Thursday, June 03, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Old Habits Die Hard
- And they keep rearing their ugly heads!
Ok, this blog is about my fitness journey. Just over a year ago I lost 15 pounds and over 30 inches. I’m down a total of 30 pounds. The last 15 dropped like a fly due to the addition of weight training to my regimen. I started (and finished!) a 90 day program called Chalean Extreme produced by Beachbody. I highly recommend it.
Ever since, I have been at my goal weight give or take a few pounds. However, life comes back around to bite you and over the past month or so my weight has been slowly creeping up. The last straw was when my kids started to tell me that my butt was big (that’s where all those extra calories go!).
It started during baseball season – late nights at the field and eating pizza for dinner 2-3 times per week at the snack shack. Or, maybe it was when I caved in at the supermarket a few times when I purchased a box of cookies that my kids asked for…guess who ate most of the box? Yours truly. Or, the protein bars my husband picked up on sale at Costco that just stare at me in the face…the chocolate peanut flavored ones make a nice dessert after a meal, but it’s hard to eat just one! I could go on but I think you get the picture.
So, I have been succumbing to temptation, and I also stopped managing my meal plan. Every week I plan my meals out, making my shopping list and figuring out my “staple” food for the week – what I might cook that will last me for 5-7 lunches or dinners. That’s all good and fine for the most part, but when you’re out and have few to no healthy food choices (pizza, hot dog, or slurpees), you have to have an Alternate Plan. I did not make an Alternate Plan, so now Ms. “big butt” is going to tame that ugly habit!!!
This is what my plan is for the next few weeks. I’m not going to count calories or points (I’m a Weight Watchers Lifetime Member), I’m just going to stick to my staple breakfast (steel cut oatmeal), eat my yummy garden vegetable soup (zero points if you count with WW!), and have a sensible dinner – with healthy snacks in between. Really, the secret is the garden vegetable soup. It’s filling and so low in calories it’s like skipping a meal and starving yourself, without starving yourself, which slows your metabolism!
I love it – I love it – I love it! For additional protein, I’ll add garbanzo beans and lean ground turkey. I’ll make a huge pot of it and even have it for a snack when I’m hungry. It’s good cold as well, so I can transport it in a container if I’m at the field.
I don’t own a scale, so I’ll just have to monitor my progress by asking my kids how big my butt looks! Or, how my clothes fit.
Fitness is a lifetime journey, and an Individual Choice. I choose to stay healthy and fit for the rest of my life. At times I may stray from this path, but I now know that I have the strength and perseverance to return to that path should I lose my way.
How I got where I am today did not happen overnight. There was no quick answer or miracle cure that gave me the lean body that I now have. It takes a commitment to change, and the work that goes with it. It was not grueling work, it was FUN, EXCITING, and made me FEEL GREAT! It also took time to figure out what works for me. What works for me may not necessarily work for you. I am always open to new ideas to see what works for others. A great deal is done by trial and error, and what might work for a while may stop working later on. My fitness journey is constantly evolving, but I know one thing for sure: I will always be on this journey for the rest of my life.
What has YOUR journey been like? I’d love to hear about it!
Ok, this blog is about my fitness journey. Just over a year ago I lost 15 pounds and over 30 inches. I’m down a total of 30 pounds. The last 15 dropped like a fly due to the addition of weight training to my regimen. I started (and finished!) a 90 day program called Chalean Extreme produced by Beachbody. I highly recommend it.
Ever since, I have been at my goal weight give or take a few pounds. However, life comes back around to bite you and over the past month or so my weight has been slowly creeping up. The last straw was when my kids started to tell me that my butt was big (that’s where all those extra calories go!).
It started during baseball season – late nights at the field and eating pizza for dinner 2-3 times per week at the snack shack. Or, maybe it was when I caved in at the supermarket a few times when I purchased a box of cookies that my kids asked for…guess who ate most of the box? Yours truly. Or, the protein bars my husband picked up on sale at Costco that just stare at me in the face…the chocolate peanut flavored ones make a nice dessert after a meal, but it’s hard to eat just one! I could go on but I think you get the picture.
So, I have been succumbing to temptation, and I also stopped managing my meal plan. Every week I plan my meals out, making my shopping list and figuring out my “staple” food for the week – what I might cook that will last me for 5-7 lunches or dinners. That’s all good and fine for the most part, but when you’re out and have few to no healthy food choices (pizza, hot dog, or slurpees), you have to have an Alternate Plan. I did not make an Alternate Plan, so now Ms. “big butt” is going to tame that ugly habit!!!
This is what my plan is for the next few weeks. I’m not going to count calories or points (I’m a Weight Watchers Lifetime Member), I’m just going to stick to my staple breakfast (steel cut oatmeal), eat my yummy garden vegetable soup (zero points if you count with WW!), and have a sensible dinner – with healthy snacks in between. Really, the secret is the garden vegetable soup. It’s filling and so low in calories it’s like skipping a meal and starving yourself, without starving yourself, which slows your metabolism!
I love it – I love it – I love it! For additional protein, I’ll add garbanzo beans and lean ground turkey. I’ll make a huge pot of it and even have it for a snack when I’m hungry. It’s good cold as well, so I can transport it in a container if I’m at the field.
I don’t own a scale, so I’ll just have to monitor my progress by asking my kids how big my butt looks! Or, how my clothes fit.
Fitness is a lifetime journey, and an Individual Choice. I choose to stay healthy and fit for the rest of my life. At times I may stray from this path, but I now know that I have the strength and perseverance to return to that path should I lose my way.
How I got where I am today did not happen overnight. There was no quick answer or miracle cure that gave me the lean body that I now have. It takes a commitment to change, and the work that goes with it. It was not grueling work, it was FUN, EXCITING, and made me FEEL GREAT! It also took time to figure out what works for me. What works for me may not necessarily work for you. I am always open to new ideas to see what works for others. A great deal is done by trial and error, and what might work for a while may stop working later on. My fitness journey is constantly evolving, but I know one thing for sure: I will always be on this journey for the rest of my life.
What has YOUR journey been like? I’d love to hear about it!
Friday, January 08, 2010
Find your BFF: Exercise can be more fun with a friend
No, this is not a personal classified ad, it’s a call to action! How many of you out there make time to exercise regularly? How many of you out there make the time to visit with your friends? How many of you work out with your BFF’s?
Getting back into the swing of things with the holidays behind me, I started up my weekly exercise routine. Part of my routine includes working out with my BFF’s 3 times per week.
It had been about a month since we had been together, between vacation schedules, family obligations and parties: we took a break in December and did our own thang.
This past Monday we started up one of our most favored workouts called Chalean Extreme, which we completed last July, 2009 (See my blog about it). I love the program because it’s like having your own personal trainer in your house with your friends. It’s a hard core muscle workout, and by the end of the hour you feel as if every muscle in your body has been worked and it feels great!
In addition to the stellar workout, we had the pleasure of catching up with each other, laughing, crying, venting, and sweating: a daily dose of therapy for the mind and body. All in the course of one hour!
So of course, this is my argument for finding BFF(s) to work out with: it is so much more fun to work out with a friend than going at it alone. Exercising with my friends keeps me accountable and keeps me motivated; I am allowed to vent and be forgiven! I am allowed to sweat and encourage, and to be encouraged by friends whose opinions I value and respect.
So, by the end of our workout, I walked home with a spring in my step, excited for the day ahead. That’s a lot better than just burning 500 calories, don’t you think?
If you would like to meet new friends while exercising, here are a few options for finding local groups to meet up with:
Getting back into the swing of things with the holidays behind me, I started up my weekly exercise routine. Part of my routine includes working out with my BFF’s 3 times per week.
[side note] My BFF’s are my Best Fitness Friends! They keep me motivated! They keep me fit! They make me look forward to my workout, even if I don’t want to be there! (yes, sometimes I would rather sleep in than wake up at the crack of dawn, but I know in the end it will be worthwhile) They’re like a dose of therapy for the day!
It had been about a month since we had been together, between vacation schedules, family obligations and parties: we took a break in December and did our own thang.
This past Monday we started up one of our most favored workouts called Chalean Extreme, which we completed last July, 2009 (See my blog about it). I love the program because it’s like having your own personal trainer in your house with your friends. It’s a hard core muscle workout, and by the end of the hour you feel as if every muscle in your body has been worked and it feels great!
In addition to the stellar workout, we had the pleasure of catching up with each other, laughing, crying, venting, and sweating: a daily dose of therapy for the mind and body. All in the course of one hour!
So of course, this is my argument for finding BFF(s) to work out with: it is so much more fun to work out with a friend than going at it alone. Exercising with my friends keeps me accountable and keeps me motivated; I am allowed to vent and be forgiven! I am allowed to sweat and encourage, and to be encouraged by friends whose opinions I value and respect.
So, by the end of our workout, I walked home with a spring in my step, excited for the day ahead. That’s a lot better than just burning 500 calories, don’t you think?
If you would like to meet new friends while exercising, here are a few options for finding local groups to meet up with:
- Go to your gym and take an exercise class! Gyms have so many options, from yoga, to TurboKick to Hot Hula to Cycling – read the description of the class and try what works for you. If you find a class that you love, chances are, you will meet people who love it too and you’ll see them regularly in class. Other options include signing up for classes through a community college or specialized studio. The gym I belong to is 24 Hour Fitness. You can do a google search to find a gym near you.
- Check out Moms in Motion. They are a global social network that connects moms through fitness and philanthropy. You get your workout and help save the world at the same time! While, of course, forging new friendships.
- Meetup is a very large social network that connects people together locally. You can search for fitness groups by zip code and find local groups that meet. Or, you can form your own if you don’t find one that fits your schedule or interest. All you need is one person to be your BFF to get things going!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Just DOO IT!
Imagine a four year old saying these words, in a low voice super slow motion. When she asks me for something and I'm not ready to respond, that is what she says and it gets me going all the time!
So, that is going to be my motto for 2010. Just Do It. This is going to be my year to shine, my year to start helping others realize their fitness potential. I've been waiting for this and for that to happen before I can begin my journey. And I am finally ready to begin, with my hard-studied fitness certifications behind me and lots of hands on/practical training ahead of me, I will shine.
I will leave all my doubts, all of my fears, back in 2009. I know I can be a great fitness instructor and look forward to moving in to this role in 2010. A year of new beginnings and growth. I know I have so much to learn and I am looking forward to learning it all!
Just doooo it!!!
So, that is going to be my motto for 2010. Just Do It. This is going to be my year to shine, my year to start helping others realize their fitness potential. I've been waiting for this and for that to happen before I can begin my journey. And I am finally ready to begin, with my hard-studied fitness certifications behind me and lots of hands on/practical training ahead of me, I will shine.
I will leave all my doubts, all of my fears, back in 2009. I know I can be a great fitness instructor and look forward to moving in to this role in 2010. A year of new beginnings and growth. I know I have so much to learn and I am looking forward to learning it all!
Just doooo it!!!
Friday, October 09, 2009
I Brought It!
Oct. 3rd, 2009: Today I had the fortunate opportunity to attend a TONY HORTON Plyometrics class at LuLu Lemon in Santa Monica. I was very excited that I would have an opportunity to meet this man that I have been spending the mornings with (via DVD!) for the past month. Tony Horton is the creator of well known fitness programs such as P90X, Power 90, Ten Minute Trainer, and more.
After meeting up at LuLu Lemon, we walked over to the promenade and spread out to give ourselves enough elbow room. There were at least 50-60 participants there, with plenty of onlookers strolling about. It was a beautiful morning. Crowds were hovering around Tony, of course, and I brought my camera just like everyone else, but OF COURSE I left the battery in my car! OF COURSE!!! I managed to find the Lu Lu Lemon regional manager, Angela, to take my picture with her camera and she was nice enough to email it to me.
I totally brought it, which means that in the next few days I will probably feel very sore. Oh well! As long as I'm not suffering tonight at my 20 year reunion, I can deal with a little pain.
Now, plyometric exercises involve very intense movements requiring power in your legs. They are one of my favorite things to do. Some of the squat-jumps we did were gravity defying! (If I can get my rear to defy gravity by doing these, I'll do them all the time, thank you!) I love love love plyometrics! Call me crazy. It makes me feel strong and energetic. Tony has an entire workout devoted to plyometrics in his P90X program.
I had a chance to ask Tony if he had any advice in this business becoming a coach. Among the things he discussed, the most poignant for me is that you have to be genuine. Amen to that! I have never felt better, healthier, and stronger!
Now go do your best and forget the rest! Ciao!
After meeting up at LuLu Lemon, we walked over to the promenade and spread out to give ourselves enough elbow room. There were at least 50-60 participants there, with plenty of onlookers strolling about. It was a beautiful morning. Crowds were hovering around Tony, of course, and I brought my camera just like everyone else, but OF COURSE I left the battery in my car! OF COURSE!!! I managed to find the Lu Lu Lemon regional manager, Angela, to take my picture with her camera and she was nice enough to email it to me.
I totally brought it, which means that in the next few days I will probably feel very sore. Oh well! As long as I'm not suffering tonight at my 20 year reunion, I can deal with a little pain.
Now, plyometric exercises involve very intense movements requiring power in your legs. They are one of my favorite things to do. Some of the squat-jumps we did were gravity defying! (If I can get my rear to defy gravity by doing these, I'll do them all the time, thank you!) I love love love plyometrics! Call me crazy. It makes me feel strong and energetic. Tony has an entire workout devoted to plyometrics in his P90X program.
I had a chance to ask Tony if he had any advice in this business becoming a coach. Among the things he discussed, the most poignant for me is that you have to be genuine. Amen to that! I have never felt better, healthier, and stronger!
Now go do your best and forget the rest! Ciao!
Fit For Life
One of the most important aspects of becoming fit for life is making fitness a part of your lifestyle. Sure, people start diets every day, lose 10, 15, perhaps 50 or over 100 pounds, and then gradually add the pounds back once they have met their initial goal.
Long term success relies on your ability to consistently deliver on your committment to a fitness routine. You just have to make time for it! We all have different schedules and committments that might "get in the way" of finding time to exercise. Even if you only have 20 minutes, or two 10-minute slots to fit in bursts of exercise in a given day, that is better than devoting 0 minutes for that given day.
The bottom line is that we can make choices every day to improve our health. Even small choices count! All of those small choices you make over time, have the potential to become consistent behaviors, and consequently become lifestyle changes that can transform the way you look and feel.
Try it. What change are you going to make today?
Long term success relies on your ability to consistently deliver on your committment to a fitness routine. You just have to make time for it! We all have different schedules and committments that might "get in the way" of finding time to exercise. Even if you only have 20 minutes, or two 10-minute slots to fit in bursts of exercise in a given day, that is better than devoting 0 minutes for that given day.
The bottom line is that we can make choices every day to improve our health. Even small choices count! All of those small choices you make over time, have the potential to become consistent behaviors, and consequently become lifestyle changes that can transform the way you look and feel.
Try it. What change are you going to make today?
Life Altering - Chalean Extreme Review
July 30, 2009. I have just completed ChaLEAN Extreme's 90 Day Program and I can honestly say that I have never felt stronger or more fit in my entire life! I have been in great cardiovascular shape for nearly 20 years. I have completed half marathons and triathalons and kick A$% in my cycling workouts.
What Chalene's program offered that I didn't have before was a consistent strength training routine utilizing heavy weights to the point of failure for each exercise. Previously, any workout using weights consisted of 5 - 10 lbs and high amount of repetitions. Chalene's program focuses on using heavier weights (up to 15lbs per arm for me, and 24 per leg), building that muscle, and burning fat!
So, the heavier weights, coupled with the schedule of 3 days of weighlifting, 2 days of cardio and 2 rest days CONSISTENTLY, has paid off.
What this routine has done for me is that it has sculpted and toned my body, in all of my problem areas! Abs, Thighs, Rear. I have Michelle Obama arms!!!
My friends and I did not know what we were in for when we started the program, but we committed to following it for 90 days and incorporating high protein meals and snacks into our routine just as Chalene says....and you know what? It worked!
It has been a wonderful journey but this is not the end, it's only the beginning! Fitness is a LIFELONG PURSUIT, so our next challenge that we have chosen for ourselves is P90X! Of course, I could just do Chalene's Lean for Life forever if Tony is too hard on me ;)
Over and out until later...
What Chalene's program offered that I didn't have before was a consistent strength training routine utilizing heavy weights to the point of failure for each exercise. Previously, any workout using weights consisted of 5 - 10 lbs and high amount of repetitions. Chalene's program focuses on using heavier weights (up to 15lbs per arm for me, and 24 per leg), building that muscle, and burning fat!
So, the heavier weights, coupled with the schedule of 3 days of weighlifting, 2 days of cardio and 2 rest days CONSISTENTLY, has paid off.
What this routine has done for me is that it has sculpted and toned my body, in all of my problem areas! Abs, Thighs, Rear. I have Michelle Obama arms!!!
My friends and I did not know what we were in for when we started the program, but we committed to following it for 90 days and incorporating high protein meals and snacks into our routine just as Chalene says....and you know what? It worked!
It has been a wonderful journey but this is not the end, it's only the beginning! Fitness is a LIFELONG PURSUIT, so our next challenge that we have chosen for ourselves is P90X! Of course, I could just do Chalene's Lean for Life forever if Tony is too hard on me ;)
Over and out until later...
Monday, June 25, 2007
Summertime!
Camp! Swimming! Staying up late! Sun-kissed children! Lots of popsicles! Slip n slide! Laughter! Unbearable heat! Bathing suits (ugh!)! Vacation! Seeing old friends! This is what summer is about! We're in week 2 of summer, and it's been pretty nice not having to help with homework, and having my kids at camp for longer periods than they were at school. And, I get to drop them off and pick them up at one place. What a concept! I can actually kick back and relax a little, too, this summer.
I've somehow managed to get the kids swimming without bringing my 20 month old in the pool. I know it's just a matter of time before I will have the occassion to bring her. It just complicates things to have to watch three in the water. Fortunately, my two older ones are good swimmers, but I still need to make sure they are safe.
Tonight we have our first "friend" sleepover ("cousin" was the "real" first), and it was a blast to hear all of the giggling and screaming. All the naked bodies prancing around the house and then jumping on the blowup mattress. Jenna tried her best to keep up with them and did a pretty good job impersonating all of the sounds that were made. Everyone nearly fell asleep as soon as their head hit the pillow.
Now that's what I call a good day.
I've somehow managed to get the kids swimming without bringing my 20 month old in the pool. I know it's just a matter of time before I will have the occassion to bring her. It just complicates things to have to watch three in the water. Fortunately, my two older ones are good swimmers, but I still need to make sure they are safe.
Tonight we have our first "friend" sleepover ("cousin" was the "real" first), and it was a blast to hear all of the giggling and screaming. All the naked bodies prancing around the house and then jumping on the blowup mattress. Jenna tried her best to keep up with them and did a pretty good job impersonating all of the sounds that were made. Everyone nearly fell asleep as soon as their head hit the pillow.
Now that's what I call a good day.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Holidays...and Hope
I know this holiday season will be busy-crazy-fun. It already has started. In our nest alone, we've been through 4 birthdays since September. That leaves one more -- lil' ol' me -- in December. My son's bday party is Saturday, and my daughter's baby naming is 3 days after Thanksgiving. We have family coming from out of town and I'm no where near having the house in the shape I would like. Oh, well.
I hope I remain calm, cool and collected over the coming months, and not react under stress with my kids. I hope my hubby gets a job soon, (and has a short commute). I hope I have the willpower to eat all of the wonderful holiday treats in moderation this season, and lose some of that baby weight once and for all! I hope I get a massage for my birthday! I hope for peace in the Middle East.
I hope I remain calm, cool and collected over the coming months, and not react under stress with my kids. I hope my hubby gets a job soon, (and has a short commute). I hope I have the willpower to eat all of the wonderful holiday treats in moderation this season, and lose some of that baby weight once and for all! I hope I get a massage for my birthday! I hope for peace in the Middle East.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)