Hello! I went to spinning last night.. I'm still a little undecided as to whether I actually enjoyed it or not? It was definitely a great workout - no doubt about that! I was completely drenched with sweat and my heart was pumping! It just wasn't quite as upbeat as I had hoped.. I got kind of bored. I found myself wondering how much longer we had to go.. and I didn't do that in Zumba. However, the guy that was on the bike next to me (who appeared to be a seasoned spinner) was very surprised to hear that it was my first class and he said that I did really well! Maybe I'm not in as bad of shape as I thought? ;) Honestly the absolute worst part about the class was the damn SEAT on the bike! My butt is hurting today, and it's not because I worked the muscles! That was the most uncomfortable seat on the planet! A few of my friends were joking about needing padded shorts for the class and I now see why. Branden said maybe it would stimulate my butt so I would actually grow one.. (I have the terrible disease of noassatall) he's just SO hilarious.
Lauren and I went to the gym this morning and worked on arms.. we completed the workout up until the last 10 minutes on the bike. We skipped that, for obvious reasons : )
Turkey meatballs and WW Spaghetti were really yummy last night! I used a small dessert plate and had some spaghetti and salad w/ fat free raspberry vinaigrette.
Here's the recipe:
Meatballs:
1/4 C Liquid Egg Whites
1/4 C WW Bread Crumbs
1 Small Red Onion, grated (rough on the eyes!)
1/4 C Chopped Baby Spinach
1/4 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Cloves garlic, mashed
3 tb Ketchup
1lb Lean Ground Turkey
Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Jar of Pasta Sauce (I used Prego Heart Smart)
*Pre-heat oven to 375
- Measure all ingredients up to Turkey in large bowl. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Add turkey and mix well.
- Line cookie sheet w/ aluminum foil (for easy clean-up!) and spray foil w/ non-stick spray.
- Make round meatballs approx 1" in diameter and place on cookie sheet
- Bake in 375 oven for approximately 30 minutes or until browning on top.
- Boil WW Spaghetti and drain, do not rinse. (*try to time spaghetti to finish cooking around same time as meatballs coming out of the oven)
- In a large saute/sauce pan, heat jar of pasta sauce. Add meatballs and spaghetti and mix carefully so as not to break-up meatballs.
Salad:
Baby Spinach
Chopped Green Apple
Chopped Strawberries
Raisins
Chopped Red Onion
Croutons
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Mix and enjoy!
Serve and enjoy! : )
I did end up ordering Chipotle for lunch yesterday.. before you go crazy, I did healthy Chipotle! I got a salad w/ black beans, chicken and all of the salsas.. which totaled to about 500 calories. Not bad!
Food for Today:
Breakfast:
1 egg white
1/2 WW bagel w/ natural pnut butter
Chocolate Protein Shake
Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ Berries and grahams
Lunch:
Undecided - I still have my turkey sammy from yesterday but my cold is getting worse and I'm super congested so I REALLY want something spicy.. just trying to find something spicy and healthy at the same time! I think I may run to Kroger as opposed to running out to a restaurant..
Snack:
Pretzels
Dinner:
Chicken Chili w/ Brown Rice
Well I'm DEFINITELY back into gym mode!! I'm totally obsessed, I would spend my entire day at the gym if I had the opportunity! I've been doing well with my eating this week too! There's a constant supply of candy/cookies sitting out at my work and I have not given-in to temptation ONCE! I'm pretty proud of myself b/c the candy sitting out right now is mini reese's peanut butter cups and those are my freakin favorite. Oh well! I'm interested to see the scale at the end of this week. I've been busting ass all week long and I'm hoping to have lost 5 pounds.. we'll see, I guess?
I'm getting a bit nervous about Chicago.. having to eat out 3 meals a day for 4 days is really scaring me.. I'm going to have to pay VERY close attention to the food/ingredients/preparation... and workout extra hard in the hotel fitness center :)
I'm not doing any extra classes tonight.. mama's tired! I need to go find a pair of flat, comfortable shoes for this weekend. Wish me luck!
Until tomorrow..
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Well, hello Zumba!
Last night Lauren and I went to our first-ever Zumba class! It was AMAZING! I am so excited that I finally went to the class to experience it! It was high-energy and a really fun atmosphere.. dancing to great music for a solid hour and DEFINITELY a good workout! I have been dancing all of my life (started with tap/ballet/jazz when I was little then 13 years of cheerleading and the past 3 years of bellydance) so I picked up on the moves pretty quickly and danced full-out for the whole hour! I felt SO good when I left the class and it was so nice to find something that really felt like it fit me! I think the workout that I got last night more than made up for skipping the gym yesterday morning.. then when I got home I was still really hot and sweaty so I had absolutely no appetite - so I only had a couple of bites of my turkey meatloaf for dinner then took a shower and Nora and I went to bed! I certainly don't advocate skipping meals but I'm not mad about saving the extra calories ;)
Lauren and I got to the gym a little late this morning (my alarm didn't go off!) so we did Friday's workout since it's shorter.. and added 20minutes on the Elliptical at the end. I did a 20 minute "weightloss" interval program. I read that interval training is better for fat-burning so I like to do that as much as possible!
Side note - while we were working out this morning there was a lady trainer working with 2 ladies very close to us. These ladies (1 in particular) complained like babies the whole time! 1 was even moaning while she was working out! This, I just don't understand. If you're going to go to the trouble and expense of hiring a personal trainer, then obviously you WANT results - so shut the hell up! What do you expect the trainer to do? Compliment the weight off of you? Ugh, drives me bananas.
Meal Plan today:
Breakfast:
1 Egg White
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural pnut butter
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ skim milk
Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and grahams
Lunch:
Turkey sammy on slim bread w/ mustard and pickles
Organic sliced strawberries
Snack:
Pretzels
Dinner:
WW Spaghetti w/ Turkey Meatballs
Salad
One of my bosses at work shared a couple of healthy-cooking cookbooks with me so I had Branden pick out some recipes and I made copies this morning.. so we can start changing things up!
The Cookbooks were: Cook Yourself Thin from the Lifetime Show - here's a link to Amazon for the book http://www.amazon.com/Cook-Yourself-Thin-Skinny-Minutes/dp/1401341136
The other was Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World - here's a link to Amazon for this one
http://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Girl-Survival-Strategies-Guilt-Free/dp/0312377428/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1301494132&sr=8-2
These have some delicious recipes and most under 550 calories!
I spoke to a friend of mine that is a trainer at Fitworks yesterday and she may start making my workouts for me every 3 weeks or so.. with Branden's new job he's working a lot and I hate to ask him to devote the time that it takes to making these workouts for me... so hopefully I can get it taken care of!
I'm still feeling a little crappy today, I may run out and grab some Dayquil.. I have to be at 100% this weekend for Chicago!
Mentally, I feel great. I'm noticing my fitness level changing even more.. even just in little things like going up the stairs at work has become much less breath-taking! We'll see how the plane goes.. I'm crossing my fingers for a comfortable flight :)
Until tomorrow.. :)
Lauren and I got to the gym a little late this morning (my alarm didn't go off!) so we did Friday's workout since it's shorter.. and added 20minutes on the Elliptical at the end. I did a 20 minute "weightloss" interval program. I read that interval training is better for fat-burning so I like to do that as much as possible!
Side note - while we were working out this morning there was a lady trainer working with 2 ladies very close to us. These ladies (1 in particular) complained like babies the whole time! 1 was even moaning while she was working out! This, I just don't understand. If you're going to go to the trouble and expense of hiring a personal trainer, then obviously you WANT results - so shut the hell up! What do you expect the trainer to do? Compliment the weight off of you? Ugh, drives me bananas.
Meal Plan today:
Breakfast:
1 Egg White
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural pnut butter
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ skim milk
Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and grahams
Lunch:
Turkey sammy on slim bread w/ mustard and pickles
Organic sliced strawberries
Snack:
Pretzels
Dinner:
WW Spaghetti w/ Turkey Meatballs
Salad
One of my bosses at work shared a couple of healthy-cooking cookbooks with me so I had Branden pick out some recipes and I made copies this morning.. so we can start changing things up!
The Cookbooks were: Cook Yourself Thin from the Lifetime Show - here's a link to Amazon for the book http://www.amazon.com/Cook-Yourself-Thin-Skinny-Minutes/dp/1401341136
The other was Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World - here's a link to Amazon for this one
http://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Girl-Survival-Strategies-Guilt-Free/dp/0312377428/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1301494132&sr=8-2
These have some delicious recipes and most under 550 calories!
I spoke to a friend of mine that is a trainer at Fitworks yesterday and she may start making my workouts for me every 3 weeks or so.. with Branden's new job he's working a lot and I hate to ask him to devote the time that it takes to making these workouts for me... so hopefully I can get it taken care of!
I'm still feeling a little crappy today, I may run out and grab some Dayquil.. I have to be at 100% this weekend for Chicago!
Mentally, I feel great. I'm noticing my fitness level changing even more.. even just in little things like going up the stairs at work has become much less breath-taking! We'll see how the plane goes.. I'm crossing my fingers for a comfortable flight :)
Until tomorrow.. :)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Blah
Not much to report today - didn't make it to the gym. I started feeling crappy last night and it was only worse when my alarm went off this morning. (Throat/head) I decided to skip today and get the extra rest. I'm ODing on Vitamin C and Green Tea right now.. if that doesn't do the trick, I'll grab some Dayquil.
Dinner went as planned last night (other than the fact that my wonderful husband felt the need to put 2 BOTTLES of BBQ sauce in with my 3 pieces of chicken!! They were small bottles, but still.. it was almost BBQ soup!
Meal Plan today:
Breakfast:
1 Egg White
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural pnut butter
(skipped the protein shake since I skipped the gym)
Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and crushed grahams
Lunch:
Turkey Sammy on thin bread
Roasted Sweet Potatoes (leftover from last night)
Snack:
Pretzels
Dinner:
Turkey Meatloaf
Mashed Purple Cauliflower
Brown Rice
Should be yummy! I'm going to try to squeeze in a workout tonight but either way I'll def be at the gym in the morning! We fly out Saturday! Luckily, I picked the hotel and we got one with a complimentary 24hr fitness center :) I just have to watch what I eat since every meal will be from a restaurant.
Tomorrow we're going to Applebee's to welcome a friend home from Afghanistan.. I think I'll stick to water...
Oh well, hopefully tomorrow will be a more informative/exciting report! (hopefully I feel better, too!!)
Adios!
Dinner went as planned last night (other than the fact that my wonderful husband felt the need to put 2 BOTTLES of BBQ sauce in with my 3 pieces of chicken!! They were small bottles, but still.. it was almost BBQ soup!
Meal Plan today:
Breakfast:
1 Egg White
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural pnut butter
(skipped the protein shake since I skipped the gym)
Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and crushed grahams
Lunch:
Turkey Sammy on thin bread
Roasted Sweet Potatoes (leftover from last night)
Snack:
Pretzels
Dinner:
Turkey Meatloaf
Mashed Purple Cauliflower
Brown Rice
Should be yummy! I'm going to try to squeeze in a workout tonight but either way I'll def be at the gym in the morning! We fly out Saturday! Luckily, I picked the hotel and we got one with a complimentary 24hr fitness center :) I just have to watch what I eat since every meal will be from a restaurant.
Tomorrow we're going to Applebee's to welcome a friend home from Afghanistan.. I think I'll stick to water...
Oh well, hopefully tomorrow will be a more informative/exciting report! (hopefully I feel better, too!!)
Adios!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Time to Get Serious..
Well, as it turns out, I didn't lose any weight last week. I was really disappointed and upset at first, until I thought back about what I had eaten throughout the week - it's not a mystery where the problem lies. After busting my ass at the gym for no scale-related results, I decided this week shall be FAR more strict.
I have decided to re-work my food intake, so it is more like 3 regular meals with 2 snacks, rather than what I was eating as a lunch when it was really like 3 snacks claiming to be a meal, or my pathetic excuse for breakfasts. I'm also going to watch my sugar/carb intake far more closely.
This is what I'm planning to eat today:
Breakfast:
2 Scrambled Egg Whites
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural pnut butt
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Snack:
old fashion Oatmeal (NOT the instant kind) made with water
1pk Splenda
Cinnamon
2 tbs Raisins
Lunch:
Turkey Sandwich on WW Sandwich Thins (only 100 calories for whole bun!) w/ 2 different mustards and pickles
Spinach salad w/ Light Italian dressing
Dinner:
Homemade pulled chicken BBQ
Baked Sweet Potato Wedges
Salad
I went to the gym this morning - I haven't gotten my new workouts from Branden yet so today, I did the following:
My legs are feelin the burn today, but I'm glad! Branden said he's going to try to get the workout to me tonight. I'm hoping that my focus will stay locked in to nutrition this week. I planned our dinners on Saturday and went grocery shopping so I have NO excuse to not cook a healthy meal for my family each evening!
To be quite honest, I'm feeling very frustrated and a little down right now. I feel like since I don't eat like complete shit, I'm going to have to work twice as hard to lose the weight. It's kind of annoying to me when I hear about people that simply "stopped eating fast food" and they lost 50lbs without working out for a minute. Don't get me wrong, I support any and everyone who is trying to make themselves more healthy and lose weight, regardless of their motivation behind it, but I just wish SOMETHING in my life was a little easier for me?
Boo hoo, I know. Oh well, regardless of how I have to do it, it has to be done. As tempting as it is to find outside sources to aid in my weightloss, I am still very committed to going about it the HEALTHY way and losing weight so that I have life-long lasting results.
Just the Monday blues, I suppose?
Tomorrow is another day, and I'll see ya then :)
I have decided to re-work my food intake, so it is more like 3 regular meals with 2 snacks, rather than what I was eating as a lunch when it was really like 3 snacks claiming to be a meal, or my pathetic excuse for breakfasts. I'm also going to watch my sugar/carb intake far more closely.
This is what I'm planning to eat today:
Breakfast:
2 Scrambled Egg Whites
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural pnut butt
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Snack:
old fashion Oatmeal (NOT the instant kind) made with water
1pk Splenda
Cinnamon
2 tbs Raisins
Lunch:
Turkey Sandwich on WW Sandwich Thins (only 100 calories for whole bun!) w/ 2 different mustards and pickles
Spinach salad w/ Light Italian dressing
Dinner:
Homemade pulled chicken BBQ
Baked Sweet Potato Wedges
Salad
I went to the gym this morning - I haven't gotten my new workouts from Branden yet so today, I did the following:
| TIME | EXERCISE | REP | SET |
| 5 MIN | BIKE | MEDIUM | 1 |
| DUMBBELL SQUAT W/ HIGH KNEE | 10 | 3 | |
| DUMBBELL LUNGES | 10 EA LEG | 3 | |
| WALL SITS | 30 SEC | 3 | |
| 20 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | INTERVAL | 1 |
| FLUTTER KICKS | 30 SEC | 3 | |
| RAISED PLANKS | 30 SEC | 3 | |
| WEIGHTED CALF RAISES | 10 - 3 WAYS | 3 |
My legs are feelin the burn today, but I'm glad! Branden said he's going to try to get the workout to me tonight. I'm hoping that my focus will stay locked in to nutrition this week. I planned our dinners on Saturday and went grocery shopping so I have NO excuse to not cook a healthy meal for my family each evening!
To be quite honest, I'm feeling very frustrated and a little down right now. I feel like since I don't eat like complete shit, I'm going to have to work twice as hard to lose the weight. It's kind of annoying to me when I hear about people that simply "stopped eating fast food" and they lost 50lbs without working out for a minute. Don't get me wrong, I support any and everyone who is trying to make themselves more healthy and lose weight, regardless of their motivation behind it, but I just wish SOMETHING in my life was a little easier for me?
Boo hoo, I know. Oh well, regardless of how I have to do it, it has to be done. As tempting as it is to find outside sources to aid in my weightloss, I am still very committed to going about it the HEALTHY way and losing weight so that I have life-long lasting results.
Just the Monday blues, I suppose?
Tomorrow is another day, and I'll see ya then :)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Abs of Steel?
Well ladies and gents, it's Friday! I FINALLY made it through a week of 5 consecutive workouts! I feel really great and am very proud of myself for making it to the gym every day this week!
I'm actually noticing a change in my body! I haven't been doing these hard workouts for very long, but I'm noticing some toning happening! I highly doubt that anyone else will notice yet, but I do! Obviously, I flex my biceps in the mirror every morning when I get home from the gym, and I'm noticing a difference there.. I also noticed that the extra pooch on my stomach seems to be diminishing and my abs are getting a little more firm. Not a 6-pack by any means - but we're moving in the right direction!
I went to the gym by myself this morning (by the way, I've decided to just stop depending on other people to show up with me at 5am) and completed the Friday workout efficiently - which, after I looked at it.. is not quite as I described it yesterday, see below:
Since I was only doing 1 set of everything, it went very quickly! SO I decided to throw in an additional 25 minutes on the Elliptical! I did the "Weightloss" program which is just 5 minute intervals (low intensity/high intensity). I felt great afterward! Ready for a shower, but great! :)
Depending on what we have going on this weekend, I might try to squeeze in 1 workout either tomorrow or Sunday. I'm excited to start a new routine Monday! Branden believes that I should switch my workout every 2 weeks, so my muscles don't get too accustomed to what I'm making them do, because that's when they stop progressing. Makes sense!
Well, that's about all that I have for today! You'll notice that I didn't post my menu for today, because it's pretty much up in the air right now.. I had my protein shake and 1/2 WW bagel for breakfast and will have an apple w/ pnut butter for a snack but we desperately need to go grocery shopping so I'm out of my regular foods! I'm going to try to keep it healthy though - weigh-in tonight! :)
Have a great weekend!
I'm actually noticing a change in my body! I haven't been doing these hard workouts for very long, but I'm noticing some toning happening! I highly doubt that anyone else will notice yet, but I do! Obviously, I flex my biceps in the mirror every morning when I get home from the gym, and I'm noticing a difference there.. I also noticed that the extra pooch on my stomach seems to be diminishing and my abs are getting a little more firm. Not a 6-pack by any means - but we're moving in the right direction!
I went to the gym by myself this morning (by the way, I've decided to just stop depending on other people to show up with me at 5am) and completed the Friday workout efficiently - which, after I looked at it.. is not quite as I described it yesterday, see below:
| EXERCISE | REPS | SETS |
| BALL CRUNCHES | 20 | 1 |
| SISSY PUSHUPS | 10 | 1 |
| DUMBBELL LUNGES | 15 EA. LEG | 1 |
| WALL-SITS | 1 MINUTE | 1 |
| DUMBBELL SIDE BENDS | 20 EA. SIDE | 1 |
| DUMBBELL FLYS | 10 | 1 |
| DUMBBELL TRICEP KICKBACKS | 15 EA. ARM | 1 |
| DUMBBELL LATERAL CIRCLES | 10 FW/10 BW | 1 |
| 1 ARM DUMBBELL BENT OVER ROW | 15 EA. ARM | 1 |
| BARBELL CURLS | 15 | 1 |
| BARBELL HIGH PULLS | 12 | 1 |
| FLUTTER KICKS | 30 SEC | 1 |
Since I was only doing 1 set of everything, it went very quickly! SO I decided to throw in an additional 25 minutes on the Elliptical! I did the "Weightloss" program which is just 5 minute intervals (low intensity/high intensity). I felt great afterward! Ready for a shower, but great! :)
Depending on what we have going on this weekend, I might try to squeeze in 1 workout either tomorrow or Sunday. I'm excited to start a new routine Monday! Branden believes that I should switch my workout every 2 weeks, so my muscles don't get too accustomed to what I'm making them do, because that's when they stop progressing. Makes sense!
Well, that's about all that I have for today! You'll notice that I didn't post my menu for today, because it's pretty much up in the air right now.. I had my protein shake and 1/2 WW bagel for breakfast and will have an apple w/ pnut butter for a snack but we desperately need to go grocery shopping so I'm out of my regular foods! I'm going to try to keep it healthy though - weigh-in tonight! :)
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Progress!
Howdy!
I'm feeling pretty good today! Tired(as usual), but good! Lauren and I met at the gym at 5 this morning to do the Thursday workout. There was extra cardio and few regular exercises today. It was kind of nice to switch things up a bit. I'm actually surprised that I was sore from the ball crunches yesterday - and we had 4 sets of 20 to do today as well, which made it a bit more challenging, but it felt good!
I got on the Elliptical today to do my last 10 minutes on "Medium" speed and it didn't even bother me! Normally by the end of medium and definitely fast, I'm huffin and puffin, about to blow somebody's house down - but not today! Granted, at the end of the 5 minutes on "Fast" I wasn't feeling so FIT but it felt really good to be comfortable after the 10 minutes! I suppose it's time to 'up' the resistance?
Tomorrow is my Friday workout and I don't think I have a digital copy to post - but basically it's 1 set of all of the exercises I do throughout the week with no extra cardio.... so basically just going one exercise to the next, bangin 'em out with little rest in between. Should be fun!
I'm excited to start a new workout routine next week (given that Bran has time to make it this weekend!).
Last night was the last pretty day for a while (it just got cold again! Color me PISSED!) but I didn't go on a walk b/c I was SO tired.. I'm still regretting that but shoulda, coulda, woulda - right? Instead, I made dinner at mom's house:
Grilled Chicken Tacos w/ Rice and Beans:
Boneless/skinless Chicken Breasts seasoned and grilled
WW Tortillas
Grilled Bell Peppers and Onions (Tossed in EVOO and Garlic Powder)
FF Sour Cream
Lettuce
Organic Spicy Guacamole
Salsa
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Low Sodium Black Beans and Corn
It was totally yummy!! I'm telling you.. grilling season is MY season!
I'm running out of food at my house so my menu plan is getting pretty lame lol.
Today:
Breakfast:
3/8 WW Bagel w/ Butter Substitute
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ Berries and Grahams
Lunch:
Small Apple w/ Natural Pnut Butt and Raisins
Snack:
...water
Dinner:
TBD.. maybe chicken chilli or something?
Probably won't get any additional exercise in today, I need to go to Michael's/Hobby Lobby to shop for a Bridal Hairpiece that I'm working on when I get off of work.
BTW - note to Fitworks - (seriously considering sending an email) - Lauren and I are WAY tired of sweatin to the oldies in the mornings! Fitworks has the worst music playing every morning! It's not that it's bad music in general, but bad workout music! I want to hear music that would be playing in a gay bar. (Think techno versions of every hip-hop/pop/r&b song out there) You would be surprised how much your environment will affect your workout!
Oh well, I just need to suck it up and bust ass!
Until tomorrow!
I'm feeling pretty good today! Tired(as usual), but good! Lauren and I met at the gym at 5 this morning to do the Thursday workout. There was extra cardio and few regular exercises today. It was kind of nice to switch things up a bit. I'm actually surprised that I was sore from the ball crunches yesterday - and we had 4 sets of 20 to do today as well, which made it a bit more challenging, but it felt good!
I got on the Elliptical today to do my last 10 minutes on "Medium" speed and it didn't even bother me! Normally by the end of medium and definitely fast, I'm huffin and puffin, about to blow somebody's house down - but not today! Granted, at the end of the 5 minutes on "Fast" I wasn't feeling so FIT but it felt really good to be comfortable after the 10 minutes! I suppose it's time to 'up' the resistance?
Tomorrow is my Friday workout and I don't think I have a digital copy to post - but basically it's 1 set of all of the exercises I do throughout the week with no extra cardio.... so basically just going one exercise to the next, bangin 'em out with little rest in between. Should be fun!
I'm excited to start a new workout routine next week (given that Bran has time to make it this weekend!).
Last night was the last pretty day for a while (it just got cold again! Color me PISSED!) but I didn't go on a walk b/c I was SO tired.. I'm still regretting that but shoulda, coulda, woulda - right? Instead, I made dinner at mom's house:
Grilled Chicken Tacos w/ Rice and Beans:
Boneless/skinless Chicken Breasts seasoned and grilled
WW Tortillas
Grilled Bell Peppers and Onions (Tossed in EVOO and Garlic Powder)
FF Sour Cream
Lettuce
Organic Spicy Guacamole
Salsa
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Low Sodium Black Beans and Corn
It was totally yummy!! I'm telling you.. grilling season is MY season!
I'm running out of food at my house so my menu plan is getting pretty lame lol.
Today:
Breakfast:
3/8 WW Bagel w/ Butter Substitute
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ Berries and Grahams
Lunch:
Small Apple w/ Natural Pnut Butt and Raisins
Snack:
...water
Dinner:
TBD.. maybe chicken chilli or something?
Probably won't get any additional exercise in today, I need to go to Michael's/Hobby Lobby to shop for a Bridal Hairpiece that I'm working on when I get off of work.
BTW - note to Fitworks - (seriously considering sending an email) - Lauren and I are WAY tired of sweatin to the oldies in the mornings! Fitworks has the worst music playing every morning! It's not that it's bad music in general, but bad workout music! I want to hear music that would be playing in a gay bar. (Think techno versions of every hip-hop/pop/r&b song out there) You would be surprised how much your environment will affect your workout!
Oh well, I just need to suck it up and bust ass!
Until tomorrow!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Dragging..
Definitely draggin ass today! My lovely adorable little baby decided that she wanted to pull mommy's hair.. all night long.. needless to say, mommy didn't get much sleep! BUT mommy did still wake up at 5 and drag her sleepy ass to the gym with Lauren! We did the Wednesday workout, with some slight alterations due to lack of time. We skipped the flutter kicks, lat pull-downs and the last elliptical round (don't tell Branden!) I am just happy that I got through everything that I did, I definitely wasn't feeling it today!
However - I did take Nora on a 2 mile walk(hike!) last night! I walked really fast and there were alot of hills involved so I know I burned some serious calories! Overall, it took about 1 hour to make the full loop. If it's not raining when I get home, we just might take another one!
I'm being bad today and eating J. Gumbo's for lunch.. they're getting it at work and I absolutely LOVE it! I know that it's almost a day's worth of calories but I figure I'll just work it out tonight and tomorrow!
I didn't have much for dinner last night, just a few bites of ground turkey sloppy joe.. I was still sweating from my walk and I never have much of an appetite when I'm hot!
Not much to report today.. I'm feeling pretty good about my workouts and positive/hopeful about my nutrition. I'm happy to be over the 'hump' and ready to finish this week and weigh-in on Friday! I have to get on an airplane for the first time in a few years in 2 weeks... the last time I flew I had to get a seatbelt extender, which was just shy of mortifying.. but I'm hoping I won't need that this time? We'll see!
I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!
However - I did take Nora on a 2 mile walk(hike!) last night! I walked really fast and there were alot of hills involved so I know I burned some serious calories! Overall, it took about 1 hour to make the full loop. If it's not raining when I get home, we just might take another one!
I'm being bad today and eating J. Gumbo's for lunch.. they're getting it at work and I absolutely LOVE it! I know that it's almost a day's worth of calories but I figure I'll just work it out tonight and tomorrow!
I didn't have much for dinner last night, just a few bites of ground turkey sloppy joe.. I was still sweating from my walk and I never have much of an appetite when I'm hot!
Not much to report today.. I'm feeling pretty good about my workouts and positive/hopeful about my nutrition. I'm happy to be over the 'hump' and ready to finish this week and weigh-in on Friday! I have to get on an airplane for the first time in a few years in 2 weeks... the last time I flew I had to get a seatbelt extender, which was just shy of mortifying.. but I'm hoping I won't need that this time? We'll see!
I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
UGH Food.
Happy Tuesday!
I went to the gym this morning and did the Tuesday (arm) workout.. arm day is my favorite day. :) I went by myself again this morning (fail Lauren!) but that's okay, I'm happy I made it! AND I made it at 5 instead of 5:30 this morning! I decided I need to start going earlier because Branden will be going to work between 8-9am and I need to make sure I have an ample amount of time to get myself ready, cook breakfast and get sweet Nora ready! I woke up at 4 this morning.. that was really damn early. I'm sure I'll be ready for bed by 8 tonight (nothing new there!) but I am hoping to get some extra exercise in tonight while the weather is still nice! One of my favorite parts about the spring/early summer is taking walks with Nora! The weather was great last night so we went on a walk with Lauren and her little girl, Taylor.
I'm getting to a maybe not-so-good place in my lifestyle change. I tend to take things to the extreme and once I see things start to work, then I figure.. well, if I do it a little extra/harder/longer/whatever, I'll see better results! So today, I don't think I've had enough to eat, but it's almost a fear that is stopping me from eating. Listed below is what I've eaten, which may seem like a decent amount of food but for the size of my body.. it's not enough.. and I know that, but sometimes I feel like it's good to be hungry, because then you obviously don't have TOO MUCH - which is a common problem. One of these days I'll get this nutrition issue in check.
So far today I've eaten:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
3/8 WW Bagel w/ lowfat butter substitute (gave Nora 1/4 of my 1/2 bagel)
Snack:
Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and 2 grahams
Lunch:
Apple w/ Pnut Butter and Raisins
I think I'm going to eat some WW Pasta Salad... that will be good until dinner. Which, as usual, is TBD.
Last night, I made WW Spaghetti w/ chicken cooked in a fire roasted tomato and garlic sauce and with Italian stewed tomatoes. It was yummy :) I used a small dessert plate to help with portion control, which did help!
If Branden gets home in time tonight, I'll be going to bellydance. If not, I'll be taking another(longer) walk with miss Nora! Either one sounds wonderful to me!
Well, I'm off.. until tomorrow!
I went to the gym this morning and did the Tuesday (arm) workout.. arm day is my favorite day. :) I went by myself again this morning (fail Lauren!) but that's okay, I'm happy I made it! AND I made it at 5 instead of 5:30 this morning! I decided I need to start going earlier because Branden will be going to work between 8-9am and I need to make sure I have an ample amount of time to get myself ready, cook breakfast and get sweet Nora ready! I woke up at 4 this morning.. that was really damn early. I'm sure I'll be ready for bed by 8 tonight (nothing new there!) but I am hoping to get some extra exercise in tonight while the weather is still nice! One of my favorite parts about the spring/early summer is taking walks with Nora! The weather was great last night so we went on a walk with Lauren and her little girl, Taylor.
I'm getting to a maybe not-so-good place in my lifestyle change. I tend to take things to the extreme and once I see things start to work, then I figure.. well, if I do it a little extra/harder/longer/whatever, I'll see better results! So today, I don't think I've had enough to eat, but it's almost a fear that is stopping me from eating. Listed below is what I've eaten, which may seem like a decent amount of food but for the size of my body.. it's not enough.. and I know that, but sometimes I feel like it's good to be hungry, because then you obviously don't have TOO MUCH - which is a common problem. One of these days I'll get this nutrition issue in check.
So far today I've eaten:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
3/8 WW Bagel w/ lowfat butter substitute (gave Nora 1/4 of my 1/2 bagel)
Snack:
Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and 2 grahams
Lunch:
Apple w/ Pnut Butter and Raisins
I think I'm going to eat some WW Pasta Salad... that will be good until dinner. Which, as usual, is TBD.
Last night, I made WW Spaghetti w/ chicken cooked in a fire roasted tomato and garlic sauce and with Italian stewed tomatoes. It was yummy :) I used a small dessert plate to help with portion control, which did help!
If Branden gets home in time tonight, I'll be going to bellydance. If not, I'll be taking another(longer) walk with miss Nora! Either one sounds wonderful to me!
Well, I'm off.. until tomorrow!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Back in Business!
So last week kind of threw me for a loop and I completely abandoned my workout/nutrition plan that I had been working on. Branden was offered a great new job on Tuesday, so, naturally we had to go out and celebrate... and celebrate we did! Maybe a little too much celebration? I've finally come to the realization that any time I drink in excess, the rest of my week is pretty much done. Therefore, I have decided to stop drinking in excess! It leaves me completely hungover - so I'm not working out - and craving terribly, greasy food.. the typical hangover, right? I really want to stay focused so I'm going to focus on my betterment and leave the partying for everyone else.. Not saying that I'm completely abandoning my social life, I'm just going to be drinking in strict moderation from now on. Please don't get the wrong idea that up to this point I was some kind of party animal, let's be serious - I have a baby! I usually get the opportunity to go out and go crazy with my friends like once every 2 months or something..
Anyway, back to the topic at hand.. I made it back in to the gym today and did the Monday workout, or well, a modified version. I only did 2 sets of everything and skipped the last elliptical due to time constraints. With Branden starting his new job today, I needed to be home a bit earlier to get Nora ready to take over to my mom's house (ALL the way across the street! ha!) I'm just going to have to start getting to the gym earlier! (Hear that, Laur and Em?!)
Menu Plan today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
1/4 WW Bagel w/ can't believe it's not butter (shared with Nora!)
A few bites of egg whites w/ FF cheese
A few slices of strawberries
Snack:
Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and Grahams
Lunch:
Sun Dried Tomato and Pesto Chicken Pasta Lean Cuisine thing
Snack:
Small Green Apple w/ natural peanut butter and raisins
Dinner:
TBD
I'm hoping to go to Rabbit Hash tonight to bellydance to make up for the cardio I missed this morning (and because it's fun!) It's supposed to be nice and warm today so Nora can go with me!
While Nora was gone this past week, although I wasn't going to the gym, I was still getting my sweat on! We were working really hard on the house so I def burned a few calories, even if it wasn't on the elliptical :)
I should be switching up my workout soon, hopefully after this week? I'll talk to Branden about it tonight.
I'm SO excited that it's grilling season again! I made a delicious grilled meal for Bran, my dad and uncle Danny on Saturday.. wanna hear about it? Okay, here it goes;
RECIPES!:
Appetizer:
Grilled Bruschetta
Whole Grain Baggette, sliced on the bias, brushed with EVOO on each side, grilled bottom side a few minutes
Diced organic tomatoes, mixed w/ EVOO, Green Onion, Red Pepper Flake, and Garlic. Spooned on grilled side of bread, sprinkled Feta cheese and grilled bottom side of bread. Made Balsamic Glaze w/ Balsamic Vinegar and a little brown sugar, reduced down and drizzled over Bruschetta. Yummy, right? Not terrible for you either, other than that brown sugar in the glaze! (and the feta but it was just a tiny bit!)
Salad:
Spinach w/ sliced strawberries, green apple, red onion, pecan halves and feta w/ fat free raspberry pecan vinagrette. My FAVORITE salad, ever!
Meat:
Chicken marinated in Lemon Pepper vinagrette and good ol' bratwarst w/ grilled red onion for brats
Side:
Grilled sweet potato wedges:
Boiled sweet potatoes until fork-tender, cooled and sliced into wedges, dressed w/ EVOO, grated lemon zest, diced fresh cilantro, grilled a couple minutes on each side then squeeze lime over wedges and sprinkle green onion.
Totally delicious and relatively healthy!! Grilling season totally speaks to my culinary creativity - so there will be many more recipes to come!!
OH I also made homemade Whole Wheat bread this weekend! Yum!
Overall - I'm feeling pretty positive! I was feeling pretty crappy about myself over last week, especially since I deterred from my 'losing path'. It feels very good to be back on track!
Well, I'm out of here until tomorrow! Thanks for reading!
Anyway, back to the topic at hand.. I made it back in to the gym today and did the Monday workout, or well, a modified version. I only did 2 sets of everything and skipped the last elliptical due to time constraints. With Branden starting his new job today, I needed to be home a bit earlier to get Nora ready to take over to my mom's house (ALL the way across the street! ha!) I'm just going to have to start getting to the gym earlier! (Hear that, Laur and Em?!)
Menu Plan today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
1/4 WW Bagel w/ can't believe it's not butter (shared with Nora!)
A few bites of egg whites w/ FF cheese
A few slices of strawberries
Snack:
Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and Grahams
Lunch:
Sun Dried Tomato and Pesto Chicken Pasta Lean Cuisine thing
Snack:
Small Green Apple w/ natural peanut butter and raisins
Dinner:
TBD
I'm hoping to go to Rabbit Hash tonight to bellydance to make up for the cardio I missed this morning (and because it's fun!) It's supposed to be nice and warm today so Nora can go with me!
While Nora was gone this past week, although I wasn't going to the gym, I was still getting my sweat on! We were working really hard on the house so I def burned a few calories, even if it wasn't on the elliptical :)
I should be switching up my workout soon, hopefully after this week? I'll talk to Branden about it tonight.
I'm SO excited that it's grilling season again! I made a delicious grilled meal for Bran, my dad and uncle Danny on Saturday.. wanna hear about it? Okay, here it goes;
RECIPES!:
Appetizer:
Grilled Bruschetta
Whole Grain Baggette, sliced on the bias, brushed with EVOO on each side, grilled bottom side a few minutes
Diced organic tomatoes, mixed w/ EVOO, Green Onion, Red Pepper Flake, and Garlic. Spooned on grilled side of bread, sprinkled Feta cheese and grilled bottom side of bread. Made Balsamic Glaze w/ Balsamic Vinegar and a little brown sugar, reduced down and drizzled over Bruschetta. Yummy, right? Not terrible for you either, other than that brown sugar in the glaze! (and the feta but it was just a tiny bit!)
Salad:
Spinach w/ sliced strawberries, green apple, red onion, pecan halves and feta w/ fat free raspberry pecan vinagrette. My FAVORITE salad, ever!
Meat:
Chicken marinated in Lemon Pepper vinagrette and good ol' bratwarst w/ grilled red onion for brats
Side:
Grilled sweet potato wedges:
Boiled sweet potatoes until fork-tender, cooled and sliced into wedges, dressed w/ EVOO, grated lemon zest, diced fresh cilantro, grilled a couple minutes on each side then squeeze lime over wedges and sprinkle green onion.
Totally delicious and relatively healthy!! Grilling season totally speaks to my culinary creativity - so there will be many more recipes to come!!
OH I also made homemade Whole Wheat bread this weekend! Yum!
Overall - I'm feeling pretty positive! I was feeling pretty crappy about myself over last week, especially since I deterred from my 'losing path'. It feels very good to be back on track!
Well, I'm out of here until tomorrow! Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Well...
Didn't quite make it to the gym this morning. My sweet little Nora is going on vacation with her Ya-Ya (my mom), Grammy (my grandma) and Aunt Krispy (my sister) today and I just couldn't stop cuddling with her! However, since she is not going to be there tonight, I am going to try to head over to the the gym around 7 or so, after the 'rush hour' crowd comes and goes.
Today is arms day and I do have the appropriate equipment to do this workout at my house but I think it's important to stay in the habit of actually going to the gym, so I'd rather go there. Plus, I always seem to get distracted at my house because I'm surrounded by my things.. at the gym I'm surrounded by.. well, gym and it's much easier to stay focused.
Today's Menu Plan:
Breakfast:
1/2 WW Bagel w/ Natural Pnut Butter
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and crushed Graham Crackers
Lunch:
BBQ Chicken Pizza Lean Cuisine
Snack:
Small Granny Smith Apple w/ Natural Pnut Butter & Raisins
Dinner:
Something with Asparagus? (I need to use it before it goes bad! ha)
For dinner last night I made Mexican-spiced grilled chicken on the George, Brown Rice with Black Beans and Organic Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. Layered these in a bowl with a sprinkle of Fat Free Cheddar Cheese and a dollop of Fat Free Sour Cream.. I ate 1/2 of my portion.
So I made a DECISION on my nutrition!
I have always hated the thought that it costs money to lose weight.. it has never made much sense to me. The fact that some people (honestly) claim that they 'can't afford' to be healthy due to the cost of healthy foods, makes me.. well, sad. So I am going to plan my nutrition using the resources at hand: the knowledge already in my brain, and the internet for additional information as needed. It will take more time and research than just going and buying someone else's book or buying into a diet plan, but I'm determined to do this completely on my own (with the help of the World Wide Web :) ) and be successful! There are ways to get around paying high costs for health and I will show examples of this! I hope that someone who reads this will realize that it isn't an impossible challenge..
I'm going to organize my thoughts before posting any real details of my plan, so not to confuse any potential knowledge-seekers.. but I am really excited about this - and I think it's the best decision for my long-term success. :)
Until tomorrow...
Today is arms day and I do have the appropriate equipment to do this workout at my house but I think it's important to stay in the habit of actually going to the gym, so I'd rather go there. Plus, I always seem to get distracted at my house because I'm surrounded by my things.. at the gym I'm surrounded by.. well, gym and it's much easier to stay focused.
Today's Menu Plan:
Breakfast:
1/2 WW Bagel w/ Natural Pnut Butter
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and crushed Graham Crackers
Lunch:
BBQ Chicken Pizza Lean Cuisine
Snack:
Small Granny Smith Apple w/ Natural Pnut Butter & Raisins
Dinner:
Something with Asparagus? (I need to use it before it goes bad! ha)
For dinner last night I made Mexican-spiced grilled chicken on the George, Brown Rice with Black Beans and Organic Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. Layered these in a bowl with a sprinkle of Fat Free Cheddar Cheese and a dollop of Fat Free Sour Cream.. I ate 1/2 of my portion.
So I made a DECISION on my nutrition!
I have always hated the thought that it costs money to lose weight.. it has never made much sense to me. The fact that some people (honestly) claim that they 'can't afford' to be healthy due to the cost of healthy foods, makes me.. well, sad. So I am going to plan my nutrition using the resources at hand: the knowledge already in my brain, and the internet for additional information as needed. It will take more time and research than just going and buying someone else's book or buying into a diet plan, but I'm determined to do this completely on my own (with the help of the World Wide Web :) ) and be successful! There are ways to get around paying high costs for health and I will show examples of this! I hope that someone who reads this will realize that it isn't an impossible challenge..
I'm going to organize my thoughts before posting any real details of my plan, so not to confuse any potential knowledge-seekers.. but I am really excited about this - and I think it's the best decision for my long-term success. :)
Until tomorrow...
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Ups and the Downs..
As high as I was feeling yesterday, I'm feeling a bit low today. It may sound strange, but I'm a bit disappointed in my body right now. I went through the Monday workout this morning in a different order than last week; I rearranged according to the set-up of the gym to try to be more time-efficient. I did well with the flutter kicks, but struggled terribly with the raised planks which was quite surprising. It made me upset b/c I don't like to give up on things but for some reason it was like murder trying to get through 30-second sets! I was working out alone so I'm hoping that it's not just because I didn't have someone there doing it with me (I don't want to think I'm THAT dependant!), either way I'm less than pleased. I get really frustrated at times because I remember in high school and how easily all of these workout came to me and it's incredibly maddening knowing that I let myself/my body get to the point where it has. BUT we must keep our heads up, musn't we? We'll re-visit the planks later this week and hopefully do better.
When I was getting ready for work this morning I threw on my 4" platform heels and made it out to my car, only to realize there was no way in hell I was making it through the day in those shoes after doing a killer leg workout this morning! ha SO, Uggs it is!
Nora is going on vacation with her Ya-Ya (my mom), my sister and my grandma this week.. leaving tomorrow and not coming home until Sunday! (yikes!) I'm freaking out a little about being away from her for so long (obviously, this has NEVER happened before!) but I am going to take advantage of the extra time and try to throw in some extra exercise this week. I would love to try a Zumba and Spinning class. :)
Menu for Today: (probably will look familiar - I don't change it up much!)
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural Pnut Butter
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ 2 crushed plain Graham Crackers & blueberries, raspberries & blackberries
Lunch:
Green Apple w/ natural Pnut Butter & Raisins
Snack:
WW Pasta Salad
I also have a banana sitting next to me I'll eat eventually..
Dinner:
TBD
Goals for this Week:
Lose at LEAST 3 more pounds
Drink More Water
Be far more STRICT on nutrition
Decide on nutrition plan
Sorry I haven't gotten around to the before pictures yet.. I may try to have my mom take them tonight? As funny as it sounds, I can't bring myself to ask my husband to do it. I know he's seen me at my best and my worst but I think the purpose behind the pictures is embarassing to me.. no one likes to admit that they have a problem, right? Then again, that is the first step to recovery, or so I've heard? :)
Well, I'm off... until tomorrow!
When I was getting ready for work this morning I threw on my 4" platform heels and made it out to my car, only to realize there was no way in hell I was making it through the day in those shoes after doing a killer leg workout this morning! ha SO, Uggs it is!
Nora is going on vacation with her Ya-Ya (my mom), my sister and my grandma this week.. leaving tomorrow and not coming home until Sunday! (yikes!) I'm freaking out a little about being away from her for so long (obviously, this has NEVER happened before!) but I am going to take advantage of the extra time and try to throw in some extra exercise this week. I would love to try a Zumba and Spinning class. :)
Menu for Today: (probably will look familiar - I don't change it up much!)
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim
1/2 WW Bagel w/ natural Pnut Butter
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ 2 crushed plain Graham Crackers & blueberries, raspberries & blackberries
Lunch:
Green Apple w/ natural Pnut Butter & Raisins
Snack:
WW Pasta Salad
I also have a banana sitting next to me I'll eat eventually..
Dinner:
TBD
Goals for this Week:
Lose at LEAST 3 more pounds
Drink More Water
Be far more STRICT on nutrition
Decide on nutrition plan
Sorry I haven't gotten around to the before pictures yet.. I may try to have my mom take them tonight? As funny as it sounds, I can't bring myself to ask my husband to do it. I know he's seen me at my best and my worst but I think the purpose behind the pictures is embarassing to me.. no one likes to admit that they have a problem, right? Then again, that is the first step to recovery, or so I've heard? :)
Well, I'm off... until tomorrow!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
3lbs Down!
Well, I officially lost 3 (or so) pounds this week! It's not a huge achievement but it's definitely a good start! I went to the gym yesterday (Saturday) morning and met Lauren.. we did legs and abs with a little extra cardio. I'm definitely back into the gym swing, I woke up like 5 times after 6am because I was so excited to get my sweat on!
I've done fairly well with nutrition this weekend, I'm happy to report. Friday night was the worst, Branden and I went and got J. Gumbo's and I had Drunken Chicken over rice. It's absolutely delicious and there's nothing fried which is good but I have a feeling there's about a billion mgs of sodium in it..
Yesterday, I actually didn't eat anything until almost noon. (not a good thing to skip breakfast!) Lauren and I took an impromptu trip to go buy a couple of extra gym t-shirts and to Kroger, and it just took a little longer than expected. When I got home, I had a Chocolate Protein Shake with Skim Milk, 1/2 Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter and 2 scrambled Egg Whites.
I'm excited to go to the gym tomorrow morning, starting with Monday's workout ON MONDAY! Crazy concept, I know. ;)
Overall, I'm feeling really great right now! My exercise motivation is in full force, I just need to LOCK DOWN my nutrition this week! There are so many options it can be a bit overwhelming, I just need to focus and decide.
Well, this is my Sunday report.. sorry if I was rambling! I'll report back tomorrow after workout, enjoy the remainder of your weekend, my followers. :)
I've done fairly well with nutrition this weekend, I'm happy to report. Friday night was the worst, Branden and I went and got J. Gumbo's and I had Drunken Chicken over rice. It's absolutely delicious and there's nothing fried which is good but I have a feeling there's about a billion mgs of sodium in it..
Yesterday, I actually didn't eat anything until almost noon. (not a good thing to skip breakfast!) Lauren and I took an impromptu trip to go buy a couple of extra gym t-shirts and to Kroger, and it just took a little longer than expected. When I got home, I had a Chocolate Protein Shake with Skim Milk, 1/2 Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter and 2 scrambled Egg Whites.
We took a family trip to the zoo, which was a great way to burn a few extra calories carrying/pulling Nora (in her wagon) up and down the hills between exhibits - not to mention a GREAT time with the hubby and seeing Nora's precious little face light up at the sight of the animals!
My friend Andi came over last night and we cooked a pizza from scratch - Pillsbury Crust (wanted Whole Wheat but couldn't find it! Shame on you Remke!), grilled chicken, part skim mozzarella, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, green onion, banana peppers and a little goat cheese.. pretty yummy! We also baked Mini Chocolate Cupcakes (read on before you judge!).. a friend of mine from work shared a great website with me - http://www.skinnytaste.com/ - they have a recipe for chocolate cake using Diet Cream Soda in place of the eggs and oil! See here: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008_12_01_archive.html We didn't follow it exactly, we got a Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix and the ingredients it called for were a bit different.. over all, the flavor was good but the cake texture was a bit... rubbery. So, just some tweaking is necessary! We're going to try it again, but make the whole thing from scratch as opposed to using a box mix.
Today has been a strange day of eating (timing wise).. I had a late breakfast of a Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk and 1/2 WW Bagel w/ peanut butter. Lunch consisted of a banana w/ All Natural Pnut Butter and Organic Guacamole w/ Organic Whole Grain Tortilla Chips.. Strange mix, I know! For dinner, I'm having a Turkey Burger on WW Bun, WW Pasta Salad and a vegetable TBD... and possibly a rubber cupcake.
I'm excited to go to the gym tomorrow morning, starting with Monday's workout ON MONDAY! Crazy concept, I know. ;)
Overall, I'm feeling really great right now! My exercise motivation is in full force, I just need to LOCK DOWN my nutrition this week! There are so many options it can be a bit overwhelming, I just need to focus and decide.
Well, this is my Sunday report.. sorry if I was rambling! I'll report back tomorrow after workout, enjoy the remainder of your weekend, my followers. :)
Friday, March 11, 2011
Oh, the Flutter Kicks..
I did them. I did a total of 120 seconds of them! To be quite honest, it wasn't as hard as I remembered... perhaps it was the atmosphere this time that helped me along? I was working out by myself today, my friends were unable to make it, but I still did the workout in its entirety! I'm already sore from what I did today, and still sore from what I did yesterday (and the day before).. so needless to say, I'm walking around like a very old man with some serious arthritis issues and a little gas pain. (But it's a good burn!! :) )
I'm having a very difficult time with the nutrition. I totally cheated at lunch yesterday, and I'm not at all proud. Rather than eating the lunch I brought with me, I decided I wanted something warm. (it's super cold at my desk!) So, I went to the Grandview Tavern and got 1/2 Turkey Club and a Cup of Chicken Tortilla Soup and it came with a small side of Sweet Potato Fries. Was it delicious? Absolutely. Was it worth the guilt? Nope. I've been coming across this craving for 'something warm' quite a bit lately, so to try and subside my tendency to go get something, I bought some Lean Cuisine lunches last night. Those are warm and all under 350 calories. (at least the ones that I bought are) They have an exorbitant amount of sodium but for now, they'll do.
I think I made the final decision to stick to my nutrition today. I was dressing for work (currently my least favorite time of day) and came to the realization that I had literally nothing to wear! I have 10 pairs of pants, none of which fit right now. It's really frustrating. So I ended up in a pair of jeans that are far less than comfortable.. I told Branden that I HAVE to find a pair of pants this weekend (and a pair of shoes :) )
When I was working at the weightloss center, the first week I just ate my regular food and started working out a ton. I ended up losing 2-3 pounds the first week. Second week, I STRICTLY stuck to their general nutrition plan, along with working out and I lost 9 pounds! This just goes to show that nutrition is just as important as exercise... but I'm a total foody and this is definitely my biggest pitfall. I can't wait until it gets WARMER! The summer forces me into healthy eating.. I crave nothing but grilled goodness and tons of fruit and crisp veggies.. Winter makes me want heavy/saucy Italian food and breeaadd... it's time for all of that to go!
Okay, my Menu Plan today that I am going to STICK with:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ 2 crushed plain Graham Crackers
Lunch:
Lean Cuisine Chick w/ Spinach & Artichoke sandwich
Snack:
Baby Carrots w/ Organic Salsa Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dip
Dinner:
TBD
Today's workout went really well so I think I'm going to go ahead and hit the gym tomorrow (Saturday) as well, doing Thursday's workout!
Thursday's (Saturday) workout is as follows;
looks like it's going to be a good one! Hopefully I can get a friend to join? (hint hint!)
ALSO - I have discussed this with a few people, I totally love chocolate and I'm not prepared to give it up forever.. SO I'm determined to develop a healthy cake/icing recipe. I'll keep you posted :)
Thanks so much for all of the support that I'm getting with this blog! You're all wonderful :)
I'll try to post over the weekend.. if not, Monday it is!
By the way, my heart is totally breaking for Japan and all of the earthquake/tsunami victims right now.. God help us all.
I'm having a very difficult time with the nutrition. I totally cheated at lunch yesterday, and I'm not at all proud. Rather than eating the lunch I brought with me, I decided I wanted something warm. (it's super cold at my desk!) So, I went to the Grandview Tavern and got 1/2 Turkey Club and a Cup of Chicken Tortilla Soup and it came with a small side of Sweet Potato Fries. Was it delicious? Absolutely. Was it worth the guilt? Nope. I've been coming across this craving for 'something warm' quite a bit lately, so to try and subside my tendency to go get something, I bought some Lean Cuisine lunches last night. Those are warm and all under 350 calories. (at least the ones that I bought are) They have an exorbitant amount of sodium but for now, they'll do.
I think I made the final decision to stick to my nutrition today. I was dressing for work (currently my least favorite time of day) and came to the realization that I had literally nothing to wear! I have 10 pairs of pants, none of which fit right now. It's really frustrating. So I ended up in a pair of jeans that are far less than comfortable.. I told Branden that I HAVE to find a pair of pants this weekend (and a pair of shoes :) )
When I was working at the weightloss center, the first week I just ate my regular food and started working out a ton. I ended up losing 2-3 pounds the first week. Second week, I STRICTLY stuck to their general nutrition plan, along with working out and I lost 9 pounds! This just goes to show that nutrition is just as important as exercise... but I'm a total foody and this is definitely my biggest pitfall. I can't wait until it gets WARMER! The summer forces me into healthy eating.. I crave nothing but grilled goodness and tons of fruit and crisp veggies.. Winter makes me want heavy/saucy Italian food and breeaadd... it's time for all of that to go!
Okay, my Menu Plan today that I am going to STICK with:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ 2 crushed plain Graham Crackers
Lunch:
Lean Cuisine Chick w/ Spinach & Artichoke sandwich
Snack:
Baby Carrots w/ Organic Salsa Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dip
Dinner:
TBD
Today's workout went really well so I think I'm going to go ahead and hit the gym tomorrow (Saturday) as well, doing Thursday's workout!
Thursday's (Saturday) workout is as follows;
| 10 MIN | BIKE | MEDIUM | 1 |
| STEP-UPS | 10 R LEG / 10 L LEG | 4 | |
| 5 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | FAST | 1 |
| RAISED PLANKS | 30 SECONDS | 4 | |
| 5 MIN | BIKE | FAST | 1 |
| WALL SITS | 30 SECONDS | 3 | |
| BALL CRUNCHES | 20 | 2 | |
| 10 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | MEDIUM | 1 |
| FLUTTER KICKS | 30 SECONDS | 6 | |
| 10 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | FAST | 1 |
looks like it's going to be a good one! Hopefully I can get a friend to join? (hint hint!)
ALSO - I have discussed this with a few people, I totally love chocolate and I'm not prepared to give it up forever.. SO I'm determined to develop a healthy cake/icing recipe. I'll keep you posted :)
Thanks so much for all of the support that I'm getting with this blog! You're all wonderful :)
I'll try to post over the weekend.. if not, Monday it is!
By the way, my heart is totally breaking for Japan and all of the earthquake/tsunami victims right now.. God help us all.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Holy Quads, Batman!
Cheese and rice, my quads are burning from yesterday! I'm quite proud of myself, I fought through the pain and got to the gym this morning to complete the Tuesday workout, start to finish. :) As you can see from the posted workout yesterday, I did arms today. I met up with Emily and Terra at the gym.. but they were in no mood for a real workout so we chatted while I ran through mine. It was still nice to have someone to talk to! I hate the fact that all of the wanna-be body builders are coming to the gym so early in the morning now! I vote that if you have a bicep larger than a certain measurement and a shaved head, you should only be permitted in the gym from 3-5pm.. because they're just not fun to work around.. with their judging eyes.. !
Anywayyy, Branden was not very happy to hear that I skipped the flutter kicks yesterday! (oops!) He pointed out that just because something is hard, doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It's something to work for! He said "Even if you can only do 10 seconds - do the 10 seconds, rest, and do another 10 seconds." That makes sense. I have flutter kicks coming up in another workout soon.. and I'm going to try them :)
Yet again, nutrition followed plan up until dinner. (Are we seeing a pattern, here?) It was my friend Dale's birthday yesterday so a few friends gathered for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. Branden and I split Chicken Fajita for 2.. I won't dare call it healthy, but at least it wasn't deep fried? And I didn't get the opportunity to eat very much while taking care of Nora, so that actually worked to my advantage!
Okay, today's menu plan:
Breakfast:
Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ 2% Milk (I NEVER drink 2%, but I have to go to the store..I'm out of Skim!)
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ crushed Graham Crackers - 185 Calories (I measured today!)
Lunch:
Salad;
Mixed Spring Greens w/ Raisins, Croutons, Grated Parmesan and Light Cesar Dressing - 280 Calories
Snack:
Organic Baby Carrots w/ Organic Salsa Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dip - 100 Calories
Dinner:
I'm not even going to list it.. we all know what happens here! ;)
Tomorrow's Workout:
Looks like we're working on Back tomorrow! Ohhh I see those flutter kicks staring me down.. and 6 sets this time! Sheesh..
I'm starting to get really excited about it all. I'm noticing this morning that I seem to have more energy - which makes me assume that it's not necessarily that I'm just tired, but I've been depressed and that's what's killing my energy. Getting more excited about these workouts, and seeing the support from my friends and family is helping to lift that cloud of depression and it feels great!
This weekend I'm going to work on getting a "Before" picture up!
Thanks for following.. and have a great Thursday, I know I will. :)
Anywayyy, Branden was not very happy to hear that I skipped the flutter kicks yesterday! (oops!) He pointed out that just because something is hard, doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It's something to work for! He said "Even if you can only do 10 seconds - do the 10 seconds, rest, and do another 10 seconds." That makes sense. I have flutter kicks coming up in another workout soon.. and I'm going to try them :)
Yet again, nutrition followed plan up until dinner. (Are we seeing a pattern, here?) It was my friend Dale's birthday yesterday so a few friends gathered for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. Branden and I split Chicken Fajita for 2.. I won't dare call it healthy, but at least it wasn't deep fried? And I didn't get the opportunity to eat very much while taking care of Nora, so that actually worked to my advantage!
Okay, today's menu plan:
Breakfast:
Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ 2% Milk (I NEVER drink 2%, but I have to go to the store..I'm out of Skim!)
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ crushed Graham Crackers - 185 Calories (I measured today!)
Lunch:
Salad;
Mixed Spring Greens w/ Raisins, Croutons, Grated Parmesan and Light Cesar Dressing - 280 Calories
Snack:
Organic Baby Carrots w/ Organic Salsa Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dip - 100 Calories
Dinner:
I'm not even going to list it.. we all know what happens here! ;)
Tomorrow's Workout:
| 10 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | FAST | 1 |
| DUMBBELL SQUAT W OVERHEAD PRESS | 12 | 4 | |
| 1 ARM DUMBBELL BENT OVER ROW | 15 EACH ARM | 4 | |
| BARBELL HIGH PULLS | 10 | 4 | |
| 5 MIN | BIKE | FAST | 1 |
| DUMBBELL CURL W/ OVERHEAD PRESS | 10 | 4 | |
| BALL CRUNCHES | 20 | 4 | |
| SEATED CABLE LAT PULL DOWNS | 12 | 4 | |
| FLUTTER KICKS | 30 SECONDS | 6 | |
| 10 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | FAST | 1 |
Looks like we're working on Back tomorrow! Ohhh I see those flutter kicks staring me down.. and 6 sets this time! Sheesh..
I'm starting to get really excited about it all. I'm noticing this morning that I seem to have more energy - which makes me assume that it's not necessarily that I'm just tired, but I've been depressed and that's what's killing my energy. Getting more excited about these workouts, and seeing the support from my friends and family is helping to lift that cloud of depression and it feels great!
This weekend I'm going to work on getting a "Before" picture up!
Thanks for following.. and have a great Thursday, I know I will. :)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A Better Day!
Today is a FAR better day! Not only did I get my body out of bed and to the gym, I met 3 of my friends there to workout together! A workout partner is always a great thing to have.. I find that my competitive drive keeps me motivated to do just 1 more. So I did the Monday workout today - with a few tweeks;
We eliminated the Flutter Kicks (not quite up to that), the Squat with High Knee Raise and the Oscillating Leg Lifts.. because we didn't know how to do those lol. Also, rather than the last medium speed Elliptical, we walked at medium speed on the Treadmill. I also added 2 sets of 12 Oblique Twists (with 3 varying tension points).
Overall, I felt GREAT leaving the gym! Walking down the stairs was a bit tricky once I got home (weak quads!) but it felt really good to have completed a great workout!
The nutrition went as planned yesterday up until, yet again, dinner. My mom had cooked dinner by the time I got home (we live across the street from her - so there are a LOT of shared dinners!) and she made sauteed chicken with vegetables in some sort of alfredo sauce with whole wheat penne pasta and salad. Trying to avoid the creamy sauce, I opted for a salad. It was quite tasty!
Menu Plan for Today is as follows:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake
Whole Wheat Bagel
Snack:
Raisin Bran Crunch (not the best, I know, but I'm addicted!)
Lunch:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt with crushed plain graham crackers
Turkey and Pickle sandwich w/ 2 mustards
Snack:
Salad w/ Light Cesar Dressing
Dinner:
I'm planning for last night's dinner - I really want to use that Tomatillo Salsa - but we'll see when I get home. :)
Workout for Tomorrow:
Like I said, I did Monday's workout today, so tomorrow will be Tuesday's:
I really like doing arms so I'm pretty pumped about tomorrow's workout!
In general, I'm feeling pretty good today. My energy is still quite low and work is working my nerves today but my mom gave me a sample pack of her vitamins to try. Either way, I'm going to go get some Vitamin B to help. We're taking a family trip to the mall after work today.. Branden has an exciting interview Friday and he needs 'interview clothes'.. and I could SERIOUSLY use another pair of work pants. Ugh.. shopping for pants will be the death of me. If they fit in the waist, I have a sagging butt.. if they fit in the butt, hello muffin top! (ew)
Oh well.. until tomorrow!
We eliminated the Flutter Kicks (not quite up to that), the Squat with High Knee Raise and the Oscillating Leg Lifts.. because we didn't know how to do those lol. Also, rather than the last medium speed Elliptical, we walked at medium speed on the Treadmill. I also added 2 sets of 12 Oblique Twists (with 3 varying tension points).
Overall, I felt GREAT leaving the gym! Walking down the stairs was a bit tricky once I got home (weak quads!) but it felt really good to have completed a great workout!
The nutrition went as planned yesterday up until, yet again, dinner. My mom had cooked dinner by the time I got home (we live across the street from her - so there are a LOT of shared dinners!) and she made sauteed chicken with vegetables in some sort of alfredo sauce with whole wheat penne pasta and salad. Trying to avoid the creamy sauce, I opted for a salad. It was quite tasty!
Menu Plan for Today is as follows:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake
Whole Wheat Bagel
Snack:
Raisin Bran Crunch (not the best, I know, but I'm addicted!)
Lunch:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt with crushed plain graham crackers
Turkey and Pickle sandwich w/ 2 mustards
Snack:
Salad w/ Light Cesar Dressing
Dinner:
I'm planning for last night's dinner - I really want to use that Tomatillo Salsa - but we'll see when I get home. :)
Workout for Tomorrow:
Like I said, I did Monday's workout today, so tomorrow will be Tuesday's:
| 10 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | MEDIUM | 1 |
| SISSY PUSHUPS | 8 | 4 | |
| DUMBBELL FLYS | 12 | 4 | |
| DUMBBELL OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTEN | 20 EACH ARM | 4 | |
| 5 MIN | ELLIPTICAL | FAST | 1 |
| DUMBBELL TRICEP KICKBACKS | 15 EACH ARM | 3 | |
| DUMBBELL CURLS | 20 EACH ARM | 4 | |
| DUMBBELL LATERAL CIRCLES | 10 FW / 10 BW | 4 | |
| 10 MIN | BIKE | SLOW | 1 |
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
A Step Behind
Okay, so I'm having a bit more trouble getting disciplined than I anticipated. My nutrition went as planned up until dinner last night... Branden decided he wanted Cheese Ravioli.. which turned into...
Cheese Ravioli with Vodka Sauce
Grilled Chicken on the George (a SMALL piece - and I didn't over-cook it!)
Multi-Grain Bread
and Salad with Light Ceasar dressing..
Definitely NOT the most healthy meal.. but it was freakin delicious! I had killer heartburn after eating, though. Probably karma for breaking my own rules :)
...and THEN I didn't wake up for the gym this morning. All of my fellow mothers out there should understand just how hard it is to get out of bed when you're having a good sleep. My alarm went off no less than 1 million times and I just kept saying "next one, I'll get up!".... and then all of a sudden it was 7:30am and I didn't even have time to wash my hair.
I do plan to go to bellydance tonight so that will make up for my lack of gym time this morning. I haven't mentioned dance before but I used to be VERY active with Bellydance, practice about 2 times/week with performances a couple of times a month. Since having Nora, the mom guilt set in and I just couldn't justify spending the extra time away from her. I still don't like the idea of spending extra time away from her but I'm only committing to 1 practice per week and the occasional performance (which she can usually attend). I'm pretty excited about getting back into it!
Yet again, I plan to do my Monday workout tomorrow, so I'll post the Tuesday workout in tomorrow's post.
I'm hoping that I can get into the swing of things soon. I keep trying to think of what it was that made me so committed the last time I worked so hard at all of this.. ? I was working at a women's weight loss center and I think the support system there (and my competitive drive) really kept me motivated. I would love to join one again, but at upwards of $100/month, it's not in the budget right now. Perhaps something like Weight Watchers would really benefit me?
We'll see :)
As for Today's Menu Plan:
Breakfast:
Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ 4 plain graham crackers
Lunch:
Turkey and Pickle Sandwich w/ Regular Mustard and Horseradish Mustard on Whole Wheat Bread
Snack:
Granny Smith Apple w/ Peanut Butter and Raisins
Dinner:
Grilled Chicken (on the George)
Brown Rice w/ Black Beans and Organic Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Corn
I did successfully drink 64oz of water before leaving work yesterday.. I'll do it again today!
Until tomorrow... adios!
Cheese Ravioli with Vodka Sauce
Grilled Chicken on the George (a SMALL piece - and I didn't over-cook it!)
Multi-Grain Bread
and Salad with Light Ceasar dressing..
Definitely NOT the most healthy meal.. but it was freakin delicious! I had killer heartburn after eating, though. Probably karma for breaking my own rules :)
...and THEN I didn't wake up for the gym this morning. All of my fellow mothers out there should understand just how hard it is to get out of bed when you're having a good sleep. My alarm went off no less than 1 million times and I just kept saying "next one, I'll get up!".... and then all of a sudden it was 7:30am and I didn't even have time to wash my hair.
I do plan to go to bellydance tonight so that will make up for my lack of gym time this morning. I haven't mentioned dance before but I used to be VERY active with Bellydance, practice about 2 times/week with performances a couple of times a month. Since having Nora, the mom guilt set in and I just couldn't justify spending the extra time away from her. I still don't like the idea of spending extra time away from her but I'm only committing to 1 practice per week and the occasional performance (which she can usually attend). I'm pretty excited about getting back into it!
Yet again, I plan to do my Monday workout tomorrow, so I'll post the Tuesday workout in tomorrow's post.
I'm hoping that I can get into the swing of things soon. I keep trying to think of what it was that made me so committed the last time I worked so hard at all of this.. ? I was working at a women's weight loss center and I think the support system there (and my competitive drive) really kept me motivated. I would love to join one again, but at upwards of $100/month, it's not in the budget right now. Perhaps something like Weight Watchers would really benefit me?
We'll see :)
As for Today's Menu Plan:
Breakfast:
Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Peanut Butter
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Snack:
Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ 4 plain graham crackers
Lunch:
Turkey and Pickle Sandwich w/ Regular Mustard and Horseradish Mustard on Whole Wheat Bread
Snack:
Granny Smith Apple w/ Peanut Butter and Raisins
Dinner:
Grilled Chicken (on the George)
Brown Rice w/ Black Beans and Organic Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Corn
I did successfully drink 64oz of water before leaving work yesterday.. I'll do it again today!
Until tomorrow... adios!
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