A CANCER STORY

Survivor: Jackie Evens. Victims: James White, Lori Grist, Willodean P. Plummer, Aaron Bonner, Kiera C. Smith, William Senkbeil

So many of you may know that this Sunday October 2^nd I will be competing in my first half Ironman distance Triathlon. I am incredibly nervous and excited. Secretly I am happy for it to be over so I can get back to normal life. The training has been really intense and I have shed many tears and plenty of sweat. Most of you have probably seen my tweets about my workouts and how I am feeling. Most of the time I am in disbelief about what I tweet. Suffice it to say it has truly been an experience.

However this post goes beyond the 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run that I will be completing. Beyond my own personal reasons for wanting to achieve this milestone I am doing this to raise money for cancer. The task that I have in front of me is so large that I couldn't imagine just completing it as another notch in my fitness belt. I wanted it to mean something much more.

It seems these days that cancer is all around us, we all know someone that has cancer or has had cancer. It is the biggest epidemic of our lifetime. Cancer does not discriminate when it comes to age, race, sex or background. And now-a-days it seems that even living a healthy lifestyle does not matter. I have had no personal bouts with the disease but I wanted to do something to show people that I recognize their struggle. Many times in life we don't care about something until it happens to us. However, through raising money for this triathlon and seeing people's reactions when I tell them what I am doing I know people care.

Cancer is not just about the patients either. Through working with LLS I have realized that the families really carry the weight of the burden as well. I am still $1000 away from my goal with 2 days left, but I trust that the people around me will donate even people I don't know. You can click here to donate.

So on October 2^nd I will not just represent myself as a triathlete I will represent all of you who have donated and all of the patients, victims and survivors. We will all be IRONMEN that day. Thank you.

Check these moving stories out:  

STYLE: LUCKY FaBB

I attended the Lucky FaBB conference on September 7th check out this AMAZING experience.

FITNESS: DOES EXERCISE MATTER?

Throughout my life I have always maintained some type of physical activity until I became an adult. Life got in the way and my time for exercise diminished. I would go on health kicks where I would eat healthy and work out. This usually resulted in going to the gym hard core for several months and feeling great. However, one day off turned into one week and then weeks into months with no return trip to the gym.

Most people that I encounter have gone through this same experience. They go to the gym for a few months and then just fall off. This type of behavior often goes on for a lifetime and people get frustrated. What is the point? Why am I not seeing results? I have no time for this. In our culture there is such a strong emphasis on working out as the first means of losing weight and I began to wonder is this really true?

My answer is NO. In my experience, exercise alone will not get most people who have significant weight to lose (20lbs or more) to their goal. I will even venture to say that exercise to people just starting out with no fitness background often hinders weight loss. Now let me explain. Weight has to do solely with what you eat, so if you eat less you lose. Its really simple math. Reducing your calorie intake and eating nutrient rich foods (foods closer to their natural state) will yield weight loss results. Point. Blank. Period.

Its purely psychological why exercise hinders people just starting out with no fitness background. What happens is we go to the gym and have no clue what to do so we either don't do enough or do too much. The “not doing enough” crowd will usually reward themselves by eating and cancel out the the workout they just did. The “doing too much” crowd will be exhausted after a few weeks and give up all together. Do you see the dilemma? I have been on both sides.

So does exercise really matter? Yes, but not for the reasons that you may think. If your sole reason for exercising is to lose weight then you are going to be disappointed. Last year I when I first became a triathlete (and still had 30lbs to drop) I though I would be super thin and trim when it was over and I wasn't. Mind you, I was biking almost 200 miles a week and running close to 30 and I only lost 3 lbs. This is not to say “don't exercise” because the benefits of exercise are manifold. Working out helps you stay fit, boost your metabolism, makes your heart stronger, increases self esteem, sculpts your body, helps with digestion and just overall good health. I love to stay active and it is one of the reasons I have maintained my weight and when I do eat poorly my body doesn't pack on the pounds. However, the benefits of exercise were not made clear till after I changed my diet and lost the weight.

So before you make that call to order p90x or zumba THINK. What are your goals? If you have 20lbs or more to lose maybe you should rethink your plan of attack and concentrate on your diet. If your ONLY strategy for losing weight is exercise then you will be disappointed.

What do you think? Do you think exercise is overrated? Why do you exercise?  Share your thoughts. 

STYLE: THE BODY BY IPPOLITA

People (from Left to right): Designer Ippolita and Michelle Trachtenberg, Designer Ippolita and Brooke Sheilds, Model and Ippolitta ambassador Charisse Monet and Paparoxi contributer Ameera Rouse. 

Last week Paparoxi was hit with luxury as we attended the Ippolita art showcase during fashion week presented by celebrated Italian jewelry designer Ippolita. This was the first art exhibit presented by the famed jewelery designer and it took place at the Highline Stages in the meat packing neighborhood of New York. 

The exhibit was a deconstruction of the human body called “Reliquary.” It was a breathe taking experience combining literal structural pieces such as the spine, heart and genitals with videos and images that captivated the audience. The entire exhibit was a play on the human experience and how we deal with things such as religion, love, growth, hurt, desire and strength. One of my favorite pieces of the night had this quote:

Everything takes longer then you think

If anything can go wrong it will

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be

The perversity of the universe tends to a maximum

Common sense is not so common

It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious

Everyone has a scheme

Everything depends

Nature always sides with the hidden flaw

90% of everything is crap

You can observe a lot by just watching

Everything taste more or less like chicken

I was thoroughly inspired by the exhibit. It made me think. I was impressed by Ippolita's ability to grab so much emotion through such simplistic yet profound pieces. It was an amazing energy in the room and despite the celebrity of the crowd it felt as if we were all on the same playing field amongst these grand human structures. I look forward to more of her work.  

TRAINING TUESDAYS: NIKKI PERSCHY

Nikki Perschy

Triathlete

Age: 32

Occupation: Meter Services/Met-Ed

East Stroudsburg, PA

What event(s) are you currently training for and what does that include?

Ironman 70.3 Pocono Mtns. 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 run

Aardvark Aamble 5 mile road race

What are your personal goals for this year?

To complete my first Half Ironman

What does your weekly workout out look like?

Mon: I usually swim at least for 60 mins, Tues: I do a transition bike ride for 75 mins then a 30 min run. Wed:Open water swim for 30-60mins Thurs: 60-75 min track workout Fri: possible day off or light run. Sat. Long bike ride (anywhere from 3-5 hours) then followed by a transition run of 30-1 1/2 hours. Sun: usually a long run anywhere from 40 mins to 2 hours.

What do you think is the hardest part about training and doing an endurance event?

Finding the time and making the commitment

What benefits/rewards do you get from competing?

Staying in shape and feeling good about myself.

What advice would you give someone looking to compete?

Start out slow, and if you miss a workout, don't stress and just move on to the next day.