I absolutely LOVE Christmas. I love going to Christmas Eve service, I start listening to Christmas tunes the day after Thanksgiving, and look forward to the chaos of the Biller family gatherings. (I should never leave home without a video camera when attending such functions.)
What I forgot is how much I love the festive holiday food. My goal is to lose 2 pounds during the holiday season but I believe that unless I cut off my left arm, I won't be reaching that goal. In fact, I think I added another arm in the process. Here are a few reasons why I think my goal wasn't a priority:
1. The annual ZPC meat and cheese tray, which was the beginning of the decline. This monstrosity is normally delivered from a neighboring business the week before Christmas and I think it may be brought in by crane. I was doing REALLY well until that thing arrived. A co-worker of mine (who shall remain nameless so as not to shame him) and I pounced on that thing like the contestants that won a food reward challenge on Survivor.
2. Christmas morning breakfast. I'm such a sucker for bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, and coffee. I was willing to deal with the pain. (Some of you may know that my body doesn't respond well to coffee and eggs.)
3. John's birthday dinner at Domo. Sushi can be really healthy, unless it's stuffed with cream cheese, rolled in batter and deep fried...all of which we had in every roll we ate.
4. My Aunt Kathy's cookie tray, which included peanut butter fudge, cookies stuffed with peanut butter cups, and powdered sugar-dusted shortbread cookies. I think I can actually feel the butter clogging my arteries.
5. The Peck family weekend extravaganza (which is this coming weekend). We normally pick a food theme for dinner, and this year it's mexican. Need I say more.
I'm not blaming anyone but myself for this fiasco. I know that when I eat things that aren't good for me in large quantities that I will gain weight, that's just how it works people. But I am looking forward to all of this food madness being over after New Year's weekend. I can't wait to get back to some normalcy and consistency. But I'm not gonna lie, I enjoyed every stinking bite!! Guess that bikini is just going to have to wait a few weeks longer. It's already waited 33 years, why not another 3-4 weeks.
December 27, 2010
December 18, 2010
Updated Pics
Merry Christmas to all!!
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December 12, 2010
Minor Setbacks
So the holidays are proving to be a tougher time than I anticipated. I didn't think that refined sugar would be such tough opponent, but alas, it is. Today I got together with my Mom, aunt and cousin to make Christmas cookies using my Grandma Wilson's tried and true recipes. (And I also bought a mix for gluten-free cutouts so my son could join in on the fun).
This is where it gets tricky. I know in my head that eating one or two cookies isn't going to undo all of the hard work that I've put in, but my body feels like the stay puffed marshmallow man after eating the chocolate drop with buttercream icing. This logic is totally in my thick nogin, but it is still a process that I am dealing with. Another part that doesn't help is that I was sick over the past 4-5 days and I didn't get in my normal workouts, so in my head I'm thinking I've packed on about 18 pounds. (I know that's not physically possible but that's how my shady little brain works.)
So tomorrow is Monday and back to the land of Boot Camp with the fabulous ladies in the class that I teach. For some reason teaching this class puts me right back in a "healthy" mindset and makes eating healthy foods a whole lot easier. So I'm going to go back to taking it one day, one meal at a time and only think about what is put in front of me each minute. I know that I can make healthy choices and get to my goal, it's just a matter of DOING IT!!
This is where it gets tricky. I know in my head that eating one or two cookies isn't going to undo all of the hard work that I've put in, but my body feels like the stay puffed marshmallow man after eating the chocolate drop with buttercream icing. This logic is totally in my thick nogin, but it is still a process that I am dealing with. Another part that doesn't help is that I was sick over the past 4-5 days and I didn't get in my normal workouts, so in my head I'm thinking I've packed on about 18 pounds. (I know that's not physically possible but that's how my shady little brain works.)
So tomorrow is Monday and back to the land of Boot Camp with the fabulous ladies in the class that I teach. For some reason teaching this class puts me right back in a "healthy" mindset and makes eating healthy foods a whole lot easier. So I'm going to go back to taking it one day, one meal at a time and only think about what is put in front of me each minute. I know that I can make healthy choices and get to my goal, it's just a matter of DOING IT!!
December 9, 2010
Being Sick Bites the Big One!
Well hello again! After taking a tiny sabbatical, I'm back to the land of blogging. Nothing interesting kept me away, just plain old business and laziness. I've been doing my daily workouts, eating pretty well (considering the bountiful supply of trash that surrounds me daily) and up until yesterday feeling pretty darn good. Yesterday morning however, it felt like the devil took a seat on my head, shoved a fire hose up my nose and turned it on full blast. Now it's like mass exodus with all of the stuff running out of my head...even my eyes are watering.
I decided to take the morning off today from working out and switch my day off this week (it's normally Friday). However I did welcome back my old friend Mr. Scale to see what his opinion is of my progress since the last time we saw each other. (Now the scale is only sharing an opinion of my health. If I was five feet tall and weighed 200 pounds, I'd have a different take. At this point in my journey with all of the strength training and with my current eating habits I know that I'm on the right path and I just need to keep moving forward, even if the scale doesn't agree every week.)
Other than the massive head cold and Rudolf nose I'm sporting, I'm feeling pretty good about things. I've lost a pound (half my goal during the festive season) and I've been keeping up with my workouts and good eating habits. Bring on Christmas and New Year's!!
I decided to take the morning off today from working out and switch my day off this week (it's normally Friday). However I did welcome back my old friend Mr. Scale to see what his opinion is of my progress since the last time we saw each other. (Now the scale is only sharing an opinion of my health. If I was five feet tall and weighed 200 pounds, I'd have a different take. At this point in my journey with all of the strength training and with my current eating habits I know that I'm on the right path and I just need to keep moving forward, even if the scale doesn't agree every week.)
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| Notice the freshly painted toes, finally! |
November 30, 2010
Motivation, what motivation?
Today was by far one of the hardest days I've had at the gym. It took everything I had to crawl from my cozy sheets at 4:45am this morning and drag my tired tushy to the Y. It seemed like everything that could go wrong with my workout, did go wrong. I left my iPod at another location, I had no desire to get on the elliptical, and every single person at the gym grated on my last nerve. Normally I can crank the volume, get a good rhythm going and crush some serious calories, but today I had to muster up enough energy just to go for a slow walk on the treadmill and do some basic ab exercises. Definitely not my best workout, but I guess it's better than no workout at all. Let's hope "Leg Day Wednesday" proves to be a little (no, a lot) more inspiring!
November 25, 2010
Mmmm! Tasty Salad!
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November 24, 2010
The Gym Is My Sanctuary...And Stress Reliever.
Nothing like not turning on the alarm clock to start the day off right! My gym buddy and I had just had a conversation on Monday regarding the fact that we are both so good about committing to, and actually showing up, at the gym each morning. Then wouldn't you know it on Monday night I set my alarm for the usual time of 4:45am, but never flipped it to "On." I woke up on Tuesday morning at 5:45 (when I told her I would be there at 5:00) when my son started crying (and he normally doesn't get up until around 7:00). What a great way to start the day!
So proceed through the day of the usual work craziness, then pick up my son at the end of the day to find out that he is in super-whiney mode. Which, by the way, can grate on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. So by now I haven't worked out yet, I'm stressed out, I'm trying to make dinner, the little one is hanging on my leg crying, and my husband is home on his break hanging out on Facebook. Needless to say I felt like someone had plugged me into an outlet, turned me to high, then dropped me in water. Good times!
My husband gets home from work at about 7:00pm and I pretty much immediately walk out the door to head to gym, and I instantly start to feel better. I know that when I walk into the fitness center that time is 100% totally mine...no phone, no e-mail, no husband, no child, just me and my time to kick some serious arse. I crank up the iPod, sweat out all of the crud that has built up in my system, work my muscles to the point of serious exhaustion, then collapse on the mats in a pool of sweat to stretch my now taxed body. But I LOVE it! I know that what I put into it, I get out of it, and nobody else can do it for me. It is something that only I can accomplish for myself and when I'm done I know that I have done all that I can. I ALWAYS feel 100% better when I'm finished, whether it is 6:15am or 8:30pm when I'm done.
Keep in mind that I didn't always have this mindset...the gym scared me to death at first. But the more I learned and the better in shape I got, the more I began to crave going to the gym. So if you're just starting out and you feel like you don't have a clue of what to do, just go and do something, anything. You can learn as you go. I promise, it gets better!!
So proceed through the day of the usual work craziness, then pick up my son at the end of the day to find out that he is in super-whiney mode. Which, by the way, can grate on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. So by now I haven't worked out yet, I'm stressed out, I'm trying to make dinner, the little one is hanging on my leg crying, and my husband is home on his break hanging out on Facebook. Needless to say I felt like someone had plugged me into an outlet, turned me to high, then dropped me in water. Good times!
My husband gets home from work at about 7:00pm and I pretty much immediately walk out the door to head to gym, and I instantly start to feel better. I know that when I walk into the fitness center that time is 100% totally mine...no phone, no e-mail, no husband, no child, just me and my time to kick some serious arse. I crank up the iPod, sweat out all of the crud that has built up in my system, work my muscles to the point of serious exhaustion, then collapse on the mats in a pool of sweat to stretch my now taxed body. But I LOVE it! I know that what I put into it, I get out of it, and nobody else can do it for me. It is something that only I can accomplish for myself and when I'm done I know that I have done all that I can. I ALWAYS feel 100% better when I'm finished, whether it is 6:15am or 8:30pm when I'm done.
Keep in mind that I didn't always have this mindset...the gym scared me to death at first. But the more I learned and the better in shape I got, the more I began to crave going to the gym. So if you're just starting out and you feel like you don't have a clue of what to do, just go and do something, anything. You can learn as you go. I promise, it gets better!!
November 23, 2010
Slow and Steady!
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November 21, 2010
Just Say No!
It's an overused sentence, but sometimes completely appropriate. No more adult beverages, at least for a while. Friday night I consumed one too many gin & tonics, and Saturday I paid for it in more than one way. Here are 8 reasons why I should not partake in cocktails:
1. I have a hard time stopping at one. (I told myself I would only have one, and then 7 drinks later I was wondering what happened to the first.)
2. Alcohol is like pot to me. Apparently my body thinks that when alcohol is involved there also needs to be massive amounts of deep fried sludge to go with it. And of course I can completely justify it in my spirit-induced mental state.
3. I act like I'm 19 and having my first drinks. Alcohol takes away any inhibition that I might possess at that time and throws it through the small bar windows. Notorious BIG and I seem to be on a first name basis with the jukebox at The Depot.
4. Cigarettes start to look good to me. And I can't believe I just admitted that...that's how much alcohol affects my judgement. I am the biggest opponent of smoking but when you put several drinks down my gullet there seems to be some switch in my brain that says, "Hey, go smoke a cigarette because that's what you used to do and it would be fun!" Fortunately (and I'm saying that in a big way!) I did NOT smoke any cigarettes, and haven't for about 5 years.
5. The hangover feels like little elves are jumping around in my stomach and then crawling up my spine to take a hammer to my skull. Saturday was a complete waste of a day because there was no way I was crawling out of bed to do anything except to bow in front of the porcelain throne a couple times.
This probably isn't going to be the easiest thing to do, but in the grand scheme of things, it shouldn't be that bad. I've given up things that seemed to be way worse and probably weren't as detrimental to my health as binging on an overload of gin & tonics. Stay tuned...
1. I have a hard time stopping at one. (I told myself I would only have one, and then 7 drinks later I was wondering what happened to the first.)
2. Alcohol is like pot to me. Apparently my body thinks that when alcohol is involved there also needs to be massive amounts of deep fried sludge to go with it. And of course I can completely justify it in my spirit-induced mental state.
3. I act like I'm 19 and having my first drinks. Alcohol takes away any inhibition that I might possess at that time and throws it through the small bar windows. Notorious BIG and I seem to be on a first name basis with the jukebox at The Depot.
4. Cigarettes start to look good to me. And I can't believe I just admitted that...that's how much alcohol affects my judgement. I am the biggest opponent of smoking but when you put several drinks down my gullet there seems to be some switch in my brain that says, "Hey, go smoke a cigarette because that's what you used to do and it would be fun!" Fortunately (and I'm saying that in a big way!) I did NOT smoke any cigarettes, and haven't for about 5 years.
5. The hangover feels like little elves are jumping around in my stomach and then crawling up my spine to take a hammer to my skull. Saturday was a complete waste of a day because there was no way I was crawling out of bed to do anything except to bow in front of the porcelain throne a couple times.
This probably isn't going to be the easiest thing to do, but in the grand scheme of things, it shouldn't be that bad. I've given up things that seemed to be way worse and probably weren't as detrimental to my health as binging on an overload of gin & tonics. Stay tuned...
November 18, 2010
Is It Possible??
Of course, anything is possible!! But will I keep to my plan and make it through the holidays? I'm gonna be honest...the holidays scare the living daylights out of me when it comes to food. I have done REALLY well over the past few months, but put crazy amounts of food and huge amounts of crazy family in front of me and it's a whole new ballgame. I get back into all my old "stuff", which normally includes stuffing exorbitant quantities of food in my face and then regretting it and feeling like a big pile of doo for days.
Can I, or better yet, WILL I choose to make this holiday season different? That's my plan. My goal is to have lost 2 pounds by January 1. I'm not going to completely restrict myself at family functions, but I'm also not going to load up a 5 pound bucket of food either. I'm going to choose to eat foods that I really want, but only on days of the actual family get together. In years past, holidays were like weekends...any day that was next to a holiday, or any day that ran from Thanksgiving to New Years Day was considered a holiday. Any food that was put in front of me was fair game, and you better not get in my way or you might lose a hand. Sound familiar?
So hear are some things that I'm going to do this year to stick to a plan and not pack on unwanted (and unneeded) extra pounds:
1. Only choose to indulge at the actual family get together (and by indulge I mean eat a small serving of something, not belly up to the buffet with a fork and have a free-for-all.)
2. Eat smaller portions. My Dad's side of the family is not known for portion control, or any type of control for that matter, so one way I can do that is to use a smaller plate and take one piece or scoop of an item, not 4 pieces or a dump truck load.
3. Don't stand next to the food. One of the worst habits I have is placing myself right next to all of the food, because what would happen if it was gone before I got some of it??? I can't miss out on anything!! Which is one of the reasons I got up to 190 pounds!! Step away from the food...there will be plenty for everyone.
4. Choose one meal to indulge, not the whole day. I don't spend the entire day at my family's house, so while I'm at home I can choose to eat my normal foods and indulge only at the function. Just because it's a holiday does not mean that I have to make bad choices all day!
5. Make healthy options to take with me. If I am asked to bring an item to a gathering, I can make a healthy option that I like. That way I will know there will be something healthy to eat and that I will like it...and other people can benefit from it too! Not every single dish needs to be loaded with fat and calories in order to be good! (Thanks Healthy Edge Video #2 for that tip!)
What healthy choices can you make this holiday season to keep away those unhealthy holiday habits??
Can I, or better yet, WILL I choose to make this holiday season different? That's my plan. My goal is to have lost 2 pounds by January 1. I'm not going to completely restrict myself at family functions, but I'm also not going to load up a 5 pound bucket of food either. I'm going to choose to eat foods that I really want, but only on days of the actual family get together. In years past, holidays were like weekends...any day that was next to a holiday, or any day that ran from Thanksgiving to New Years Day was considered a holiday. Any food that was put in front of me was fair game, and you better not get in my way or you might lose a hand. Sound familiar?
So hear are some things that I'm going to do this year to stick to a plan and not pack on unwanted (and unneeded) extra pounds:
1. Only choose to indulge at the actual family get together (and by indulge I mean eat a small serving of something, not belly up to the buffet with a fork and have a free-for-all.)
2. Eat smaller portions. My Dad's side of the family is not known for portion control, or any type of control for that matter, so one way I can do that is to use a smaller plate and take one piece or scoop of an item, not 4 pieces or a dump truck load.
3. Don't stand next to the food. One of the worst habits I have is placing myself right next to all of the food, because what would happen if it was gone before I got some of it??? I can't miss out on anything!! Which is one of the reasons I got up to 190 pounds!! Step away from the food...there will be plenty for everyone.
4. Choose one meal to indulge, not the whole day. I don't spend the entire day at my family's house, so while I'm at home I can choose to eat my normal foods and indulge only at the function. Just because it's a holiday does not mean that I have to make bad choices all day!
5. Make healthy options to take with me. If I am asked to bring an item to a gathering, I can make a healthy option that I like. That way I will know there will be something healthy to eat and that I will like it...and other people can benefit from it too! Not every single dish needs to be loaded with fat and calories in order to be good! (Thanks Healthy Edge Video #2 for that tip!)
What healthy choices can you make this holiday season to keep away those unhealthy holiday habits??
November 15, 2010
Eating Healthy On A Budget
Who says that eating healthy has to cost big bucks?? Honestly, I think it's an excuse for people to not put in the time and/or effort to shop for foods that are good for your body and budget. There are so many foods out there that are good for you, easy to prepare, and not a strain on the wallet. Here is a sample menu from my household (last week's menu to be exact) and how much we spent:
Dinner #1: "In A Canadian Beef Stew" (from the "Eat Clean Diet Cookbook")
Dinner #2: Chicken Salad
Dinner #3: Gluten Free Pasta w/ roasted vegetables and turkey sausage
Dinner #4: Chicken Stir Fry
Dinner #5: Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice
Dinner #6: Helpy Selfy (aka, find what you can in the house and eat it)
Dinner #7: Leftovers from a previous dinner
Our grocery list included all of the ingredients for the above menu items, breakfast, lunch and snack items for the 3 of us, and diapers for Zach (I know it's not a food item, but still an item that we get while grocery shopping, and very necessary!) Our total grocery bill was $115. I don't think that's very bad for 3 people (two of them with food restrictions) and one of them that eats 99% clean (me).
Was it a challenge when I first started learning about eating healthy to find foods that we liked and didn't break the bank, SURE IT WAS! But what is more important, me staying in my comfort zone and doing things that same way I always did, or finding ways to make it work AND eat healthy foods that are good for me and my whole family? Obviously the second!!!
Are you making excuses for not choosing healthy foods when you go to the grocery store? If so, how can you change your thought process from all the excuses of why you can't, to all of the reasons why you can?? Make it a challenge for yourself...how many healthy foods can you buy this week and still stick to your food budget?
Dinner #1: "In A Canadian Beef Stew" (from the "Eat Clean Diet Cookbook")
Dinner #2: Chicken Salad
Dinner #3: Gluten Free Pasta w/ roasted vegetables and turkey sausage
Dinner #4: Chicken Stir Fry
Dinner #5: Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice
Dinner #6: Helpy Selfy (aka, find what you can in the house and eat it)
Dinner #7: Leftovers from a previous dinner
Our grocery list included all of the ingredients for the above menu items, breakfast, lunch and snack items for the 3 of us, and diapers for Zach (I know it's not a food item, but still an item that we get while grocery shopping, and very necessary!) Our total grocery bill was $115. I don't think that's very bad for 3 people (two of them with food restrictions) and one of them that eats 99% clean (me).
Was it a challenge when I first started learning about eating healthy to find foods that we liked and didn't break the bank, SURE IT WAS! But what is more important, me staying in my comfort zone and doing things that same way I always did, or finding ways to make it work AND eat healthy foods that are good for me and my whole family? Obviously the second!!!
Are you making excuses for not choosing healthy foods when you go to the grocery store? If so, how can you change your thought process from all the excuses of why you can't, to all of the reasons why you can?? Make it a challenge for yourself...how many healthy foods can you buy this week and still stick to your food budget?
November 12, 2010
November 11, 2010
Goal #1 - ACCOMPLISHED!!!
First of all, let me just say WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!! I never thought that getting on the scale would bring me this much joy, but hey, I guess it's all how I approach it. My first goal was to get under 140 pounds...mission accomplished!!
I knew that I needed to set small goals for myself, otherwise it would just be a lesson in "How not to shoot myself in the head." If I thought about how long it would take me to get to my BIG goal (and all of the work that it would take me to get there) I would probably just panic and say "Screw it!" So I set little goals for myself and I'm going to reward myself when I get to each goal.
So what's my reward for reaching Goal #1? SHOES!!! Seriously, if you know me at all, you know that it couldn't be anything else. I'm a shoe fanatic to the nth degree!! However, this weekend is our annual shopping trip to Columbus with some of the ladies in my family so I might have to look for some SMALLER SIZE JEANS TOO!! Wow, wouldn't that be a hoot!! If I can find a pair of jeans that fit and look good (looking good in them is a must because seeing someone with sausage rolls hanging over their too-small pants is never attractive, I don't care if they are a smaller size) I'm gonna have to snatch them up!! I've never been smaller than a size 8 in my entire life, even when I was in elementary school...sad but true. So if I can find some sweet 6's that make my tush look fabulous, they are comin' home with Momma!!
So what's my reward for reaching Goal #1? SHOES!!! Seriously, if you know me at all, you know that it couldn't be anything else. I'm a shoe fanatic to the nth degree!! However, this weekend is our annual shopping trip to Columbus with some of the ladies in my family so I might have to look for some SMALLER SIZE JEANS TOO!! Wow, wouldn't that be a hoot!! If I can find a pair of jeans that fit and look good (looking good in them is a must because seeing someone with sausage rolls hanging over their too-small pants is never attractive, I don't care if they are a smaller size) I'm gonna have to snatch them up!! I've never been smaller than a size 8 in my entire life, even when I was in elementary school...sad but true. So if I can find some sweet 6's that make my tush look fabulous, they are comin' home with Momma!!
November 8, 2010
The Return of the Exerspy...
When good equipment goes bad...it has to go back. There was nothing wrong with the actual Exerspy itself...there were two issues and they both reverted to me.
1. My arm was problem number 1. Apparently my skin doesn't like to have a sensor sitting on it 18 hours a day, because it started itching and turning red. I don't think it was the Exerspy's fault, I think I have sensitive skin and it just couldn't handle all of the friction.
2. I found myself being obsessed with how many calories I was burning and eating in one day...which is not a good thing for me. I tend to be a little OCD with certain things, and this happened to be one of them. One of the things I learned from The Healthy Edge is that if I am exercising as I should be (and I'm not talking about going around the track while talking on my phone...seriously lady, if you can talk on your phone while jogging, you're not jogging fast enough!) eating the right type of foods, and drinking enough water my body will regulate itself and lose weight if it needs to. There are so many more factors that go into losing weight and being healthy than just how many calories you eat.
I will say this, I am very glad that I tried the Exerspy and I would recommend it to others that want to see what their own body actually does in a day (if you are like me, you would be completely surprised). It was interesting to find out what my body actually accomplished in one day...aside from the irritating red bumps on my bicep. It was a good reinforcement to the fact that 80% of how we look and feel is determined by what we eat. Does anyone remember the commercials showing a woman eating a cinnamon roll and then they pan out and her butt is actually a cinnamon roll...that's not too far from the truth!! If you are thinking to yourself that you would like to get healthy, feel better, and drop some pounds, adjust the type and quantity of food you are eating and I promise you will see changes quicker than if you just jump on the treadmill. Exercise is very important, but it's only about 20% of how you look!
1. My arm was problem number 1. Apparently my skin doesn't like to have a sensor sitting on it 18 hours a day, because it started itching and turning red. I don't think it was the Exerspy's fault, I think I have sensitive skin and it just couldn't handle all of the friction.
2. I found myself being obsessed with how many calories I was burning and eating in one day...which is not a good thing for me. I tend to be a little OCD with certain things, and this happened to be one of them. One of the things I learned from The Healthy Edge is that if I am exercising as I should be (and I'm not talking about going around the track while talking on my phone...seriously lady, if you can talk on your phone while jogging, you're not jogging fast enough!) eating the right type of foods, and drinking enough water my body will regulate itself and lose weight if it needs to. There are so many more factors that go into losing weight and being healthy than just how many calories you eat.
I will say this, I am very glad that I tried the Exerspy and I would recommend it to others that want to see what their own body actually does in a day (if you are like me, you would be completely surprised). It was interesting to find out what my body actually accomplished in one day...aside from the irritating red bumps on my bicep. It was a good reinforcement to the fact that 80% of how we look and feel is determined by what we eat. Does anyone remember the commercials showing a woman eating a cinnamon roll and then they pan out and her butt is actually a cinnamon roll...that's not too far from the truth!! If you are thinking to yourself that you would like to get healthy, feel better, and drop some pounds, adjust the type and quantity of food you are eating and I promise you will see changes quicker than if you just jump on the treadmill. Exercise is very important, but it's only about 20% of how you look!
November 4, 2010
Hello Tastiness and Happy Birthday To Me!
Today is my birthday and I'm 33!! I'm not one of those people that doesn't like to tell others my age...I'm in better shape now than I was in high school and through my 20's, so I'm proud to tell people how old I am. And you bet I'm going to celebrate with some tasty treats today!! I haven't had much sugar or bad fat in the last 3 months so I'm choosing today to pack it all in. And let me just say, it tasted like pure awesomeoness! I ate pretty well for breakfast (egg white, gluten-free corn flakes, and rice milk) but when I got to work there were Ideal Bakery cream sticks just waiting to be eaten (see picture below) so I took one, set it on my desk, smelled it for about 30 minutes, then lovingly consumed it and enjoyed every sugary morsel that it contained. Then for lunch me and my faithful co-workers (if I'm going down I'm taking other people with me) went to The Depot (again, see below) and had pizza and cheesy bread. Oh how I have missed you greasy cheesiness.
And now I know why I don't eat like that all the time. I feel like complete crap, I'm tired, and I have gas that could kill a race horse. So back to the healthy eating I go...but it sure was fun for one day!!
And now I know why I don't eat like that all the time. I feel like complete crap, I'm tired, and I have gas that could kill a race horse. So back to the healthy eating I go...but it sure was fun for one day!!
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| Ideal Bakery Donuts (with my workout buddy Firouze!) |
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| Depot Pizza (again with my workout buddy Fi,) I guess we'll be working out extra hard tomorrow morning! |
November 2, 2010
It's a Beautiful Day!
Adios Funkytown! People aren't lying when they say that the company you keep really affects you. I was in a horrible mood yesterday, totally feeling sorry for myself and wanting to complain about absolutely everything...until I went to Boot Camp. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE those ladies!! They work their butts off, they don't complain (at least not too much!), and they have fun all at the same time. I felt fantabulous after giving them a good butt-kicking (and myself too) and it made me feel great to be around people that have similar goals to what I do. So the next time you're feeling in a super-funk, look at who you are hanging around with...are they supporting you in reaching your goals or giving you every excuse in the book why you won't be able to do it?
And the next awesomeness that made my day brighter was my happy friend, the scale. I lost 3 pounds since the last time I weighed myself!! I would probably be getting kicked off the Biggest Loser this week for that number, but guess what, I don't have 200 pounds to lose! And let's face it, I don't work out 8 hours a day either. I love that show, but I hope everyone realizes that unless you work out like it's your job and eat an amazingly healthy diet, you will never lose that amount of weight every week, nor do I think that you should. However I will say this, I would love to train with them for one day just to see what it's really like.
I desperately need some color on my tootsies!!
Today is a much better day...and will be even better tomorrow when all of the election commercials will be GONE!!!
And the next awesomeness that made my day brighter was my happy friend, the scale. I lost 3 pounds since the last time I weighed myself!! I would probably be getting kicked off the Biggest Loser this week for that number, but guess what, I don't have 200 pounds to lose! And let's face it, I don't work out 8 hours a day either. I love that show, but I hope everyone realizes that unless you work out like it's your job and eat an amazingly healthy diet, you will never lose that amount of weight every week, nor do I think that you should. However I will say this, I would love to train with them for one day just to see what it's really like.
Today is a much better day...and will be even better tomorrow when all of the election commercials will be GONE!!!
November 1, 2010
Funkytown
Why is it that I let other people determine how I feel??!! I'm in a total funk right now, and it sucks! It is so frustrating to me that I let other people (especially those in my family) make me mad by the things they say. I am NOT a freak because I choose to eat healthy and exercise a lot. I know it's not the popular thing to do, but I guess being popular isn't that important to me. If being popular means that I am going to eat like crap, feel like crap, be overweight and unhealthy, then no thanks. But that still doesn't mean that when people give me a hard time about it, that it doesn't make me feel like a freak of nature.
So I'm at home today with Zach and there is a big plate of chocolate cake in the kitchen that is screaming at the top of it's lungs to be eaten. I know it won't get me closer to my goal, I know it will make me feel like a big pile of dog doo, but hey, how can it be worse than I feel right now.
And that is exactly how I got as fat as I was. I am totally an emotional eater (as I've stated before) and it likes to rear it's ugly head every now and then. When I get in a funk, or mad, or stressed, food is my first medicine of choice. Does it solve my problem when I sit down with a fork and a plate of chocolaty goodness, of course not! It tastes good while it's going down, but that's about it.
Will I eat the chocolate cake today...I hope not! I'll let you know tomorrow...and hopefully I'll choose to say goodbye to funkytown too!
And that is exactly how I got as fat as I was. I am totally an emotional eater (as I've stated before) and it likes to rear it's ugly head every now and then. When I get in a funk, or mad, or stressed, food is my first medicine of choice. Does it solve my problem when I sit down with a fork and a plate of chocolaty goodness, of course not! It tastes good while it's going down, but that's about it.
Will I eat the chocolate cake today...I hope not! I'll let you know tomorrow...and hopefully I'll choose to say goodbye to funkytown too!
October 30, 2010
Sweat The Small Stuff...
There are two things I have learned from using my little doohicky armband (aka Exerspy by ditFIT):
1. The small stuff really counts!
2. The big stuff doesn't count as much as I thought!
See Below
1. Yesterday was my day off from working out (I take Friday's & Sundays off) so I knew that my activity level was going to be lower than normal workout days. However, what I didn't realize was how much "everyday stuff" counts towards calorie burn. I sit at a desk all day for my job so it was pretty level from 7:30am-4:00pm, but when I got home and started cleaning the kitchen and making dinner, the graph took a swing on the upside! My highest calorie burn yesterday was from 5:00-6:30pm, which is when I was doing housework.
Now let's get personal. I'm not going to be specific, but let's just say that it's a myth that having marital relations burns a lot of calories...only about 30 (unless you are a trapeze artist and into that kind of stuff with your spouse). So don't let your husband give you the excuse that you can burn some extra calories by fulfilling your marital duties (but don't tell your husband I said that!)
2. I was so excited to wear my arm-hugger during Spin to see how many calories I was torching. Seriously, only 252 calories during Spin class! It's a 45 minute, kick your butt, drip sweat off your nose kind of class. I thought for sure I was doing about 350-400 per class, but not so much.
All of that being said, this is specific to MY BODY! Everyone's body is different and there are sooooo many factors that go into how much you burn every day. If you have a high lean body mass you are probably going to burn a lot more calories that I do...but if you're a couch cozy that hangs out on the sofa 23 hours a day there is no way you're going to burn as many calories as I do.
The whole reason I got this thing was to figure out what MY body was doing, and what works and doesn't work for me. Don't take what I'm saying as literal for your body. Find out what works best for you...AND DO IT!! No excuses, just get out there and do something to CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH TODAY!!
1. The small stuff really counts!
2. The big stuff doesn't count as much as I thought!
See Below
1. Yesterday was my day off from working out (I take Friday's & Sundays off) so I knew that my activity level was going to be lower than normal workout days. However, what I didn't realize was how much "everyday stuff" counts towards calorie burn. I sit at a desk all day for my job so it was pretty level from 7:30am-4:00pm, but when I got home and started cleaning the kitchen and making dinner, the graph took a swing on the upside! My highest calorie burn yesterday was from 5:00-6:30pm, which is when I was doing housework.
Now let's get personal. I'm not going to be specific, but let's just say that it's a myth that having marital relations burns a lot of calories...only about 30 (unless you are a trapeze artist and into that kind of stuff with your spouse). So don't let your husband give you the excuse that you can burn some extra calories by fulfilling your marital duties (but don't tell your husband I said that!)
2. I was so excited to wear my arm-hugger during Spin to see how many calories I was torching. Seriously, only 252 calories during Spin class! It's a 45 minute, kick your butt, drip sweat off your nose kind of class. I thought for sure I was doing about 350-400 per class, but not so much.
All of that being said, this is specific to MY BODY! Everyone's body is different and there are sooooo many factors that go into how much you burn every day. If you have a high lean body mass you are probably going to burn a lot more calories that I do...but if you're a couch cozy that hangs out on the sofa 23 hours a day there is no way you're going to burn as many calories as I do.
The whole reason I got this thing was to figure out what MY body was doing, and what works and doesn't work for me. Don't take what I'm saying as literal for your body. Find out what works best for you...AND DO IT!! No excuses, just get out there and do something to CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH TODAY!!
October 28, 2010
Reality Sets In...
Honest, I'm being honest with myself...but sometimes it really sucks! One of the reasons I wanted to get the Exerspy is because I wanted to know how hard I was actually working out every day. I felt that I needed a better idea of how my body was discarding those nasty little calories. So I get my little gadget, plug it in, and use it for the past 24 hours. Low and behold, apparently my metabolism is taking the slow train to Chinatown. I thought for sure I was incinerating about 2200 calories a day...not so much.
Today I did a pretty rough workout, spent a normal day at work (which consists of sitting in an uncomfortable chair and walking back and forth to the printer), and came home to family time and normal evening activities and I'm only at 1808. One of the many cool things about this handy little buddy is that I can see exactly how many calories I burn while exercising...and also one of my big disappointments for the day. I sweat and huff and puff so much during my workouts you would think that calories would run to get away from me. I thought I was burning about 500 calories/hour during a hard workout...turns out I'm only burning about 275. Not exactly the result I was expecting.
That being said, this is exactly why I wanted the little bug. I wanted to have a more accurate idea of what MY body was actually capable of doing and not what some machine was guessing for me. In my opinion, knowledge is power and the more I have the better off I am. So I'm adding this to my fitness-knowledge vault and using it to my advantage!
Today I did a pretty rough workout, spent a normal day at work (which consists of sitting in an uncomfortable chair and walking back and forth to the printer), and came home to family time and normal evening activities and I'm only at 1808. One of the many cool things about this handy little buddy is that I can see exactly how many calories I burn while exercising...and also one of my big disappointments for the day. I sweat and huff and puff so much during my workouts you would think that calories would run to get away from me. I thought I was burning about 500 calories/hour during a hard workout...turns out I'm only burning about 275. Not exactly the result I was expecting.
That being said, this is exactly why I wanted the little bug. I wanted to have a more accurate idea of what MY body was actually capable of doing and not what some machine was guessing for me. In my opinion, knowledge is power and the more I have the better off I am. So I'm adding this to my fitness-knowledge vault and using it to my advantage!
October 27, 2010
Let the Fun Begin!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
October 26, 2010
I Survived!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
October 25, 2010
Mix It Up!
I've been struggling with what to write for the past few days because I feel like I'm getting into a routine and nothing new and exciting has happened over the past few days (although sometimes that's a good thing!). I've been eating really well, sticking to my 5-days-a-week workouts, and I'm really happy with the results that I'm seeing.
So how can I mix it up so it doesn't get boring? I've decided to try a new workout tomorrow morning (and I'm going to make my workout partner do it with me!) I absolutely LOVE Oxygen Magazine, which is where I got this workout from. (If you could subtract all of the fat-burning, calorie-cutting, anorexic-inducing pill ads from the pages it would be perfect, but I understand that someone has to pay their bills). I really like to see women (and many of them mothers and women that have started from being a lot more unhealthy than I was) that work really hard to stay fit. It encourages me to stay on track and not give up on my goal. Will I look like them someday, who knows, only time, nutrition, and killer workouts will tell.
So I'm not doing my normal eliptical/strength routine at the butt-crack of dawn tomorrow. Nope, I'm going to peel open my eyes at 4:45am and proceed to do burpees, bench lunges, inclined pushups, bench hops, jumping jacks, "V" ups, and a few others that I can't remember right now...I think my brain is hiding them deep away so I don't freak myself out thinking about it.
So here's to my new Tuesday morning workout...hopefully I'll survive to tell you all about it!
So how can I mix it up so it doesn't get boring? I've decided to try a new workout tomorrow morning (and I'm going to make my workout partner do it with me!) I absolutely LOVE Oxygen Magazine, which is where I got this workout from. (If you could subtract all of the fat-burning, calorie-cutting, anorexic-inducing pill ads from the pages it would be perfect, but I understand that someone has to pay their bills). I really like to see women (and many of them mothers and women that have started from being a lot more unhealthy than I was) that work really hard to stay fit. It encourages me to stay on track and not give up on my goal. Will I look like them someday, who knows, only time, nutrition, and killer workouts will tell.
So I'm not doing my normal eliptical/strength routine at the butt-crack of dawn tomorrow. Nope, I'm going to peel open my eyes at 4:45am and proceed to do burpees, bench lunges, inclined pushups, bench hops, jumping jacks, "V" ups, and a few others that I can't remember right now...I think my brain is hiding them deep away so I don't freak myself out thinking about it.
So here's to my new Tuesday morning workout...hopefully I'll survive to tell you all about it!
October 22, 2010
Calories vs. Calories
A calorie is not a calorie, is not a calorie. Huh? Not all calories are created equal. Wouldn't it be great if we could eat 1500 calories worth of chocolate every day and still be healthy?? But alas, our bodies don't need 1500 calories worth of chocolate decadence. What they do need however, is quality calories, not empty calories. Eating foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever (i.e. the 100 calorie packs that are so popular right now) will do nothing for helping us get healthy.
Think about it...would our society look, feel, and have the health issues that we do today if all calories were created equal? Let's do a comparison...going back to the example above (and one of my current pet peeves) the 100 calorie packs.
100 Calorie Packs 1 Medium Apple
Calories 100 (obviously) 80 (roughly)
Fat 2 g 0 g
Sodium 160 mg 0 g
Protein 1g .5 g (roughly)
Fiber 1g 4 g
Okay, so far nutritionally the apple is light years ahead of the 100 calorie packs. So let's compare the ingredients in each one.
Apple 100 Calorie Pack
An Apple Unbleached, Enriched Flour
No seriously, just apple Sugar
Canola Oil
Cocoa
Dextrose
Yep, still apple Cornstarch
Leavening
Color Added
Salt
Vanillin (Artificial Flavor)-that's actually
what the label says!
Now based on those two items, which do you think is better for you to consume? Which do you think your body can process better, use better, and sustain you longer?
I get so fired up about all of the crap that is advertised as "healthy" because it has a lower calorie count. Don't fool yourselves...just because it only contains 100 calories (or whatever they are saying is "healthy" now) does not mean it is good for you!!!!!!
Think about it...would our society look, feel, and have the health issues that we do today if all calories were created equal? Let's do a comparison...going back to the example above (and one of my current pet peeves) the 100 calorie packs.
100 Calorie Packs 1 Medium Apple
Calories 100 (obviously) 80 (roughly)
Fat 2 g 0 g
Sodium 160 mg 0 g
Protein 1g .5 g (roughly)
Fiber 1g 4 g
Okay, so far nutritionally the apple is light years ahead of the 100 calorie packs. So let's compare the ingredients in each one.
Apple 100 Calorie Pack
An Apple Unbleached, Enriched Flour
No seriously, just apple Sugar
Canola Oil
Cocoa
Dextrose
Yep, still apple Cornstarch
Leavening
Color Added
Salt
Vanillin (Artificial Flavor)-that's actually
what the label says!
Now based on those two items, which do you think is better for you to consume? Which do you think your body can process better, use better, and sustain you longer?
I get so fired up about all of the crap that is advertised as "healthy" because it has a lower calorie count. Don't fool yourselves...just because it only contains 100 calories (or whatever they are saying is "healthy" now) does not mean it is good for you!!!!!!
October 21, 2010
The Junk Never Ends!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Is There Really A "Fat Burning Zone?"
There should be a sign that pops up on your forehead when your working out, just like a construction zone sign..."Entering Fat Burning Zone"! Unfortunately that's not the way it works, and as you will see in the video below, most of what we have heard is a myth!
Amber (the chick in the video) is a friend of mine and Co-Founder and CEO of The Healthy Edge. If you could see her in person, you would know just by looking at her that she lives what she preaches! She is a no kidding, work your butt off, knock your socks off kind of person...and someday I hope to have guns like hers!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!
Amber (the chick in the video) is a friend of mine and Co-Founder and CEO of The Healthy Edge. If you could see her in person, you would know just by looking at her that she lives what she preaches! She is a no kidding, work your butt off, knock your socks off kind of person...and someday I hope to have guns like hers!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!
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October 20, 2010
A New Toy!
I'm so excited...my husband got me an Exerspy for my birthday!! I don't actually have it yet, but it was ordered today and it's on it's way as we speak. If you don't know what an Exerspy is, it's an armband that you wear (all the time if you choose) and it tells you how many steps you take, how many calories you burn, how well you are sleeping...all kinds of good stuff. If you want to check it out, Click Here.
October 19, 2010
The Pros and Cons of Weight Loss...
The happy and the sad, the good and the bad, the ups and the downs...here are a few things I've noticed about losing weight and getting healthier:
Pros:
1. I feel AMAZING! I haven't had this much energy since before I had my son 19 months ago and I'm getting up a lot earlier than I used to, normally around 4:45am during the week.
2. My clothes are fitting better. I no longer have the king-size muffin top hanging over my pants that I have to hide with a big shirt.
3. My thighs don't rub together as much as they used to. I've mentioned this one before, but the lack of friction is worth repeating, especially since I've dealt with it pretty much my whole life.
4. If I do choose to eat something "bad" it tastes like the most amazing thing I've ever eaten. One thing I have noticed is that when I eat bad all the time it all just runs together. Nothing is special and nothing really tastes all that great.
5. I feel better about myself. I feel proud of myself because I have been so dedicated over the past 2 months to improving my health, and truly sticking to it. And I don't beat myself up anymore if I choose to eat a piece of decadent chocolate cake. It's only one piece of cake and then it's right back to it.
Cons:
1. My boobs are getting smaller. Maybe you didn't hear me...MY BOOBS ARE GETTING SMALLER!! I'm not one of those people that has a lot of actual breast tissue so my pretty average 34-C's are slowing deflating. Not something I'm too thrilled about...I'm thinking about swiping my kid's piggy bank and starting a "fake boob" fund.
2. I get up at 4:45am on most weekday mornings. I know that I have more energy than I used to, but when that alarm goes off at 4:45am sometimes I want to rip off my husband's arm and beat the thing into a fine, red powder.
3. My clothes are getting bigger. This in itself isn't a bad thing, but my husband and I have started sticking to a budget and a new wardrobe just doesn't fit into that equation at the moment. So until it does fit the budget, I'm going to keep wearing the saggy-butt pants that make me look like my son after he dropped a load in his diaper.
4. Going back to number 1, my boobs are lopsided. I don't know how I never noticed this before, but my boobs are two different sizes. Apparently when God decided what I would look like he thought that two different sized boobs was what I needed. Thanks!
5. Now that my thighs are shrinking, I've noticed that they look like a map leading to the west coast. Think of a full-blown balloon, and then think about it when the air starts to leak and it begins to sag. No one told me that stretch marks stay hidden until after the weight starts to come off.
What are your Pros and Cons? Would love to hear how you're Choosing Your Health and what the results/side effects are!
Pros:
1. I feel AMAZING! I haven't had this much energy since before I had my son 19 months ago and I'm getting up a lot earlier than I used to, normally around 4:45am during the week.
2. My clothes are fitting better. I no longer have the king-size muffin top hanging over my pants that I have to hide with a big shirt.
3. My thighs don't rub together as much as they used to. I've mentioned this one before, but the lack of friction is worth repeating, especially since I've dealt with it pretty much my whole life.
4. If I do choose to eat something "bad" it tastes like the most amazing thing I've ever eaten. One thing I have noticed is that when I eat bad all the time it all just runs together. Nothing is special and nothing really tastes all that great.
5. I feel better about myself. I feel proud of myself because I have been so dedicated over the past 2 months to improving my health, and truly sticking to it. And I don't beat myself up anymore if I choose to eat a piece of decadent chocolate cake. It's only one piece of cake and then it's right back to it.
Cons:
1. My boobs are getting smaller. Maybe you didn't hear me...MY BOOBS ARE GETTING SMALLER!! I'm not one of those people that has a lot of actual breast tissue so my pretty average 34-C's are slowing deflating. Not something I'm too thrilled about...I'm thinking about swiping my kid's piggy bank and starting a "fake boob" fund.
2. I get up at 4:45am on most weekday mornings. I know that I have more energy than I used to, but when that alarm goes off at 4:45am sometimes I want to rip off my husband's arm and beat the thing into a fine, red powder.
3. My clothes are getting bigger. This in itself isn't a bad thing, but my husband and I have started sticking to a budget and a new wardrobe just doesn't fit into that equation at the moment. So until it does fit the budget, I'm going to keep wearing the saggy-butt pants that make me look like my son after he dropped a load in his diaper.
4. Going back to number 1, my boobs are lopsided. I don't know how I never noticed this before, but my boobs are two different sizes. Apparently when God decided what I would look like he thought that two different sized boobs was what I needed. Thanks!
5. Now that my thighs are shrinking, I've noticed that they look like a map leading to the west coast. Think of a full-blown balloon, and then think about it when the air starts to leak and it begins to sag. No one told me that stretch marks stay hidden until after the weight starts to come off.
What are your Pros and Cons? Would love to hear how you're Choosing Your Health and what the results/side effects are!
October 18, 2010
Curiosity Killed The Liz!
I couldn't help myself! I know I said I was going to wait at least 4 weeks to weigh myself but I got up this morning, went into the bathroom, sat down on the toilet, and the scale just stared at me. And taunted me. "Come on, you know you want to know. It won't hurt to weigh yourself, just this once." I seriously think the scale was taken over by the devil last night.
I gave in.
And I lost 2.5 pounds!!! Gotta say, it feels pretty good!!
I gave in.
And I lost 2.5 pounds!!! Gotta say, it feels pretty good!!
October 17, 2010
Updated Pics!
It's been about a month since I posted my original pictures...my "before" pictures. I've been seeing some changes, mainly in the way my clothes fit, so I thought I would update all of you on my progress.
This is me after a light leg day and a kick-butt spin class (hence the sweat all over me!)
I can't say that the last 2 months have been easy, but I can say that I feel soooooooooo much better both mentally and physically. I've still got a long way to go to get to my goal, but I at least feel like I'm making some progress!!
This is me after a light leg day and a kick-butt spin class (hence the sweat all over me!)
October 14, 2010
How Finance Class Helped My Health!
Last night I went to our weekly "Financial Peace University" class at church, which is presented by Dave Ramsey. I'm not going to get into the specifics of the class, but it is eye-opening and well worth the cost and time. But during the presentation last night he said something that caught my attention, and made me laugh.
He was discussing financial mindsets and how our actions determine how our financial situation turns out. His metaphor hit the nail on the head..."If I want to be skinny, I'm not going to eat what fat people eat." And it got me thinking...
How many times a day do we justify our actions with statements like "if I only eat one it won't hurt me," or "if I skip my workout just this once it won't matter." Stop and think about how many times you actually eat just one, or skip just one workout. If you are the type of person that can honestly eat just one oreo, or skip just one workout every couple months, then kudos to you...and chances are you probably don't have a hard time reaching your health goals. But if you're like I used to be, that one oreo turned into an entire bag, and the one skipped workout turned into weeks on end of not getting my butt off the couch.
Dave's financial motto is "Live like no one else, so later on you can LIVE like no one else." I'm choosing to make healthy choices now because honestly, what could happen later on if I don't make those choices scares the living crap out of me. I've seen too many people die of heart disease, lose their hair from chemotherapy, or end up with type 2 diabetes because of choices they made earlier in life. If you don't think the choices you are making right now, today, are affecting your life down the road, then you're just being dishonest with yourself. And we all know how much I love honesty. You can be mad at me all you want for making these statements, but please know that I'm being honest with you because I want you to succeed and be healthy! If I'm not honest with myself, how can I be honest with you?
So the next time I think about chucking in the towel and sucking down the pint of Graeter's Buckeye Blitz, I'll think about all people I know that are no longer here because of bad health decisions they chose to make.
How are you going to live healthy today, so you can LIVE HEALTHY later on in life?
He was discussing financial mindsets and how our actions determine how our financial situation turns out. His metaphor hit the nail on the head..."If I want to be skinny, I'm not going to eat what fat people eat." And it got me thinking...
How many times a day do we justify our actions with statements like "if I only eat one it won't hurt me," or "if I skip my workout just this once it won't matter." Stop and think about how many times you actually eat just one, or skip just one workout. If you are the type of person that can honestly eat just one oreo, or skip just one workout every couple months, then kudos to you...and chances are you probably don't have a hard time reaching your health goals. But if you're like I used to be, that one oreo turned into an entire bag, and the one skipped workout turned into weeks on end of not getting my butt off the couch.
Dave's financial motto is "Live like no one else, so later on you can LIVE like no one else." I'm choosing to make healthy choices now because honestly, what could happen later on if I don't make those choices scares the living crap out of me. I've seen too many people die of heart disease, lose their hair from chemotherapy, or end up with type 2 diabetes because of choices they made earlier in life. If you don't think the choices you are making right now, today, are affecting your life down the road, then you're just being dishonest with yourself. And we all know how much I love honesty. You can be mad at me all you want for making these statements, but please know that I'm being honest with you because I want you to succeed and be healthy! If I'm not honest with myself, how can I be honest with you?
So the next time I think about chucking in the towel and sucking down the pint of Graeter's Buckeye Blitz, I'll think about all people I know that are no longer here because of bad health decisions they chose to make.
How are you going to live healthy today, so you can LIVE HEALTHY later on in life?
October 12, 2010
Sexy Legs, Here I Come!
I don't know if any of my boot camp ladies are reading this, but after last night's class my legs and butt feel like someone lit them on fire with a blowtorch. But I have to say, it's a good pain. I obviously worked my butt off and I love it when I'm sore...it tells me that I did was I was supposed to do. Want to know what I tortured my class with last night? Below is most of the class that we did. By the way, if you're thinking that you can't do boot camp (or something like what I've listed below) because it sounds too hard, I would tell you to suck it up and be a woman/man (all in a loving tone of course), because the average age in my class is roughly 45, with the oldest being early 60's and they all kick serious tush every class!
Try this and let me know what you think. This is very easy to do at home, so no excuses if you don't belong to a gym!
Here's what you'll need: mat or towel, heavy hand weights (if you have them, if you don't have them just use your own body weight), and WATER!!
Always warm up for about 5-10 minutes (we do a light jog) and then stretch (it helps prevent injury).
Session 1: (holding heavy weights if using them)
Lunge walk forward for 12 steps (6 on each leg) - Stop and do 12 dead lifts
Lunge walk back to beginning (6 on each leg) - Stop and do 12 dead lifts
Jog for 45 sec. (if you are in your house, just jog in place)
Repeat 3 times in a row
Abs: sit on mat/towel, lean back 45 degrees until you are balancing on your sit bones, feet in the air, then turn your upper body and touch your hands to the ground on each side (do a total of 15 each side)
Session 2:
Frog hop forward 8 times - jog 30 sec.
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat ab in session one
Session 3:
Ski lunge 15 on each leg - shuffle to the left 4 then to the right 4
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat abs in session one
Session 4:
Deep lunge up to a front kick - do 15 with the right leg then 15 with the left leg
Skip around for 30 sec.
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat abs in session one
Session 5:
20 regular squats then 20 plie squats
Jog around for 30 sec.
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat abs in session one
Cool down and stretch. Don't skip the stretching part...I swear that's why I haven't had a serious injury in the past 4 years. I stretch before and after every workout.
If you have questions about anything in this workout, or don't know how to do any of the exercises, please let me know. And if you're legs are screaming a day or two after you do it, I want to know that too! Otherwise I'll just feel like a lazy bum whose legs are severely weak!
Try this and let me know what you think. This is very easy to do at home, so no excuses if you don't belong to a gym!
Here's what you'll need: mat or towel, heavy hand weights (if you have them, if you don't have them just use your own body weight), and WATER!!
Always warm up for about 5-10 minutes (we do a light jog) and then stretch (it helps prevent injury).
Session 1: (holding heavy weights if using them)
Lunge walk forward for 12 steps (6 on each leg) - Stop and do 12 dead lifts
Lunge walk back to beginning (6 on each leg) - Stop and do 12 dead lifts
Jog for 45 sec. (if you are in your house, just jog in place)
Repeat 3 times in a row
Abs: sit on mat/towel, lean back 45 degrees until you are balancing on your sit bones, feet in the air, then turn your upper body and touch your hands to the ground on each side (do a total of 15 each side)
Session 2:
Frog hop forward 8 times - jog 30 sec.
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat ab in session one
Session 3:
Ski lunge 15 on each leg - shuffle to the left 4 then to the right 4
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat abs in session one
Session 4:
Deep lunge up to a front kick - do 15 with the right leg then 15 with the left leg
Skip around for 30 sec.
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat abs in session one
Session 5:
20 regular squats then 20 plie squats
Jog around for 30 sec.
Repeat 4 times in a row
Abs: repeat abs in session one
Cool down and stretch. Don't skip the stretching part...I swear that's why I haven't had a serious injury in the past 4 years. I stretch before and after every workout.
If you have questions about anything in this workout, or don't know how to do any of the exercises, please let me know. And if you're legs are screaming a day or two after you do it, I want to know that too! Otherwise I'll just feel like a lazy bum whose legs are severely weak!
October 11, 2010
Injuries Stink...So What To Do?
Have you been cruising along working out and eating well and then crunch, you get an injury that is so bad that you can't work out for an extended period of time? What do you do? You have two choices, you can go back to how you used to live your life or you can choose to continue on the healthy path. Is it always easy, are you kidding me?! If it was easy, every single one of us would look like bikini models while stuffing our faces with double stuffed, fudge covered Oreos. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. It takes work and dedication, but how you choose to look at it is completely up to you.
So let's say you have an injury that is so bad that you can't do the normal hard-core cardio you're used to. Do you have access to a pool? Swimming is awesome cardio! Also, focus on the muscle groups that aren't injured. If you have a lower body injury, focus on your arms and abs. You won't be injured forever, but if you don't give yourself time to heal, you will never be able to fully workout again anyway!
This might sound cheesy, but it works...Think positive! (Stop thinking how lame that sounds, because it works.) Make a list of all the things that you CAN do and start doing them! No more excuses. Anybody can tell you all of the reasons why you can't do something, but who wants to hang around that crabby pants! Why not be the person that decides to make a change, and actually does it.
So you need to know, that as I'm writing this I'm completely writing to myself. There are so many times in the past that something has happened and I've just given up, mainly because I didn't think I deserved any better. (It only took me about the first 29 years of my life to figure that out.) But I do deserve to do my best and achieve all of my goals, and so do you! So what's holding you back and why aren't you going for it??
Post your comments and let me know how you have overcome obstacles and pushed through...and let me know how awesome it felt to get there!!
So let's say you have an injury that is so bad that you can't do the normal hard-core cardio you're used to. Do you have access to a pool? Swimming is awesome cardio! Also, focus on the muscle groups that aren't injured. If you have a lower body injury, focus on your arms and abs. You won't be injured forever, but if you don't give yourself time to heal, you will never be able to fully workout again anyway!
This might sound cheesy, but it works...Think positive! (Stop thinking how lame that sounds, because it works.) Make a list of all the things that you CAN do and start doing them! No more excuses. Anybody can tell you all of the reasons why you can't do something, but who wants to hang around that crabby pants! Why not be the person that decides to make a change, and actually does it.
So you need to know, that as I'm writing this I'm completely writing to myself. There are so many times in the past that something has happened and I've just given up, mainly because I didn't think I deserved any better. (It only took me about the first 29 years of my life to figure that out.) But I do deserve to do my best and achieve all of my goals, and so do you! So what's holding you back and why aren't you going for it??
Post your comments and let me know how you have overcome obstacles and pushed through...and let me know how awesome it felt to get there!!
October 10, 2010
Fun With The Bucks!
This weekend John and I went to the OSU vs. Indiana game...and of course, they kicked some serious hiney! We had an absolute blast at the game and spending the night in downtown C-bus, sans child. You could see from my previous post that I came prepared with my own munchies, but I also indulged in some tasty treats this weekend too.
We enjoyed some Italian fare at Buca di Bepo in the Arena district. I kept it pretty clean by ordering sauteed chicken w/ mushrooms and a side of broccoli. For an appetizer we got Caprese salad (fresh mozz, tomatoes, and basil, one of my faves!). I had a glass of wine and no dessert. Not too bad considering I could eat an entire 1 pound box of pasta on my own!
Later on Saturday night we went to The Big Bang Piano Bar and had probably the most fun I've ever had at a bar (thanks Ada!!!). There were definitely some adult beverages involved (gin and tonic with lime was the liquid of choice) for me, and as you can tell from the slits where my husband's eye should be, he had fun too.
I chose to have some drinks and I definitely enjoyed them. Did they take me closer to my goal, oh heck no! But I knew that going in and I chose to partake anyway, and I absolutely enjoyed it! I'm not going to beat myself up for it, but I probably won't do it again for a while.
We enjoyed some Italian fare at Buca di Bepo in the Arena district. I kept it pretty clean by ordering sauteed chicken w/ mushrooms and a side of broccoli. For an appetizer we got Caprese salad (fresh mozz, tomatoes, and basil, one of my faves!). I had a glass of wine and no dessert. Not too bad considering I could eat an entire 1 pound box of pasta on my own!
Later on Saturday night we went to The Big Bang Piano Bar and had probably the most fun I've ever had at a bar (thanks Ada!!!). There were definitely some adult beverages involved (gin and tonic with lime was the liquid of choice) for me, and as you can tell from the slits where my husband's eye should be, he had fun too.
October 9, 2010
Eating at the Game...Illegally!
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October 8, 2010
How Quickly The Demons Find Me!
Last night I had a wonderful meal of stuffed peppers made with lean ground beef, brown rice, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and lots of fresh herbs with a big side of broccoli. It was excellent and I could just feel the fat melting off my thighs from not ingesting a bunch of crap. (By the way, I've been tricking myself into thinking that I'm eating a boat load of food by using a smaller plate. This looks like a ton of food, but it's actually about 1 1/2 cups of broccoli and 1/2 pepper stuffed with about 4oz. of meat.)
Then I get to work this morning and this is what I see...
Seriously people, a fresh bag of Ballreich's is like crack to me! If I could melt them down and inject them into my veins and get the same feeling from eating them, I would do it!! And of course the box of fudge sitting next to the chips is like a heroin chaser. Do you think if I snort the fudge and inject the chips I wouldn't get any of the calories and fat??
Back to reality. No, I haven't had any of the chips or fudge, but my desk is about 4 feet away from the counter so it is taking some serious determination to not eat them. Here is what I keep telling myself..."If I eat those, will they get me closer to my goal or farther away?" So as I sit here and type this I'm eating my 1/2 large apple and small handful of walnuts knowing that I'm one step closer to my goal!
What are you doing today to get one step closer to your goal? It's not the gigantic goal at the end that I'm reaching today, but every day I'm one step closer and all of the decisions I make will either get me closer or further away from that goal. And yes, whether you want to hear this or not, eating that slice of chocolate cake WILL show up somewhere on your body. It took me a long time to admit that, but since I've been honest with myself the changes have been AMAZING, just in the last two months!!!
Then I get to work this morning and this is what I see...
Back to reality. No, I haven't had any of the chips or fudge, but my desk is about 4 feet away from the counter so it is taking some serious determination to not eat them. Here is what I keep telling myself..."If I eat those, will they get me closer to my goal or farther away?" So as I sit here and type this I'm eating my 1/2 large apple and small handful of walnuts knowing that I'm one step closer to my goal!
What are you doing today to get one step closer to your goal? It's not the gigantic goal at the end that I'm reaching today, but every day I'm one step closer and all of the decisions I make will either get me closer or further away from that goal. And yes, whether you want to hear this or not, eating that slice of chocolate cake WILL show up somewhere on your body. It took me a long time to admit that, but since I've been honest with myself the changes have been AMAZING, just in the last two months!!!
October 6, 2010
It's the Small Things...
It doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy, but here are two things today that have made me as happy as a 5 year old on Christmas morning:
1. My thighs don't rub together as much as they used to! If you're like me and your thighs tend to be the storing place for all things that go into your mouth, then this is a huge thing! Woohoo!!
2. My pants (that have been tight for the past 16 months) are now getting to be too big (see below)!! DETROIT WHAT??!!
1. My thighs don't rub together as much as they used to! If you're like me and your thighs tend to be the storing place for all things that go into your mouth, then this is a huge thing! Woohoo!!
2. My pants (that have been tight for the past 16 months) are now getting to be too big (see below)!! DETROIT WHAT??!!
October 5, 2010
Tuesday Was MUCH Better!!
I should have taken a picture of my dinner, but I scarfed it down so quickly, I completely forgot to take the picture! My fantastic hubby made dinner (see recipe below) again tonight and it was tasty! It was also the highlight of my day. Other than the usual job craziness, it was a pretty quiet Tuesday. Got up at 4:50am to work out, worked all day, ran some errands after work, then came home to a scrumptious meal. Here is what I munched on today:
7:00am
Breakfast smoothie (same as yesterday)
10:15am
1/2 large apple and small handful of raw, unsalted walnuts
12:30pm
1 1/2 cups of lentil stew (recipe from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook - one of my faves!)
3:30pm
20 carrots and 2.5 oz tuna with spicy mustard
7:30pm
Chicken Portabella with spinach and 1 cup broccoli (to make the chicken, spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray then put down a thick layer of fresh spinach. Put 4 stemmed portabella mushrooms on top of the spinach, lay a 4 oz. chicken breast or thigh on top of each mushroom then top each chicken breast with minced fresh rosemary, thyme, and 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes...viola dinner is served.)
Who says that eating healthy has to be boring!! If you don't like what I'm eating, find healthy options that you do like...not liking certain foods is not an excuse to eat like crap. We're being honest here, so be honest with yourself. What have you been doing to Choose Your Health Today? I would love some comments from you on what you've done differently to improve your health!!
7:00am
Breakfast smoothie (same as yesterday)
10:15am
1/2 large apple and small handful of raw, unsalted walnuts
12:30pm
1 1/2 cups of lentil stew (recipe from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook - one of my faves!)
3:30pm
20 carrots and 2.5 oz tuna with spicy mustard
7:30pm
Chicken Portabella with spinach and 1 cup broccoli (to make the chicken, spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray then put down a thick layer of fresh spinach. Put 4 stemmed portabella mushrooms on top of the spinach, lay a 4 oz. chicken breast or thigh on top of each mushroom then top each chicken breast with minced fresh rosemary, thyme, and 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes...viola dinner is served.)
Who says that eating healthy has to be boring!! If you don't like what I'm eating, find healthy options that you do like...not liking certain foods is not an excuse to eat like crap. We're being honest here, so be honest with yourself. What have you been doing to Choose Your Health Today? I would love some comments from you on what you've done differently to improve your health!!
October 4, 2010
Not. Enough. Food.
I've heard over and over that if you don't eat enough food then your metabolism shuts down. And today that was definitely the case! I don't know how much my metabolism shut down (I'm guessing it was the equivalent of my dog running smack into a glass window that she didn't know was there) but my energy level was non-existent. I teach a Boot Camp class on Monday nights and halfway through the class I felt the color drain out of my face, and I think I saw the big dipper.
Here is the minimal list of what I ate today (and a reminder to myself to EAT MORE tomorrow!)
7:00am
Breakfast shake - 1/2 banana, 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed, 1 Tbsp. brown rice protein powder, 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, and about 1 1/2 cups rice milk
10:15am
1/2 large apple and small handful (about 8) raw, unsalted walnuts
12:30pm
3oz. chicken breast, 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, and 1/3 cup garbonzo beans (don't ask about the crazy combination, I was in a rush for lunch)
4:00pm
20 baby carrots and 1/2 cup tuna mixed with 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
8:45pm
1 1/2 cups homemade french onion soup (thanks to my wonderful hubby) with 1 Tbsp. grated parm. cheese and 1 1/2 slices brown rice bread
Note to self, if you're going to plan a class that will kick your butt, EAT ENOUGH FOOD TO GET YOU THROUGH IT!!
Here is the minimal list of what I ate today (and a reminder to myself to EAT MORE tomorrow!)
7:00am
Breakfast shake - 1/2 banana, 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed, 1 Tbsp. brown rice protein powder, 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, and about 1 1/2 cups rice milk
10:15am
1/2 large apple and small handful (about 8) raw, unsalted walnuts
12:30pm
3oz. chicken breast, 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, and 1/3 cup garbonzo beans (don't ask about the crazy combination, I was in a rush for lunch)
4:00pm
20 baby carrots and 1/2 cup tuna mixed with 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
8:45pm
1 1/2 cups homemade french onion soup (thanks to my wonderful hubby) with 1 Tbsp. grated parm. cheese and 1 1/2 slices brown rice bread
Note to self, if you're going to plan a class that will kick your butt, EAT ENOUGH FOOD TO GET YOU THROUGH IT!!
Oh Scale, How I Love to Hate You...And Why We Must Part Ways.
Which is why I must say goodbye to my comrade, the scale...at least for about a month. I don't see the point in torturing myself every week if I know that things are changing. Why stare in the ugly face of the monster bright and early every Monday morning just to be given an obscure number that can fluctuate for the craziest reasons? I'm not going to say goodbye forever, just for about 4 weeks. (If it doesn't budge in 4 weeks I might have to chuck the thing through the window and drive over it with the front wheel of trusty Ford Edge.)
October 3, 2010
Sunday and Sooooo Not Prepared...
For probably the past 6 weeks I've done everything I can to make sure that I'm prepared with what I will need to consume every day. And apparently today my brain decided to take a break. I knew that we were going to be gone all day and I didn't pack a cooler with some emergency noshes. And I can feel it now. Here is what I had today, and the commentary to go along with it:
8:30am
Breakfast shake with 1 banana, 1/4 cup mixed frozen berries, 1 1/2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 1/2 Tbsp brown rice protein powder and about 2 cups rice milk. (So far so good...plus I got to sleep in until 8:15 so it felt like a great morning!)
12:30pm
5-6 oz. grilled chicken breast with 4 bites of baked beans (Our church did it's annual "Fall Feed" and the menu consisted of potato salad, which I turned down, rolls, which I politely declined, bbq-ed chicken which I gladly took and begrudgingly peeled the skin off, baked beans which I took and ate 4 bites of, and a cookie that I didn't even look at because sugar can be another one of my nasty triggers.) All in all, I'm still feeling pretty good about my choices.
2:30pm
2-3 oz. grilled hamburger and 2/3 cup (that's a rough estimate) of gluten free vegetable/pasta salad that my mother-in-law graciously took the time to make so my son and I could have something else to eat besides meat. There were tons of other options to eat, like nachos, cheese, buns for the burgers, macaroni salad, and mixed salted nuts. All of which are a clean eater's no-no. So I chose not to partake.
4:30pm
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabar (which if you haven't tried one, please do so VERY soon). It is what I consider my treat now and since I was still hungry after we ate lunch I stole the one that I brought for my son and chowed down. By this point I'm not feeling so hot, let the headache begin, and the hunger shakes are setting in because I'm not on my regular schedule and I'm not eating my normal foods. I also have not drank enough water yet so I'm getting a little irritable.
6:00pm
1 cup of baked apples with agave nectar and cinnamon. Again, my mother-in-law was great and made my son and I gluten-free versions of apple pie. It tasted very yummy, but there was no protein (which can be hard to do with apple pie because let's face it, who wants a meat product mixed in with pie) so by this time I'm hungry, not at home around my own food choices, and ready to bolt to begin chewing on one of my own appendages.
8:30pm
1 cup veggies out of gluten-free pasta salad. I picked through some of the pasta salad that my mother-in-law sent home with me and took about 2 bites of pasta. I was starving but I didn't want to binge on sugary foods, as that would have been one of my old habits. I decided to at least eat vegetables and hope that the hole in my stomach that felt like it was created by a rabid raccoon would be somewhat filled.
Summary for the day...and this is the actual thought that ran through my head "Be Prepared Moron!"
8:30am
Breakfast shake with 1 banana, 1/4 cup mixed frozen berries, 1 1/2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 1/2 Tbsp brown rice protein powder and about 2 cups rice milk. (So far so good...plus I got to sleep in until 8:15 so it felt like a great morning!)
12:30pm
5-6 oz. grilled chicken breast with 4 bites of baked beans (Our church did it's annual "Fall Feed" and the menu consisted of potato salad, which I turned down, rolls, which I politely declined, bbq-ed chicken which I gladly took and begrudgingly peeled the skin off, baked beans which I took and ate 4 bites of, and a cookie that I didn't even look at because sugar can be another one of my nasty triggers.) All in all, I'm still feeling pretty good about my choices.
2:30pm
2-3 oz. grilled hamburger and 2/3 cup (that's a rough estimate) of gluten free vegetable/pasta salad that my mother-in-law graciously took the time to make so my son and I could have something else to eat besides meat. There were tons of other options to eat, like nachos, cheese, buns for the burgers, macaroni salad, and mixed salted nuts. All of which are a clean eater's no-no. So I chose not to partake.
4:30pm
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabar (which if you haven't tried one, please do so VERY soon). It is what I consider my treat now and since I was still hungry after we ate lunch I stole the one that I brought for my son and chowed down. By this point I'm not feeling so hot, let the headache begin, and the hunger shakes are setting in because I'm not on my regular schedule and I'm not eating my normal foods. I also have not drank enough water yet so I'm getting a little irritable.
6:00pm
1 cup of baked apples with agave nectar and cinnamon. Again, my mother-in-law was great and made my son and I gluten-free versions of apple pie. It tasted very yummy, but there was no protein (which can be hard to do with apple pie because let's face it, who wants a meat product mixed in with pie) so by this time I'm hungry, not at home around my own food choices, and ready to bolt to begin chewing on one of my own appendages.
8:30pm
1 cup veggies out of gluten-free pasta salad. I picked through some of the pasta salad that my mother-in-law sent home with me and took about 2 bites of pasta. I was starving but I didn't want to binge on sugary foods, as that would have been one of my old habits. I decided to at least eat vegetables and hope that the hole in my stomach that felt like it was created by a rabid raccoon would be somewhat filled.
Summary for the day...and this is the actual thought that ran through my head "Be Prepared Moron!"
October 2, 2010
Rainy, Dreary Day!!
Welcome to fall people! I don't know who wanted fall to get here, but it wasn't me, especially after today. We went to the farmer's market this morning (which is awesome that Fremont has them) and endured the cold, rainy drizzle to get some fresh fruit (mmmm...honey crisp apples) and vegetables.
Regardless of the wet weather it was still a fun day. I started the morning at the gym by working my legs until they felt like jello (1/2 hour of leg exercises then 45 min. spin class), then went and got my haircut (thanks to the fantastic Karly at Ambience!), came home and took a nap (I love a good nap wrapped up in a blanket when it's chilly out) and then ventured to the grocery store with my hubby to get the rest of the necessities for the week.
In between I got in my five meals every few hours, and here's what they consisted of:
7:30am
Breakfast shake - same as yesterday except I added 1 1/2 Tbsp. of Sun Nut Butter because I knew it was going to be a long morning at the gym.
10:45am
Leftover salmon patty and 1/3 cup potatoes
1:45pm
5 oz. chicken with leftover salad from last night (about 2 cups)
4:15pm
1 rice cake topped with 1 Tbsp. Sun Nut Butter and 1 tsp. peach/pear jam that I got at the farmer's market. Tasty!!
6:45pm
4 egg whites and 1 whole egg topped with 1/2 avocado and 1 Tbsp. parm. cheese and 2 slices brown rice bread topped with 2 Tbsp. Earth Balance.
It wasn't my most stellar nutrition day, but I kept my portion sizes in check and ate mostly clean/green foods. (By the way, when I say "green" foods I'm referring to foods that are healthy for me, not actual green foods.) Monday is scale day, so let's see if it has changed at all from last week!!
Join me in Choosing Your Health Today!!
Regardless of the wet weather it was still a fun day. I started the morning at the gym by working my legs until they felt like jello (1/2 hour of leg exercises then 45 min. spin class), then went and got my haircut (thanks to the fantastic Karly at Ambience!), came home and took a nap (I love a good nap wrapped up in a blanket when it's chilly out) and then ventured to the grocery store with my hubby to get the rest of the necessities for the week.
In between I got in my five meals every few hours, and here's what they consisted of:
7:30am
Breakfast shake - same as yesterday except I added 1 1/2 Tbsp. of Sun Nut Butter because I knew it was going to be a long morning at the gym.
10:45am
Leftover salmon patty and 1/3 cup potatoes
1:45pm
5 oz. chicken with leftover salad from last night (about 2 cups)
4:15pm
1 rice cake topped with 1 Tbsp. Sun Nut Butter and 1 tsp. peach/pear jam that I got at the farmer's market. Tasty!!
6:45pm
4 egg whites and 1 whole egg topped with 1/2 avocado and 1 Tbsp. parm. cheese and 2 slices brown rice bread topped with 2 Tbsp. Earth Balance.
It wasn't my most stellar nutrition day, but I kept my portion sizes in check and ate mostly clean/green foods. (By the way, when I say "green" foods I'm referring to foods that are healthy for me, not actual green foods.) Monday is scale day, so let's see if it has changed at all from last week!!
Join me in Choosing Your Health Today!!
October 1, 2010
It's Friday, Not a Free-For-All!
I used to follow the mentality "It's the weekend so I can eat whatever I want" because apparently there is no such thing as calories and fat on the weekends. Weekends started as Saturday and Sunday. Then somehow Friday joined in, and Thursday is Friday-eve so that must be included too. Pretty soon the whole week was the weekend and I was eating whatever I wanted because it was always the weekend.
Chalk this up to one more thing I've changed. Today is Friday and I ate just like I have been for the past 6 weeks...no splurging because it's Friday. Here was my menu for the day:
7:00am
Breakfast shake (same as yesterday)
10:15am
5.3oz plain greek yogurt with 1 Tbsp. agave nectar and 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
12:30pm
4oz. salmon patty, 1/2 cup potatoes with Earth Balance, and one cup fresh green beans (all leftovers from last night)
3:45pm
1/2 large pear and small handful raw unsalted walnuts (probably 8-10 walnut halves)
7:00pm
4-5oz chicken breast and 2 cups of salad consisting of asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, and avocado. (See the picture below.) Here's a trick...use a smaller plate and bowl and it makes it look like you're eating more!
No more using a day of the week to justify eating like crap! Every day counts, even the ones that start with "S"!
Chalk this up to one more thing I've changed. Today is Friday and I ate just like I have been for the past 6 weeks...no splurging because it's Friday. Here was my menu for the day:
7:00am
Breakfast shake (same as yesterday)
10:15am
5.3oz plain greek yogurt with 1 Tbsp. agave nectar and 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
12:30pm
4oz. salmon patty, 1/2 cup potatoes with Earth Balance, and one cup fresh green beans (all leftovers from last night)
3:45pm
1/2 large pear and small handful raw unsalted walnuts (probably 8-10 walnut halves)
7:00pm
4-5oz chicken breast and 2 cups of salad consisting of asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, and avocado. (See the picture below.) Here's a trick...use a smaller plate and bowl and it makes it look like you're eating more!
No more using a day of the week to justify eating like crap! Every day counts, even the ones that start with "S"!
September 30, 2010
Food, Food, What to Eat??
Since I'm all about honesty, I'm going to give it to you straight...80% of how you look is what you eat. Surprised by that fact? I was at first too. I always thought that if I exercised enough I would lose weight and look the way I wanted to. WRONG!! I finally realized that I could exercise 8 hours a day, but if I wasn't eating healthy foods it wouldn't matter. One of the questions I get asked the most from the ladies in my Boot Camp class is "How do I get toned?" And I ask a question right back...what are you eating? If you want your abs to show, you have to get rid of the layer of fat on top of them first. You can do crunches until the cows come home, but if you don't eat right, they will never pop.
So for the next week I'm going to be completely honest with you on what I eat every day, including portion sizes. I'm a fanatic for "How To's" and I always want to know how others have done it. So here is my contribution to that arena...let's see how it goes!
Today (Sept 30, 2010)
4:45am - 8oz of organic, no sugar added apple juice (If I don't get some calories in my body before I work out that early I'm like the Energizer Bunny being beat upside the head by The Rock...I start out going, and going, and going, then SMACK and I'm done!)
7:00am - Breakfast shake made with 1/2 banana, 1-2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 2 Tbsp brown rice protein powder, 1 cup mixed blackberries/blueberries/strawberries, and 10-12 oz. unsweetened rice milk.
10:00am - 1/2 large pear and small handful of raw, unsalted walnuts
12:30pm - Salad of 4oz. chicken breast, 1/4 cup chick peas, 1/2 of an avocado, 1 small tomato, 3/4 broccoli, and dressing of 1 Tbsp. Veganaise and 1 1/2 Tbsp. spicy mustard
3:30pm - 5 egg whites chopped up and mixed with 2 Tbsp. spicy mustard and 4 large stalks of celery
7:00pm - 4 oz. salmon patty, 3/4 potatoes with salt, pepper, and a little Earth Balance, 1 1/2 cups steamed green beans
Throughout the day I drank over 80 oz. of water and took my vitamins in the morning and evening with meals. The key to keeping your metabolism burning is to keep feeding your body. Your body is just like a fireplace, if you don't put wood on the fire (aka, food) your fire will slowly die down and go out (your metabolism).
Is my diet perfect, absolutely not! But I'm taking steps to make it healthier and watching my portion sizes, since I know that eating an entire chicken (with the skin on) is nothing for me. But I also know that will eventually kill me so I'm choosing not to do that anymore...even though some days death by french fries seems appealing!
Join me and take one small step today and Choose Your Health!!
September 29, 2010
I'm Done...WOOHOO!!!
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Not My Prettiest!
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September 28, 2010
It's Soapbox Time!
One of the things that I LOVE about The Healthy Edge is that the program gives you tools to figure out WHY you are overweight, because let's face it, we all like food so that isn't an excuse. They do an exercise on taking responsibility for your actions and not being a "victim" around why you are overweight.
If I hear one more person complain about being overweight but then see a post or hear them say "Can't wait to head to McDonald's for my morning frappe" (which by the way a SMALL contains 480 calories and 20 grams of fat and has NO nutritional value) I'm going to ask them if they would just like me to inject it directly into their thighs, because that's eventually what is going to happen anyway. Come on people, get a clue!
I know I weight what I do because I chose to make bad food choices and eat portion sizes that could rival a sumo wrestler. But I can't and won't blame that on anyone but myself. Nobody forced me to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch in one sitting, but I did it anyway. And not one person held a gun to my head and said "Eat that steak that is the size of your head along with the baked potato with sour cream and butter or I will blow your brains out."
Could we please all just get honest with ourselves and admit that if we are overweight it is because of what WE chose to put in our mouths, and not anyone else's fault!
I'm getting honest and choosing to take responsibility for myself. What are you going to do to Choose Your Health Today?
If I hear one more person complain about being overweight but then see a post or hear them say "Can't wait to head to McDonald's for my morning frappe" (which by the way a SMALL contains 480 calories and 20 grams of fat and has NO nutritional value) I'm going to ask them if they would just like me to inject it directly into their thighs, because that's eventually what is going to happen anyway. Come on people, get a clue!
I know I weight what I do because I chose to make bad food choices and eat portion sizes that could rival a sumo wrestler. But I can't and won't blame that on anyone but myself. Nobody forced me to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch in one sitting, but I did it anyway. And not one person held a gun to my head and said "Eat that steak that is the size of your head along with the baked potato with sour cream and butter or I will blow your brains out."
Could we please all just get honest with ourselves and admit that if we are overweight it is because of what WE chose to put in our mouths, and not anyone else's fault!
I'm getting honest and choosing to take responsibility for myself. What are you going to do to Choose Your Health Today?
September 27, 2010
To Weigh or Not To Weigh?
Getting on the scale first thing on Monday morning is not really the most appealing thing to me, but I know that the scale doesn't lie...and it only took me 33 years to admit that! I know that I am not morbidly obese, but I do weigh more than I should for my height and build (5' tall and pretty petite hidden under the jiggly layer of fat). I don't want to end up as one of the "hide the face, show my butt from behind" examples on 20/20 in a "How Fat is America" episode so I'm going to weigh myself once a week to keep a gauge on my progress.
I started over 5 weeks ago at 150.5 and this morning I weighed 146.5, so I've lost 4 pounds. (Please ignore the un-pedicured feet). I know, I know, it's progress and at least I'm not gaining. Blah, Blah, BLAH! And I know that I've been doing A LOT of strength training and muscle weighs more than fat and in the end it will be more beneficial, but what I REALLY want to say to the scale at 6:30am on Monday morning is BITE ME!
But I don't, because I am going to trust the annoyingly chirpy inner voices and actually believe that I did lose weight, I am making progress and I am doing this for a good reason. Keeping cancer, diabetes, and heart disease away are reason enough for the moment (although I'm sure the reason will change a million times over the next six months, but who cares as long as I continue on the path to my goal!)
So I am going to be nice to myself today and not get all depressed and b*tchy because I only lost a pound since last week, because guess what, I lost a pound!! So being nice to myself is how I'm going to Choose My Health Today!
But I don't, because I am going to trust the annoyingly chirpy inner voices and actually believe that I did lose weight, I am making progress and I am doing this for a good reason. Keeping cancer, diabetes, and heart disease away are reason enough for the moment (although I'm sure the reason will change a million times over the next six months, but who cares as long as I continue on the path to my goal!)
So I am going to be nice to myself today and not get all depressed and b*tchy because I only lost a pound since last week, because guess what, I lost a pound!! So being nice to myself is how I'm going to Choose My Health Today!
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