I know I post about the right way the eat, the best way to exercise, the products that make it easier, and how much I LOVE to workout, but alas, even I hit roadblocks along the way! I achieved some amazing results with the Ultimate Reset almost a month ago, I maintained my weight loss for 2 weeks, then I went on vacation. I informed my inlaws that I was currently eating Vegetarian but if it was easier I could add a little meat back in... I quickly learned that it is tough for a meat lover to say no to BBQ lamb, ribs, steak, chicken curry, chicken stuffed pasta... night after night. I took some recipes with me and had great intentions of buying beans, quinoa and some other staples to make some great meals but there was so much food already in the fridge and food is expensive in Hawaii! I DID load my plate with veggies, avoid the chocolate covered macadamia nuts and drink my Shakeology, but that wine glass kept getting filled up and I have developed a strong love for Gin & Tonic! The day before we came home we celebrated my son's birthday with the most decadent chocolate cake I have ever tasted (maybe because I hadn't had many sweets in a month) and it has taken me over a week to recover! I know I have a weakness for baked goods but wow, I didn't realize it was quite so bad! I have been over snacking since I got home, and that zucchini loaf I baked... well I ate almost a whole loaf myself in less than 24 hours! I can see exactly where the 5 pounds has gone... right to the roll around my middle... which I had pretty much rid myself of before my vacation. I have some dresses to rock next week and I have created myself a problem!
Last night was Turbo Kick class and I kicked myself back on track. I love how I can burn a bazillion calories in one hour and I love how that feeling makes me not want to overeat! I started today a plate of fresh fruit, then a great weight workout with ChaLEAN Extreme then a 20 min HIIT cardio with TurboFire. 4 thin crisp wasa crackers with almond butter followed by Tropical Shakeology for lunch (instead of hot dog and chips at my son's scout camp wrap up). I am feeling refocused and ready to get back on track immediately (despite the craving for some red wine tonight).
I plan to enjoy myself at my Beachbody Summit meeting in Las Vegas... how could I not. But I will also be exercising (with Tony Horton, Shaun T, Chalene Johnson & more), sharing healthy food with my fitness friends and burning some extra calories with evening dancing!
I look forward to adding my red wine back in upon my return and baking some zucchini bread to enjoy with some control and willpower. Life is a balancing act. We all need to find a way to make our health a priority but going overboard one way or another doesn't usually work. Baby steps, adjustments and compromises will be necessary. It is time to buckle up and get this show on the road.
I will be focusing my nutrition on Michi's Ladder to help me stay on track. My Nutrition Challenge group I had planned for June 20th will be pushing back until July 2nd to allow for some preparation. There are some basic ground rules for the challenge that I would love to share with you and lots of accountability to help you stay on track. If you want to start focusing on you nutrition today then check out the Michi's Ladder guide and send me any questions you have. Start by taking before photos and body measurements too so you have something to look back on and see your accomplishments!
If you want to really put a focus on your nutrition then check out the Ultimate Reset, which is truly an experience in getting your body on track that everyone should experience!
The Zucchini is making an appearance in my garden already! I LOVE Zucchini stir fried, baked, stuffed, mixed into savory or sweet and I really love zucchini bread! Upon returned from our vacation I found 4 BIG zucchinis so it was time for the bread! I have a family recipe that I have "cleaned up" which I will post later but I made this one yesterday and my family loved it!
Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce (or just 3/4 cup oil)
1/4 cup raw agave syrup
1/4 cup honey (recipe called for 3/4 cup honey, no syrup)
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts (pecan, almond or walnut)- I didn't use upon the request of my daughter but I can tell it would have been delicious with some walnuts!
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F for lg loaf pan or muffins.
Blend the dry ingredients.
Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla. Stir just until mixed - do not overmix.
Fold in the grated zucchini and chopped nuts if using. Pour batter into greased loaf pans or muffin holders and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Large loaf pan 50-60 min
Muffins 15-20 min
My advice is to cut a piece and hide the rest ;) It is delicious and healthy but NOT calorie free by any means!
I had a few cups of leftover grated zucchini so I have been cooking it in the frying pan with some frozen veggies then cracking an egg over top and a sprinkling of feta for a delicious lunch!
Enjoy your zucchini!!! Also, check out www.100daysofrealfood.com for some great healthy recipe ideas!
Its Monday morning, my weekend was busy, my house is chilly and I didn't get to watch Desperate Housewives last night! I have office work to catch up on, my carpets need vacuuming, my couch looks inviting but I have a VERY important task that needs to be completed NOW so it doesn't get overlooked.... my workout! Seriously. Getting my shorts and tank top on is tough when it is cold out. Thank goodness I don't need to go out into the cold, just into my living room to press play in ChaLEAN extreme, but it is still cold in my shorts!!!
I have lightened up on myself this month... not getting upset if I can't squeeze my workouts in every day as adding stress to lighten my stress kind of backfires! I am following the schedule for my workouts just sometimes having to push the schedule back a day when life gets in the way. What is most important for me now is staying healthy through the holidays. Getting enough sleep, keeping my stress levels down, eating healthy (most of the time), and getting a good workout in at least 3 times/ week!
There are a lot of temptations around every corner... yes, I enjoy some of them, just not every day and not too much! I don't starve myself before a meal to allow for the extra calories, I eat sensibly leading up to the meal so I don't overindulge.
Enjoy sensibly. Live for health. Be a role model for your children and family.
Looking to add some healthy choices to your eating this holiday season? Try new fruits and veggies! Load these on your plate BEFORE the potatoes and other sides!!! If it is fried, smothered in cheese or extra crispy... just have a bite if you must, but not a whole plate full! If it grows it is probably better for you than something out of a package on the shelf! Stay tuned for some great recipes this month! www.GetFitWithNicola.com
I find it mind boggling when I read all of the flyers and advertisements about goodies for the Fourth of July. Do holidays REALLY need to focus on sugary candy, cakes and deep fried treats? Especially in the summer? How about all of the bountiful fruits and vegetables that are in season? Fresh fruit is everywhere right now and it is delicious!
I can't tell you how many eye rolls I get when I bring up a topic like this but do you realize that our children have a shorter life expectancy than our generation does? Do you realize that two out of every five children and two out of every three adults are considered obese in America? We are eating ourselves to death and all we do is roll our eyes! We fret when our teenagers have eating disorders.... one cause of this is them not being taught about proper fitness and nutrition when they were children! Our children are learning by example, they are watching everything we do... we are careful to watch our language and buckle our seatbelts, but it is time to take it one step further and watch what we put in our mouths and how dusty our running shoes are getting! My children are far from perfect eaters (they just selected burger and fries and chicken strips and fries for lunch) BUT they also helped me make zucchini loaf (low fat and whole wheat) and enjoyed that after our swim. Sneaking vegetables in is great but also make your children aware of how important veggies are to their health, to growing big and strong...
I'm not saying cut out all of your treats, just rethink what is important and what a treat could be! Don't think of the changes as a sacrifice, think of it as a gift to a longer and healthier life. How many times have you said, I will eat better tomorrow, I just want to enjoy _______ FIRST! Tomorrow is here!
So what are you serving on Independence day?
If you are looking for help to get yourself and/or your family back on track with your fitness and nutrition I would love to help. You can find my webpage at www.GetFitWithNicola.com -you can sign up for the FREE coaching option, and/or email me!
So I was just running a little test on how much of an influence food makes on weight loss results! (actually I was just really hungry and out of whack and couldn't stop eating for 3 weeks straight)!!! I have been exercising 6-7 days a week for 30-120 minutes a day (most days were 30-50 minutes) at a medium to high intensity (still following my RevAbs plan plus Turbo Kick and PUMP). I have been eating good food (very little processed food, minimal added fats or sugars) just LOTS of it! I have been constantly hungry and I was finding myself searching through the freezer, fridge and pantry for snacks. I found nuts (unsalted), cookies (whole wheat), low fat vanilla and plain yogurt, cereal, P90X protein bars, fruit! My saving grace has been that I don't have a plethora of unhealthy foods in my home. I have been drinking my Shakeology plus having salads and lots of veggies too.
What has eating large volumes of even healthy food for 3 weeks done to me?
I have gained back the 4 pounds I lost in the first week of RevAbs plus an extra 3 pounds (and I think it is all on my belly)!
I have felt tired and lethargic (yet when I force myself to exercise I have plenty of energy to get it done), I just don't FEEL my usual energetic self.
I have been moody and grumpy (although that could have something to do with my daughter being very temperamental lately).
It has set me back from where I want to be!
People see me as a fit person who eats well, exercises and has no challenges to be that way! The truth is, I have many challenges! I love cupcakes, I love chocolate, I love pizza, but do you know what I love more? I LOVE my clothes fitting nicely without being tight around my belly, I LOVE wearing a dress without control top pantyhose underneath, I LOVE being proud of showing my arms in a sleeveless dress or shirt...and most of all I LOVE feeling strong, healthy and powerful! I love how I feel after a good workout because I have found workouts that I truly enjoy!
So yes! I make sacrifices to be and feel healthy, and writing this has actually inspired me to refocus back on my nutrition because dang, my pants were snug this morning and I HATE that!
Please read my posts, join me on Facebook and on my Get Fit With Nicola page on FB! I will be following some nutrition plans on the Beachbody site which you can find by joining as a club member, or you can just join for FREE and contact me through the site and I would love to help you too! I will also be posting some of my favorite meals I uncover in the nutrition guides from some of the Beachbody programs I have at home! March is well under way and summer is right around the corner! I am ready to bring it, will you join me?
I had a few requests for the Turkey meatloaf recipe that my kids LOVE!!! A lot of my favorite recipes that I sometimes adapt a bit to accommodate ingredients that I have on hand come from Tosca Reno's "Clean Eating" cookbooks and the "Clean Eating" magazines I have picked up.Ingredients:
1 lb Lean ground turkey
1 cup onion, diced
3/4 cup natural oatmeal
1/2 cup carrots, grated
2 egg whites, whisked
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning, divided
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 6-oz can tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp agave nectar
Instructions:
One: Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine turkey, onion, oatmeal, carrots, egg whites, 1 tsp seasoning and cayenne. This is where I added 1-2 cups of grated zucchini as well. Place mixture in a 9" loaf pan.
Two: In another medium bowl, whisk together tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, remaining 1 tsp seasoning and agave. Spread tomato mixture over meatloaf. Bake for 45-50 min.
Side dish idea: Steam 1 head of cauliflower (cut into pieces) for 15 min. Boil 2 turnips (skin removed cut into 1/4 " pieces) for 20 min.--->mash cauliflower and turnip, oil, basil, S&P together. Makes 4 cups mash.
OR toss pieces in oil, basil and S&P and bake in the oven with the meatloaf!!!
Serves 4.
Nutrients per serving (1 1/2" slice meatloaf and 1 cup turnip/cauliflower): Calories 300, total fat 4.5g, carbs 32g, sugars 14g, Fiber 8g, Protein 35g, sodium 590mg, cholesterol 55mg
I had an eye opening experience today that brought me to a slightly altered focus for family health. Weight loss and eating right is not just about you and your body and how you feel, it is also about your family and how you are as a positive role model for them. You are teaching your children with every step you take, every grumble and bad word you say, every second you sit on the couch watching TV instead of going for a walk or preparing a healthy meal instead of fast food, and also every hug you share with them, every meal you enjoy with them sitting at the table, every kind word you praise them with. For better or for worse, they don't have the ability to tune out the bad stuff, they absorb it all. In 20 years you may very well see a replica of yourself raising your grandchildren, so maybe you should stop and think now about how you want your grandchildren raised!!! Chances are you are teaching your kids good manners, loving them and enjoying them, but are you teaching them good eating habits too? Are fruits and vegetables a regular part of their diet, along with whole grains?
I was at the grocery store this morning, and when I got in line to check out there was a 20 something year old boy in front of me...probably 100+ pounds overweight. All of his food selections were processed foods, whole milk, refined white flour products and not one vegetable. How do kids get to this point? How do kids learn what to eat? Oh right, from their parents!!! My heart broke for him because he is probably at a point of thinking he can't fix it so why try, and he probably doesn't know how!
My son just returned home from a camping trip where he enjoyed a sandwich on white bread, which he asked me to buy for his lunches this week and I said no. In addition though, I stopped and explained to him WHY I was saying no. White bread has very little nutritional value, it doesn't give you lasting energy and it won't keep you healthy...whole wheat bread on the other hand has much more nutritional value, it will keep you feeling fuller and give you energy for longer and it will help you stay strong and healthy. My son often gets Smucker's frozen PB&J sandwiches for lunch (which come on white bread), so don't think I never give my children foods they "want" because yes, convenience often wins. On occasion I will also buy a box of Lucky Charms cereal for a treat for breakfast, a bowl of ice cream is often on the menu for dessert, but every day foods, dinners and snacks are kept relatively free of processed foods. My children are learning the value of healthy eating that I know will get ingrained in their brains so when they are ready to make more choices on their own they will choose wisely.
Whole wheat pasta for example. My kids don't notice a difference, it is just my husband who complains a little bit. Turkey meatloaf with shredded zucchini, tomatoes, onion and flax seed...they ate like it was a special treat.
What are you doing to help teach your children healthy eating habits? The best tool is to show them by example. No crash diets, no craziness, just healthy, balanced eating. Proper portion control, serving onto a plate, not eating out of the bag or the box, and make appropriate snacks available for them and put away the junk! Ease off the sugary drinks and soda, water down your juice and add some lemon juice to water if you want extra flavor.
You kids may protest the family changes, but wouldn't you rather deal with that now while you are in control then watch your 100+ pound overweight child make bad choices and ignore the advice they no longer want to hear? You have the power to help your children...please do something!!!
I have just purchased Tony and Kids plus Shaun T's Fit Kids Club! I will let you know what my kids think of them!!! Join me at Team Beachbody and please pass this blog onto friends that you think would like to hear this or if they might be interested in joining me in the battle to fight obesity!!!
Contrary to popular belief, I am not a perfect eater or a perfect planner for my meals! I usually fly be the seat of my pants and throw a meal together at the last minute whether it is just for me or for the whole family (when I invite people over I do tend to plan ahead though ;)). My saving grace for this last minute meal prep is a well stocked refrigerator and pantry!
I always have frozen chicken and/or fish available for relatively quick defrost. I often have chicken sausage, lean ground beef and even potstickers. I always have pasta (usually whole wheat), sweet potatoes, brown rice or whole wheat couscous that I can be prepare depending on how long until dinner. In the fridge there will be green vegetables of some sort. Broccoli, bok choy, kale, romaine lettuce, celery. Plus carrots, sweet peppers and cucumber. Homemade balsamic vinaigrette to go with the lettuce, and at this time of year, fresh tomatoes and basil in the garden.
I buy my veggies at costco. We rarely throw any away because of rot as if I have too many veggies left we make a big stir fry!
Do my kids eat the veggies? It depends. Broccoli usually gets consumed, but the best way to get them to eat them is to allow them to nibble on veggies before dinner when they swear they will starve to death...I offer them veggies or nothing and they can't get enough. If I serve those same veggies on their plates they aren't quite so keen! A little before meal snacking might not be so bad in this case ;)
I also always have a decent selection of dairy: yogurt, eggs, milk, and cheese. Plus seasonal fruit. Right now I have watermelon, cantaloupe, plums, nectarines, bananas and grape on the go. We bought blueberries and strawberries while they were in season and froze them to add to oatmeal, pancakes and of course, Shakeology.
I have been exploring some of the recipes in Beachbody's new nutrition section. Some great recipes I plan to try out. I also love Clean Eating recipes from Tosca Reno's cook book, but my last minute searches often go through Allrecipes.com.
So, why do you make the food choices you do?
Do you eat the foods you ate as a child? Do you eat all of your veggies? Do you rebel against what your mama made you eat as you had to clear your plate too many times? Seriously, what drives you when you plan your meals, when you head out to a restaurant, when you go to the grocery store?
For some it is simply money. What can I afford? How can I feed my family with X amount of money! Fair enough. Lets weigh out long term health in that though. Are we planning on coming into a lot of money down the road to cover high health costs for the health problems we are now enduring from the poor but cheap food we put in our bodies yesterday? If we cannot afford healthy foods at the big chain stores we have a few choices. 1. Grow our fruits and veggies! Eat them fresh when they are ripe, freeze them for future use, learn to can...no excuses there. 2. Look for sales and stock up. 3. Coupon clip (I will admit, very rarely are there good coupons for fresh healthy food). 4. Buy in bulk, cook extra and freeze. 5. Avoid fast food!!! This won't save you money now, but it will save you money down the road with your health bills!
For some it is "what will my family eat". Well guess what...if there are only healthy options, they will eat them or they will go hungry! My husband is fighting the whole grain pasta movement in my house! My kids have adapted, but he still puts up a fuss. I have learned that if I make some fresh pesto he will eat anything that it covers ;) Vegetables are a large portion of our meals. They fill you up, they are healthy and there are many ways to cook them to make them yummy-tonight was summer squash and zucchini with a little salad dressing on the BBQ! Most of our grocery shopping is done on the outer ring of the grocery store. Produce, dairy, meats plus a few fillers from the middle rows! Yes, my kids have goldfish and cheezits and animal crackers, but also mozzarella cheese sticks, carrot sticks and yogourt.
I personally rebel a bit against what my dad used to serve! I remember those weekend breakfasts with fried cheddar cheese, then the eggs and tomatoes were fried in the fat...I remember enjoying that...now it kind of makes me want to gag!
Our kids are watching us, they are learning from us, they are developing their eating habits based on what they see and experience...if we want to help them, we need to take a look at ourselves! Let's not force them to eat every last bite, lets not offer them unlimited fattening snacks throughout the day, let's teach them how to help themselves. Teaching them what they are eating, why we need to eat foods with high nutritional value and not a lot of junk...they get it, they are smart, they are sponges. If they understand the logic, they might help keep us in check! People worry that teaching a child about calories will lead to eating disorders, I tend to disagree...eating disorders occur because people don't understand how to eat properly and healthfully! Good fitness and good nutrition make a healthy body!
If you are looking for some fitness and nutrition support please join me on my Beachbody site at www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx I would love to help you find a way to get healthier, lose the post baby weight or just get motivated to get in shape! Also adding the healthiest meal of the day with Shakeology can make a world of difference!
It is almost the 4th week in May, summer is rolling in, how is your fit plan going? Have you been sticking with your workouts? Have you been eating healthier? What are you plans for next month...are you going to step it up, change it up or sit back on the sofa? This is a great opportunity to evaluate what is working for you and what isn't. Have you...found a fun activity you enjoy that you will turn to when you need some exercise? Found the foods you should keep out of your house at all costs? Found a workout buddy to yank you off the couch when you are having a lazy day? These are some big keys to success! Use your resources, your friends, websites, a Beachbody coach, your journal, your competitive drive...
I have another tip for you...how about adding Shakeology to your game plan? When you order monthly (HD) you get a free Shakeology workout program, there is an Eating Plan, and there is a money back guarantee. Check out what 25 doctors have to say about Shakeology. If you are interested I can explain to you how you can purchase it for cheaper too! It isn't a magic pill, but it is definitely a major step towards a healthier you! Let me know how I can help you on your fitness journey, it is a bumpy road and I would love to help you over those bumps! You can contact me through my Beachbody site. You can also sign up and check out all of the great features. There are great message boards for further support, opportunities to chat with the celebrity trainers, and nutrition and diet information too!
Some people think of it as basic nourishment, can make healthy choices with appropriate portions and all is good. Those people are few and far between!
Most of us have access to fast food, convenience packaging, have been brought up with it, have used it on a daily basis and are addicted to it! High Fructose Corn Syrup, Trans Fats, Saturated Fats, Deep Fried, French Fries, Potato Chips, Creamy dressing, Sugar...these are ingredients that make me cringe a little bit now!
I have adjusted my lifestyle to looking at ingredient lists, looking at how things are cooked and making wise choices to help me stay healthy! I just had 1 egg and 3 eggs whites scrambled in a whole wheat tortilla with 1/4 of an avocado and some green salsa for lunch, followed by 2 sticks of celery. I was having a sweet craving so I had a fat free sugar free yoplait yogurt to finish off! Not a small lunch, but I am satisfied and it was all good for me. To make this possible I had the fixings in my house that I just needed to pull out of my fridge! I don't buy the foods that I have no impulse control over anymore! Yes, I have kids, they don't need the junk either! I buy cookies sometimes, but never my favorite! I bought them dinner on the way to the gym last night (they were going to childcare while I taught a class), they love a hamburger and fries, but last night we did Subway on wholewheat bread with ham, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and some mayo! On the way home they told me that was the best sandwich ever! I don't think they ever raved about their hamburger on the way home before...just the toy that came with it!
How about when you go out to dinner, or you are at a wedding with a buffet! Do you have to try everything, do you have to try one of each dessert at holiday time? Stop for a minute and ask yourself why? Are you never going to see that food again? Are you going to lose something if you don't have some? Yes, food is yummy, yes the chocolate cheesecake is delectable and feels good in your mouth...but is it really worth it? You need to change your relationship with food if you want to make changes in your health! You need to make some sacrifices at times! Maybe an occasional splurge, but balance it! Decrease your calories the rest of the day (or week), add extra exercise. What difference does a pound or two make over the holidays make you say at the time...but how about that swimsuit you want to wear this summer? Do those pounds make a difference now?
It isn't just about how we look though, it is our health! We should all sit down and talk with an overweight senior citizen and find out how difficult it is to get up and down, how many medications they are on, what their life expectancy is? It isn't about sacrificing fun, it is just about making some better choices! Don't tell me buying healthy food is too expensive when you eat out 4 times a week. Veggies seem healthy when you throw half of them out because you didn't get a chance to eat them!!! So eat them before they get rotten! Eat at home, cook your food a healthy way and know what you are putting in your body! If you plan ahead, prep your food in advance, it doesn't take too long to make a meal! Focus, plan, schedule, make it work, but help yourself...only you can!
Wow, apparently I have some passion about this ;) I overeat at times, especially holiday treats, but I am teaching myself too, I am working through this too! Join me and lets help ourselves be healthy senior citizens!!! I look forward to spending the money I don't need to spend on medications to have some fun :)
Sign up on my Beachbody site to help keep yourself accountable! www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx
These are some of the questions that we ask as we try to lose weight, try to maintain weight and just try to stay healthy. There are so many "rules" thrown at us that it really gets quite confusing! I have been working on this for years!!! Trying to determine what "rules" make the most sense, work the best for me and seem to help the most people! I do have a degree in science, so I have some brains to go along with this experience, just in case you were questioning my background ;) What to eat? The best advice for this is to eat clean! Fruits, Vegetables, Whole grains, unprocessed and natural! If it comes in a bag, look for ingredients that you can pronounce!!! If there are a bunch of preservatives it probably isn't what you need! Avoid white---white sugar, white flour, white rice...these are very processed, quick to digest and have calories but insignificant nutrition that your body needs to excel! When to eat? Every 2-3 hours to achieve 5 smaller meals a day! Determine your caloric needs based on your height, weight and activity level, and either divide these needs by 5 if you plan for 5 meals a day, or take off two 100 calorie snacks and divide the difference by 3 larger meals. I tend to eat a little bit more at dinner as that is our "family" meal, so I save a bit more for dinner time. There are so many place you can go to online to look for calorie counters, recommendations, etc. The Beachbody site is great for determining what you need, they have meal plans if you sign up as a Team member. Livestrong.com has a great resource called the Daily Plate that has some basic information. All of the Beachbody programs come with nutrition plans and recommendations about what to eat when and of course how much. Always look at the nutrition information on the food you buy! Especially at portion size, as often a packet you may think is one portion is in fact 2.5!
Are you getting enough vegetables in your diet? I found a perfect solution to make sure I get all of my protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants, super-green foods, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, and just about everything else your body could ever need! It is called Shakeology!
Nutrition is up to 75% of the equation when you are trying to lose weight! If you exercise for 2 hours and then dive into a big mac at McDonalds you might as well have skipped the workout and eaten crackers and cheese! It is time to focus on what you want to do for your body, how you want your body to look next year, even next month, and how healthy you want your body to be!
Good exercise and nutrition can be a natural immune enhancer and can lead to a longer and healthier life...isn't that what you want for yourself. Make the decision to help yourself! Contact me if you would like some support!
I know why I'm not seeing instant results...it would be my love affair with food! I have a nice balance right now of hard exercise and healthy eating...but ice cream, red wine and chocolate are never too far away!!! In one sense it is OK. My weight is stable, my clothes fit and I feel good...BUT I would still like to tone out my mid section and lose a little of my lower booty so my new pants aren't quite as snug. It is time to cut out back on my treats until I reach some goals I think...then I can add them back in moderation!
Now why aren't YOU seeing results?
How is your food intake? Is there a time of day when your resistence is low? Are you eating three solid meals a day or cutting back so much that you are STARVING by the end of the day and end up eating enough for 4 people? Experts are recommending we eat 5-6 times a day to keep our metabolism active at all times. 3 meals and 2-3 snacks. The hard part about that is cutting back on each meal a bit so our calorie intake stays the same when we add in the snacks. and DON'T FORGET BREAKFAST!!!
Are you drinking enough water? Water gets everything moving in our body, it helps us feel fuller, and it is so much better for you than soda, diet soda, juice, coffee...carry a bottle with you all day long!
Are you really exercising? Unless you have an injury, are just starting on your exercise journey or are cooling down, there is no reason to be walking on the treadmill and watching TV! If you want to lose you need to MOVE! Running, pushing hard on the elliptical, riding a bike with high resistance...there are lots of ways to do it. In order to make it fun though you really need to mix it up. Have you tried any classes at the gym? TurboKick would be my favorite cardio-works the core, great music, fun moves...but spinning is another great one for cardio. A PUMP class for weight lifting. A cross training class with weights and cardio is awesome...keep the heart rate up to get even more fat burning going on and you don't usually lift as long for each set so you can go HEAVY!!! When you work though you need to work HARD! Work up a sweat, go so hard you are panting...if you start getting light headed slow down, but kick it up again when you can. Your muscles are supposed to burn when you are lifting, just work through it and you will be rewarded with stronger muscles.--You will quickly learn the difference between a muscle burn and PAIN! Pain is bad...stop what you are doing and make sure your form is correct and ask for help!
Ask yourself these questions when you feel the need to rest---Am I about to pass out? Have I seen anyone else pass out who is doing the same exercise as me? Can I keep going a little bit longer? The answers are probably No, No and Yes!!!!!
The harder you work out in the time you have the more results you will see....I promise you! As long as you don't have two bowls of ice cream for dessert to celebrate of course ;)
The best way to get yourself rolling on a new exercise plan is to set yourself some goals!
I have set a few exercise goals over the past few years: In November of 2006 my friend Shelley suggested we join the gym to work off the weight of two pregnancies, I jumped at the encouragement and we set the goal of "going to the gym" and seeing where it got us. It wasn't long before we challenged all of our friends to a weight loss competition. Who can lose the highest percentage of weight in 2 months. I narrowly beat out my competition, but that was just the beginning. I set a lofty goal of reaching 170 pounds, 10 pounds less than I have ever been in my adult life. I dropped 25 pounds within 8 months of starting my journey at the gym and have maintained that weight for over 2 years now. ( Note-I am 6 feet tall )
Last spring I signed up to run a half marathon (13.1 miles) on October 18th. That would be in a week and a half from now, yikes!!! I have continued my regular exercise program which is TurboKick twice a week, plus a class with weights when I can fit it in. I have added some running when I can and pulled out 8 miles last weekend. Finishing that half marathon will be another goal attained. I have already signed up for my next half marathon in January....anyone want to join me in Carlsbad?
I do have a new goal that I have started working towards. I would like to get rid of that last roll, the muffin top, that protrudes when I do up my favorite pair of jeans. So reducing my body fat. This will take a combination of cardio, which I do a fait amount of, weight training, which I am working on increasing, and healthy eating. I eat a healthy diet, but I tend to snack with my kids, I rarely say no to a cookie or a piece of chocolate cake, but maybe I can resist for two months! Anyone care to join me in a healthy eating, just say no plan for two months? They say that if you can say no to sugar for a week the rest is easy!
Goals can be big and outrageous, but starting small is always a good idea. Plan to walk for 30 minutes once a week, once you get that under your belt increase it to 2 days a week...once it becomes habit or something you make time for one your planner you can make it happen. You make sure you get to work on time, you get your kids to school on time, you get to your doctors or dentist appointments on time, so just treat your exercise the same way. Work at it for the next month then you can add to it!
Those of you already active make sure your exercise plan is written down and don't be afraid to mix it up. Add some extra weight when you weight train-the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn ALL THE TIME! Running is great, but you need to add some hills, speed it up or run a bit longer if you want so see more positive results. Your body adapts so you have to keep challenging it!
And if you want a good dose of cardio, come to my TurboKick class-Tuesday mornings at 8:30, Wednesday evenings at 6 at Body Xchange on Calloway and Rosedale.
