Don't forget to give me a hollar tomorow by noon on your weight!
May the scale gods be on your side!!!
We’re (Likely!) Going Out of Business Sale
1 year ago
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Body Measurements!
Have you measured yet?!
If not, DO IT today! Before you make any other progress that you will wish down the road you had documented. Take pictures too!! Do it Do it DO IT!! Please trust me, do this.
Weight watchers reccomends these places to measure.
right upper arm- midway between the shoulder and the elbow
waist- one inch above the navel (I do belly button because I am horrible with guesstimating measurements and keeping the measuring tape thingy even.
hips- at the maximum width of your booty.
right thigh- just below your butt cheek.
DO IT! I promise you will want these numbers on the days that the scale isn't moving, you will want these numbers when you are down another 10 lbs, you will want to remember how far you have come. Don't delay-- do it today!!
If not, DO IT today! Before you make any other progress that you will wish down the road you had documented. Take pictures too!! Do it Do it DO IT!! Please trust me, do this.
Weight watchers reccomends these places to measure.
right upper arm- midway between the shoulder and the elbow
waist- one inch above the navel (I do belly button because I am horrible with guesstimating measurements and keeping the measuring tape thingy even.
hips- at the maximum width of your booty.
right thigh- just below your butt cheek.
DO IT! I promise you will want these numbers on the days that the scale isn't moving, you will want these numbers when you are down another 10 lbs, you will want to remember how far you have come. Don't delay-- do it today!!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Body Image
Today I was asked a question that I have given some serious thought to. I am going to try and relay my feelings, the information I have learned, and everything in between.
One of our challengers said that if she remembered correctly I had always really struggled with weight, and wondered when-who and what has pushed me over sorta to the other side of being fit.
First of all, this challenger lives far away and has never seen me in person. She has seen pictures and we have corressponded for several months through fitness and health over the internet. She thinks I am a little cooler, a little thinner, and a little buffer than I really am. Internet has a way of doing that huh?! (But I secretly really like that about her haha)
So my story is sorta like this.
So I started going to the gym and making goals for myself. The first of which was to run 3 miles, then the commitment to run a half marathon race in July of 2010.
That brought me to about August of 2010, which is when I discovered take shape for life. I had still been doing a TON of cardio (About an hour or hour and a half 5 or 6 days per week.) I was eating but as I have spent my whole life doing, trying to out train the bad diet that I had. Processed foods, eating out, junk was a good part of my day-- although I did keep calories in check. I was just not eating "good" calories.
10 lbs lighter and I felt so much better. At my thinnest (with little muscle tone) I was at 127 lbs. I always felt fat though. If I were put in a room of 10 other people I always FELT like the big, broad shouldered girl. So frusterating. I was spending 10 or 11 hours each week and yet, I still felt fluffy. And I was only eating around 1000-1200 calories a day.
I set out for my next goal of becoming a group fitness instructor. I learned a lot, I searched the internet high and low and I began learning about lifting weights and eating clean. I found the get in shape girl on the web and she narrowed my focus to weights and taught me about the cold hard facts-- I COULD NOT OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET. ( And neither can you :o( )
So I started training with the get in shape girl and cleaned up my diet.
I got to here with her...
I trained with Big Jon, bodybuilding guru for 3 months and he got me here...
And Looking at those pictures, I feel so good. I feel like I looked really good. But at the time, I felt fat. I still felt like the big girl in the room. I still only saw stretch marks and saggy skin on my stomach. For two months prior to this picture I ate a strict, strict, strict diet of lean meat and little variety. I was at the gym for about 3 hours 5 days a week and 1 hour the 6th day. This was intense. I quit right after this picture was taken and haven been on "vacation" from eating what I should be since, which is right about three months.
I took a progress picture last week, and I really DIDN'T want to share it. It is embarrassing, it is humbling, it is sad. It hurts to look at it, and it hurts to show it. My heart hurts bad seeing it, yet again. But, it's real life. Its part of the cycle that we all face and when we aren't careful it is what we let ourselves become.
The difference from finishing with Jon in October 2011 to today is 12 lbs different. 128 at my lowest and 140 today. Granted these pictures were taken right after a vacation and lots of sugar. They look a "little" worse than they really are.
I started right after the first of the year with you all, getting back to clean eating and lifting weights. I am following Jamie Easons free live fit trainer from bodybuilding.com and I am hoping I will see good progress with it. The thing is, is that the nutrition is extremely clean but varied. So I have to figure out how my body responds to the variety. I have figured out that I respond well to strict diet, but I got a little sick of living life like that-- so strict and no room for error.
It seems like my whole life has been that way. I have to work extremely hard, I would venture to say, harder than the average person to look the way I look. If I didn't spend 10-12 hours in the gym each week, I assure you I would look nothing like ANY of these pictures. I have to be very very careful about the food I eat.
So when I really put it out there and I tell you what has made the difference between the bad pictures, the ok pictures, and the good pictures the KEY is nutrition. It is for-going "bad" food. It is eating chicken breast, brown rice and broccoli for lunch every day. It is never eating sugar. It is always saying no to anything other than extremely lean foods. It is busting my butt at the gym, I always lift for an hour to an hour and a half and it is 30 minutes of hardcore HIIT on the treadmill or stair climber. It is hard work and precision. It is extreme. It is not liveable every day of my life.
As I reflect on each of those pictures too, I am reminded that in each one, I was suprised how much better the picture looked than I felt like I looked. Distored body image I think a high percentage of us have. I have it. I am trying to learn to deal with it. I am extremely grateful for this body, for the functions in performs, for allowing me to have beautiful children, for pushing through grueling workouts. I am extrememly grateful, but I am also extrememly hard on this ol girl. I am quick to say something negative (in my head), I am quick to notice every frickin flaw I have. I will never be able to maintain that 11 or 12% body fat I was at in October 2011 unless I give up on food and give up on ever enjoying it.
Do not trick yourself into thinking that if you lose 10 lbs, lose 20 lbs, lose 50 lbs you will be happy. You will be happier, yes. You will be healthier, yes. But I really think that human nature is to not be satisfied-- that can drive us hard and keep us thirsty for sucess, but it can also be really damaging to ones image.
I am trying daily to keep in focus the important things, and allow myself to appreciate the good things, while striving to "ignore" the imperfections that I do have.
As I look in the mirror this week, I see a swollen puffy reflection. As I look down at my own arms I see definition and muscle tone. I realize that the two pictures are so different and it is irritating as hell. I try and remember my own advice to you, to realize that the reflection is much better than your eyes are showing but it is a daily struggle to remind myself and BELIEVE that.
So, because I am still struggling-- and probably always will struggle with body image I don't have a lot of advice to offer other than work hard. Commit to yourself to keep working and realize that you are a work in progress, just like the rest of us. And remember that perfection is not attainable, so try and feel gratitiude with what you DO have, and at the end of the day-- realize that in the eyes of the Lord, you truly are a perfect masterpiece.
One of our challengers said that if she remembered correctly I had always really struggled with weight, and wondered when-who and what has pushed me over sorta to the other side of being fit.
First of all, this challenger lives far away and has never seen me in person. She has seen pictures and we have corressponded for several months through fitness and health over the internet. She thinks I am a little cooler, a little thinner, and a little buffer than I really am. Internet has a way of doing that huh?! (But I secretly really like that about her haha)
So my story is sorta like this.
I saw this picture from Christmas 2009, two months after my son was born and decided something had to change. January 1st 2010 was my first official start day to making fitness and health a priority-- not to mention I never wanted to see a picture of my face like that again.
10 lbs lighter and I felt so much better. At my thinnest (with little muscle tone) I was at 127 lbs. I always felt fat though. If I were put in a room of 10 other people I always FELT like the big, broad shouldered girl. So frusterating. I was spending 10 or 11 hours each week and yet, I still felt fluffy. And I was only eating around 1000-1200 calories a day.
I set out for my next goal of becoming a group fitness instructor. I learned a lot, I searched the internet high and low and I began learning about lifting weights and eating clean. I found the get in shape girl on the web and she narrowed my focus to weights and taught me about the cold hard facts-- I COULD NOT OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET. ( And neither can you :o( )
So I started training with the get in shape girl and cleaned up my diet.
I got to here with her...
I trained with Big Jon, bodybuilding guru for 3 months and he got me here...
And Looking at those pictures, I feel so good. I feel like I looked really good. But at the time, I felt fat. I still felt like the big girl in the room. I still only saw stretch marks and saggy skin on my stomach. For two months prior to this picture I ate a strict, strict, strict diet of lean meat and little variety. I was at the gym for about 3 hours 5 days a week and 1 hour the 6th day. This was intense. I quit right after this picture was taken and haven been on "vacation" from eating what I should be since, which is right about three months.
I took a progress picture last week, and I really DIDN'T want to share it. It is embarrassing, it is humbling, it is sad. It hurts to look at it, and it hurts to show it. My heart hurts bad seeing it, yet again. But, it's real life. Its part of the cycle that we all face and when we aren't careful it is what we let ourselves become.
The difference from finishing with Jon in October 2011 to today is 12 lbs different. 128 at my lowest and 140 today. Granted these pictures were taken right after a vacation and lots of sugar. They look a "little" worse than they really are.
I started right after the first of the year with you all, getting back to clean eating and lifting weights. I am following Jamie Easons free live fit trainer from bodybuilding.com and I am hoping I will see good progress with it. The thing is, is that the nutrition is extremely clean but varied. So I have to figure out how my body responds to the variety. I have figured out that I respond well to strict diet, but I got a little sick of living life like that-- so strict and no room for error.
It seems like my whole life has been that way. I have to work extremely hard, I would venture to say, harder than the average person to look the way I look. If I didn't spend 10-12 hours in the gym each week, I assure you I would look nothing like ANY of these pictures. I have to be very very careful about the food I eat.
So when I really put it out there and I tell you what has made the difference between the bad pictures, the ok pictures, and the good pictures the KEY is nutrition. It is for-going "bad" food. It is eating chicken breast, brown rice and broccoli for lunch every day. It is never eating sugar. It is always saying no to anything other than extremely lean foods. It is busting my butt at the gym, I always lift for an hour to an hour and a half and it is 30 minutes of hardcore HIIT on the treadmill or stair climber. It is hard work and precision. It is extreme. It is not liveable every day of my life.
As I reflect on each of those pictures too, I am reminded that in each one, I was suprised how much better the picture looked than I felt like I looked. Distored body image I think a high percentage of us have. I have it. I am trying to learn to deal with it. I am extremely grateful for this body, for the functions in performs, for allowing me to have beautiful children, for pushing through grueling workouts. I am extrememly grateful, but I am also extrememly hard on this ol girl. I am quick to say something negative (in my head), I am quick to notice every frickin flaw I have. I will never be able to maintain that 11 or 12% body fat I was at in October 2011 unless I give up on food and give up on ever enjoying it.
Do not trick yourself into thinking that if you lose 10 lbs, lose 20 lbs, lose 50 lbs you will be happy. You will be happier, yes. You will be healthier, yes. But I really think that human nature is to not be satisfied-- that can drive us hard and keep us thirsty for sucess, but it can also be really damaging to ones image.
I am trying daily to keep in focus the important things, and allow myself to appreciate the good things, while striving to "ignore" the imperfections that I do have.
As I look in the mirror this week, I see a swollen puffy reflection. As I look down at my own arms I see definition and muscle tone. I realize that the two pictures are so different and it is irritating as hell. I try and remember my own advice to you, to realize that the reflection is much better than your eyes are showing but it is a daily struggle to remind myself and BELIEVE that.
So, because I am still struggling-- and probably always will struggle with body image I don't have a lot of advice to offer other than work hard. Commit to yourself to keep working and realize that you are a work in progress, just like the rest of us. And remember that perfection is not attainable, so try and feel gratitiude with what you DO have, and at the end of the day-- realize that in the eyes of the Lord, you truly are a perfect masterpiece.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Week One Gone
Hi Challangers!
Good work this week. Almost everyone lost that is so great. Keep your chin up if you didn't. I sometimes refer to "Scale Gods" and I will give you a little lesson on these mysterious gods that I have learned.
The scale gods are sometimes on your side. Picture it-- all week you eat healthy part time, but you indulge in everything that comes your way too. You skip a few workouts, but you make a couple too. You eat ok the day before the weigh in and you ask the scale gods to be generous. Sometimes they produce (-2!) yay! Sometimes, they do not. (Same weight, weight goes up)
Picture this. You workout all week, in fact last night you went to the best instructors class on the planet and you freaking busted your butt and you burned some MAJOR calories. You ate healthy all week, and you said no to most all treats. You get on the scale... and what does the scale gods say? They say (same weight, or plus 1)
Picture this. You work out all week, you eat whatever the heck you want and you know that the scale gods are going to be brutal in the morning. So brutal you really think about using this as your ONE missed weigh in. It's gonna be ugly and you don't want to face it. Then you step on. Scale gods say (same weight, or minus 3) What the crap?!
These scenarios are all personal scenarios that I myself have experienced. Sometimes the scale just doesn't reflect the facts. This is why I encourage taking measurements (a post to come), pictures (a post to come), paying attention to the way your clothing fits, and the scale each as guidelines. They all make a piece to the puzzle in weight loss, health and fitness.
The scale can be messed up based on water retention (did you drink enough h20? Did you eat sugar, drink a soda late,drink alcohol, did you workout hard, is it the time of the month, did you get 4 hours of sleep?) All those things contribute to retention. All those things make the scale look higher than it really is.
This is also why I recommend weighing one time a week. One time a week-- at the exact same time in the exact same clothes (or lack of clothes for me). It gives us an "average" picture of what your weight is looking like.
I will tell you know that I weigh 140 lbs, and I look far better than I did a year ago at 127 lbs. I have a lot more muscle tone and my skin is much tighter.
I just don't want you to be obsessed with the scale, or scared of it, or sad at it. Always remember it is just one piece to the much bigger healthy puzzle. And, if the scale gods were on your side and gave you a loss that your habits don't really add up to-- do what I say and run the hell in the healthy direction and DON'T look back! You can not keep up the unhealthy habits and think they will grant you your wish again next week. I promise you it was a gift to be thankful for and untilize. If the scale gods were naughty and didn't add up to what your actions accounted for, look foward to next week because it will probably be a big weight loss of a week for you-- assuming you keep on track.
Remember, nothing tastes as good as being strong and healthy feels. Keep at it challengers!
Good work this week. Almost everyone lost that is so great. Keep your chin up if you didn't. I sometimes refer to "Scale Gods" and I will give you a little lesson on these mysterious gods that I have learned.
The scale gods are sometimes on your side. Picture it-- all week you eat healthy part time, but you indulge in everything that comes your way too. You skip a few workouts, but you make a couple too. You eat ok the day before the weigh in and you ask the scale gods to be generous. Sometimes they produce (-2!) yay! Sometimes, they do not. (Same weight, weight goes up)
Picture this. You workout all week, in fact last night you went to the best instructors class on the planet and you freaking busted your butt and you burned some MAJOR calories. You ate healthy all week, and you said no to most all treats. You get on the scale... and what does the scale gods say? They say (same weight, or plus 1)
Picture this. You work out all week, you eat whatever the heck you want and you know that the scale gods are going to be brutal in the morning. So brutal you really think about using this as your ONE missed weigh in. It's gonna be ugly and you don't want to face it. Then you step on. Scale gods say (same weight, or minus 3) What the crap?!
These scenarios are all personal scenarios that I myself have experienced. Sometimes the scale just doesn't reflect the facts. This is why I encourage taking measurements (a post to come), pictures (a post to come), paying attention to the way your clothing fits, and the scale each as guidelines. They all make a piece to the puzzle in weight loss, health and fitness.
The scale can be messed up based on water retention (did you drink enough h20? Did you eat sugar, drink a soda late,drink alcohol, did you workout hard, is it the time of the month, did you get 4 hours of sleep?) All those things contribute to retention. All those things make the scale look higher than it really is.
This is also why I recommend weighing one time a week. One time a week-- at the exact same time in the exact same clothes (or lack of clothes for me). It gives us an "average" picture of what your weight is looking like.
I will tell you know that I weigh 140 lbs, and I look far better than I did a year ago at 127 lbs. I have a lot more muscle tone and my skin is much tighter.
I just don't want you to be obsessed with the scale, or scared of it, or sad at it. Always remember it is just one piece to the much bigger healthy puzzle. And, if the scale gods were on your side and gave you a loss that your habits don't really add up to-- do what I say and run the hell in the healthy direction and DON'T look back! You can not keep up the unhealthy habits and think they will grant you your wish again next week. I promise you it was a gift to be thankful for and untilize. If the scale gods were naughty and didn't add up to what your actions accounted for, look foward to next week because it will probably be a big weight loss of a week for you-- assuming you keep on track.
Remember, nothing tastes as good as being strong and healthy feels. Keep at it challengers!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Weekends
The weekend is here!!!
Wooohoooo!!
I will teach you something it took me a very very long time to learn.
You can not work hard all week long at being fit and healthy, then go crazy on the weekend, and expect things to balance out.
Weekends account for a MAJOR amount of time per year, and going crazy eating unhealthy crap all weekend long derails the progress you made all week. It makes you work your friggin butt off all day Monday, all day Tuesday and it makes you pray your butt off Tuesday night that the scale will be atleast back to where you started last week-- so you don't show you gained any weight.
Don't play this game with yourself. Don't take a cheat weekend. I promise you, you will regret it and it will make your progress SO much slower. So pick a meal, or pick two, or pick a meal and a dessert. ENJOY IT!! And then get right back up on the healthy train. Take one day of rest from the gym, not two. Take one and ENJOY IT.
Lifelong changes we are working on here, not week day changes. Don't feel the guilt of going overboard on Monday.
Good luck, and enjoy your families, enjoy your friends, enjoy a cheat if you feel the need-- enjoy LIFE. It's the only one you are gonna get.
Wooohoooo!!
I will teach you something it took me a very very long time to learn.
You can not work hard all week long at being fit and healthy, then go crazy on the weekend, and expect things to balance out.
Weekends account for a MAJOR amount of time per year, and going crazy eating unhealthy crap all weekend long derails the progress you made all week. It makes you work your friggin butt off all day Monday, all day Tuesday and it makes you pray your butt off Tuesday night that the scale will be atleast back to where you started last week-- so you don't show you gained any weight.
Don't play this game with yourself. Don't take a cheat weekend. I promise you, you will regret it and it will make your progress SO much slower. So pick a meal, or pick two, or pick a meal and a dessert. ENJOY IT!! And then get right back up on the healthy train. Take one day of rest from the gym, not two. Take one and ENJOY IT.
Lifelong changes we are working on here, not week day changes. Don't feel the guilt of going overboard on Monday.
Good luck, and enjoy your families, enjoy your friends, enjoy a cheat if you feel the need-- enjoy LIFE. It's the only one you are gonna get.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
21
Did I count that right?
21 challengers?
Dang Gina, thats a big ol pot of money!!!
I was chitchatting it up with my favorite dad today talking about how many people are doing this competition and the money involved and he made the million dollar statement that I think you should all remember every, single day.
"There will be no losers, everyone will win."
That's right baby, everyone will WIN. If you change one unhealthy habit to a healthier one, if you lose 5 lbs, if you sleep better, if you drink more water, if you start exercising, if you get off a medication, if you feel better, if you win the whole she-bang.... you will have won.
Whatever keeps you going, whatever pushes you through when the going gets tough... keep on using it. You have 8 weeks to push yourself to your limits, 8 weeks to turn not good habits into better ones, 8 weeks to feed off of eachothers encouragement, and energy. Take advantage, get involved on the facebook group. Ask questions, give answers. I guarantee if you are wondering about something-- someone else is too.
Work it!! Push hard, today is the day to make yourself your priority. Health is the best gift you can give yourself. Don't live with regret. Make it a great day.
21 challengers?
Dang Gina, thats a big ol pot of money!!!
I was chitchatting it up with my favorite dad today talking about how many people are doing this competition and the money involved and he made the million dollar statement that I think you should all remember every, single day.
"There will be no losers, everyone will win."
That's right baby, everyone will WIN. If you change one unhealthy habit to a healthier one, if you lose 5 lbs, if you sleep better, if you drink more water, if you start exercising, if you get off a medication, if you feel better, if you win the whole she-bang.... you will have won.
Whatever keeps you going, whatever pushes you through when the going gets tough... keep on using it. You have 8 weeks to push yourself to your limits, 8 weeks to turn not good habits into better ones, 8 weeks to feed off of eachothers encouragement, and energy. Take advantage, get involved on the facebook group. Ask questions, give answers. I guarantee if you are wondering about something-- someone else is too.
Work it!! Push hard, today is the day to make yourself your priority. Health is the best gift you can give yourself. Don't live with regret. Make it a great day.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Weigh In
There was a bit of confusion from a few people on the set up of the blog. I hope you are all checking it frequently so you are seeing how I have it. Notice your name and your weight are listed. If this bothers you, please let me know and we can come up with a "code" name for you.
I have always been brutally honest when it comes to my weight. I realize that from day to day the number on the scale will vary up to 5 lbs depending on what workout I did the day before, how much water I drank, if it is the time of the month, if I haven't had a bowel movement (tmi there huh? sorry) etc.
I also realize that the number on the scale is just that, a number. It does not tell the whole story. People even GAIN weight, yet look better when they start building muscle. People lose inches when no number has gone down on the scale.
The scale neither reflects who you are as a human being, what kind of friend you are, or how much worth you have. It is one of a million different things that can be used to describe you.
Please do not get crazy with the scale!! I myself weigh every day to keep myself on track. It is a tool for me to say, "yay, things are working well" or "ahh crap, guess I didn't need that second helping of whatever it was". There were days in my past when the scale going up would ruin my whole day, make me a grumpy mom and force me to dig into the cookie jar in sadness. But those days are becoming a distant view in my rear view mirror. I am working so so hard on letting go of whatever the negative is or was and focusing on the positive. I encourage you to do the same.
If you lost 1 lb today, do not, DO NOT go eat a cookie to reward yourself. You do not deserve to fuel your body crap to congratulate it. You DO deserve to go have a sweat session to thank your body for performing for you. I encourgae you to plan a weekly meal for a cheat, (Ex: Saturday night) but other than that-- keep it clean and keep it healthy. Consistency is key in losing and maintaining weight loss. If you didn't lose a pound, or you went up-- who cares? This was just a check point and you have a whole brand new week spread out before you.
Work hard, eat clean, and thank your body for being yours-- for jumping when you tell it to jump, for running when you say run, and for processing the food you feed it. There are people all over this world who do not have the luxury of taking their mouths for granted, of taking their legs for granted.
This is your ONE body. How are you going to appreciate it today?
I have always been brutally honest when it comes to my weight. I realize that from day to day the number on the scale will vary up to 5 lbs depending on what workout I did the day before, how much water I drank, if it is the time of the month, if I haven't had a bowel movement (tmi there huh? sorry) etc.
I also realize that the number on the scale is just that, a number. It does not tell the whole story. People even GAIN weight, yet look better when they start building muscle. People lose inches when no number has gone down on the scale.
The scale neither reflects who you are as a human being, what kind of friend you are, or how much worth you have. It is one of a million different things that can be used to describe you.
Please do not get crazy with the scale!! I myself weigh every day to keep myself on track. It is a tool for me to say, "yay, things are working well" or "ahh crap, guess I didn't need that second helping of whatever it was". There were days in my past when the scale going up would ruin my whole day, make me a grumpy mom and force me to dig into the cookie jar in sadness. But those days are becoming a distant view in my rear view mirror. I am working so so hard on letting go of whatever the negative is or was and focusing on the positive. I encourage you to do the same.
If you lost 1 lb today, do not, DO NOT go eat a cookie to reward yourself. You do not deserve to fuel your body crap to congratulate it. You DO deserve to go have a sweat session to thank your body for performing for you. I encourgae you to plan a weekly meal for a cheat, (Ex: Saturday night) but other than that-- keep it clean and keep it healthy. Consistency is key in losing and maintaining weight loss. If you didn't lose a pound, or you went up-- who cares? This was just a check point and you have a whole brand new week spread out before you.
Work hard, eat clean, and thank your body for being yours-- for jumping when you tell it to jump, for running when you say run, and for processing the food you feed it. There are people all over this world who do not have the luxury of taking their mouths for granted, of taking their legs for granted.
This is your ONE body. How are you going to appreciate it today?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Day Two
Hi everyone! I am back and ready to get this train started with you all! I am so excited there are so many people participating.
People that are fed up. People who are ready to make a change. People who refuse to give up. People who are going to push through when times get hard. People who are going to encourage eachother. People who are ready to make 2012 their big year.
I remember being so ready to lose those pounds. TO GET RID OF THEM. I remember being so ready to make healthy choices in the kitchen and in the gym. I remember watching other people go ahead of me and do the HCG diet, or a meal replacement program and drop weight like crazy fast. I felt jealous and insecure because my weight was coming off so much more slowly.
I am going to tell you now, don't be jealous. Don't be insecure. The weight you shed through blood, sweat and tears is weight that stays off. It is weight that is GONE from your life. And the journey you take to get there is worth a celebration every step of the way.
Maybe the scale doesn't move one day. But you drank 10 glasses of water, and you avoided sugar that day. That is a success. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but you walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes for the first time, or you tried a new class at your gym. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but you ran up the stairs without getting winded. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but your blood pressure is down, or your cholestrol is better than it has been. Those are all success stories, and don't YOU forget it.
If you ever feel down and out, I challenge you to scribble down the things you ARE doing, to move your body to be a healthier version of yourself. Human nature focuses sometimes on the negative things. (I had a soda, I ate ______, I didn't exercise) Get those negatives out of your vocabulary, but most important get them out of your mind. Just like every aspect of life, when we focus on the positive-- more things really are positive.
I have commitments from the final 4 people on our list to do this challenge, but I haven't heard a weight. Remember that you need to text or facebook me your weights tomorow by NOON, and then again EVERY WEDNESDAY by noon until the end of February.
Each challenger is allowed to miss one weigh in after this week. After that, you are forfeitted from winning the challenge, if you skip more than one weigh in. We are all making the commitments to eachother and to ourselves to SHOW UP for this competition, and it is important that we are accountable to ourselves and the others. I wont be texting and messaging all day on Wednesdays to get weights. This is YOUR challenge, and YOU need to take it seriously... this is YOUR year. YOUR time to create a new YOU. Do what it takes to get the results you want. Make the sacrifices necessary to ensure your success.
People that are fed up. People who are ready to make a change. People who refuse to give up. People who are going to push through when times get hard. People who are going to encourage eachother. People who are ready to make 2012 their big year.
I remember being so ready to lose those pounds. TO GET RID OF THEM. I remember being so ready to make healthy choices in the kitchen and in the gym. I remember watching other people go ahead of me and do the HCG diet, or a meal replacement program and drop weight like crazy fast. I felt jealous and insecure because my weight was coming off so much more slowly.
I am going to tell you now, don't be jealous. Don't be insecure. The weight you shed through blood, sweat and tears is weight that stays off. It is weight that is GONE from your life. And the journey you take to get there is worth a celebration every step of the way.
Maybe the scale doesn't move one day. But you drank 10 glasses of water, and you avoided sugar that day. That is a success. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but you walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes for the first time, or you tried a new class at your gym. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but you ran up the stairs without getting winded. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but your blood pressure is down, or your cholestrol is better than it has been. Those are all success stories, and don't YOU forget it.
If you ever feel down and out, I challenge you to scribble down the things you ARE doing, to move your body to be a healthier version of yourself. Human nature focuses sometimes on the negative things. (I had a soda, I ate ______, I didn't exercise) Get those negatives out of your vocabulary, but most important get them out of your mind. Just like every aspect of life, when we focus on the positive-- more things really are positive.
I have commitments from the final 4 people on our list to do this challenge, but I haven't heard a weight. Remember that you need to text or facebook me your weights tomorow by NOON, and then again EVERY WEDNESDAY by noon until the end of February.
Each challenger is allowed to miss one weigh in after this week. After that, you are forfeitted from winning the challenge, if you skip more than one weigh in. We are all making the commitments to eachother and to ourselves to SHOW UP for this competition, and it is important that we are accountable to ourselves and the others. I wont be texting and messaging all day on Wednesdays to get weights. This is YOUR challenge, and YOU need to take it seriously... this is YOUR year. YOUR time to create a new YOU. Do what it takes to get the results you want. Make the sacrifices necessary to ensure your success.
Monday, January 2, 2012
whats your number
wooop woop
today is the first day of the rest of your life
are you ready, are you commited, are you willing to do whatever it takes to succeed
make sure you text facebook or email me by noon your weight to get started and again this wednesday
the hardest part of a journey is the first steps. you can do this.
i apologize for the lack of exclamation points i am on my phone
good luck
today is the first day of the rest of your life
are you ready, are you commited, are you willing to do whatever it takes to succeed
make sure you text facebook or email me by noon your weight to get started and again this wednesday
the hardest part of a journey is the first steps. you can do this.
i apologize for the lack of exclamation points i am on my phone
good luck
Thursday, December 29, 2011
getaway
i am out and about so i just wanted to give you a couple reminders...
enjoy some food this weekend, but dont go so crazy that you gain ten lbs, because the reality is t hen you just have to work that much harder to get it off.
start a game plan. how are you going to eat? when are you going to exercise? how will you recover if you fall off the wagon?
failing to plan is planning to fail.
remember, first official weigh in is monday january second. we will reweigh wednesday january fourth... and then every wednesday after that for the duration of the contest. dont worry if you havent lost amything by wed, i am not expecting you to. it is jjust my method of getting us on a weekly track and to keep you pumped and energized.
ten dollars is due to me by monday, tuesday at the very latest. email or text me if you need my address
enjoy some food this weekend, but dont go so crazy that you gain ten lbs, because the reality is t hen you just have to work that much harder to get it off.
start a game plan. how are you going to eat? when are you going to exercise? how will you recover if you fall off the wagon?
failing to plan is planning to fail.
remember, first official weigh in is monday january second. we will reweigh wednesday january fourth... and then every wednesday after that for the duration of the contest. dont worry if you havent lost amything by wed, i am not expecting you to. it is jjust my method of getting us on a weekly track and to keep you pumped and energized.
ten dollars is due to me by monday, tuesday at the very latest. email or text me if you need my address
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Game ON
Yahhh baby!!!
Game on!!
I talked to my bootcampers tonight and enough of them were on board that I threw the idea out to facebook again and I got some takers!! So we are gonna rock this like a frickin hurricane come January 2!!
So, text/email me your weight January 2, then again January 5, and every Wednesday after! OH AND MAIL ME YOUR CHECK SO I RECEIVE IT BEFORE WEIGH IN. I aint as nice as I once was and you have to get it to me the day of the weigh in, no refunds if you fall off the wagon (Which you wont because we wont let eachother!!!) or for any other reason. We want the pot to be FULL of money so we have some good motivation.
See the side bar? This is how many people who have commited so far, so let me know if you are going to jump on this wagon and commit for the next 8 weeks to improving your physical, and mental self. This could be YOUR year, if you are willing to let it be.
Nothing worth having is easy. There will be days where you want to give up, (days you actually do give up), there will be sweat, maybe blood, maybe tears.... but at the end of the 8 weeks I guarantee you this much-- you will be better for going through this journey.
Let's do this yo!!
Game on!!
I talked to my bootcampers tonight and enough of them were on board that I threw the idea out to facebook again and I got some takers!! So we are gonna rock this like a frickin hurricane come January 2!!
So, text/email me your weight January 2, then again January 5, and every Wednesday after! OH AND MAIL ME YOUR CHECK SO I RECEIVE IT BEFORE WEIGH IN. I aint as nice as I once was and you have to get it to me the day of the weigh in, no refunds if you fall off the wagon (Which you wont because we wont let eachother!!!) or for any other reason. We want the pot to be FULL of money so we have some good motivation.
See the side bar? This is how many people who have commited so far, so let me know if you are going to jump on this wagon and commit for the next 8 weeks to improving your physical, and mental self. This could be YOUR year, if you are willing to let it be.
Nothing worth having is easy. There will be days where you want to give up, (days you actually do give up), there will be sweat, maybe blood, maybe tears.... but at the end of the 8 weeks I guarantee you this much-- you will be better for going through this journey.
Let's do this yo!!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Last Call
So, I have been suuper busy keeping up with the holiday and family.
Having a ton of fun but am super busy.
Last call, I heard of several people that said they wanted to do the contest, but only one asked about actually giving me money, so the deal is this...
I will be MIA for a few days, please comment here, shoot me a text or email and let me know FOR SURE that you want to do the contest, and when you are going to get me the money (Due day we start) and then I will get the ball rolling.
If more than 5 people are interested we will rock this wagon, and if less I am not going to run the contest and its no biggie. It really takes a lot of time to do, so I only want to facilitate it if people are really serious about participating.
Let me know
Having a ton of fun but am super busy.
Last call, I heard of several people that said they wanted to do the contest, but only one asked about actually giving me money, so the deal is this...
I will be MIA for a few days, please comment here, shoot me a text or email and let me know FOR SURE that you want to do the contest, and when you are going to get me the money (Due day we start) and then I will get the ball rolling.
If more than 5 people are interested we will rock this wagon, and if less I am not going to run the contest and its no biggie. It really takes a lot of time to do, so I only want to facilitate it if people are really serious about participating.
Let me know
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Big Guns
Dude, I totally almost kissed one of my bootcampers tonight. She asked me how I got my arms to look like they do... she said, and I quote "I told my sister I want guns like yours."
YAAAA girl. Thanks!! She totally made my whole year, as I have been busting my booty for a year to build some guns. And I was so stoked at the gym this week because I did 3 drop sets starting at 25 lb dumbbells. Granted I only did 3 in each set, but whatever.... It took me a long time to build up to that weight.
So, a lot of people are checking in with me about our weight loss competition!!! Yay!!! I am so excited to do this with all of you! It has brought back all my fond memories from two years ago and reminded me how much I really really love helping to motivate others to become their best self. So thank you for trusting me with this!
I changed the start date, mostly because I don't want to bog myself down before my brother in law heads back for bootcamp. STARTING weigh in day will be MONDAY JANUARY 2nd. and FINAL weigh in will be WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 29th.
We will weigh in every WEDNESDAY by noon, so I can have results posted by afternoon on the blog. You can email me your weights by text, phone, or email.
You can not use any extreme dieting measures. NO HCG (Don't even get me started here), no meal replacements, cleanses or anything else that you think might fall in to this catergory. Good ol clean, healthy eating for this competition.
Anyone can win! Whoever loses the highest percentage of pounds in the set time will win, for example a 150 lb person who loses 10% (or 15 lbs) will beat a 190 lb person who lost only 5% (10 lbs).
You can skip/miss one weigh in during the duration of the competition... if more are missed you are automatically disqualified from winning.
Winner must send in a picture of the scale weight on the final weigh in to prove weight.
Hmmm, I can't think of any other rules right now, if you think of anything I need to add let me know!
So, like I have said before. Enjoy the season and the magic that comes with it. Don't stress yourself silly over "Staying perfectly on track" rather, use common sense and realize that moderation is the key to most things.
Can't waite to get to work with you soon!!
YAAAA girl. Thanks!! She totally made my whole year, as I have been busting my booty for a year to build some guns. And I was so stoked at the gym this week because I did 3 drop sets starting at 25 lb dumbbells. Granted I only did 3 in each set, but whatever.... It took me a long time to build up to that weight.
So, a lot of people are checking in with me about our weight loss competition!!! Yay!!! I am so excited to do this with all of you! It has brought back all my fond memories from two years ago and reminded me how much I really really love helping to motivate others to become their best self. So thank you for trusting me with this!
I changed the start date, mostly because I don't want to bog myself down before my brother in law heads back for bootcamp. STARTING weigh in day will be MONDAY JANUARY 2nd. and FINAL weigh in will be WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 29th.
We will weigh in every WEDNESDAY by noon, so I can have results posted by afternoon on the blog. You can email me your weights by text, phone, or email.
You can not use any extreme dieting measures. NO HCG (Don't even get me started here), no meal replacements, cleanses or anything else that you think might fall in to this catergory. Good ol clean, healthy eating for this competition.
Anyone can win! Whoever loses the highest percentage of pounds in the set time will win, for example a 150 lb person who loses 10% (or 15 lbs) will beat a 190 lb person who lost only 5% (10 lbs).
You can skip/miss one weigh in during the duration of the competition... if more are missed you are automatically disqualified from winning.
Winner must send in a picture of the scale weight on the final weigh in to prove weight.
Hmmm, I can't think of any other rules right now, if you think of anything I need to add let me know!
So, like I have said before. Enjoy the season and the magic that comes with it. Don't stress yourself silly over "Staying perfectly on track" rather, use common sense and realize that moderation is the key to most things.
Can't waite to get to work with you soon!!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
When You're Ready
I have been thinking a lot about people's negativity towards new years resolutions. I myself do not make a "resolution" on New Years, as I have said before I am more of a "change maker" on my birthday. The birthday that celebrates "my" new year.
But the world makes new years resolutions and I have already heard people griping and whining about others attempts at "losing weight, again" with the annoyance/dread in their voice that says "you say you are going to do something, and you aren't."
The negativity and the condescending tone aggravates me to a high degree. So I am going to warn you all about this and give you a good coping mechanism for dealing with "nay sayers."
First of all, if this is truly your goal... to lose a few pounds, to eat healthier or exercise more-- I assure you loud and clear there are going to be at least a handful of people that try to stand in your way or at least be a bump in your road. People are afraid of you changing and the way it will affect them. I see it all the time in marriages. One partner is trying hard to "be good" while the other is putting a guilt trip on them for leaving to go to the gym, or for not eating this "treat" with them.
You have to make the decision to make a positive change in your life for yourself. If you are trying to lose weight, eat healthier, or exercise more for someone other than yourself, you need to check out another blog because you need some guidance counseling... and I got nothin up in that area for ya. If this is going to be your year, the year where you really stick to a new plan and change your lifestyle, it has to be a conscious decision based solely on your desire to be your best self. Nobody is going to get up at 5 am and hit the gym with you, nobody is going to take that sugar cookie or french fry out of your mouth, and nobody (regardless of what some may think) gives a crap how much the scale says when you step on it. YOU HAVE TO CARE.
So get yourself through the holiday and enjoy all that comes with the magic of Christmas. As my little children are getting so excited for the big day when Santa stops by and leaves a present and a stocking full of tinkers, I am reminded how special this time of year is. Believing in the magic and the good. I am enjoying every minute with my babies, realizing that they will only be 2 and 4 years old once. I am, and I recommend you, prepare yourself for when January 1st does get here to tighten up a bit, and maybe for some of you-- make some brand new changes that will enrich your life for years to come.
If people in your life are dragging you down and doubting you-- I recommend one of two things. Cross them off your list of people you surround yourself with, or use their doubt to fuel your ferocity in your new lifestyle. Remember, REMEMBER, health HAS to be a lifestyle. It can not be a "diet" because a diet dies, only a lifestyle can remain into the new year and for many new years to come.
But the world makes new years resolutions and I have already heard people griping and whining about others attempts at "losing weight, again" with the annoyance/dread in their voice that says "you say you are going to do something, and you aren't."
The negativity and the condescending tone aggravates me to a high degree. So I am going to warn you all about this and give you a good coping mechanism for dealing with "nay sayers."
First of all, if this is truly your goal... to lose a few pounds, to eat healthier or exercise more-- I assure you loud and clear there are going to be at least a handful of people that try to stand in your way or at least be a bump in your road. People are afraid of you changing and the way it will affect them. I see it all the time in marriages. One partner is trying hard to "be good" while the other is putting a guilt trip on them for leaving to go to the gym, or for not eating this "treat" with them.
You have to make the decision to make a positive change in your life for yourself. If you are trying to lose weight, eat healthier, or exercise more for someone other than yourself, you need to check out another blog because you need some guidance counseling... and I got nothin up in that area for ya. If this is going to be your year, the year where you really stick to a new plan and change your lifestyle, it has to be a conscious decision based solely on your desire to be your best self. Nobody is going to get up at 5 am and hit the gym with you, nobody is going to take that sugar cookie or french fry out of your mouth, and nobody (regardless of what some may think) gives a crap how much the scale says when you step on it. YOU HAVE TO CARE.
So get yourself through the holiday and enjoy all that comes with the magic of Christmas. As my little children are getting so excited for the big day when Santa stops by and leaves a present and a stocking full of tinkers, I am reminded how special this time of year is. Believing in the magic and the good. I am enjoying every minute with my babies, realizing that they will only be 2 and 4 years old once. I am, and I recommend you, prepare yourself for when January 1st does get here to tighten up a bit, and maybe for some of you-- make some brand new changes that will enrich your life for years to come.
If people in your life are dragging you down and doubting you-- I recommend one of two things. Cross them off your list of people you surround yourself with, or use their doubt to fuel your ferocity in your new lifestyle. Remember, REMEMBER, health HAS to be a lifestyle. It can not be a "diet" because a diet dies, only a lifestyle can remain into the new year and for many new years to come.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Last Session
I had my last training session with Big Jon today. It's hard for me to be ok with being done, because I have learned so much along the way, and He and his wifey are just so likeable.... but for now, it is time to be done.
He swore at me today, I felt like he slapped me. He said "You need to take 2 weeks off of training all together and let your body recoop and recover. You will come back better and stronger, ready to train harder if you do." I argued with him for a few minutes but after we talked it through, and I revealed to him and myself that I haven't had more than two days off since January 1 2010-- I decided he might be right. I might just have a refreshed and rejuvenated out look on all things fitness and health related.
He hasn't led me astray yet. I think I will break the 24th of Dec til January 2. DANG!!! That sounds so nuts. But sorta exciting at the same time.
Thinking about all that got me thinking about how much I LOVED when I facilitated the weight loss challenges in January and March of 2010. Two years ago!! I can't believe it has been that long ago all ready. Time flies.
Anyway, I think I am going to start up a round again in January if I have more than 5 people interested. I will be changing some stuff up, and of course I am better, faster, stronger, and smarter now so this might be of some real benefit to people. I will still structure the same way, weighing in one time a week (Wednesday)- go for 8 weeks- have tips and tidbits and challenges- have everyone enter in 10 bucks, winner with losing highest percentage of weight will take pot home. I will be entering in by weighing in with you each week, but wont be adding money to the pot for two reasons.
a. I don't want to lose weight anymore
b. It actually takes a lot of time and energy to facilitate and record all this so my ten bucks will be my pay. haha. I will not be eligible to win.
So, what do you think? Are you interested? I don't care who joins, the more the merrier (and the richer the winner will be), first weigh in will be December 28th (Wednesday) and final weigh in will be February 29th.
I said it before and I will say it again. The best gift you can give yourself is the gift of health. Devote two months of your life to this competition and see where dedication, hard work, and some guidance can take you. I promise you-- you will not regret a workout or a sound nutrition plan that helps you look and feel good.
Tell your friends, and let me know if you are interested! You can find me on facebook, comment here, or email me!
He swore at me today, I felt like he slapped me. He said "You need to take 2 weeks off of training all together and let your body recoop and recover. You will come back better and stronger, ready to train harder if you do." I argued with him for a few minutes but after we talked it through, and I revealed to him and myself that I haven't had more than two days off since January 1 2010-- I decided he might be right. I might just have a refreshed and rejuvenated out look on all things fitness and health related.
He hasn't led me astray yet. I think I will break the 24th of Dec til January 2. DANG!!! That sounds so nuts. But sorta exciting at the same time.
Thinking about all that got me thinking about how much I LOVED when I facilitated the weight loss challenges in January and March of 2010. Two years ago!! I can't believe it has been that long ago all ready. Time flies.
Anyway, I think I am going to start up a round again in January if I have more than 5 people interested. I will be changing some stuff up, and of course I am better, faster, stronger, and smarter now so this might be of some real benefit to people. I will still structure the same way, weighing in one time a week (Wednesday)- go for 8 weeks- have tips and tidbits and challenges- have everyone enter in 10 bucks, winner with losing highest percentage of weight will take pot home. I will be entering in by weighing in with you each week, but wont be adding money to the pot for two reasons.
a. I don't want to lose weight anymore
b. It actually takes a lot of time and energy to facilitate and record all this so my ten bucks will be my pay. haha. I will not be eligible to win.
So, what do you think? Are you interested? I don't care who joins, the more the merrier (and the richer the winner will be), first weigh in will be December 28th (Wednesday) and final weigh in will be February 29th.
I said it before and I will say it again. The best gift you can give yourself is the gift of health. Devote two months of your life to this competition and see where dedication, hard work, and some guidance can take you. I promise you-- you will not regret a workout or a sound nutrition plan that helps you look and feel good.
Tell your friends, and let me know if you are interested! You can find me on facebook, comment here, or email me!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
For my Bootcampers
Hi bootcampers, I few people have been asking for some nutrition advice so I thought I would throw together a little info sheet that might be helpful to you.
First of all, do not think you need to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet or cut calories drastically. That is a lie and it needs to die.
You can go to sparkpeople.com (A free website) and enter in your information to get a good guesstimate of the calories per day you should eat. I do not count calories, I think it is annoying and time consuming—but some people have good luck with it and this is a great resource if you like to. *a rule of thumb is to take your goal weight x 10 and add 300 calories on light exercise days, and 500 calories on heavier) so my goal weight is 130- on lighter days my calorie goal would be 1600 and on heavier 1800.
Where should you get your calories from?
It is lie that you can eat things like cookies, ice cream, french fries and look lean or muscular as long as you stay in your calorie range. If your goal is to look lean (not skinny, but have muscle tone that shows) then you should eliminate processed foods, sugar, and high sodium foods. Bodies at 135 lbs look very different based on body fat percentages, which directly relates to the nutrition you feed your body.
I highly recommend Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean books, there are several out, most recently one titled Just the Rules. I checked it out at the library, but you can buy it almost anywhere and is a great investment. She discusses the following outline in more detail.
Ok, so you need to be eating every 2.5 to 3 hours smaller portions. A good rule of thumb is to eat a lean protein and a healthy carb together. You can do fruit, vegetables (A lot of these, especially green ones), and healthy fats in moderation.
Examples:
Lean protein: chicken breast, ground turkey, ground beef, pork loin, non fat greek yogurt (plain is best and sweeten yourself with vanilla and stevia or truvia, both are natural sweetners), cottage cheese (1% milk fat is usually best), whey protein (I buy Muscle Milk protein at Costco for 40 dollars, good bang for the buck. There are better less processed proteins out there, but this one tastes good and is reasonably priced so we use it.), eggs (whites are better than whole)
Carbohydrates: 100% whole grain or whole wheat bread, old fashioned oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice, brown rice cakes, fruits (fruits best if fresh, or frozen... cannned not as good), whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortilla. Eliminate white bread and white flour as much as you can, I still eat white flour in baked goods but I eat these pretty sparingly.
Vegetables: any, greener the better—best to do peas, carrots, corn in moderation
Healthy fat: avocado, nut butters, non salted nuts
Breakfast examples:
1.1/2c oats, 3 egg whites (garnish oats with a few berries and nuts, egg whites plain, with salsa, or veggies. (I have eaten this literally almost every day for over a year)
2. Scrambled eggs with salsa and whole wheat toast
Lunch:
1.Whole wheat tortilla, chicken breast cut up, veggies cut up, avocado and salsa
2.Chicken breast, broccoli, ½ c brown rice
Snacks:
1.Cottage cheese with fruit,
2.two rice cakes with peanut butter (1 tbsp each),
3.whey protein shake with fruit,
4.veggies and hummus,
5.toast with peanut butter,
6.boiled egg whites (3ish) and a fruit
7. plain non fat greek yogurt (sweeten like I said above) with homemade granola and berries
Dinner:
This meal is hardest because best to avoid carbohydrates at this time
Omelets, chicken breast, steak, stews, pork loin, etc. Basically pick a lean protein and vegetables
Right before bed good to take a couple bites of cottage cheese or drink a protein shake.
Exercise tidbits:
Stop doing 20 hours of cardio every week!! Lift weights, heavier the better! You will not get bulky, do not worry!
Cardio should be limited to 30 minutes daily outside of classes, and it is great to do your cardio as a HIIT (high intensity interval training) session. Go 1 minute HARD, 1 minute RECOVER, for the duration of your session time. You can vary the speed and resistance to keep this interesting and fun.
I would HIGHLY recommend everyone doing atleast 30 minutes of weight training out in the weight area at least 3 times a week. Ask me if you want some guidance here as well.
• Doing cardio will shrink your current body, but it will still look the same- just smaller. Lifting heavy weights will tighten your current body, making less room for fat and make your whole physique appear very different/better.
I am on facebook, you can find me and we can be friends on there if you have any questions, I also have a weight loss blog that I have used for the past two years... check it out if you are interested. http://www.poundpinching2010.blogspot.com/
Thanks for being in my class! I love you all and am so thankful for your friendships and that you continue to come and work hard week after week. I enjoy working out with you all so much!
First of all, do not think you need to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet or cut calories drastically. That is a lie and it needs to die.
You can go to sparkpeople.com (A free website) and enter in your information to get a good guesstimate of the calories per day you should eat. I do not count calories, I think it is annoying and time consuming—but some people have good luck with it and this is a great resource if you like to. *a rule of thumb is to take your goal weight x 10 and add 300 calories on light exercise days, and 500 calories on heavier) so my goal weight is 130- on lighter days my calorie goal would be 1600 and on heavier 1800.
Where should you get your calories from?
It is lie that you can eat things like cookies, ice cream, french fries and look lean or muscular as long as you stay in your calorie range. If your goal is to look lean (not skinny, but have muscle tone that shows) then you should eliminate processed foods, sugar, and high sodium foods. Bodies at 135 lbs look very different based on body fat percentages, which directly relates to the nutrition you feed your body.
I highly recommend Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean books, there are several out, most recently one titled Just the Rules. I checked it out at the library, but you can buy it almost anywhere and is a great investment. She discusses the following outline in more detail.
Ok, so you need to be eating every 2.5 to 3 hours smaller portions. A good rule of thumb is to eat a lean protein and a healthy carb together. You can do fruit, vegetables (A lot of these, especially green ones), and healthy fats in moderation.
Examples:
Lean protein: chicken breast, ground turkey, ground beef, pork loin, non fat greek yogurt (plain is best and sweeten yourself with vanilla and stevia or truvia, both are natural sweetners), cottage cheese (1% milk fat is usually best), whey protein (I buy Muscle Milk protein at Costco for 40 dollars, good bang for the buck. There are better less processed proteins out there, but this one tastes good and is reasonably priced so we use it.), eggs (whites are better than whole)
Carbohydrates: 100% whole grain or whole wheat bread, old fashioned oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice, brown rice cakes, fruits (fruits best if fresh, or frozen... cannned not as good), whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortilla. Eliminate white bread and white flour as much as you can, I still eat white flour in baked goods but I eat these pretty sparingly.
Vegetables: any, greener the better—best to do peas, carrots, corn in moderation
Healthy fat: avocado, nut butters, non salted nuts
Breakfast examples:
1.1/2c oats, 3 egg whites (garnish oats with a few berries and nuts, egg whites plain, with salsa, or veggies. (I have eaten this literally almost every day for over a year)
2. Scrambled eggs with salsa and whole wheat toast
Lunch:
1.Whole wheat tortilla, chicken breast cut up, veggies cut up, avocado and salsa
2.Chicken breast, broccoli, ½ c brown rice
Snacks:
1.Cottage cheese with fruit,
2.two rice cakes with peanut butter (1 tbsp each),
3.whey protein shake with fruit,
4.veggies and hummus,
5.toast with peanut butter,
6.boiled egg whites (3ish) and a fruit
7. plain non fat greek yogurt (sweeten like I said above) with homemade granola and berries
Dinner:
This meal is hardest because best to avoid carbohydrates at this time
Omelets, chicken breast, steak, stews, pork loin, etc. Basically pick a lean protein and vegetables
Right before bed good to take a couple bites of cottage cheese or drink a protein shake.
Exercise tidbits:
Stop doing 20 hours of cardio every week!! Lift weights, heavier the better! You will not get bulky, do not worry!
Cardio should be limited to 30 minutes daily outside of classes, and it is great to do your cardio as a HIIT (high intensity interval training) session. Go 1 minute HARD, 1 minute RECOVER, for the duration of your session time. You can vary the speed and resistance to keep this interesting and fun.
I would HIGHLY recommend everyone doing atleast 30 minutes of weight training out in the weight area at least 3 times a week. Ask me if you want some guidance here as well.
• Doing cardio will shrink your current body, but it will still look the same- just smaller. Lifting heavy weights will tighten your current body, making less room for fat and make your whole physique appear very different/better.
I am on facebook, you can find me and we can be friends on there if you have any questions, I also have a weight loss blog that I have used for the past two years... check it out if you are interested. http://www.poundpinching2010.blogspot.com/
Thanks for being in my class! I love you all and am so thankful for your friendships and that you continue to come and work hard week after week. I enjoy working out with you all so much!
Opportunities
I had a great night with my bootcampers last night. I love my class and the people who come week in and week out. They are all getting stronger and faster... sometimes even beating me in sprints. Which, sorta bruised my ego at first, but the more I think about it, the more proud I become.
I turned down some opportunities to work outside my home this past month. A few have come my way and although it was hard to say no, I feel like the best place for me right now, is at home with my main priority of teaching and loving my babies.
I have people come up to me all the time wanting training and nutrition advice. There was a time in my life, that I would have been the last person anyone would ask for advice like that. It makes me happy that people are learning how much I love the fitness and health industry and that I am bursting at the seams to share the information I have acquire along the road.
I am grateful for the people at the gym I have come to call my friends. I hope that as you make your journey in the healthy lane that you will always remember the people who have helped you along the way, and that you will be willing to share your knowledge with others as well. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, I believe it takes a village to maintain a healthy fit lifestyle. Sorround yourself with like minded, goal oriented people and like I tell my bootcampers, Don't you ever quit-- especially not when you are half way through. It's mental, push through it.
Make it a great week, do not ignore yourself and your "you" time as this month gets busy with the hustle and bustle. There is no time like today, to care for your body. It's the only one your gonna get.
I turned down some opportunities to work outside my home this past month. A few have come my way and although it was hard to say no, I feel like the best place for me right now, is at home with my main priority of teaching and loving my babies.
I have people come up to me all the time wanting training and nutrition advice. There was a time in my life, that I would have been the last person anyone would ask for advice like that. It makes me happy that people are learning how much I love the fitness and health industry and that I am bursting at the seams to share the information I have acquire along the road.
I am grateful for the people at the gym I have come to call my friends. I hope that as you make your journey in the healthy lane that you will always remember the people who have helped you along the way, and that you will be willing to share your knowledge with others as well. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, I believe it takes a village to maintain a healthy fit lifestyle. Sorround yourself with like minded, goal oriented people and like I tell my bootcampers, Don't you ever quit-- especially not when you are half way through. It's mental, push through it.
Make it a great week, do not ignore yourself and your "you" time as this month gets busy with the hustle and bustle. There is no time like today, to care for your body. It's the only one your gonna get.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Remember?
That time I told ya'll that nothing in this whole wide world was as important as my beautiful, eternal family?
It's totally understandable now huh?
Love.this.life.
Don't take it for granted.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
You know you are hardcore when...
You put on a button up shirt from last year, and it is tight on your arms.
And you don't cry.
You smile with enthusiasm because baby, you got guns!!!
It's a great day at my house.
And you don't cry.
You smile with enthusiasm because baby, you got guns!!!
It's a great day at my house.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Welcome to Real
LIFE!
Posts like yesterday happen to all of us, right? I follow Pauline something or other, like the most ripped shredded girl I have ever seen in my whole life and even she has days where she is ticked off and tripped up over her body and the way it responds.
Well, I just want you to know it's real. Being a healthy fit person comes with ups and downs and twists a long the way. It isn't always easy, and in fact I would venture to say that most the time it isn't easy-- to batch cook food, to fit in workout time, to make a healthy choice. I hope for your sake and your sanity though, that you have more ups than downs.
I am grateful for today, the day that I feel ok with the way I look. I realize I am not perfect, that I am no better than you or her, but right now-- I am my best self because that is what I am striving for. And I am perfect in the eyes of my Heavenly Father, and so are you.
Always remember that the image in the mirror plays mind games with you. The image you see is not even close to as beautiful as you truly are-- and honestly, the person you are on the inside is still so much more important.
Do not forget that healthy living is a lifestyle, it needs to fit into your daily life-- not be your daily life. 98% of us will never make a living from eating healthy or working out, so remember not to pressure yourself into looking like someone who does.
Hey, you!! Don't forget this, today or ever.....
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!
Posts like yesterday happen to all of us, right? I follow Pauline something or other, like the most ripped shredded girl I have ever seen in my whole life and even she has days where she is ticked off and tripped up over her body and the way it responds.
Well, I just want you to know it's real. Being a healthy fit person comes with ups and downs and twists a long the way. It isn't always easy, and in fact I would venture to say that most the time it isn't easy-- to batch cook food, to fit in workout time, to make a healthy choice. I hope for your sake and your sanity though, that you have more ups than downs.
I am grateful for today, the day that I feel ok with the way I look. I realize I am not perfect, that I am no better than you or her, but right now-- I am my best self because that is what I am striving for. And I am perfect in the eyes of my Heavenly Father, and so are you.
Always remember that the image in the mirror plays mind games with you. The image you see is not even close to as beautiful as you truly are-- and honestly, the person you are on the inside is still so much more important.
Do not forget that healthy living is a lifestyle, it needs to fit into your daily life-- not be your daily life. 98% of us will never make a living from eating healthy or working out, so remember not to pressure yourself into looking like someone who does.
Hey, you!! Don't forget this, today or ever.....
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Fear
My husband and I made a little pact the day of thanksgiving, we would enjoy treats that day- but come Friday we were swearing them off until Christmas Eve.
That is about a month. 30 days no sugar. Totally doable.
I have felt good- no intense cravings. Like I read on a post, we don't naturally crave sugar. Just like everyone doesn't crave alcohol (Those who don't drink), drugs (those who don't do them), or caffiene (those who don't partake). We teach ourselves to crave them by continuing to consume them. So therefore, we can teach ourselves not to crave sugar by avoiding it.
I ate well all weekend. Not exactly on my meal plan-- but honestly my meal plan is becomming something of the past. It isn't ideal for me to have to eat perfectly at every meal on this plan. I can still make good, clean choices though and that I have been doing.
So then, why do my underwear feel so tight? Why do my pants feel tight? Why does my skin feel looser?
I went to bed feeling fat. I woke up feeling fat. I am sitting here feeling fat. I did feel ok at the gym this morning though.
I asked my husband why he thinks this is? Why do I feel so fat? Even at 128lbs I felt fat, that is 10 lbs less than now. So what is so wrong with me mentally that I feel fat?
Is it the fact that I strive for perfection? Is it the fact that I compare myself to everyone around me and I still feel like the chubby kid on the inside? Is it the fact that I do not want to be egotistical and admit that I look good?
I remember that my mom has always lacked confidence in herself. I remember as a young girl thinking she was skinny but her always not feeling skinny. I think now as an adult that it drives me crazy she doesn't realize how pretty and what a nice body she has for being 52. I think all the time how lucky I will feel if I look as good as she does at 52.
Did she accidently teach me to lack confidence? It can't really be blamed on her at this point because I am a freaking adult and I know better. But still, do we as a society of women FEAR being ok, being good, being great? Do we subconsiously put ourselves down out of fear of others thinking we are egotistical?
Do I do this?
I think to myself on one hand, "it is ridiculous to wear a size 5 pant, workout everyday, have muscle tone and feel fat," I also think to myself "who cares if you are fat, you are a mom and moms aren't supposed to be skinny."
If I see someone else at my size or even bigger I almost always think they look great. Why are we, women so hard on ourselves. Why is it ok to feel fat? It might be better to not feel anything at all. To be indifferent to the way I look.
I don't have an answer today. It is one of those days I really really wish I did. I always tell people to look in the mirror and realize that they look 100% better than they "think" they look as they see their reflection. We are our own worst critic. I know this. But yet, I am still sitting here feeling fat.
It isn't healthy, their is no cause or effect. It just is what it is. I have always felt this way on the inside, and as a younger me-- I was fat on the outside too. I am thinner on the outside now, but on the inside I still feel like that overweight girl. Will that ever subside? I do not know.
That is about a month. 30 days no sugar. Totally doable.
I have felt good- no intense cravings. Like I read on a post, we don't naturally crave sugar. Just like everyone doesn't crave alcohol (Those who don't drink), drugs (those who don't do them), or caffiene (those who don't partake). We teach ourselves to crave them by continuing to consume them. So therefore, we can teach ourselves not to crave sugar by avoiding it.
I ate well all weekend. Not exactly on my meal plan-- but honestly my meal plan is becomming something of the past. It isn't ideal for me to have to eat perfectly at every meal on this plan. I can still make good, clean choices though and that I have been doing.
So then, why do my underwear feel so tight? Why do my pants feel tight? Why does my skin feel looser?
I went to bed feeling fat. I woke up feeling fat. I am sitting here feeling fat. I did feel ok at the gym this morning though.
I asked my husband why he thinks this is? Why do I feel so fat? Even at 128lbs I felt fat, that is 10 lbs less than now. So what is so wrong with me mentally that I feel fat?
Is it the fact that I strive for perfection? Is it the fact that I compare myself to everyone around me and I still feel like the chubby kid on the inside? Is it the fact that I do not want to be egotistical and admit that I look good?
I remember that my mom has always lacked confidence in herself. I remember as a young girl thinking she was skinny but her always not feeling skinny. I think now as an adult that it drives me crazy she doesn't realize how pretty and what a nice body she has for being 52. I think all the time how lucky I will feel if I look as good as she does at 52.
Did she accidently teach me to lack confidence? It can't really be blamed on her at this point because I am a freaking adult and I know better. But still, do we as a society of women FEAR being ok, being good, being great? Do we subconsiously put ourselves down out of fear of others thinking we are egotistical?
Do I do this?
I think to myself on one hand, "it is ridiculous to wear a size 5 pant, workout everyday, have muscle tone and feel fat," I also think to myself "who cares if you are fat, you are a mom and moms aren't supposed to be skinny."
If I see someone else at my size or even bigger I almost always think they look great. Why are we, women so hard on ourselves. Why is it ok to feel fat? It might be better to not feel anything at all. To be indifferent to the way I look.
I don't have an answer today. It is one of those days I really really wish I did. I always tell people to look in the mirror and realize that they look 100% better than they "think" they look as they see their reflection. We are our own worst critic. I know this. But yet, I am still sitting here feeling fat.
It isn't healthy, their is no cause or effect. It just is what it is. I have always felt this way on the inside, and as a younger me-- I was fat on the outside too. I am thinner on the outside now, but on the inside I still feel like that overweight girl. Will that ever subside? I do not know.
Monday, November 21, 2011
16%
Big Jon did the deed today.
Measured the ol body fat. At first he totally freaked me out because he was like "what's your chest size usually?" Uh.... 34 in my bra I said. He measured again. "Weird, you have gone up 5 inches"
Dude. At this point sweat started dripping from every pore of my whole body! Really?! 10 lbs heavier and I gain freakin 5 inches of fat on my chest/back??!?!!?
Dude. Wrong folder I told him, that's your girl who just competed this weekends folder.
Phew.
I could breathe again, he thought that was sorta funny. I am up 3% body fat, at 16.5% now. Where I started when I first went to him, which is weird to me because I still feel so much more lean than I did then. Added an inch on my stomach (feels like 5 inches there when I look in the mirror) and 2 inches I think he said on my butt.
Which I sorta secretly like my butt bigger. I never had a butt. A lady today said "you have a butt most girls dream of, I bet your husband likes that" (Well there was more but for the purpose of not being too awkward I'll leave it at that).
I pretty much walked around the whole rest of the day pushing my butt out further.
Isn't it so nice to have someone notice your body changing for the better? I mean, really. It put a little extra skip in my step to hear her say that to me. Remember that, if you notice someone rocking the weight loss wagon... go ahead and tell them they are amazing.
So 16% made me sad. A little sad. I know I determine what that number says not by the amazing workouts I put in, but by the lack of fireworks worth of food I put in my mouth. Only I can change that number and only I have to be ok with the number as well.
Today was a bomb.com workout and eating day. Tomorow is scheduled too, my bootcampers better watch out because we are gonna WORK.IT. since we don't have class Thursday.
I am preparing for Thursday by keeping the food nice, tight and clean-- going big on workouts and allowing myself Thanksgiving day to really enjoy the food and the family time. We can have our cheats as long as we prepare and work for them.
What are you doing to prepare for the day of thanks?!
Measured the ol body fat. At first he totally freaked me out because he was like "what's your chest size usually?" Uh.... 34 in my bra I said. He measured again. "Weird, you have gone up 5 inches"
Dude. At this point sweat started dripping from every pore of my whole body! Really?! 10 lbs heavier and I gain freakin 5 inches of fat on my chest/back??!?!!?
Dude. Wrong folder I told him, that's your girl who just competed this weekends folder.
Phew.
I could breathe again, he thought that was sorta funny. I am up 3% body fat, at 16.5% now. Where I started when I first went to him, which is weird to me because I still feel so much more lean than I did then. Added an inch on my stomach (feels like 5 inches there when I look in the mirror) and 2 inches I think he said on my butt.
Which I sorta secretly like my butt bigger. I never had a butt. A lady today said "you have a butt most girls dream of, I bet your husband likes that" (Well there was more but for the purpose of not being too awkward I'll leave it at that).
I pretty much walked around the whole rest of the day pushing my butt out further.
Isn't it so nice to have someone notice your body changing for the better? I mean, really. It put a little extra skip in my step to hear her say that to me. Remember that, if you notice someone rocking the weight loss wagon... go ahead and tell them they are amazing.
So 16% made me sad. A little sad. I know I determine what that number says not by the amazing workouts I put in, but by the lack of fireworks worth of food I put in my mouth. Only I can change that number and only I have to be ok with the number as well.
Today was a bomb.com workout and eating day. Tomorow is scheduled too, my bootcampers better watch out because we are gonna WORK.IT. since we don't have class Thursday.
I am preparing for Thursday by keeping the food nice, tight and clean-- going big on workouts and allowing myself Thanksgiving day to really enjoy the food and the family time. We can have our cheats as long as we prepare and work for them.
What are you doing to prepare for the day of thanks?!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Get Ready to Rock
It's Sunday, rest day... which means I am getting ready and fired up for my week's worth of workouts.
Yaaaaa guuuuuuurl.
Tomorow I see Big Jon (won again at his 2nd body building show --woop woop) and the rest of the week it is work it, work it at the club.
Killer training going down last week. Heavier weights, faster stair climbing, higher hills.....
Perfect eating, oh... until my birthday. And then well the eating wasn't that good this week. Next week will be hard too, but you know what? A quote comes to mind that I will paraphrase because, well I can't remember it all....
"...the difference between being interested in something and being commited to something is that when you are interested you do it when it's convenient, when commited...." well you know what you do when you're commited... you do it.
So this week, what's your plan? Are you going to be one of the "average" people who put on 5 to 10 lbs from thanksgiving to New Years? I sure as heck am not going to be. I have 3.5 days of good perfect eating coming my way, then a thanksgiving day meal, and then back on track. Easy as that. One day does not ruin diets. One holiday, two holidays neither.
Are you commited? Are you ready to shape your body and your life? What are you commited to.
Haha, and for the record thanks to all you who voted on my poll (all 7 of you haha) and to the one who says "pshhh you got nothin" please send me your picture and your current workout regimin. I know I posted the answers you could choose, but for some reason seeing you choose that one makes me think a. you are a rude brat or b. you are a rude brat.
Yep, that's sorta my conclusion. And if I'm wrong, maybe you can enlighten me and teach me to be the sorta trainer a person might want to hire.
Yaaaaa guuuuuuurl.
Tomorow I see Big Jon (won again at his 2nd body building show --woop woop) and the rest of the week it is work it, work it at the club.
Killer training going down last week. Heavier weights, faster stair climbing, higher hills.....
Perfect eating, oh... until my birthday. And then well the eating wasn't that good this week. Next week will be hard too, but you know what? A quote comes to mind that I will paraphrase because, well I can't remember it all....
"...the difference between being interested in something and being commited to something is that when you are interested you do it when it's convenient, when commited...." well you know what you do when you're commited... you do it.
So this week, what's your plan? Are you going to be one of the "average" people who put on 5 to 10 lbs from thanksgiving to New Years? I sure as heck am not going to be. I have 3.5 days of good perfect eating coming my way, then a thanksgiving day meal, and then back on track. Easy as that. One day does not ruin diets. One holiday, two holidays neither.
Are you commited? Are you ready to shape your body and your life? What are you commited to.
Haha, and for the record thanks to all you who voted on my poll (all 7 of you haha) and to the one who says "pshhh you got nothin" please send me your picture and your current workout regimin. I know I posted the answers you could choose, but for some reason seeing you choose that one makes me think a. you are a rude brat or b. you are a rude brat.
Yep, that's sorta my conclusion. And if I'm wrong, maybe you can enlighten me and teach me to be the sorta trainer a person might want to hire.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
We're gonna Party like it's your....
birthday.
Yeah, I may have been rockin that song to and from the gym tonight. Because, my birthday officially started at 3 pm today when I told my 4 and 2 year old if they sang "happy birthday" to me, we could eat a piece of the birthday cake I made myself for tomorows work food day.
They rocked happy birthday like nobody's business. And my 4 year old princess even added in "happy birthday dear gorgeous" on the first go around and "happy birthday dear beautiful mama hama" on the second round. She scored half of her brother's piece extra for that one.
My husband kept telling the kids to stop singing to me because my birthday is tomorow. But, really, in all honesty, I was being pretty contained by waiting til today to bust out the ol "it's my birthday" jazz.
Bootcamp tonight. Love my peeps. 16 tonight and that is a full house for my class room. We lifted heavy and we did some cardio bursts in between.... it was pretty much rockin.
Tomorow morning is 7 am trash my legs day in honor of my 26th birthday. Can't.waite.
Can I just tell you that I feel younger now then I did at 19 or 20? I mean, this workin out and eatin clean stuff makes a girl feel good.... inside and out.
I got bad news today that a friend of my husbands family's husband died. (did that make sense?) A girls husband died this week. She is my age, has a 4 year old, 2 year old, and an 8 month old. Her husband died in a car accident on the way to his new job. She is left alone with out the love of her life and with three babies. I can not begin to fathom how horrific this must be. My heart is so sad for this little family. Although, I know that families are forever and that they can be together again in heaven... this earthly life is a long road to waite to meet again until then.
I can't even think about how my heart would break if something were to happen to my husband, or my children. This life is short, but without the people we love and live for.... it would seem long I think.
So, I ask you. Are you ready to make a new years resolution today? Are you ready to take the best care of yourself so that depending only on yourself-- you can be the happiest and healthiest person who is around for your family for the longest possible time? Freak accidents happen, but diseases usually don't just happen-- they are the results, a lot of times, of the way we have treated our bodies.
Take care of the only body you are ever going to get. Eat right, exercise daily, nourish your mind and your spirit. Need help? Don't know where to start, I'd be happy to point you in a direction.
Happy birthday to all of us, because today is another day we are blessed to receive and live. Hug your families close and don't take a minute for granted. Worlds can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye.
Don't forget it.
Yeah, I may have been rockin that song to and from the gym tonight. Because, my birthday officially started at 3 pm today when I told my 4 and 2 year old if they sang "happy birthday" to me, we could eat a piece of the birthday cake I made myself for tomorows work food day.
They rocked happy birthday like nobody's business. And my 4 year old princess even added in "happy birthday dear gorgeous" on the first go around and "happy birthday dear beautiful mama hama" on the second round. She scored half of her brother's piece extra for that one.
My husband kept telling the kids to stop singing to me because my birthday is tomorow. But, really, in all honesty, I was being pretty contained by waiting til today to bust out the ol "it's my birthday" jazz.
Bootcamp tonight. Love my peeps. 16 tonight and that is a full house for my class room. We lifted heavy and we did some cardio bursts in between.... it was pretty much rockin.
Tomorow morning is 7 am trash my legs day in honor of my 26th birthday. Can't.waite.
Can I just tell you that I feel younger now then I did at 19 or 20? I mean, this workin out and eatin clean stuff makes a girl feel good.... inside and out.
I got bad news today that a friend of my husbands family's husband died. (did that make sense?) A girls husband died this week. She is my age, has a 4 year old, 2 year old, and an 8 month old. Her husband died in a car accident on the way to his new job. She is left alone with out the love of her life and with three babies. I can not begin to fathom how horrific this must be. My heart is so sad for this little family. Although, I know that families are forever and that they can be together again in heaven... this earthly life is a long road to waite to meet again until then.
I can't even think about how my heart would break if something were to happen to my husband, or my children. This life is short, but without the people we love and live for.... it would seem long I think.
So, I ask you. Are you ready to make a new years resolution today? Are you ready to take the best care of yourself so that depending only on yourself-- you can be the happiest and healthiest person who is around for your family for the longest possible time? Freak accidents happen, but diseases usually don't just happen-- they are the results, a lot of times, of the way we have treated our bodies.
Take care of the only body you are ever going to get. Eat right, exercise daily, nourish your mind and your spirit. Need help? Don't know where to start, I'd be happy to point you in a direction.
Happy birthday to all of us, because today is another day we are blessed to receive and live. Hug your families close and don't take a minute for granted. Worlds can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye.
Don't forget it.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Do yourself a Favor and READ THIS!!!
think {pretty} thoughts: food prison.: I feel like we live in prison with food sometimes. There's a fence...we tend to think of it like this- we're on one side or the other. O...
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Aint Nobody Gonna Hold Me Down
Isn't it a great day?
It's Sunday, the day I spend with my family focusing on the love of our Heavenly Father and all the blessings he has bestowed upon us. And today, I really, really see so many things he has blessed ME with. One of the best parts about my faith is the fact that I know without a doubt that my Heavenly Father knows ME, knows my needs, my concerns, He is aware of me every moment of every day. There was a time that I didn't know this quite as well as I do today. There was a time, only a few months ago even where I chose to not pray for help or guidance for things in regards to my fitness and health because I figured Heavenly Father didn't really care whether I ran faster, got bigger muscles, or ate with more self control... but a really good friend shed some light on this topic for me. A girl with one of the most amazing, inspiring testimony's of the Lord's love for his children, she said "I know, that what is important to us, is important to Him."
And so I have spent this Sabbath day marveling at the fact that I am a daughter of a King who loves me and thinks I am important, beautiful and strong. He loves me for who I was, who I am today and He loves me even more, because He knows of the person I am capable of becomming.
I do not workout on Sunday's, with the exception of maybe a leisurly walk or jog. Today the rest from the gym jam was exactly what I needed because tonight when I got my next two weeks worth of training emailed to me from Big Jon I was like a kid in a candy store. I AM SO EXCITED for my workouts this week. Seriously, like giddy.
Why, can't I be that excited about my new nutrition plan?
I think I need to pray about that!
In all seriousness though, I had a great week of training and eating last week. This week I am preparing for, is going to be a hard one to stay on nutritional track, it is my BIRTHDAY. Please feel very fortunate that I do not know you, my reader, that well. Because if I did, I would definitly have been reminding you for the past two weeks that my birthday is this week. I have always been this way, since I was a kid. Something about my birthday has always been so magical.
I remember, it must have been my 20th birthday. Driving to the gym in my ol Chevy Cavalier before I went to my classes for the day. I distinctly remember thinking that birthdays are the days people should set their "new years resolutions," because it really is their new year. That was the year I set mine, I would get healthy, exercise more, and take care of myself better than ever. I have been on and off the path since then, more on than off I'd venture to say.
But since last year, I can honestly say this has been my year of health and fitness. The year I made health and fitness a priority in my busy life, and although sometimes this brings sadness when goals are not met or progress hasn't come as quickly as I'd like-- it has brought more happiness and a big sense of self pride I never knew before.
I have two bootcamps to teach this week, helping my dad all day at work one day, my birthday and the midnight showing of the Twilight series (holla!) this week. Lots of funs, lots of reasons to celebrate and I am not going to miss out on any of it! I can't waite for all of it. I will train hard, I will enjoy the company of friends and family and I will eat what I feel like eating. Then I will get back on track-- nourishing and fueling my body the way it needs to be taken care of.
It is just so great to be excited to get to the gym and train, and Wednesday the big birthday is "leg trashing" day according to Big Jon. Happy Birthday to me and my legs. I.can't.waite.
There is no time like now, to become the best we can be. No time like now to look around and thank the Lord above for all that we have been blessed with. No time like now to take care of the body the Lord loaned us. So the question is not when, but it is how.
How are you going to take care of your body, you have been loaned, today?
It's Sunday, the day I spend with my family focusing on the love of our Heavenly Father and all the blessings he has bestowed upon us. And today, I really, really see so many things he has blessed ME with. One of the best parts about my faith is the fact that I know without a doubt that my Heavenly Father knows ME, knows my needs, my concerns, He is aware of me every moment of every day. There was a time that I didn't know this quite as well as I do today. There was a time, only a few months ago even where I chose to not pray for help or guidance for things in regards to my fitness and health because I figured Heavenly Father didn't really care whether I ran faster, got bigger muscles, or ate with more self control... but a really good friend shed some light on this topic for me. A girl with one of the most amazing, inspiring testimony's of the Lord's love for his children, she said "I know, that what is important to us, is important to Him."
And so I have spent this Sabbath day marveling at the fact that I am a daughter of a King who loves me and thinks I am important, beautiful and strong. He loves me for who I was, who I am today and He loves me even more, because He knows of the person I am capable of becomming.
I do not workout on Sunday's, with the exception of maybe a leisurly walk or jog. Today the rest from the gym jam was exactly what I needed because tonight when I got my next two weeks worth of training emailed to me from Big Jon I was like a kid in a candy store. I AM SO EXCITED for my workouts this week. Seriously, like giddy.
Why, can't I be that excited about my new nutrition plan?
I think I need to pray about that!
In all seriousness though, I had a great week of training and eating last week. This week I am preparing for, is going to be a hard one to stay on nutritional track, it is my BIRTHDAY. Please feel very fortunate that I do not know you, my reader, that well. Because if I did, I would definitly have been reminding you for the past two weeks that my birthday is this week. I have always been this way, since I was a kid. Something about my birthday has always been so magical.
I remember, it must have been my 20th birthday. Driving to the gym in my ol Chevy Cavalier before I went to my classes for the day. I distinctly remember thinking that birthdays are the days people should set their "new years resolutions," because it really is their new year. That was the year I set mine, I would get healthy, exercise more, and take care of myself better than ever. I have been on and off the path since then, more on than off I'd venture to say.
But since last year, I can honestly say this has been my year of health and fitness. The year I made health and fitness a priority in my busy life, and although sometimes this brings sadness when goals are not met or progress hasn't come as quickly as I'd like-- it has brought more happiness and a big sense of self pride I never knew before.
I have two bootcamps to teach this week, helping my dad all day at work one day, my birthday and the midnight showing of the Twilight series (holla!) this week. Lots of funs, lots of reasons to celebrate and I am not going to miss out on any of it! I can't waite for all of it. I will train hard, I will enjoy the company of friends and family and I will eat what I feel like eating. Then I will get back on track-- nourishing and fueling my body the way it needs to be taken care of.
It is just so great to be excited to get to the gym and train, and Wednesday the big birthday is "leg trashing" day according to Big Jon. Happy Birthday to me and my legs. I.can't.waite.
There is no time like now, to become the best we can be. No time like now to look around and thank the Lord above for all that we have been blessed with. No time like now to take care of the body the Lord loaned us. So the question is not when, but it is how.
How are you going to take care of your body, you have been loaned, today?
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Thoughts to chew on
Recently I have been asked a few questions that I thought were very thought provoking. As a person who is concerned about my healthy and appearance it is interesting to really delve into these and think about my true answers. Feel free to share what your thoughts are too, I would love it!
First of all,
If you were a naturally "thin" person. Would you eat good, healthy food and exercise as much as you do now.
*I am not naturally a thin person, by the standard set by the media and other influences. Although according to the BMI chart, I am just barely squeezing into the healthy range. Which is interesting to me even there, that at (I am guessing) 14% body fat and 137 lbs (This morning) I am almost to the overweight catergory. Really? I don't know about that, the BMI chart is a whole other question for another day.
Anyway, according to what is on tv I am not a thin person -naturally so I have to religiously excercise good nutrition and exercise habits to maintain my frame, which I still religiously complain about. I do venture to think that if I were naturally skinny, I would eat worse than I do now, (I love me some processed junk food people) and I would exercise possibly half as much as I do now.
A friend of my dad's said "I remember seeing you all those times as your grew up and never once thought you were fat, though, I don't remember thinking you were skinny either. And not skinny is not the same as thin"
*This is very true. I do believe as an "average" girl I feel a little medioce. If that makes sense. Like, I am just a girl. Not "that skinny girl" or that "heavy girl." Maybe some would feel like that was a compliment, and while I know it was meant that way, it makes me feel mediocre in yet one other area of my life. If I could work a little harder, I could be that "skinny" girl.
Is the appreciation of your physique more important when coming from the same sex or the opposite?
*This was very provoking for me, an almost 26 year old wife and mom. I think both mean a lot to me. A guy turning to appreciate my look is a ego boost, as if "I am still pretty, or I am still more than "just" a mom or wife." But a females appreciation of my body is a big ego boost in another noncompetitive way. That we are on the same team, and she notices that I look good, even more appreciated when it is known how hard I work to look the way I do look.
Which brings me to the point that when or if anyone ever says "but it's easy for you" or that "if I only had as much time as you do"-- I get extremely annoyed. Being commited to showing up to the gym after you had to turn around and pick up your bag because you forgot it, or get up at 5 am because the kids are sick and daycare isn't an option, or going even when I feel sick is not ever easy-- but it is what one does when they are commited to exercise and giving themselves the time they deserve to improve their strength and condition. And being a stay at home mom would to some seem like I have loads of time on my hands, but I assure you between a husband, kids, preschool, church and all the responsibilities and jobs that come with those things, I do not ever have an excess of time on my hands. I learn to prioritze just like everyone else does.
In this world of beautiful, air brushed women on covers of every magazine and on every tv commercial it is interesting to me that we all are really truly striving to look that way, that we as a culture have accepted them to be the "normal" when in actuality the way they look isn't even the way they really look. It is infuriating in a lot of ways. Motivating to try to get there, to their amazing perfection-- but almost literally impossible. Even the thinnest, best looking, buffest person is almost always air brushed on an advertisement. And we as the real "normal" people of America are making ourselves sick over trying to achieve this "ideal." It is important to remember that mental health is as important is physical health and we must be very careful not to teeter too close to the edge of striving for unrealistic expectations for the "normal population" of people in the world.
(And we must also remember that most of the people we see on tv, in ads etc are making their livings looking the way they look. They pay their bills that way, we should not expect to look the way they look on the fact that we are not relying on our physiques or appearances to make or break our bank account for the month).
First of all,
If you were a naturally "thin" person. Would you eat good, healthy food and exercise as much as you do now.
*I am not naturally a thin person, by the standard set by the media and other influences. Although according to the BMI chart, I am just barely squeezing into the healthy range. Which is interesting to me even there, that at (I am guessing) 14% body fat and 137 lbs (This morning) I am almost to the overweight catergory. Really? I don't know about that, the BMI chart is a whole other question for another day.
Anyway, according to what is on tv I am not a thin person -naturally so I have to religiously excercise good nutrition and exercise habits to maintain my frame, which I still religiously complain about. I do venture to think that if I were naturally skinny, I would eat worse than I do now, (I love me some processed junk food people) and I would exercise possibly half as much as I do now.
A friend of my dad's said "I remember seeing you all those times as your grew up and never once thought you were fat, though, I don't remember thinking you were skinny either. And not skinny is not the same as thin"
*This is very true. I do believe as an "average" girl I feel a little medioce. If that makes sense. Like, I am just a girl. Not "that skinny girl" or that "heavy girl." Maybe some would feel like that was a compliment, and while I know it was meant that way, it makes me feel mediocre in yet one other area of my life. If I could work a little harder, I could be that "skinny" girl.
Is the appreciation of your physique more important when coming from the same sex or the opposite?
*This was very provoking for me, an almost 26 year old wife and mom. I think both mean a lot to me. A guy turning to appreciate my look is a ego boost, as if "I am still pretty, or I am still more than "just" a mom or wife." But a females appreciation of my body is a big ego boost in another noncompetitive way. That we are on the same team, and she notices that I look good, even more appreciated when it is known how hard I work to look the way I do look.
Which brings me to the point that when or if anyone ever says "but it's easy for you" or that "if I only had as much time as you do"-- I get extremely annoyed. Being commited to showing up to the gym after you had to turn around and pick up your bag because you forgot it, or get up at 5 am because the kids are sick and daycare isn't an option, or going even when I feel sick is not ever easy-- but it is what one does when they are commited to exercise and giving themselves the time they deserve to improve their strength and condition. And being a stay at home mom would to some seem like I have loads of time on my hands, but I assure you between a husband, kids, preschool, church and all the responsibilities and jobs that come with those things, I do not ever have an excess of time on my hands. I learn to prioritze just like everyone else does.
In this world of beautiful, air brushed women on covers of every magazine and on every tv commercial it is interesting to me that we all are really truly striving to look that way, that we as a culture have accepted them to be the "normal" when in actuality the way they look isn't even the way they really look. It is infuriating in a lot of ways. Motivating to try to get there, to their amazing perfection-- but almost literally impossible. Even the thinnest, best looking, buffest person is almost always air brushed on an advertisement. And we as the real "normal" people of America are making ourselves sick over trying to achieve this "ideal." It is important to remember that mental health is as important is physical health and we must be very careful not to teeter too close to the edge of striving for unrealistic expectations for the "normal population" of people in the world.
(And we must also remember that most of the people we see on tv, in ads etc are making their livings looking the way they look. They pay their bills that way, we should not expect to look the way they look on the fact that we are not relying on our physiques or appearances to make or break our bank account for the month).
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Happy November
Today a beautiful, cold day in November I was so happy as I climbed those stairs at the gym for 30 minutes.
Why you might wonder? Why would one seemingly normal girl be so happy on a stair climber for 30 minutes?
It wasn't the stairs making me smile I'll tell you that! Speaking of that, you should know that although I am happy I am capable of actually performing on the stair mill, I do not enjoy walking/jogging up stairs for 30 minutes. It is just part of life that must be done.
Anyway, I was so happy today because the gym was PACKED.
Do you know what that means? That people are working out, that they are exercising NOW instead of waiting until January like a lot of others. I am so happy! Bootcamp has been BUSY! 12 to 15 people a night, and it is so great! There is never a time like RIGHT NOW to exercise and take control of your health.
So keep making this crazy girl smile on the stair climber, so other people can continue wondering why I have that crazy grin on my face.
Why you might wonder? Why would one seemingly normal girl be so happy on a stair climber for 30 minutes?
It wasn't the stairs making me smile I'll tell you that! Speaking of that, you should know that although I am happy I am capable of actually performing on the stair mill, I do not enjoy walking/jogging up stairs for 30 minutes. It is just part of life that must be done.
Anyway, I was so happy today because the gym was PACKED.
Do you know what that means? That people are working out, that they are exercising NOW instead of waiting until January like a lot of others. I am so happy! Bootcamp has been BUSY! 12 to 15 people a night, and it is so great! There is never a time like RIGHT NOW to exercise and take control of your health.
So keep making this crazy girl smile on the stair climber, so other people can continue wondering why I have that crazy grin on my face.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Trials
So the past month has been a journey. I look back to the 2 months of intense (for me) prep and think, "it really wasn't very hard at all." But then I remember back to how much I hated it and wanted it to be over when I was in the moment.
Isn't that just how life goes? That in the moment it seems like whatever it is, is SO hard, SO time consuming, SO horrible but later you think to yourself that it wasn't so hard, that it didn't take that much time, or that it was actually easy?
I think trials in life are like that. That they are more than we can handle at the given time, but later we feel bigger, better, stronger for going through the experience?
Well, Big Jon was a trial for me in himself. haha.
I realize now how much he taught me about lots of things. Food, exercise, planning, and my physique.
First of all, food. I always thought that I could achieve this figure that I wanted if I didn't eat "bad" food. But the reality is, that even "good" or "clean" food still has calories and a lot of time, more calories than a regular ol "bad" food. What Jon taught me is that if I eat certain "good" foods, and cheat one time a week-- I can have the figure I want. If I dabble in "bad" foods throughout the week, all week long, I can not have the figure I always wanted and the fat will creep back on.
Exercise. I thought go hard or go home. Negative boss. Intervals, and slow and steady fasted cardio. Really? I can't go as hard on fasted cardio, well-- that's ok because if I am fasted from the night before and didn't eat carbs late, I go to fat burning. So I can feel good about 20 or 30 minutes of lower impact intervals as soon as I roll out of bed in the morning-- because I am burning my fat!! Who doesn't want to burn fat?! And building muscle, lifting weights-- I used to speed through my workouts moving as quickly and efficiently as I could, but he would tell me "lifting is to build muscle, not lose fat-- so if you can speed through you aren't lifting heavy enough".
Planning. Jon is big about planning your food, having a plan so that you can avoid temptations (sitting out of events if it is too much stress, not feeding the kids ice cream because it tempts me... I belive he said one time-- "what wrong with broccoli for a kid" lol. I still laugh at it. But guess what? My kids are eating broccoli, and they also don't usually get a meal without a small serving of fruit and veggie with it. He also says "Stick to the plan all week, and then cheat with WHATEVER you want one time a week." And he really meant whatever, I would tell him what I had (and I wouldn't leave anything out) and he would say good, did you enjoy it? However Big Jon taught me to relax a little in other ways, that really no one else could...
I schedule my days weeks ahead of time, if I can do it a month ahead I am even happier. But that just didn't work for Jon. And because I wanted/needed/paid for his help, I had to do some things-- his way. Which meant that sometimes I didn't know what day I was going to train until 2 days before, which did cause some anxiety, but it always worked out. And I always showed up, and he always showed up. And never, not once did I leave a workout thinking that he could have worked me harder, or I could have worked harder.
He also taught me that food is just food. Fuel. It doesn't have to me some big freaking firework occasion everytime you eat. If it is, it probably isn't fueling your body to look the way you want it to. He reminded me of something I read on a fitness guru's blog. "What is with every commercial acting like they are having an orgasm from eating their chocolate, cookie, or big mac?" haha that always keeps my laughing. But it's true-- is broccoli, brown rice, and chicken an orgasm in my mouth? Hell no it's not, but it makes my real orgasm better because it makes me look the way I want to look naked. (wow, that was TMI huh?)
I used to think personal trainers were a joke. And I still do think a lot are. Honestly, I have said it before and I will say it again. If I am in better shape then the trainer, I don't want to talk. I think about people coming to my bootcamp class, and how I want to be the most motivating person in the room. I want them to want to look like me. Not only does Jon talk the talk, but he walks the walk, and I like that. Him and his wife are the fitness industry, they don't just research it and tell others how to do it-- they do it. So, my opinion has changed of personal trainers and I will say that keeping yourself in check and on track, is easier when you have someone who is going to ask you once a week what the scale said, or how much you lifted, or if you got your cardio sessions in.
And there's no point lying to Big Jon. I am going to go see him tomorow morning and he is going to know I ate candy on halloween, because he knows about nutrition and how it affects the physique. He probably wont even ask, but I'll know he knows. Which is what has me 100% on track today!! My face is a little swollen, and my muscluar definition isn't quite as good as it should be, because of the water retention from sugar.
So, there you have it. Big Jon was one of my trails in life, but just like every other trial, I have come out better, smarter, stronger and happier for going through it. And I recommend, if you can, hiring a trial of your own, in Big Jon. The holidays are coming up, and I know you, you are like me-- you want to look good when you see your family for the first time in a year, and you want to be the hot wife attending that Christmas party with your husband.
As a good friend says, there is no reason to be sad about the way we look, if we are working to change it.
So, are you ready for the party? Are you ready for family pictures? It's true, we are what we eat, we feel like what we eat.
I say-- Bring on the family photos!!
Isn't that just how life goes? That in the moment it seems like whatever it is, is SO hard, SO time consuming, SO horrible but later you think to yourself that it wasn't so hard, that it didn't take that much time, or that it was actually easy?
I think trials in life are like that. That they are more than we can handle at the given time, but later we feel bigger, better, stronger for going through the experience?
Well, Big Jon was a trial for me in himself. haha.
I realize now how much he taught me about lots of things. Food, exercise, planning, and my physique.
First of all, food. I always thought that I could achieve this figure that I wanted if I didn't eat "bad" food. But the reality is, that even "good" or "clean" food still has calories and a lot of time, more calories than a regular ol "bad" food. What Jon taught me is that if I eat certain "good" foods, and cheat one time a week-- I can have the figure I want. If I dabble in "bad" foods throughout the week, all week long, I can not have the figure I always wanted and the fat will creep back on.
Exercise. I thought go hard or go home. Negative boss. Intervals, and slow and steady fasted cardio. Really? I can't go as hard on fasted cardio, well-- that's ok because if I am fasted from the night before and didn't eat carbs late, I go to fat burning. So I can feel good about 20 or 30 minutes of lower impact intervals as soon as I roll out of bed in the morning-- because I am burning my fat!! Who doesn't want to burn fat?! And building muscle, lifting weights-- I used to speed through my workouts moving as quickly and efficiently as I could, but he would tell me "lifting is to build muscle, not lose fat-- so if you can speed through you aren't lifting heavy enough".
Planning. Jon is big about planning your food, having a plan so that you can avoid temptations (sitting out of events if it is too much stress, not feeding the kids ice cream because it tempts me... I belive he said one time-- "what wrong with broccoli for a kid" lol. I still laugh at it. But guess what? My kids are eating broccoli, and they also don't usually get a meal without a small serving of fruit and veggie with it. He also says "Stick to the plan all week, and then cheat with WHATEVER you want one time a week." And he really meant whatever, I would tell him what I had (and I wouldn't leave anything out) and he would say good, did you enjoy it? However Big Jon taught me to relax a little in other ways, that really no one else could...
I schedule my days weeks ahead of time, if I can do it a month ahead I am even happier. But that just didn't work for Jon. And because I wanted/needed/paid for his help, I had to do some things-- his way. Which meant that sometimes I didn't know what day I was going to train until 2 days before, which did cause some anxiety, but it always worked out. And I always showed up, and he always showed up. And never, not once did I leave a workout thinking that he could have worked me harder, or I could have worked harder.
He also taught me that food is just food. Fuel. It doesn't have to me some big freaking firework occasion everytime you eat. If it is, it probably isn't fueling your body to look the way you want it to. He reminded me of something I read on a fitness guru's blog. "What is with every commercial acting like they are having an orgasm from eating their chocolate, cookie, or big mac?" haha that always keeps my laughing. But it's true-- is broccoli, brown rice, and chicken an orgasm in my mouth? Hell no it's not, but it makes my real orgasm better because it makes me look the way I want to look naked. (wow, that was TMI huh?)
I used to think personal trainers were a joke. And I still do think a lot are. Honestly, I have said it before and I will say it again. If I am in better shape then the trainer, I don't want to talk. I think about people coming to my bootcamp class, and how I want to be the most motivating person in the room. I want them to want to look like me. Not only does Jon talk the talk, but he walks the walk, and I like that. Him and his wife are the fitness industry, they don't just research it and tell others how to do it-- they do it. So, my opinion has changed of personal trainers and I will say that keeping yourself in check and on track, is easier when you have someone who is going to ask you once a week what the scale said, or how much you lifted, or if you got your cardio sessions in.
And there's no point lying to Big Jon. I am going to go see him tomorow morning and he is going to know I ate candy on halloween, because he knows about nutrition and how it affects the physique. He probably wont even ask, but I'll know he knows. Which is what has me 100% on track today!! My face is a little swollen, and my muscluar definition isn't quite as good as it should be, because of the water retention from sugar.
So, there you have it. Big Jon was one of my trails in life, but just like every other trial, I have come out better, smarter, stronger and happier for going through it. And I recommend, if you can, hiring a trial of your own, in Big Jon. The holidays are coming up, and I know you, you are like me-- you want to look good when you see your family for the first time in a year, and you want to be the hot wife attending that Christmas party with your husband.
As a good friend says, there is no reason to be sad about the way we look, if we are working to change it.
So, are you ready for the party? Are you ready for family pictures? It's true, we are what we eat, we feel like what we eat.
I say-- Bring on the family photos!!
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