has the ability to sleep less?  Sure you might get away with it a night or two.  Maybe even for a week.  But at some point, you will be paying that debt back.  So I suggest you not get into the habit (I am an 8-1/2 hours per night girl...it is what it is...fat or skinny, my body needs 8-1/2 hours of sleep to feel fully rested and functional).  And there are plenty of studies that say not sleeping makes you fat too, so I guess I can't win.  So no, a one hour workout isn't 4% of my day.  It's 33-1/3% of the spare time I have after I do the things I HAVE to do.  Don't get me wrong...I fully believe that I need to workout (currently, I am doing cycle, pole dancing, yoga and aqua Zumba...but yeah, I'm a fat, lazy fuck).  But I don't need to be guilted that I've blown off my workout one day because I have all the time in the world to do it.  I don't.  Two things I don't get to blow off are work and sleep.  Sorry.  That's not me being lazy.  That's reality. 

I know why I'm fat.  It's a combination of many factors.  Some within my control and some less so.  Some physical factors.  Many mental.  I battle addiction and eating disorders.  So a "simple" three step plan to a perfect body won't work for me.  In fact, trying to follow that plan will potentially only make me gain weight.  I don't think I'll be able to get my weight fully under control until I find a therapist who truly understands my issues.  I'm working on that. 

I realize I am ranting again.  But I just wish people would understand that we aren't all created "equal."  But unequal doesn't mean one body is better than another.  What works for you doesn't work for me.  I can share what works for me and you can take what you want from it (this is something I really didn't learn until having gastric bypass surgery...each person is on their own journey).  So next time you feel like offering unsolicited advice, keep in mind that the other person might not be interested and you may trigger an off-the-deep-end rant like this one on their social media profile.  And if you really can't stop your own egotistical ass from sharing your story, at least preface it with..."I know everyone is different but here's what works for me..."

It's Been Awhile...Again

You don't realize how much stress affects your body until you're in the middle of it and you realize how unhealthy you're becoming. 

If you are my Facebook friend, it's no secret that my new job stresses me out.  I have spent the last seven months telling myself that I must not be re-integrating into an office well or I'm more sensitive or I'm just being stupid -- that no matter what, *I* must be doing something wrong to feel the way I do about this job.  But every single person that has sat at this exact desk has hated this job.  The last poor woman committed suicide (not saying the job is the only thing to blame, but I'm sure it didn't help her mental illness).  Perhaps it's not me and there IS something wrong with this job.  I have more and more things to do.  And less and less time to do it in.  I feel like I get exactly 10 minutes of time to myself every day.  It's taking its toll on me. 

So what does that mean for my well-being?  I am exhausted but can't sleep.  I'm taking sleeping pills but still waking up with crazy dreams many times during the night.  I don't feel like working out.  I don't feel like eating well.  Not that I need any excuses for either of those...I kinda don't like to eat well or exercise anyway but now I have a REASON.  Not really. 

On top of that, I am still dealing with this bone spur in my heel.  And it has gone from small aggravation to major pain in the...foot.  This morning, I was measured for orthotics.  My insurance covers the inserts but I get the pleasure of spening $300 to $400 on the TWO PAIR of ugly shoes they will go into.  Pain has a funny way of making you less able to deal with stress. 

So, I'm still here.  Fat.  Grumpy.  Tired.  But I'm still truckin'.  :-D  How is your life going?

May Blog Hop: Questions for a Pole Dancer

This month, for our blog hop, we are answering some questions!  Now, there are a lot of questions, so I will probably skip a few.  Ain't nobody got time to read that much about me!  :-D

THE QUESTIONS

1. How long have you been pole dancing?  Three and a half years (since December 2009).
2. What’s your favorite song to pole dance to?  Strangely, no favorites right now.  I do like the Radioactive song that is popular right now.
3. What’s your favorite pole dance move?  I have been working on plank/layouts. 
4. What pole move is your nemesis?  Pretty much anything that requires inverting or climbing. 
5. If you have to classify your dance style, what would it be?  I don't really know anymore.  I used to like to be a little dirty and dance to loud rock songs.  Lately, since my strength hasn't been improving, I've been working on my flow and have been dancing to softer songs than I'm used to.
6. What inspires your movement? Why do you dance?  My class.  Boys, Girls and Twirls is really what keeps me going.  I have been very frustrated with myself personally and professionally.  But knowing I have to show up every week for them makes me happy.
7. How often do you train, dance or attend class per week?  I teach once a week and take Sean Michael's Saturday class at Twirly Girls. 
8. Do you train on both sides when you pole? Why or why not?  I do not.  Bel's theory is that you don't bat left-handed if you're right handed, so training yourself on your weak side can put you at a higher risk for injury.  I have heard many people argue the opposite, especially as you advance, that you better have trained both sides so that if you're 20 feet in the air and get into trouble, you have the strength on either side to get down safely.  I guess I see both sides, but still am not advanced enough for it to matter. 
9. If you’re not a full time poler, how do you balance work and pole? Friends and pole? Life and Pole?  I am not balancing that so well lately.  I am ready for a big life change soon, I think.
10. Why did you start a pole dance blog?  I met my friend, Heather, through her blog, and I also started reading Jennifer's Pole Skivvies blog.  Then I decided that I missed writing and needed an outlet, so blogging about my adventures seemed like a great idea.  Who knew it would lead me to all the amazing people I have met!?  I know some people question why I do what I do.  I'm not the best poler, nor the best writer.  I have a day job, so pole isn't my entire life.  But it's fun.  No, I don't necessarily think I will change the pole world.  I don't think I'm so super awesome at pole that people should want to watch me.  I just want people to see that regular people can also pole.  That's why I like to say that pole dance is for everyBODY.  Sure not everyone can do ALL of the tricks, but there is room for everyone to express the art in their own way. 
11. What does your pole dance blog mainly focus on?  My blog is actually not just about pole.  I talk about everything.  I talk about gastric bypass and weight loss (or gain) and health.  Lately, I've had some health issues, so I've talked about bone spurs and heart problems.  I even talk about depression and anxiety.  I feel like so many people go through life feeling alone, like they are the only ones going through something so I guess my hope is that I reach someone and make them feel like there are people who understand them. 
12. If you have ever performed, how do you usually prepare your performance?  Performing makes me sick to my stomach but I do it because, I don't know...I feel like it's expected of me.  I always have fun once I'm done and feel like I have accomplished something. 
13. Also, since its May… does your Mother [or any maternal person in your life] know that you pole dance and what does she think?  Ha!  She's guardedly supportive.  My Mormon mother actually came to a class once and she was ok with it, until Bel encouraged me to perform a piece I was preparing for a showcase, and the song was Darling Nikki.  There went that support. 
14. Finish this sentence. Pole dancing is….about friendships.  I have met so many amazing people and I really love them all!

Boys, Girls and Twirls at the Lovely Rita Fundraiser at Twirly Girls in April 2013

United Pole Artists

Recently, I became a member of United Pole Artists.  Not only do I like to keep up on important news in the pole industry, but I like to support my pole family.  I realize that my new day job hasn't allowed me a lot of time to pole and do interviews, and I still feel very strongly about the industry being united and supportive.  Annemarie is traveling all over the world to make sure she gathers up pole news first hand. 

Although the website offers a newsletter and lots of free content, the members-only area offers a lot of extra information.  Also, if you own a pole-related business, purchasing a business membership gives you an opportunity to advertise on the site. 

http://www.unitedpoleartists.com/memberships/reasons-to-become-a-member/

I think my favorite perk is the pole celebrity pole jams!  You know I love me a certain pole celebrity (Nadia Sharif)!

If you aren't sure which membership is right for you, check out their chart HERE.  If you own a pole business, the advertising value alone is worth more than the $118 you would spend annually on a business membership. 

If you want to get your news from someone who is in the industry and truly understands what pole dancing is all about, check out United Pole Artists.  The website is easy to navigate and there is tons of great content.  Visit their site and let me know what you think! 

April Blog Hop: Twirly Girls at Pacific Pole Championship

For April's Blog Hop, we are talking about pole competitions.  There sure are enough of them around.  Thanks to the "new" day job, I haven't even updated my list in awhile, which was quickly reaching 10+ pages for only a couple of years worth of events. 

In March, three+ beloved Twirly Girls participated in the Pacific Pole Championships down in Los Angeles, California.  As I have been asked by Vertical Art and Fitness to write about the event, I want to keep this post fairly simple.

I do have some opinions about competitions in general, safety, timing, judging, etc....but feel as an "ambassador," I should probably keep some of the more negative opinions to myself.  There have been some discussions on Facebook about fair judging.  I feel like I am not on a level to comment officially, although I do feel like changes should probably be made, especially after speaking to several judges from various competitions over the last year. 

Anyway, back to my lovelies from Twirly Girls.  PPC spanned two days this year.  Our girl, Alyssa, was participating for the very first time.  She was in the category of Championship -- Level 2 -- Junior.  She competed on Friday.

First, to define the competition category, here it is straight from PPC's website:

The Championship Event: This event is for those dancers wishing to compete with a traditional technical competitive program. Designed to offer competitors the type of experience found at the other major pole competitions, the focus will be on the dancer’s technique, flexibility, artistry and difficulty of tricks. 

Level 2 (Intermediate): This is the appropriate level for intermediate dancers who have the ability to invert safely. In addition to the skills permitted in Level 1, dancers may invert on the pole (hips higher than head), however dancers must maintain three points of contact with the pole while inverted.

Juniors: between the ages of 18-24 on or before the date of the event.

Alyssa took FIRST!  FIRST PLACE!  This was her very first competition and we are SO proud of her.  Check out her performance HERE.  Alyssa received a very sweet compliment from Kelly Yvonne of the Choreography House when she came off stage.  Unfortunately, we were watching United Pole Artists Facebook page, so we got the results as another performer (in another category) was competiting.  Sorry about the silent cheers and the jumping in our seats!! 

Diana was next to compete, but not until Saturday.  Diana competed in PPC last year, so this was her second time participating in this event.  Diana competed in the Entertainment -- Level 3 -- Junior/Senior division. 

The Entertainment Event: This event is focused less on the difficulty of the tricks executed and more on the dancer’s ability to interpret a piece of music to provide a comical or upbeat performance.

Level 3 (Advanced): This is the appropriate level for the more advanced pole dancer who can invert and perform movements such as handsprings or ayashas safely and securely. Dancers at this level may perform any tricks and any inversions.

Seniors: between the ages of 25-39 on or before the date of the event.

Diana did not place in the top three but she did really well, especially after the line-up was changed at the last minute and the person who performed right before her was another person named Diana who also did a zombie-themed routine.  Seriously?!  How does THAT happen??  That would have totally ruined my day but Diana came out and still rocked it.  Check out our Diana's performance HERE. 

Last up from the Twirly Tribe was Sean Michael.  (Side note:  I love this boy.  I take Sean Michael's class at Twirly Girls on Saturdays.  If you are in the area and looking for a good class, give it a try.)  Sean Michael competed Saturday evening.  He was in the Championship -- Level 3 -- Male division.  There were only two competitors in this division.  Their scores were separated by two-tenths of a point.  Sean Michael, unfortunately, placed second.  I felt like the winner had a very "safe" routine.  Sean Michael's routine was strong, original and fun to watch.  Check it out HERE. 

I absolutely must give an honorable mention to Twirly Girls friends Kate Cotruvo (Club Etak) and Tiffany Rose Mockler (Poletential).  We love our Nor Cal Pole Posse.  They both did a great job at the competition!  You can see Kate's competition routines below:

Kate Entertainment Level 3

Kate Championship Level 3

Congrats to all competitors.  By my count, almost 150 people competed that weekend.  I saw a lot of slippery poles and I give props to those who put themselves out there and do this! 

Don't forget, this is a blog hop!  If you want to read other bloggers' takes on pole competitions, click HERE. 

Enlarged heart versus inflamed heart

Recently, I blogged about my latest "condition," an inflamed heart.  I talked about how I had decided to have gastric bypass years ago after being diagnosed with an enlarged heart.  I figured they were the same issue.  And apparently they are not. 

I took phen fen years ago, which caused heart valve defects in some patients.  As part of the class action lawsuit settlement, I was entitled to a free heart scan (woohooo!).  Although my valve was in tact, I was told my heart was "enlarged and flabby."  You know, if my heart was working so hard hauling my lard ass around, it should have been svelte and in-shape.  I remember my doctor telling me that I needed exercise to lose weight but that I shouldn't let my heart rate get over 130 beats per minute.  Oh ok, as soon as I get up in the morning, I think my heart rate jumps that high.  Again, I should have been a walking, talking fat-burning machine if all of those books and heart rate estimates are correct. 

Anyway, so what is an "enlarged heart?"

According to the Mayo Clinic:

Enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn't a disease, but rather a symptom of another condition.

The term "cardiomegaly" most commonly refers to an enlarged heart seen on chest X-ray before other tests are performed to diagnose the specific condition causing your cardiomegaly. You may develop an enlarged heart temporarily because of a stress on your body, such as pregnancy, or because of a medical condition, such as the weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, heart valve problems or abnormal heart rhythms.

While having an enlarged heart may not always be preventable, it's usually treatable. Treatment for enlarged heart is aimed at correcting the underlying cause. Treatment for an enlarged heart can include medications, medical procedures or surgery.

While I did not openly have any of the listed causes, being over weight is a generally-accepted "excuse" or reason for "heart problems" in the medical world.  So, I opted for the weight loss cure through gastric bypass.

Fast forward nine years.  I lost 165 pounds, then gained 65 back.  I'm still 100 pounds lighter than I used to be.  Recently, another doctor ran some tests and found that my heart was inflamed.  Enlarged.  Inflamed.  All words just saying I have a BIG HEART.  Turns out, that is not correct.

What is heart inflammation?

According to Heart.org:

...inflammation is common for heart disease and stroke patients and is thought to be a sign or atherogenic response. It’s important to know what inflammation is and what it can do to your heart. 

According to Alive.com:

Excess body fat can lead to a host of heart diseases. Veins and arteries become compromised, and blood vessels in legs and microcapillaries in eyes can wear out three times faster in overweight individuals. There is also an increased risk of high blood pressure with each additional pound of fat.

Most of us know the effects of being overweight where the heart is concerned. Unfortunately, what is less well known is the effect of excess inflammation on the heart. You may associate inflammation with the redness, swelling, or heat you see or feel when you get a cut, bite, or minor infection, or with the pain you feel in a swollen joint (as in arthritis). But uncontrolled inflammation is also at the root of heart disease.

Research published in a 2004 issue of the journal Circulation indicates that the immune cells of obese individuals seem to exist in a proinflammatory state, which places these individuals at an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Increasingly, researchers are showing that fat cells are prime production sites for proinflammatory messengers such as IL-6, TNF-a, and C-reactive protein (CRP levels are a well-known indicator of heart disease).

I had my c-reactive protein tested. Over 3 was bad. Mine was almost 5.

So, although enlarged hearts (think fatty, neglected, over-worked heart) and inflamed hearts (think not-well-cared-for, abused-with-bad-food-and-no-exercise, swollen heart) [*that's sarcasm, by the way*] are potentially related, they are not exactly the same thing.  And again, heating healthier and exercising (which they say will lead to weight loss) is the generally "cure."  Medications can be prescribed in more severe situations.  I don't have a lot of the symptoms that they claim go along with these issues.  For example, no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol.  But heart issues do seem to run in my family.  So, maybe my weight doesn't matter and my heart just isn't built to tick right. 

To be real and honest, my family history does play a part in this and apparently exercising (even if not to lose weight) and eating less fatty food (again, even without the intention to lose a single pound) is important.  I am trying to be very aware of the food I put in my mouth and make more time for exercise.  I have added krill oil to my diet and I now take a baby aspirin every day (not good for gastric bypass patients, yes, but I guess a potential stomach ulcer is better than a potential heart attack). 
I'm 36.  I feel like I shouldn't be dealing with these kinds of issues.  Is it pre-destined?  Did I do this to myself?  I guess it doesn't matter but if I want to stick around awhile longer, I better take my health a little more seriously.  Anyone else had these issues?  How do you deal?