Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Bake em cookies, you'll get hired!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Biggest Loser: Fitness Ridge-Final Thoughts!
Travel:
-Pros: Well…there are none. It is what it is. I came into Utah on Saturday and I’m thrilled I did. If you can, I would recommend this option. A lot of other people did this.
-Cons: If you fly into the Las Vegas Airport there are some crazy time change issues when getting into St. George, Utah. You fly into Pacific time zone then go into Mountain during the hour and half drive. So it’s just something to keep In mind. A lot of people missed the opening events on Sunday because of this. Also unless you rent a car, you need to take a shuttle from LV to St. George. This is an additional cost.
Food:
-Pros: The food is wonderful! I was really surprised as to how filling the 1,200 calories a day was. The wait staff is very accommodating to people food allergies, diets and preferences. Also, there is a salad/fruit bar that you have access to all day. So if you need a little boost mid-day that is available to you.
-Cons: CAFFEINE!! This was a huge issue for me. They do not allow caffeine at the Resort. I thought it was because caffeine dehydrates you but you learn mid week that there are no real side effects. HELLO?? Then why can’t I have it? (Granted it’s pretty easy to just leave the privacy please sign on your door and keep something on ice all week but of course I didn’t do that J ). Also there were one or two days where I just didn’t like the meal. The thing that sucks is that there is really no other option.
Accommodations:
-Pros: The rooms are amazing! Lots of space, TV with a DVD player, free internet, very comfortable bed. The rooms were actually enjoyable to just rest in.
-Cons: With that said, the walls are made of tissue paper! You can hear everything. So if you are a light sleeper the best place for you to be is on the 2nd floor at the end so the wall your headboard is on is not shared. Some people said they could hear the person next to them snoring!!! The air conditioner also sounds like a diesel truck. So bring a small fan with you if you need some light noise.
Workouts:
-Pros: The workouts are tough. They are what you make of it. If you don’t push yourself you won’t get the results. I see this as a pro because it’s like in the “real world”. I had really great results because I kept pushing myself. The instructors are great for this too!!
-Cons: You are broken up into 3 groups and you work out schedule is different for each group. Sometimes this was great, and other times it just sucked. After an 8 mile hike sometimes you wanted to get in the pool to loosen up or the stretch. For my group we got cardio intervals like 3 times! So it was just hard to get a great calorie burn because you just killed it during the hike.
Hikes:
-Pros: Some of the hikes were just breathtaking. If you are in a smaller hiking group you are basically getting a private tour. Which is just priceless.
-Cons: If the weather is bad or you are not in the Fast Intermediate/Advanced the hiking choices can be limiting. A lot of people got sick of the hikes. (I was in the Advanced so our hikes were new every day) Another thing is that if you are in the Advanced group, they push you, VERY HARD. Almost too hard in my opinion. I think the hike guides (who are outsourced) do not realize the other work outs we do so you can’t go at this crazy fast pace the entire time. Hiking 8 miles in 2 hours is REALLY fast. Just something to keep in mind.
Tips and info:
-FEET FEET FEET!!!!! Take care of your feet. Bring blister gel, blister pads, get blister socks, ect.
-Break in your work out shoes about a month before you are going to the ranch. I made the mistake of wearing my really old tennis shoes thinking they were good and worn in. WRONG, I should have gotten new ones. You end up walking about 12 miles a day. So it’s worth investing in a new pair of shoes.
-If you are not a fit person, you need to start working out AT LEAST two weeks prior to your arrival. You will get more out of the program and the likely hood that you burn out/get injured will be decreased.
-The spa is amazing. Book a massage mid-week so you can make it the rest of the week. It saved my quads!
-The store at the resort is your friend! If you forgot everything, you could survive out of there. Things were not overpriced and the shop manager is very helpful!
-Take advantage of the test that is offered. (RMR and VO2) These will help you when you get back into the real world. If you are there for multiple weeks, get them done at the end of your stay. Weight loss changes the results.
-Bring crystal light or Propel water flavor packets. It will just break up the boring water you drink all week. (Or Starbucks instant Via coffee if you need a pick me up…..wait I didn’t do that! J)
-If you’re wanting to go here to lose some serious weight 30lbs+ you should really consider staying 2 weeks or more. To be able to establish some great habits and get a jump start, the longer you stay the better your results will be.
-I have heard that there is an option where you can stay off campus but still be a guest the ridge. I’m not sure of the price difference in this but if you are trying to cut cost, this could be an option.
All in all this is a wonderful, supportive, and kick ass place to be! I would recommend it to anyone who has any goals for health and fitness. I met people that I hope to stay friends with for many years to come and I learned a lot through our educational classes and seminars.
If anyone has any questions, please please please feel free to contact me! I am very open and honest and will answer anything. KirbyStuart @ gmail.com
There is also a referral program so if you call them and mention my name we can both get something sweet out of the deal! Email me for more info!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
My Adventure-Day 8: Stop Sign 2.0 & Testing Out
I was really nervous about running Stop Sign again. My feet were killing me and I was just sore and tired from the week. I really wanted to beat my time of 55 minute for the 4.3 mile hike/run. And.......
I ran it in 53 minutes!! 2 minutes off!! WoooWHooooo
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A picture of the first four that made it up! I came in 2nd and Judy (on the right) came in first at 51 minutes. She killed it! So proud of her! Yes that is blue tape on my shins. It apparently helps your muscles.
So with all the excitement of finishing early and everything, my iPhone arm band holder flew off my arm annnnnnnnd the screen cracked. AGAIN! DAMN IT! The phone still works but it is just beat up. I am going to go in on Monday and see what they can do, if anything.
My poor phone....My boyfriend told me that State Farm has iPhone insurance. I will probably be looking into that.
This morning I was very excited to "test out" which is you weigh in and compare your weight and measurements to your test in. I am THRILLED to report that I had the following results:
-Lost 4lbs
-Lost 2.1% of body fat
-Lost 6 total inches
Very happy with my results!! I really have the motivation to keep going and work on hitting my goal. I'm going to do a "Final Assessment" post about all the pros and cons about Fitness Ridge. I learned so much and met some wonderful people!!
My Adventure-Day 7-Lets get physical!
We went on a hike called "Slots". It gets it name because we crawl through these literally slots that are in between the huge rock formations. It's really tight quarters and luckily I'm not claustrophobic! I didn't bring my camera! Along the way we saw a ton of petrographs and they were so interesting. I took a video of one of the larger scenes we saw.
It was really great looking at them and hearing what they mean!

Friday, March 5, 2010
My adventure-Day 6: I officially hit the wall...
But what this picture doesn't show is how your nose has to be plugged up! So you wear this really uncomfortable close pin. It was really uncomfortable but if you just keep saying "in and out" you can get through it! SO my results were REALLY good. I can basically work out for 30 minutes a day while eating 1,800 calories a day and I will get to my goal in 7 weeks. I love how this test is all mathematical. Takes all the guess work out!
All this while, my foot is killing me. Even walking in flip flops hurt. I was really hoping it would go away with some moving around...OH was I wrong. Against my better judgment, I went on the advanced hike with my group. I even told the lead guide about my toe and just that I was having a crappy day. So if we could just chill the pace down, that would be amazing.
CHICK. DID. NOT. LISTEN.
We went on the hike and it was miserable. It was already cold and rainy when we left, when we got a little up it started to HAIL. Full on hail. I wore a windbreaker and I thought that this would help. It also was crazy windy. As in 40mph winds....while hiking...with an infected toe? The wind just took my windbreaker and made it a giant sail. I was being thrown around everywhere. At one point I just stopped and freaked out. I honestly didn't feel safe. (Drama queen...)
Here is a video from our hike. The wind is really loud! Also, you will see these two tiny white dots below, those are our vans where we started. And to think we went up another 1,000 feet and the wind blew harder...
I soaked my foot in some hot water and espom salts and that really helped. I wish I could have done that for the rest of the day but I remembered I had another test scheduled. I got a VO2 test. This test (also called a stress test) measures at what point does your body begin to burn fat. You just run until you can't anymore (toe.toe.toe). My results were good again. I have a really strong heart and it will really help me finish my weight loss.

(Not me again)
I'm sorry I'm bitching so much, it was just a tough day!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Day 5: Call me Cliffhanger!
This is by far my favorite! Go hiking!

Can you tell they tilted the camera a bit?? Haha!
This shot was a little scary! It was taken on top of one of the "camel backs" on the hike. You can see them in the distance in the video below.
Great video from our hike. I forgot to take one from the view from the camel back. You can see them far off in the distance.
One of the best things I did was I booked a massage for Wednesday night. Everyone said that booking one mid week was good. SO GLAD I DID! My quads were in so much pain that day. I have to admit that I had never had a massage before. I know! Crazy. It was wonderful and I'm now hooked.
Half way done and while it's a ton of work, I'm having a blast!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
My Adventure Day 4: QUADS!!
One of the side effects of finishing so fast in the "Stop Sign" hike was that I pretty much got thrown into the Advanced Hiking group. I've only been hiking a few times and my legs were hurting from all the stuff on Monday! There were two other people who joined that group and we decided that we'd tackle the mountain!
Well a mountain can not even begin to explain what this hike was!! We started off a really fast pace, basically speed walking.
Honestly, the rest of the day was a blur! I know I worked out but couldn't tell you what classes I took! I really enjoy it here and am looking forward to getting back to losing weight while I'm at home.
My Adventure Day 3: "Stop Sign"
Breakfast was great! English muffin, eggs and turkey bacon. It tasted amazing and actually was filling. We are on a 1,200 calorie diet while at the Ridge. There is a salad/fruit bar that we have access due during the day (all with healthy choices) but it is in addition to our diet.
Then we went on our first "Stop Sign" Hike. Morning hikes are a huge part of the schedule here. So first thing this week we are timed while hiking on a paved 4.3 mile hike/walk. This will give the instructors a gage on our fitness level as well as which hikes we should go on. I was determined to finish this in under 1 hour and 10 minutes. I've always been a distance runner and I wanted to use the pavement to my advantage. Everyone said that at the 2.5 mile mark where we run along side the road got very hilly. (and I'm not a hill/incline runner) So I knew that I had to run to that point.
I exceeded my expectations!! I finished "Stop Sign" first at 55 minutes. I was THRILLED!! It had been so long since I've run like that. Ever since my back, I haven't run at all. So it was good to know that my abilities are still there.
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(I made it!!!)
The logic of running to the road worked great for me. I made it there in about 27 minutes and then just power walked the hell out of the rest. The hills and inclines were INSANE! I have to admit that it was a little embarrassing. Only because I'm a place where some people didn't even make it a mile. I admire them so much for getting out of their comfort zone and wanting to change their life.
With that said, I am getting plenty of "Now, what did you want to get out of this week?" AKA "what the hell are you doing here, you're one of the smallest people here?". I mean people don't understand that there does come a point in your weight loss journey that you get unmotivated/plateau/eat bad and just get off track. It's like I might be small to them but to me I have such a long way to go until I'm at my goal weight. ESPECIALLY these last 10-12lbs. This opportunity came at such a perfect time for me to get back on track. I'm really great full to have it!
After the hike we basically worked out a ton! Circuit training, Step Class and a pool class (I never knew pool could be so difficult). My quads are pretty much in pain from the "Stop Sign" run. (A huge disadvantage of pushing myself) So after our evening lecture, I passed out at 8:00pm.
So far, still going great. The first day was hard! But it's just new to my body and it will (and did) get easier.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
My adventure: Day 1-Hot Tub Love Machine.
So yesterday I headed out off to Utah for my Biggest Loser adventure. There is some crazy traveling/time change issues when coming from Central or Easters time zones. So in order to get to Fitness Ridge on time for all the activities, I decided to leave on Saturday to just get in town.
You fly into Las Vegas then take a shuttle to St. George, Utah. It is SUCH A TEASE to fly into Vegas. On top of my gambling habit (hehehe), I just wanted to stuff myself at the Wynn buffet. Ahh....not this time...The shuttle was awesome! It had wifi and electrical outlets so it makes the hour and half ride go by really fast!
I check into my room at the hotel and died laughing....my room is meant for one thing....and that is being a LOVE MACHINE!

Yes ladies and gentlemen that is a heart shaped jacuzzi. AWESOME!! The picture I took could not do it justice so I looked on the website, hit the jackpot and died laughing again...

"Why hello.....come here often??"
So now I'm just sitting next to my hot tub love machine (NOT in, kind of freaks me out...) waiting till I can head over to the Fitness Ridge. I'm so excited/nervous! More to come!
Today is the LAST DAY to enter my Bachelor Themed Contest. Be sure to enter and pick a number that is not called for!!! Good luck!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
And I'm off!

Just want to let everyone know that this is a HEALTH and FITNESS resort. It's not meant for any one type of person. Anyone who wants to get healthy and learn more about fitness is meant to attend. The ages range from as young as 18 to as old as 82!! Around 40% of each weeks "class" as they call it are just fitness enthusiast who want to learn more. I got some really bad reactions when I first told people I was going. But now I'm really excited to be pushed outside of my comfort zone and learn more! WooWhoo!!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
IT WAS A SCAM!!!!?!?
So Mike took Yankee to the agency yesterday and everything was going great they loved him, built it up like he could be on the next Milkbone box. Yadda Yadda Yadda. So at the end of the appointment they left him alone in a room then they come back and say......
"And to make all this happen you just need to pay us $2,000!"
WHAT!?!? I mean is this guy serious?? Obviosuly Mike freaked out and was like NO WAY and thanks for wasting my time.
I'm sorry, but how creepy that this person just hangs out at the dog park looking for suckers. CREEPY! I just feel bad because everyone on their website was totally screwed out of the money. You should NEVER pay an agency before you getting work, I don't care if your a dog or a person.
Such a let down!!!

YOU SUCK HOLLYWOOD PAWS!!!!!!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Yankee Might Be A Star!!!!!
I finally got back to Little Rock and most importantly got some needed sleep!! Thank you so much for the nice comments during my travel induced breakdown yesterday!! You all are the best!!
Okay so when I got back Mike left a message on my phone that Yankee was discovered?!?!!? Apparently, Mike took him to the dog park yesterday and this guy came up to him and started asking if Yankee had an agent!!? (Seriously???) So the guy told Mike to bring him in tomorrow. They're very reputable and only have 2 other bulldogs. They are going to test shoot him tomorrow. I hope he behaves!!!!! I really hope Mike took him to the beauty shop so he will be as good looking as ever!!!!
Here are some of my favorite pictures of my baby Yankee!!!

At The 2009 Bulldog Beauty Contest
Chewing on a hanger in my closet (which is a huge no no!!)
Being adorable!
My favorite picture of all time...Yankee in the Fridge....
Mike takes him tomorrow afternoon, I will update everyone then on how it goes!!!!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Miss Ava's Fancy Dinner!
from the fancy place cards and napkin rings
to the table setting.
She made the most amazing food!!! It was such a great night!!
Taylor and I with our signature pose....amazing....
And myself with the fabulous hostess!!!! It was the best night, very our group! After dinner we got in our PJ's and played Wii. It was fabulous! This was also where we exchanged gifts with each other. I wanted to show off one of Ava's gifts, this was PERFECT for her and I.

It's a gold and hot pink pill case that has "My Crazy Pills" on top. Perfect!! I also want to brag on Ava for what she gave me.


She gave me this book that she made on Snapfish. It has all the pictures from when we got our Disney Princess Makeovers in Disney World this summer. This was one of the most fun thing we have ever done together and this book means so much to me. It was also hilarious because I think these makeovers are geared towards 8 year old and we're 24.....but it didn't stop us!!!
And for those of you who are wondering what I am wearing (this is more an opportunity to brag than anything). I am wearing one of my Christmas Presents from Michael!!!! It's this Tory Burch dress.

He did so well! Not only is it beautiful, it fits!!! I was worried that it would not fit up top...here at Good Gals Inc, we are little....busty. But he did great and it was perfect for the dinner party.
I am off to Dallas to celebrate New Years!! It will definitely be a fabulous time and you can bet I will be blogging all the way!!!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A little bit about myself!
1. My name is Kirby and I'm originally from Little Rock, Arkansas (Yes, I actually grew up there!). Being from Arkansas has really made me who I am. I love the fact that I'm southern!

2. I have a furry, 60 pound, child.....His name is Yankee.


Yankee is my year and half old English Bulldog. I share him with my boyfriend Michael (See #4)!!!! He is the cutest thing ever! He does however love to chew my shoes...we've been going good for a few months. SO here's to hope! I have however kept my local shoe guy in business because of the 20+ shoes I've taken in there to be re-made. Yankee and I have similar taste, he loves gold high heels!!! This photo is from a photoshoot that Michael did for me for Christmas. He surprised me with these great pictures of Yankee from Sabrina Helas at Cookies and Water Photography (www.cookiesandwaterphotography.com) . Yankee is on her website!!
3) I recently graduated from The American Film Institute with a Masters in Film Producing. (A mouth full!) This was by far the hardest thing I've ever done. AFI is a very intensive two year masters program. From the first day you walk in the doors you are teamed with a group and you're making films. First year you make at least three films (called Cycle Films), well I made 5...and I did anywhere from Production Design, Set Building, Wardrobe, Seamstress on at least 10 others. It was a very intense year....I pretty much was on a film set every 4 days a week for a year.
2nd year at AFI is suppose to be easier because you only make one huge film called your Thesis Film. This was the hardest year for me. I guess I was so done and worn out because of first year, I just couldn't wait to be done. There are two things that I am able to say about AFI that are positive. The first (and most important) one being, without AFI, I never would have met my boyfriend Michael (again, see #4!). The second one is, my team made an amazing Thesis Film. The film is called "GOODBYE CANARSIE".
I'm very proud of this film!! We shot it on 35mm and it actually was a great on-set experience!! (Most people have horror stories on their thesis films. We had a trailer people!). Check out the films website www.GoodbyeCanarsie.com4. I have a wonderful boyfriend named Michael. Michael and I technically met at AFI (He's also just graduated as a Producer from AFI. We had technically never spoken before). Here is the REAL story about how we met. A group of us went to Las Vegas to get away from the crazy film making of first year. The majority of the group wanted to do some pretty lame stuff, so four of us branched off and we headed to the Palms Hotel to have a night on the town. (Now I have to preface this with the fact that I am NOT a club person and this was the last time Mike and I were at a club together!) I BS'ed my past the doorman at Rain and I still have no idea we had a table and everyone in there thinking we were just the most important people in the room. We were there having a great time (all the other members of the group came over to the club because as I predicted, their plans sucked!). Mike and I started dancing and out of NO WHERE Mike grabs my butt!!!! I was so embarrassed and so shocked I didn't know what to do!! I mean I kept dancing, I was in shock! It was about 4 am when our group left the club, we all went and got some LATE night dinner/breakfast. Ever since Vegas we have pretty much been inseparable. About two weeks after Vegas I went home for Christmas and we talked every 5 minutes it seemed like!
SO now we've been together two years and now that we're out of school it's great that we can actually be together and not be so consumed with school. We always produce all of our films together so we are waiting to hear back from film festivals about our film, Goodbye Canarsie.
So that is a little bit about me!!








