So this has been a pretty exciting week for me. I did the jump start portion of my new nutrition plan and I revved up my workouts. It's paid off! Between Tuesday and today I've dropped 5 pounds. LOVE IT! :)
So for the jump start, you can eat as much protein and raw veggies as you want, with a fruit around 10 and 2, to keep the blood sugar level. You're taking out carbs a LOT with this, so it's important to get that from the fruit. Now that I'm done with that part, I'm starting the 75/25 part. 75% protein, 25% carbs. I have this chart that my nutritionist gave me that breaks it down for me. Otherwise I'd be so lost. lol!
As for training, I've upped my minutes doing cardio from 20 to 25. I really focused in on working 3 muscle groups everyday. This week I did my biceps, triceps and shoulders. My shoulders are fairly weak, so I really need to work on them. With biceps, I hold a 20lb weight in each hand. Sets of 15. Triceps I've got a 15lb weight and do sets of 20, and shoulders I started with a 10lb weight doing sets of 12. Repeat that 3 times. Then I head over to do core. 50 forward, 50 right and 50 left oblique crunches with a 10lb weight.
Then it's off for stretching! I do that in the sauna. There's these 3 guys that are in there everyday the same time I am. They are hilarious. They call me their ray of sunshine. They crack me up! It feels so good to stretch in there, in the heat. Love it.
Today was swim day Friday. I got 25 laps into 30 minutes. That rocked my world! I shattered my previous record of 18 laps. (I count one lap as back and forth across the pool.) I'm going to shoot for 27 laps next week. ;) I was so tired at the end, but it felt so good!
So did the hot tub after. Ahhhhhh!
I talked with my photog friend Leslie, and she is going to help me with my before and after pictures. I'll post my thoughts on that later. lol!
Have a great day!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Ab Toning
Here is an article I found about different ways to work the ab muscles to get the best results. And it's not even crunches!
1) Go on an abs spree
Grouping all your ab exercises together can deliver better results than switching back and forth between various body parts, according to Nicole Stewart, apilates instructor in Los Angeles. Working your abs to the "burning" point delivers a sizzling stomach.
Grouping all your ab exercises together can deliver better results than switching back and forth between various body parts, according to Nicole Stewart, apilates instructor in Los Angeles. Working your abs to the "burning" point delivers a sizzling stomach.
2) Feast on a little fat!
A smidge of fat in your diet can actually help your midsection get svelte. Studies suggest that foods rich in monounsaturated fats—including olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado—can help prevent the accumulation of unwelcome tummy fat. See 8 superfoods that combat fat.
A smidge of fat in your diet can actually help your midsection get svelte. Studies suggest that foods rich in monounsaturated fats—including olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado—can help prevent the accumulation of unwelcome tummy fat. See 8 superfoods that combat fat.
3) Try teamwork
Toning up and slimming down doesn't need to be a solitary pursuit. Grab a pal for this exercise: Lie on the floor with your legs straight up in the air, says Akin Williams, a group fitness instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City, who created this move. Ask a buddy to command you to bring your legs up and down randomly (saying, for example, "Right leg down, left leg up" and "Both legs up") every few seconds. Use your ab muscles to follow her directions, keeping your lower back pressed into the floor. Do this for three or four 20- to 60-second sets, resting 1 minute between each set. Then switch and you be the leader. These random commands trigger a rapid contraction of your muscles, tiring the more easily sculpted areas of your abs, so "you see better results in less time," says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist in San Diego for the American Council on Exercise. Hey, what are friends for?
4) Tone abs while you burn fat
Heart-pumping activity triggers your body to convert abdominal fat to fuel, research shows. Aim to do 30 minutes or more most days. Squeeze even more belly benefits from your stint on the treadmill by ramping up the incline, or relying on your core muscles to keep you upright on the elliptical (grip the handlebars, but don't use them to support you!) to engage your core, says Joanna Stahl, group fitness instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City.
5) Try the Dragonfly
Start on all fours, a weight in each hand. Extend left leg behind you in line with body; extend right arm out to side at shoulder level. Keeping left leg lifted, curl weight toward chest (see the move). Straighten arm for one rep. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
6) Find your balance
A great way to tighten and tone your core? Give yourself a stay-steady challenge. "Strength moves requiring balance work the tough-to-reach transverse abdominis more effectively than traditional ab toners do," says Robert Sherman, a trainer in Rockville, Maryland. Use a folded bath towel, a BOSU or a pair of balance pods to make it hard to find your footing for this move, called the Lunge-Up: With left foot on pod or towel, lower into lunge, knee over ankle, thigh parallel to ground, right knee bent with heel raised, hands on hips (see the move). As you straighten left leg, push off ball of right foot, bringing right thigh in front and parallel to ground, balancing on pod. Slowly return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch legs; repeat.
5) Bend those knees
Add a tummy-toning balance challenge to traditional squats by doing them on one leg, as Roxy pro surfer Kassia Meador swears by. Do two sets of 12 reps on alternate days for abs that make waves.
6) Do the ab-up
A side plank sculpts flat abs fast by focusing on obliques, the muscles that wrap around your middle and hold you in. Lie on left side, resting on left forearm and left hip, knees and feet stacked, right arm at side. Lift left hip into a side plank (see the move). Lower and touch left hip to ground, then lift back up, holding abs in tight, for one rep. Do 20 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
7) Go bananas!
The fruit contains 422 milligrams of potassium, which helps limit belly-bloating sodium in your body. Talk about peel appeal! Another source: four stalks of celery deliver 416 mg of potassium.
8) Do bench presses
Extending your arms during the pec-perking exercise causes your ab muscles to contract, toning your abs as well as your arms. Add two sets of 12 reps to your usual routine.
9) Chill out
Increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, can lead to excess stomach fat, research shows. Try delegating work duties, pursue a hobby you find relaxing, whether it's knitting or jewelry making, and make laid-back lunch dates with buddies to lighten your mood—and slim your middle!
Want more secrets to your strongest, slimmest stomach yet? Try the step-by-step Jump Start plan at Self.com, packed with easy eat-better tips and a workout designed by The Biggest Loser's Jillian Michaels.
Toning up and slimming down doesn't need to be a solitary pursuit. Grab a pal for this exercise: Lie on the floor with your legs straight up in the air, says Akin Williams, a group fitness instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City, who created this move. Ask a buddy to command you to bring your legs up and down randomly (saying, for example, "Right leg down, left leg up" and "Both legs up") every few seconds. Use your ab muscles to follow her directions, keeping your lower back pressed into the floor. Do this for three or four 20- to 60-second sets, resting 1 minute between each set. Then switch and you be the leader. These random commands trigger a rapid contraction of your muscles, tiring the more easily sculpted areas of your abs, so "you see better results in less time," says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist in San Diego for the American Council on Exercise. Hey, what are friends for?
4) Tone abs while you burn fat
Heart-pumping activity triggers your body to convert abdominal fat to fuel, research shows. Aim to do 30 minutes or more most days. Squeeze even more belly benefits from your stint on the treadmill by ramping up the incline, or relying on your core muscles to keep you upright on the elliptical (grip the handlebars, but don't use them to support you!) to engage your core, says Joanna Stahl, group fitness instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City.
5) Try the Dragonfly
Start on all fours, a weight in each hand. Extend left leg behind you in line with body; extend right arm out to side at shoulder level. Keeping left leg lifted, curl weight toward chest (see the move). Straighten arm for one rep. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
6) Find your balance
A great way to tighten and tone your core? Give yourself a stay-steady challenge. "Strength moves requiring balance work the tough-to-reach transverse abdominis more effectively than traditional ab toners do," says Robert Sherman, a trainer in Rockville, Maryland. Use a folded bath towel, a BOSU or a pair of balance pods to make it hard to find your footing for this move, called the Lunge-Up: With left foot on pod or towel, lower into lunge, knee over ankle, thigh parallel to ground, right knee bent with heel raised, hands on hips (see the move). As you straighten left leg, push off ball of right foot, bringing right thigh in front and parallel to ground, balancing on pod. Slowly return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch legs; repeat.
5) Bend those knees
Add a tummy-toning balance challenge to traditional squats by doing them on one leg, as Roxy pro surfer Kassia Meador swears by. Do two sets of 12 reps on alternate days for abs that make waves.
6) Do the ab-up
A side plank sculpts flat abs fast by focusing on obliques, the muscles that wrap around your middle and hold you in. Lie on left side, resting on left forearm and left hip, knees and feet stacked, right arm at side. Lift left hip into a side plank (see the move). Lower and touch left hip to ground, then lift back up, holding abs in tight, for one rep. Do 20 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
7) Go bananas!
The fruit contains 422 milligrams of potassium, which helps limit belly-bloating sodium in your body. Talk about peel appeal! Another source: four stalks of celery deliver 416 mg of potassium.
8) Do bench presses
Extending your arms during the pec-perking exercise causes your ab muscles to contract, toning your abs as well as your arms. Add two sets of 12 reps to your usual routine.
9) Chill out
Increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, can lead to excess stomach fat, research shows. Try delegating work duties, pursue a hobby you find relaxing, whether it's knitting or jewelry making, and make laid-back lunch dates with buddies to lighten your mood—and slim your middle!
Want more secrets to your strongest, slimmest stomach yet? Try the step-by-step Jump Start plan at Self.com, packed with easy eat-better tips and a workout designed by The Biggest Loser's Jillian Michaels.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Project!!!
I'm so excited. I'm working on designing a cute meal planner sheet and coordinating shopping list template. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out a way to let people download it, if they want. Or I can just email it to people. Either way. I'm pretty excited about this. This is totally the uber-organized/graphic designer coming out! lol
Just Getting Started
Ok, with my new information, I am SO excited to re-start, so to speak. I'm working with ABSolute, and some really awesome women there. The nutritionist totally broke it down and gave me so much information on food, how it works in my body, and what my body actually needs. Which, I had a basic understanding before. What's good, what's bad. Now I know what's really bad, and what I thought was ok actually isn't that ok. So. Here's what I'm doing now.
To start with, to jump start myself on this program and lifestyle change, there is a "cleanse" of sorts. No, not a drink salt water or some other awful concoction and that's it. This is a healthy cleanse. :D For 3-5 days my protein and raw vegetables are unlimited. I had to swear I wouldn't go longer than 4 hours without eating. And to keep it closer to every 2-3 hours. I can eat fruit around 10 and 2, to help keep my blood sugar in balance, so it doesn't dip and cause me to crash and turn to junk food.
To start, for breakfast this morning I cooked up 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg, mixed that with sauteed onion and topped with a little bit of white cheese. SO GOOD. I was eating oatmeal everyday for breakfast, but the protein will be so much more beneficial to me at the gym.
Snacks will be fruit and string cheese for now, until I can go to the store and get more of a variety.
Lunch is mixed greens with lots of turkey and raw veggies mixed in. Dressing is ok, as long as it's not drenching. I need to keep carbs to under 10. So if I look at a dressing, and combine the carb number and the sugar number, it just has to be under 10. Cooked veggies count for more carbs, because they're more broken down than raw veggies and it's easier for the body to absorp the carbs. Makes sense? It's pretty easy. It'd also be easy to get overwhelmed with all the information they threw at me. I'm so glad I had a decent understanding already.
I'm getting weekly Vitamin B12/B6 shots to help keep my energy up, since I'm cutting my carb intake drastically. Those are nice, since my body will absorp what it needs and get rid of what it doesn't. I'm WAY glad I don't mind shots! That medical assisting school has come in handy. We had to practice giving each other shots. I think I got 11 saline shots in one day once. LOL!
I'm so excited about this program, and to have more of an understanding of food and what it does for me and to me.
Here we go on day one!
To start with, to jump start myself on this program and lifestyle change, there is a "cleanse" of sorts. No, not a drink salt water or some other awful concoction and that's it. This is a healthy cleanse. :D For 3-5 days my protein and raw vegetables are unlimited. I had to swear I wouldn't go longer than 4 hours without eating. And to keep it closer to every 2-3 hours. I can eat fruit around 10 and 2, to help keep my blood sugar in balance, so it doesn't dip and cause me to crash and turn to junk food.
To start, for breakfast this morning I cooked up 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg, mixed that with sauteed onion and topped with a little bit of white cheese. SO GOOD. I was eating oatmeal everyday for breakfast, but the protein will be so much more beneficial to me at the gym.
Snacks will be fruit and string cheese for now, until I can go to the store and get more of a variety.
Lunch is mixed greens with lots of turkey and raw veggies mixed in. Dressing is ok, as long as it's not drenching. I need to keep carbs to under 10. So if I look at a dressing, and combine the carb number and the sugar number, it just has to be under 10. Cooked veggies count for more carbs, because they're more broken down than raw veggies and it's easier for the body to absorp the carbs. Makes sense? It's pretty easy. It'd also be easy to get overwhelmed with all the information they threw at me. I'm so glad I had a decent understanding already.
I'm getting weekly Vitamin B12/B6 shots to help keep my energy up, since I'm cutting my carb intake drastically. Those are nice, since my body will absorp what it needs and get rid of what it doesn't. I'm WAY glad I don't mind shots! That medical assisting school has come in handy. We had to practice giving each other shots. I think I got 11 saline shots in one day once. LOL!
I'm so excited about this program, and to have more of an understanding of food and what it does for me and to me.
Here we go on day one!
Monday, January 18, 2010
SOOO excited!
So I met with a nutritionist today. She had a lot of good information, and I learned a lot. It was basic, simple information that seemed like stuff I should already know. But she broked it down awesomely for me.
She also gave me a ton of ideas to cut carbs out. I'm on a 75/25 program. 75% protein, 25% carbs. She gave me tips on cooking I'd never have thought of. Like cauliflower rice. Chop up cauliflower really finely, and steam it. Same texture as rice, but you're getting veggies instead of carbs. GO FIGURE! See? Simple. :)
I'll post more ideas and things I learned later. I'm still processing it a bit. lol
I'm excited to find a whole new way of eating, and being healthy.
She also gave me a ton of ideas to cut carbs out. I'm on a 75/25 program. 75% protein, 25% carbs. She gave me tips on cooking I'd never have thought of. Like cauliflower rice. Chop up cauliflower really finely, and steam it. Same texture as rice, but you're getting veggies instead of carbs. GO FIGURE! See? Simple. :)
I'll post more ideas and things I learned later. I'm still processing it a bit. lol
I'm excited to find a whole new way of eating, and being healthy.
HCG.... Worth the risks?
I've got some pretty set in stone opinions about the HCG diet. And this article totally backs up everything I have thought for myself from what I knew about the diet already. Anyone will lose weight only taking in 500 calories a day. The human body NEEDS more than 500 calories a day to be fully nourished and healthy. And since you can't actually train or exercise much since you WILL run the risk of passing out and over doing it, when you lose the weight you will have no muscle tone. So you'll have skin with no where to go, which will only make you even more unhappy about your image. The HCG doesn't actually do anything. It's no more than a placebo with some fairly negative potential side effects.
So is it really worth the risk?
Here is the link for the full article.
http://www.exploreexpandevolve.com/health-wellness/hcg-diet-dangers-is-using-hcg-worth-the-risks/
So is it really worth the risk?
Here is the link for the full article.
http://www.exploreexpandevolve.com/health-wellness/hcg-diet-dangers-is-using-hcg-worth-the-risks/
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Back To Basics
Here's an article I found on simple exercises, taking it back to the basics, to help tone you up.
http://health.msn.com/fitness/ultimate-guide-to-winter/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100251080&imageindex=1
http://health.msn.com/fitness/ultimate-guide-to-winter/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100251080&imageindex=1
Monday, December 28, 2009
Brie's Boot Camp: Week 1, Day 1
I've come to the conclusion that I'm tired of how I feel. So. I'm starting New Year's resolutions a week early! Wahoo!! I was going to start yesterday, but it was my youngest son's 3rd birthday and I was not about to spend $20 on a cake and NOT eat some of it. LOL! (I know, I know. Totally bad justification. But it was a good last hurrah! :) So this morning, I started my own personal boot camp. Here's how it went:
4:59am - Woke up 1 minute before the alarm and DIDN'T fall back asleep. Score one for me!
5-5:30am - Made myself a breakfast of oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar for some flavor, then I cooked 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg, added 1 tablespoon of salsa and rolled them up in a low carb tortilla. Packed that, my turkey wrap for lunch and my little box with trail mix for a snack.
5:30-6:30am - Got myself and the kids ready to go. No small feat!
6:45am - Dropped kids off at daycare and headed to the gym. YAY!
7:00-8:00am - WORKOUT!!!!
For my first workout this week, I did:
3 sets of 20 reps: Biceps, 30lbs
3 sets of 15 reps: Triceps, 15 lbs
50 forward crunches with a 5lb weight
50 right & 50 left oblique crunches with a 5 lb weight
30 minutes cardio - elliptical set to random on a level 3. Went 2.36 miles, burned 456 calories.
Stretches in the sauna for 15 minutes.
FELT GOOD!!!!
And I still made it to work by 8:45. It CAN be done! :) Days like this make me wish I didn't have to sit all day for work! lol
I find that making my lunch and packing my snacks for the day leave no room or excuse for bad eating habits. That's a big thing that helped me a lot last year with my weight loss. It's no surprise to me that when I stopped doing that, I started gaining the weight back. Go figure, eh?
P.S. Here's an article I found that has 50 tips to skip or burn 500 calories a day.
http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100250356>1=31036
4:59am - Woke up 1 minute before the alarm and DIDN'T fall back asleep. Score one for me!
5-5:30am - Made myself a breakfast of oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar for some flavor, then I cooked 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg, added 1 tablespoon of salsa and rolled them up in a low carb tortilla. Packed that, my turkey wrap for lunch and my little box with trail mix for a snack.
5:30-6:30am - Got myself and the kids ready to go. No small feat!
6:45am - Dropped kids off at daycare and headed to the gym. YAY!
7:00-8:00am - WORKOUT!!!!
For my first workout this week, I did:
3 sets of 20 reps: Biceps, 30lbs
3 sets of 15 reps: Triceps, 15 lbs
50 forward crunches with a 5lb weight
50 right & 50 left oblique crunches with a 5 lb weight
30 minutes cardio - elliptical set to random on a level 3. Went 2.36 miles, burned 456 calories.
Stretches in the sauna for 15 minutes.
FELT GOOD!!!!
And I still made it to work by 8:45. It CAN be done! :) Days like this make me wish I didn't have to sit all day for work! lol
I find that making my lunch and packing my snacks for the day leave no room or excuse for bad eating habits. That's a big thing that helped me a lot last year with my weight loss. It's no surprise to me that when I stopped doing that, I started gaining the weight back. Go figure, eh?
P.S. Here's an article I found that has 50 tips to skip or burn 500 calories a day.
http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100250356>1=31036
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Pop Quiz!
This was a fun little quiz I came across online. Let's test your nutrition IQ. Some of the answers may surprise you. :)
http://food.aol.com/kids-cooking/healthy-choices?icid=main|main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Ffood.aol.com%2Fkids-cooking%2Fhealthy-choices
http://food.aol.com/kids-cooking/healthy-choices?icid=main|main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Ffood.aol.com%2Fkids-cooking%2Fhealthy-choices
Sunday, December 20, 2009
New Year's Goals
Ok. Here it is. I'm gonna lay it out now. 2009 started off fantastically for me, training wise. Between February and July, I lost 40 pounds. Between July and now, I gained some back. BOO! So 2010 is going to ROCK. I've laid out several goals for myself.
• Get back into my serious training mode. Daily exercise at the gym (minus Sundays.) And evening workouts as well. I really did enjoy that! I LOVED finally climbing into bed, exhausted enough to fall asleep instantly, knowing that I worked hard and EARNED a good night's sleep.
• Get back into my nutrition routine. This year will involve a more vegetarian based meal plan. I will still eat lean meats like turkey and chicken. Red meat and pork are out for me. (Really pork is out because I just don't like it and this is the perfect excuse to NOT eat it anymore. At all.)
• Involve more stretching time during workouts. The more limber I am, the more I can move and workout each muscle, which will only help burn more calories making each workout more effective. It will also help me tone the areas I want toned.
• Pound-wise, my goal is 60 pounds by June(ish). That breaks down into 10lbs a month, which is 2.5 lbs a week or so. Totally doable while still being healthy.
• Take photos once a month, so I can see the progress I am making. I wish I would have done that this last year.
• Keep blog updated and refreshed. As I find recipes, tips, different workouts, new research, I'll post it all here. :)
I think that's all for now. If I can think of any others, I'll write those down too.
Here's to a FANTASTIC, HEALTHY and ROCKIN' 2010!!!!!!
• Get back into my serious training mode. Daily exercise at the gym (minus Sundays.) And evening workouts as well. I really did enjoy that! I LOVED finally climbing into bed, exhausted enough to fall asleep instantly, knowing that I worked hard and EARNED a good night's sleep.
• Get back into my nutrition routine. This year will involve a more vegetarian based meal plan. I will still eat lean meats like turkey and chicken. Red meat and pork are out for me. (Really pork is out because I just don't like it and this is the perfect excuse to NOT eat it anymore. At all.)
• Involve more stretching time during workouts. The more limber I am, the more I can move and workout each muscle, which will only help burn more calories making each workout more effective. It will also help me tone the areas I want toned.
• Pound-wise, my goal is 60 pounds by June(ish). That breaks down into 10lbs a month, which is 2.5 lbs a week or so. Totally doable while still being healthy.
• Take photos once a month, so I can see the progress I am making. I wish I would have done that this last year.
• Keep blog updated and refreshed. As I find recipes, tips, different workouts, new research, I'll post it all here. :)
I think that's all for now. If I can think of any others, I'll write those down too.
Here's to a FANTASTIC, HEALTHY and ROCKIN' 2010!!!!!!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
GAH!!!
Ok, so this is what I deal with on pretty much a daily basis at work.
Seriously people. And of course, that is my desk. This will be changed. If I'm going to make my goals, that needs to go!
Seriously people. And of course, that is my desk. This will be changed. If I'm going to make my goals, that needs to go!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Training Report #1
This is the end of the first week of being BACK into training mode. It's not that I haven't cared the last few months. I just let other priorities come first. Work, mainly. I started going into work early instead of going to the gym first, like I was doing before. Which let me leave work WAY early on Fridays, which was nice. But I never did anything with that time on Friday. So I finally (re)decided it was way more worth it to me to get to work a little later, and stay a bit later on Friday AND get my workouts in than it was getting to work early, leaving early Friday and doing nothing with my time. Crazy logic, right? :)
I'd like to preface this with this is only what I do for myself. This is what my trainer and I worked out for me in the beginning when I started training. Not everything works for everybody. DEFINITELY talk to a doctor or someone who knows your personal health before you start pushing yourself. It's important to know when to stop pushing. Injuries will not do you any good. :) And if you push too hard, it's actually counter-productive.
So, this week I decided my training would be geared to getting me BACK into routine. I gained 20 pounds back of the 40 I originally lost in the last few months. SO NOT COOL. (Thanks a lot Del Taco and Thanksgiving. I can't believe a spicy jack quesadilla did that to me! I thought we were friends! ;) And as I've gone to the gym, I've realized I lost a lot of the endurance I had before. So it feels like I'm starting back at square one. Which is fine. I've been there before, I'll get myself back to where I was.
So here's what I'm doing to get myself back there.
To begin EVERY workout, I spend a half hour on cardio. Either the bike or eliptical. I do 3 minutes at a full out clip, pushing myself as far as I dare go. Then I do 2 minutes slow to bring my heartrate back down. And alternate between the 2 speeds. (NEVER push yourself further than you can go. Passing out is a BAD thing. Listen to your body ALWAYS.) Going this way, my heart rate ever plateaus, and is actually more effective than just doing a half hour at a steady pace. Each week this month, I am working on two main muscle groups in both my upper body and lower body. And alternating between the two each day. For example. This week on Monday I worked my biceps and triceps. Tuesday I worked hamstrings and quadriceps. Wednesday it was back to biceps and triceps, Thursday back down to the legs. After weight training, I work core. Every day. This week I did 50 forward crunches. I like the machine things at the gym, because I can add weight to it. I had a 5 pound weight to it this week. After the 50 forward crunches, I do 50 oblique crunches, each side. After all of this, I hit the dry sauna. I like to stretch out in there. My trainer told me that stretching out the areas you work will help shape and tone them faster and better. And stretching will allow you to do more. The further you can move your body, the more you can work it. I like to stretch in the sauna because it gives me that extra sweat. Another trainer told me that will also help drop the pounds as well.
I like to hear tips from more than one trainer. It helps me gain a more well rounded knowledge of what I'm doing. And I've found that people are more than happy to share what they know! :) One trainer might do things differently, or have more ideas and ways to work a certain muscle.
Fridays are always swim day for me. I learned how to swim with my face in the water earlier this year, and since then I have LOVED swimming. So for this month I have declared Friday my swim day, so I don't get an uneven number of weight training days on one area. Saturday is straight cardio day. I was going to go to Zumba today, but I was unable to make it to the gym. :*( So I think I'll workout to kenpo x. I have a few of the P90X DVDs that someone burned for me, and I really like the kenpo x one. Ok, it's the only one I've tried so far. LOL! But it makes me break a good sweat and the kids love to do it with me.
So that's been week one. Combined with better eating habits, I have dropped a little more than 2 pounds of that blasted 20 I gained back. I'm on my way!
I'd like to preface this with this is only what I do for myself. This is what my trainer and I worked out for me in the beginning when I started training. Not everything works for everybody. DEFINITELY talk to a doctor or someone who knows your personal health before you start pushing yourself. It's important to know when to stop pushing. Injuries will not do you any good. :) And if you push too hard, it's actually counter-productive.
So, this week I decided my training would be geared to getting me BACK into routine. I gained 20 pounds back of the 40 I originally lost in the last few months. SO NOT COOL. (Thanks a lot Del Taco and Thanksgiving. I can't believe a spicy jack quesadilla did that to me! I thought we were friends! ;) And as I've gone to the gym, I've realized I lost a lot of the endurance I had before. So it feels like I'm starting back at square one. Which is fine. I've been there before, I'll get myself back to where I was.
So here's what I'm doing to get myself back there.
To begin EVERY workout, I spend a half hour on cardio. Either the bike or eliptical. I do 3 minutes at a full out clip, pushing myself as far as I dare go. Then I do 2 minutes slow to bring my heartrate back down. And alternate between the 2 speeds. (NEVER push yourself further than you can go. Passing out is a BAD thing. Listen to your body ALWAYS.) Going this way, my heart rate ever plateaus, and is actually more effective than just doing a half hour at a steady pace. Each week this month, I am working on two main muscle groups in both my upper body and lower body. And alternating between the two each day. For example. This week on Monday I worked my biceps and triceps. Tuesday I worked hamstrings and quadriceps. Wednesday it was back to biceps and triceps, Thursday back down to the legs. After weight training, I work core. Every day. This week I did 50 forward crunches. I like the machine things at the gym, because I can add weight to it. I had a 5 pound weight to it this week. After the 50 forward crunches, I do 50 oblique crunches, each side. After all of this, I hit the dry sauna. I like to stretch out in there. My trainer told me that stretching out the areas you work will help shape and tone them faster and better. And stretching will allow you to do more. The further you can move your body, the more you can work it. I like to stretch in the sauna because it gives me that extra sweat. Another trainer told me that will also help drop the pounds as well.
I like to hear tips from more than one trainer. It helps me gain a more well rounded knowledge of what I'm doing. And I've found that people are more than happy to share what they know! :) One trainer might do things differently, or have more ideas and ways to work a certain muscle.
Fridays are always swim day for me. I learned how to swim with my face in the water earlier this year, and since then I have LOVED swimming. So for this month I have declared Friday my swim day, so I don't get an uneven number of weight training days on one area. Saturday is straight cardio day. I was going to go to Zumba today, but I was unable to make it to the gym. :*( So I think I'll workout to kenpo x. I have a few of the P90X DVDs that someone burned for me, and I really like the kenpo x one. Ok, it's the only one I've tried so far. LOL! But it makes me break a good sweat and the kids love to do it with me.
So that's been week one. Combined with better eating habits, I have dropped a little more than 2 pounds of that blasted 20 I gained back. I'm on my way!
Oatmeal Muffins
First, I have to share this recipe. The other day at work, the president of the company (I work as a graphic designer for Roberts Crafts) brought a box of huge, fantastically delicious looking muffins and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and someone else brought homemade pumpkin cookies. Of course the treat table is RIGHT NEXT to my desk. And sometimes IS my desk. I spent ALL DAY staring at those things. I love muffins. AND pumpkin cookies. Of course, this is the week I start back up on my path of change after 4 months of not caring. LOL. Figures. So I went home and searched for a more healthy alternative to huge, oil filled, sugar coma inducing muffins. And I found this recipe. They were SO yummy too. Hope you enjoy them! I used wheat flour instead of white flour. Gives it a bit more of the "healthy" factor. You can also use more natural butter alternatives as well. I just didn't have any on hand.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine dry ingredients; add alternately with applesauce to the creamed mixture. Stir in oats and chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
Intro
Ok. I've decided to separate my family blog and my weight loss blog, since my weight loss is something I'm doing for myself. :) Well, and for my kids. But mostly for me. lol! It just made sense to not combine the two anymore. I will use this blog to post healthy recipes I find, tips I come across, methods and training I use. It will also be a place to vent food frustrations and to write down new goals and track progress. I hope that if anyone follows this blog, it can help them too, if they have their own goals. If nothing else, it will help me keep on track of what I am doing. :)
I have met some amazing people so far on my get fit path. I hate to call it weight loss, because to me it's so much more than simply losing weight. It's about becoming a better me. A more fit and healthy me. Not that I'm an unhealthy slob, or unhappy about who I am. I think it's because I AM happy with who I am inside that makes me so much more motivated to make my outside match how I feel about myself.
My biggest piece of advice on starting on your own path towards changing to a more healthy lifestyle is to find people with the same goals and work together. Surround yourself with people who know how to get you where you want. There are so many groups out there, trainers, nutrition-knowledgable people, doctors even. There are online groups that are free to join. Websites dedicated to sharing information. I'm sure there's even facebook groups! :) As I come across these groups, I will definitely link them here.
And as much as I hate to do it, I WILL post progress pictures. Sigh. This does not please me, but I know in the end it will only help and motivate me. And it will be nice to see the final before and after. I wish I had taken pictures when I very first started, to see the progress I've made so far. Oh well. Life moves on. :)
So here we go. Moving on with it!
I have met some amazing people so far on my get fit path. I hate to call it weight loss, because to me it's so much more than simply losing weight. It's about becoming a better me. A more fit and healthy me. Not that I'm an unhealthy slob, or unhappy about who I am. I think it's because I AM happy with who I am inside that makes me so much more motivated to make my outside match how I feel about myself.
My biggest piece of advice on starting on your own path towards changing to a more healthy lifestyle is to find people with the same goals and work together. Surround yourself with people who know how to get you where you want. There are so many groups out there, trainers, nutrition-knowledgable people, doctors even. There are online groups that are free to join. Websites dedicated to sharing information. I'm sure there's even facebook groups! :) As I come across these groups, I will definitely link them here.
And as much as I hate to do it, I WILL post progress pictures. Sigh. This does not please me, but I know in the end it will only help and motivate me. And it will be nice to see the final before and after. I wish I had taken pictures when I very first started, to see the progress I've made so far. Oh well. Life moves on. :)
So here we go. Moving on with it!
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