My Addiction 7/25/13

What makes a fat person fat? Why can't that person just stop eating bad things or large quantities of foods if they know it's bad for them? Well, they're obviously just lazy, right? Not necessarily. Far too many times have I heard this excuse/blame given to overweight people - that they are fat because they are lazy or they simply don't care about or respect themselves. Sure, some people don't give a shit and just like to eat food because it tastes good... and then there are people that DON'T want to eat the food, but have a huge struggle between what their brain knows and the power of what their brain wants, and don't always win the battle. I am one of those people. I am an addict.

Food addiction is a real thing, my friends. I have struggled with the beast my entire life - and will continue to do so for the rest of my existence. Science has proven that, in certain people, certain types of foods can cause the same brain reaction as a highly addictive drug like heroin or cocaine. As with the drugs, the foods trigger increased transmission of 'feel-good' chemicals such as dopamine in the brain, which gives the immediate urge to eat again. And again. And that urge is strong. I've spent my entire life over-eating and not understanding why. Not understanding why my brain would focus so hard on an item of food and not allow any thought to overcome the desire for that food until I ate it - and the feeling that happened in my brain once I ate whatever it was (and this is regardless of whether or not I was actually hungry). Not understanding why everyone else could just have "a bite" or "a taste" of a piece of cake, and my brain would almost hurt if I didn't finish the entire thing. I would cry myself to sleep at night because I hated who I was and what my body had become/was becoming, but I felt completely powerless over what was happening. Being a teenager sucked. As I grew older and I became more knowledgeable about this topic and started to understand more about myself and my addiction, I quickly realized how hard I was going to have to work for the rest of my life to overcome this obstacle.

Food addiction is a tricky thing in a few ways:
  - Food is the most widely available drug in the world. Unlike any other controlled substance, it is something that can be attained nearly anywhere, by anyone, in any quantity and is constantly pushed in your face by advertising. Especially in America, the land of plenty, it is often used as a marketing tool or incentive (complimentary meals/food items, etc), not to mention it is a means of celebration.
 - You have to have food to live. It's that simple. Unlike most of the other common addictions, to quit cold turkey is an option. To remove yourself from an enigmatic environment is an option. Not with food. This is the most tricky (and irritating) part of this addiction - for myself, at least.

My relationship with food is interesting, to say the least. I have learned that I must instill certain restrictions on myself in order to no longer allow the food to control me, but rather I control the food. Two years ago I transitioned into veganism. This choice wasn't made because I care about furry animals, it was made because I wanted to feel better. By going vegan, I kind of set a trap within my body. If I eat shit - I will feel like shit. If I give-in to the temptation of a cookie or unhealthy/conventional food, I will be punished for that poor decision almost immediately with a giant headache, nausea and sometimes even slight tightening in my throat. While this may sound extreme to some, it works for me.  True to my masochistic ways, I have chosen a career that challenges my addiction every. single. day. I have chosen to be a chef and surround myself by my drug. So often I'm asked the question, "how do you not eat everything you cook?!" Well, because I know I can't. Because I know I don't want the 'dairy hangover' that comes within 10 minutes, and follows through to the next morning.

Don't get me wrong - I don't have this thing all figured out. As with any addict, I have my good days and my bad days. Yesterday was a bad day. I was tired, I was upset, I was not in control of my mind. I ate a bunch of shit I shouldn't have eaten and then I woke up this morning feeling like I had been hit by a truck and couldn't remember WHY I did that to myself. I have accepted the fact that days like these may come, but I intend to be as prepared as possible.

Why did I write this? I didn't write this to provide an excuse for myself - or for anyone else, for that matter. I wrote this because I know there are people out there that have never even considered that this is an actual thing. That this addiction even exists. Because I have encountered so many times in my life when people very close to me have said "then just don't eat it." as if it were that simple. I have accepted and feel that I have a control over my addiction and have no problem speaking about it. I also wrote this because I know that there are people that struggle with the same issue, but are too embarrassed to speak.

Roughly two and a half years ago I began my Losing Path and through discipline and determination, have managed to lose around 110 pounds, despite this obstacle. Has it been easy? Hell no. Am I happy I'm doing it? Absolutely. I hope to some day spend my life helping other people do the same

Update :) 6/25/13

Oh heeey! I know it's been a long time since my last post but I'll tell ya, it's hard out here for a pimp! Not really, I'm just busy :) As I mentioned in my previous post, I started a new job at a fantastic catering company and working there on top of school plus spending the time that I can with Nora and everything else in life has me pretty well occupied! I just happen to have a spare 40 minutes or so, so I thought I'd throw an update together!

I've gotten myself into a really great routine with my workouts! I was going strong for a solid month without missing a workout and even getting in a few 2-a-days when time permitted but, alas, the week of my birthday I slacked a bit and missed quite a lot. I was disappointed with myself for that but it also gave me an opportunity to take a step back, look at my goals and what I was doing and create a new workout plan. So I did! My new schedule is as follows:
Monday: Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders
Tuesday: Quads/Glutes
Wednesday: Chest/Shoulders
Thursday: Back
Friday: Hamstrings/Calves

I had my Monday workout yesterday (obviously) and did today's workout and dammit I feel AWESOME! I pushed really hard and I'm really proud of myself. I love waking up in the morning and being sore, knowing that that soreness is progress. I'm still struggling a bit with cardio, but I know I am just going to have to force myself into it. I just love lifting so much! But I'll never get this layer of fat off of my beautifully developing muscles if I don't do it, so I'm going to get back into a solid cardio routine. At least it's nice outside so I can go run! As I'm sure you've all seen, I've gotten into the habit of posting all of my workouts on Facebook and Instagram - not just for me to 'show off' but to use as a source of accountability for myself and hopefully motivation for someone else. :)
Nutrition has also continued to be a point of difficulty. The summer months always present so much temptation with all of the cookouts and delicious cocktails and I would be lying if I said I haven't given in to the temptations around me a few times. I am an avid believer of enjoying your life as you go on your journey to health/fitness... but I may be taking advantage of that belief a bit too much :/ which is also on my list of things to work on. My biggest issue right now is my schedule... Being in the culinary industry, we don't get standard breaks while working or whatever and I spend the majority of my time in a kitchen.. so I end up just snacking on whatever I'm cooking (leftovers, etc) when I'm at work, and it's not always the best option. I'm working on something to try to make the best of the situation but it's still a struggle at this point. I think it's mostly in my brain... I just need to lock it up.

Here's a current photo:

Anywho, it's about time for me to run to class! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.. I don't have any specific recipes on hand to share BUT if anyone has any recipe requests or questions about anything, feel free to email me at thelosingpath@hotmail.com or via Facebook at Ali's Losing Path!

Thanks for stopping by! Be happy and healthy, my friends! :)

A Faster Way 4/29/13

Hey there, hi there, ho there! Happy Monday, ya’ll. People get so upset when Monday comes but, for the most part, I love it! The start of a new week presents an opportunity to start a new routine, a new challenge, a new anything! I love it. J And, what do you know? I have some new things starting this week! I start a new (awesome!) job with a great catering company, a new fasting plan (I’ll go into further detail in a minute) and I’m preparing for a new semester at school (starting next week)! My body feels great, my brain (though slightly tired) feels great – and it feels great.

Let’s talk fasting, shall we? Intermittent Fasting (IF), to be specific. Basically, the idea behind IF is that for a period of time, rather than feeding your body energy through food, you force your body to utilize the energy that it is storing, thus burning glycogen, fat etc. The idea is that it will help you slim down and/or maintain leanness. A friend of mine does a 24 hour fast once every two weeks, so I gave it a shot. I did my first fast this past Wednesday and, well, I lived. Apparently I was pretty mean towards the end of the day (I have a hard time remembering?) and I know I was miserable. However, I woke up the next morning, ate ½ of a banana and then went and had a great workout! My body felt great, my brain felt great and I was in a fantastic mood! Furthermore, even after only one round of fasting, I looked at food differently… almost more as a privilege than anything else, thus making me be more conscious of and respect what I was putting into my body even more than normal. Since the first round, I’ve done more reading on the subject. I’ve seen various suggestions and timing plans that people have used and I have decided to try a different approach. For the time being, I will be fasting for 16 hours twice per week and 24 hours once every two weeks. So – on Sunday and Thursday, I will stop eating at 4pm and not start again until 8am. Then, once every two weeks I will go a full 24 hours without food. Within this time frame I drink a detox water (see below) and additional plain water. Some people call me crazy, (well, a lot of people call me crazy) but for some reason I enjoy the restriction and the challenge to my mind and my body. I’m also hoping that by training my brain to see the fasting as a benefit, it will help to curb my tendency to over eat and to actually STOP eating when I know that I need to. Only time will tell. J

Detox Water

6 lemons, sliced

½ cucumber, sliced

Handful of mint leaves

1 gallon of water

In a pitcher, combine all of these things and put in the fridge overnight. Drink this throughout the day to help clean out your body during the fast, in addition to regular water… and don’t choke on the mint leaves J

Seeing as how today is Monday, that means yesterday was Meal Prep Sunday! I took about three hours (I was taking my time) and prepped my meals for this week. Here’s the menu:

Breakfast:

½ c cooked quinoa w/ 1tbs raisins and pinch cinnamon. Microwave for 1-2 minutes then add 1tbs of fresh berries.

1 sprouted grain tortilla, 1 banana and 1-2 tbs PB2. Spread the PB2, lay down the banana and wrap. Then eat.

Lunch/Dinner:

Quinoa and Grilled Veg

½ c cooked Quinoa, 2 portabello mushroom caps (medium, ribs, stem and skin removed) and broccoli grilled with onion and blackberries. Seriously. Delish.

Mexi Salad

Handful of Mixed Spring Greens, ½ c black beans, 1/2 – 3/4c grilled tomato/onion/mushroom/bell pepper/poblano pepper with 2tbs pico de gallo

Tempeh and Chickpeas

1 c sautéed tempeh and chickpeas with ½ c tomato and cucumber salad and 2tbs homemade hummus

Snacks:

Snap Peas w/ hummus

Cucumber Sticks w/ Hummus

Sliced apple (skinless) with almond butter

Oh it’s gonna be a yummy week!

I’ve noticed my body starting to change again and I am PUMPED! I feel like it’s getting back to progressing toward a more firm and attractive shell, and that makes me feel great. I may or may not have been checking out my butt in the reflection of a window as I was walking down a hallway at school today and dammit if it didn’t look good! I’ve been lifting a lot but I’m trying to add more cardio back into my life. I know I need to cardio, I would just rather lift.. like all the time. So I’m trying to focus more on the HIIT cardio that I’ve mentioned previously. Today, I did the stair mill: 1 minute at level 15 and 2 minutes at level 3, repeating for 15 minutes. I’m not going to lie, I almost threw up. BUT I loved the burn and I’ll be doing it 2-3 times per week so I can get better and decrease the amount of down time J

Anyway, I’m going to keep on keepin on with my goals and my mission of developing the best me I can be! Thanks again for either continuing to follow me or making the decision to read for the first time, it’s certainly appreciated!!

Keep it fresh, keep it healthy, keep it clean. J

Until next time, folks!

 

Getting Summer Ready! 4/25/13

So, a few weeks ago, the beautiful miss Akilah posed a very good question: what do we need to do to get our bodies right for the summer?

While I’m a firm believer that there is no healthy or permanent ‘quick fix’ for any physical aesthetic issues we may have and also that one should maintain a healthy body year round, I know that this is a question that comes to the majority of women this time of year.  

First and foremost, I’d like to reiterate what I’ve already said about nutrition – it is single-handedly the most important part! You can go to the gym and sweat your ass off for two hours a day but if you come home and eat like crap, your body will still look like crap. Here are a few easy changes to make:

Sodium: Watch out for it! Sodium (salt) will make you retain water and look/feel bloated. You’ll find a load of this stuff in any pre-packaged or processed foods. This includes soups, instant pasta dishes, frozen meals, pre-mixed spices (aside from those made without salt), sodas etc. I don’t have to mention chips and stuff, right? Just don’t do it. Dining out can also be a big issue. There are tons of hidden calories and sodium in restaurant food… just think of where the food is coming from when the restaurant prepares it – are they using fresh ingredients or are they taking things from a can/bag/box and mixing them together? My rule of thumb for dining out? Don’t. While I love enjoying a nice meal at a restaurant just as much as the next foodie, it’s much easier to control what goes into your body when you are preparing the food.

Carbs: Oh, the dreaded carbs. While carbohydrates are absolutely essential for a healthy life – be mindful of how much you’re eating and where they’re coming from! Simple carbs like white rice, white flour, white potatoes (are you seeing a trend here? [hint – white]) basically turn to sugar when they process in the body and, when not burned, sugar turns to fat. Yuck, right? SO when you’re eating your carbs make sure that they are complex carbs and as whole as possible! I love to use quinoa (a complete protein as well as complex carb), brown or black rice on the occasion (black rice is a super food and is delicious!), and beans (I prefer black, again a great protein as well). Aside from the issue of simple carbs eventually turning to fat in the body, they will also make you bloat and retain water if eating too much. I like to keep my carbs at about ¼ of my total food intake. This is lower than the official suggestion of 60%, but with my goals, 25% or less works for me.

Fats: Okay, let’s get something straight – fat is not all bad. There are good fats and there are bad fats, we obviously want to stick with the good ones. Good fats can be found in extra virgin olive oil (make sure it’s extra virgin and of good quality!!), nuts (almonds, walnuts etc – be cautious of cashews, they’re like the French fries of nuts), good quality fish (if you eat it) like salmon, avocado etc. Stay away from anything that is ‘Fat-Free’ when shopping for foods. When they take out the fats, they supplement with extra sugar (in most cases) and you certainly don’t want that. Go for ‘Low-Fat’ instead although, honestly, I haven’t bought anything that needed to be ‘low-fat’ in QUITE a while. I’ll speak more on this in a minute.

Sugar: Stay the hell away. White sugar is the devil. It turns to fat and has been proven to cause cancer. Need I say more? While some foods (most fruits, for example) have natural sugars, you want to avoid added sugars. If an ingredient list reads any of the following: sugar, sucrose, corn syrup, glucose etc – don’t buy it. Especially if it’s one of the first things listed. Something that a lot of people don’t realize is that food packaging lists ingredients in order of proportion. So if sugar is the first thing listed, that means that that food item is mostly sugar. And you don’t want it. Also try to avoid artificial sweeteners as much as possible! That’s just like throwing a bunch of chemicals down your throat. If I absolutely need a sweetener for something, I go for raw agave nectar or brown rice syrup or something along those lines. Again, I avoid it like the plague but if I’m going to use it, it’s going to be from a whole, natural source.

Water: Drink the hell out of it! Seriously. Just don’t stop drinking it.

In general: I always always always recommend that you keep with a natural, whole diet. Eat as many fresh (organic, if possible) veggies and fruits as possible! Fill up on these naturally low-fat and low-sugar foods, then get your energy from whole and healthy carbs and proteins like quinoa, black rice, beans, or fish, lean poultry and egg whites if you eat it. When I said before that I haven’t had to buy anything ‘low-fat’ in a long time it’s this simple: the majority of the food that I purchase doesn’t have a nutrition label. If you were to see my grocery cart, you would see that it is 85% fresh produce. Aside from that, you’ll find beans, quinoa, sprouted grain tortillas, nuts, etc. Fresh, whole, healthy. J

OKAY – I’ll get off of my nutritional soapbox now and move on to fitness! There’s a common misconception that if you just go run for an hour, you’ll lose weight. Studies have proven that shorter bursts of higher-intensity cardio sessions will burn fat much faster than longer, lower-intensity sessions of cardio. This is called High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT. I absolutely LOVE this kind of training. Is it hard? Yes. But it works. Not to mention the fact that your cardio sessions are much shorter, and who doesn’t love that? I’m certainly not saying to NOT go take a long walk or a jog  or bike ride or whatever your pleasure may be – I’m saying to add-in some HIIT to ramp-up the fat-burning. A good addition to a routine is a Tabata. Tabatas are only 4 minutes in length – 20 seconds at max intensity, 10 seconds rest for a total of 4 minutes. Who doesn’t have an extra 4 minutes? Take caution though, it may sound easy enough but it is difficult and I recommend that you do some research before trying. J

In addition to cardio, you’re going to want to do some sculpting. There’s no reason that you have to go to the gym for this, you have your own weights between your face and your feet! Bodyweight resistance can be just as effective when your goal is to tone what you have. Here’s a sample circuit:

10 pushups

20 crunches

30 second plank

30 second wall sit

10 tricep dips

20 squats

10 lunges each leg

Repeat 3x

This shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes or so and can easily be done anywhere!

 

If you know that you have trouble areas that you want to focus on for the summer, then go for it. Worried about your arms? Start doing pushups, tricep dips and planks. Legs? Squat and lunge it out, girl. Abs? Planks, crunches, high-knees, leg raises etc. (all of this in addition to cardio – cardio burns the fat off so the toned muscles can be seen J)

 

I know this is a lot of information but what it all boils down to:

Eat healthy

Drink Water

Move your body

 

Really, it’s that simple. Any questions? Just ask. J

 

Cardio Killa - Day 2

Happy Hump Day!
I woke up a little late today but went to the gym and still had a good workout!  My legs were pretty sore from the hour elliptical run so I didn't spend too much time there, I did some alternative cardio instead.  (posted below)
Last night after work, I went to the organic produce market and got a whole flat of strawberries for $6! (that's 8 containers!)  I also bought 2lbs of raw organic almonds, cilantro, green onions, oranges, bananas, red bell peppers, cucumbers, lemons, limes and green apples - all for $24!  This place is like a gold mine.  The only downside is that the produce is typically approaching or just past it's prime, so it has to be used or frozen(if applicable) within the next couple of days.  My mom and I always do our shopping together there so the bell peppers, cucumbers, bananas, 1/2 of the strawberries and 1/2 of the almonds went to her house and the rest stayed at mine.  I washed and chopped all of the strawberries and put 3/4 of them in the freezer.  I love doing the strawberries like this so I can defrost them and add them to yogurt :)  The frozen strawberries in the store are like $4-6 per small bag!
After the organic market, I cooked dinner at my mom's house.  I made Spaghetti and Meatballs with a homemade shredded chicken sauce that my mom made and froze last week.  (we highly support making bulk ahead of time and freezing for convenience and economical purposes!)
I made the meatballs a bit differently since I was in my mom's kitchen and didn't have my ingredients...
Meatball Recipe:
1lb Lean Ground Turkey
1c Italian Breadcrumbs
1/4 Skim Milk
1 egg
1/3c Italian Cheese Blend
1tbs Minced Garlic
Pinch Red Pepper Flake
1tbs Chopped Fresh Basil (from mom's garden - so easy to grow!)

Pre-heat oven to 375

-Combine everything other than turkey in bowl until combined. 
-Once combined, add turkey and fold together
-Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray
-Form mixture into approx 1" meatballs and bake approx 15 minutes or until browning on edges
Enjoy!

Since I'm trying to cut way back on carbs this week, I skipped the pasta.  I actually had a very small dinner last night, just 3 meatballs with some sauce and a tiny bit of fat free feta.  Yummy!

After dinner, Branden took Nora to see his mom for her birthday which gave me a chance to run some errands.. I went to Walmart to get a stability ball which I am now using in place of my chair at my desk!  It helps enhance balance and is kind of a constant core workout, which is nice!  At only $16.77, you can't beat it :) Buy One!

I'm sitting on it right now and it's also fun because you can bounce every now and then and play a little :) (and sneak in a few crunches if you're feeling fiesty!) I also got new PJs, an outfit and a pair of shoes for Nora.  Walmart's clothes are super cheap but I think they're perfect for summer play clothes, then I won't get upset if  and when they get stained/ruined!  Aaaaand I got the Mariah Carey Music Box CD because that was my absolute FAVORITE MC CD and it was only $5! lol  Then I went to Meijer, we needed vitamins desperately and they seem to have the best selection/price.  I got Fish Oil (buy one get one free! Holla!), L-Argenine and DHEA.  All really great things that I take daily!  Vitamins are super important in living healthy - I hope you're taking yours, too! :)  My mom is a big vitamin person.. she was always trying to get us to take this and that but I hated taking the big horse-pill multi-vitamins so I never would lol.  At least I've wised-up! 

Workout Today:
Time       Exercise               Reps                 Sets
15min     Elliptical                Med/Fast
              Switch Steps         30sec               4 sets
              Quick Feet            30sec               4 sets
              Ball Crunches        20                    4 sets
2min       Treadmill               Walk
3min       Treadmill                Jog

I am so NOT a runner so I was pretty happy with myself for jogging the 3 minutes.. it may seem like a teeny tiny amount of time to most, but it's a pretty big deal for me :)  I'll work up to a marathon at some point!  (one of my goals :))
I felt good after the workout and was sweating my ass off so I must have done something right!  Tomorrow I might do another long elliptical day, still undecided? 
I'm thinking about buying some ankle weights just to wear around the office.  My brother had some and I used to wear them around my house.. I also used to walk around my house and shower on my tippy-toes to build my calves when I was in high school lol.  My brother had these shoes (pictured below) for football training and I used to love wearing those too!  They strengthen your calves and elongate your achilles tendon. (I have a slight obsession with calves)  I'm thinking I might get some after I get in a little better shape :)
You can buy them at Eastbay. 

Moving on to more food...

Menu Today:

Breakfast:

Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Banana w/ 1tbs Natural Pnut Butter (I was extra hungry!)

Snack:

1can Tuna w/ 1tbs Miracle Whip, 1tsp Yellow Mustard and diced dill pickles

Lunch:

Chick Pea Salad over Baby Spinach

Snack:

Cytomax Protein Drink

12 raw organic almonds

Dinner:

Chicken somethin-or-other.. update tomorrow!

Well, I think that's all I have for today!  Toot-a-loo!



Cardio Killa!

Howdy, folks. 
I went to the gym this morning and ran for 1 HOUR on the Elliptical!  I didn't have any pre-set time in mind when I got on.. just kind of figured I would go until I couldn't go 'no more.  I leave the timer on the 'count-down' setting and I got down to like 20 and 15 minutes and I was like I've gone so far.. I might as well just finish out this hour!  So I did!  I did a total of 10 minutes backward and 50 minutes forward, ranging between Medium and Fast speeds.  I was really happy that I lasted as long as I did!  The last 15 were DEFINITELY the hardest.. I was kind of counting down at that point lol.  My iPod (especially the Spice Girls song 'Come on Come on') got me through the last bit :)
My knee hurts quite a bit now, but that's nothing that I'm not used to.  I'll just ice her down later tonight.  Now I'm trying to figure out what to do tomorrow!  I'm not sure if I should do 2 big cardio days in a row or if I should do less cardio tomorrow and do some weight training as well?  I'll consult with a couple of people/the internet and make my decision later :)

Dinner last night was totally yummy!  I went to my mom's to pick up Nora and she invited us to stay for dinner.  The weather was absolutely beautiful so I played outside with Nora for a bit and we walked up and down the street with her wagon (I mostly just walked beside her while she threw rocks in the wagon).  Mom made a giant salad (Romain mix with carrots, red onion, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, craisins, fat free feta cheese and pecans) with grilled chicken and topped with a Balsamic Vinaigrette.  It was absolutely delicious!  I'll be honest, I had more than my share (about 1 1/2 portions) and I had some fresh and yummy watermelon.  Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE summertime food?!
Today is supposed to rain so I'm making rainy food for dinner.

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
1can Tuna w/ 1tbs Miracly Whip, 1tsp Yellow Mustard, 1tsp Horseradish Mustard and diced pickles

Lunch:
Chick Pea Salad over baby spinach

Snack:
Cytomax Protein Drink
12 organic raw almonds

Dinner:
WW Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
I think I'll just have some meatballs and sauce over spinach rather than eating the pasta

I did pretty well with the low sugar and carbs yesterday.  I ate just as listed yesterday and then I got to my moms.. My dad bought these tiny smiley-face cookies and they have 9grams of sugar, so I had 1/2 of one.  And I had 3 WW Goldfish Crackers.  Other than that, I stuck to it.
It's not that bad (although I do LOVE bread and sweet potatoes), it's just again forcing me to re-think every meal/food choice.. which isn't a bad thing.  Hopefully it will pay off at the weigh-in this Sunday :)

Well, I believe that's all for today!  Zumba is tonight but I don't think I'm going to go since my knee already hurts.  I'm able to go to Boot Camp again tomorrow.. but I'm not so sure.  I really enjoyed it last week, but I was so sore after the workout that it kind of impeded on my regular-scheduled workout.  I appreciate Boot Camp and I think it's a great workout BUT I think I might just stick to the workout that I have now.. and when/if I can afford to do the Camp, then I'll focus on that. 

Okay, now that's really all for today.
Adios!

Another 2.5 Bites the Dust

Lost another 2.5lbs last week!  Honestly, I was expecting a bit more considering how hard I worked out.. but when I thought back on it, I did more weight training than cardio.  I could very well have lost more fat, but in building muscle, I'm not going to see the difference on the scale.  Of course I would like to see it on the scale - but hearing people say that they can "see a difference" is also rewarding. 
This week I have decided to switch things up a bit.  I am going to focus more on cardio and less on weight training, and see how that works out for me.  I'm also cutting my carb and sugar intake down quite a bit. 
I didn't make it to the gym this morning, (not a great start to the week, I know) I was just exhausted and mistakenly set my alarm for 5:30 and then Nora woke up right around then too, so I decided to just stay home.  I would like to say that I will do something at home tonight but I find cardio MUCH harder to do at home than weights.  Unfortunately, I don't have a good space for cardio.  However, tomorrow I will definitely be going to the gym.
Food-wise, I wasn't the greatest this weekend.  Friday night, I ate 2 homemade flour tortillas (which were AMAZING but I don't even want to see the nutritional content!), Saturday wasn't too terrible, raisin bran for breakfast, chips and salsa for snack, skipped lunch, nuts and raisins for another snack then fajitas with black beans (corn tortillas) for dinner.  Sunday was my worst day - raisin bran for breakfast, leftover fajitas for lunch, baked pork roast with carrots/onion/mushrooms and mashed potatoes for dinner... and then chocolate explosion ice cream cake for dessert.  It was delicious.  The end.

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake with Skim Milk

Snack:
1 can Tuna w/ 1tbs Miracle Whip, 2tsp Yellow Mustard and diced Pickles

Lunch:
Chick Pea Salad (chick peas, cucumber, red onion, canned tomatoes w/ italian seasonings - drained, fat free feta cheese and light parmesan asiago vinaigrette) over baby spinach

Snack:
Cytomax Protein Drink

Dinner:
TBD

I'm also trying to cut down on the amount of food that I'm eating daily.  It's 9:45am and I'm hungry.  I'm trying to ignore it and hold off until about 11am for my snack.  I need to get some water, that will help fill me up.  I need to shrink my stomach a bit so I can get accustomed to eating less/smaller portions again.  So, for the next couple of days, I'll probably be hungry.. but then I'll adapt to my new eating habits. 

Anyway, that's about all I have for today.  I'll post updated workouts tomorrow after I figure it out a little better. 

Weight:
May 9, 2011 - 279lbs

Until tomorrow..

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Well today is one of my favorite holidays!  I know absolutely nothing about the history of it, or much about Latin culture for that matter, but I absolutely love Mexican food and celebrations and any reason to participate!  In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I made breakfast Quesadillas (recipe below), am going to a Zumba party at the gym tonight and will be making Tacos for dinner!  I can't help but to be in a good mood today!  PLUS the sun is shining for the first time in 10 years! 
I went to the gym this morning and, well, it was a little hard to get there.  I woke up SO sore from yesterday (which is a good thing!) and I was going back and forth about whether or not to skip.  Finally I was like, "What the hell are you doing? Get your ass out of bed and go sweat!" So, I did!  I did Abs and Butt today.  I didn't do any cardio because I was running late, but I'm doing 1 1/2 hours of Zumba tonight so I think that will more than make up for it :)  I got in a good ab workout today, though!  I think(hope) I'll feel it tomorrow!  I did the following workout:

THURSDAY - ABS & BUTT
TIME	EXERCISE	REPS	WEIGHT	SETS
abs	BALL CRUNCHES	20	N/A	3
butt	SUMO SQUAT	15	30	3
butt	45-DEGREE LEG PRESS	15	120	3
butt	HAMSTRING MARCH - BOSU	10	N/A	3
abs	6 INCH KILLERS	10	N/A	3
abs	SINGLE LEG BICYCLES	15 R/15 L	N/A	3
abs	INCLINE BENCH CROSS-PUNCH	10	5	2
abs	LYING LEG EXTENSION ON BENCH	10	N/A	2

Even without the cardio, I was still sweating and still felt good!  I'm sure I'll feel like a million dollars when I leave Zumba tonight :)

For dinner last night, I was going to make Tacos.. and then I realized that today was Cinco de Mayo and I should save the tacos for dinner tonight!  Instead, we had a SUPER simple dinner of ground turkey (browned in 1tbs EVOO, 1tbs minced garlic and 2tsp Worcestershire Sauce) with 1 large can of southern seasoned Hoppin John with vidalia onions and Brown Rice.  I cooked the meat and added the Hoppin John when it was almost done, which was about the time the rice was almost finished and then put the rice in with everything else and let it all simmer for like 20 minutes until most of the juices had evaporated.  It was surprisingly yummy!  I didn't read the nutritional content on the Hoppin John (crazy, right?) but it's just black eyed peas, vidalia onions and spices.. probably high in sodium but should have a decent amount of protein. 

Recipe Time!
Breakfast Quesadilla (makes 2)
4 Corn Tortillas
1c Baby Spinach, chopped
1/2c Red Onion, diced
1/4c Cherry Tomatoes, diced
1/2tsp Cumin
1/4tsp Granulated Garlic (or garlic powder)
1tbs Cilantro, chopped
Squeeze of Lime Juice
Egg Whites (6 real eggs, 1/2 - 3/4c liquid)
Fat Free Cheddar Cheese

-Spray skillet with non-stick spray (I use Olive Oil spray) and saute onion, tomato and spinach with cumin and garlic. 
-Saute for approx 4-5 minutes then add cilantro, squeeze of lime juice and egg whites.  Scramble as normal, stirring frequently
-While eggs are cooking, heat larger skillet and put in 1 corn tortilla, sprinkled with a little cheese.  Heat until cheese is melted, remove from skillet. 
-Eggs should be about ready at this point-
-Put another tortilla in skillet, sprinkle with cheese then put 1/2 of cooked egg scramble on top. 
-Top with other tortilla (with already melted cheese)
-Cook 2-3 minutes, flip once and cook another minute. Remove and cut into 4 pieces.
-Repeat to make 2nd quesadilla.
We ate ours plain but it would also be yummy with a little spiced greek yogurt (spiced w/ cumin, garlic, chili powder and cilantro)

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein w/ Skim Milk
Breakfast Quesadilla

Snack:
FF Vanilla Yogurt w/ raspberries and grahams

Lunch:
1/2 Turkey Sammy (turkey, mustard and pickles on WW)
Little bit of leftover black beans (not enough for salad)

Snack:
Banana
Low Salt Pretzels

Dinner:
Chicken Tacos
I made fresh homemade guac this morning for the tacos (avacado, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, s&p and lime juice) and already have the chicken cooking in the crock pot!  I put 3 chicken breasts in the pot with 1 can of diced tomatoes with jalapenos, garlic, cumin, cilantro and lime juice.  I'll shred it when I get home and serve on corn tortillas and boston lettuce wraps with black beans and corn!  Ole!

I'm super pumped about the Zumba party tonight!  I have a couple of friends going with me so it should be a lot of fun!  I'll report back tomorrow :)

Well, gotta go!

Minus 2.5

Howdy!  As you may have guessed, I lost another 2.5lbs last week!  When I first saw it, it seemed like such a disappointment and insignificant loss but then I started thinking.. if I lose even just 2lbs a week for the rest of the year, I will have lost 64lbs by Christmas!  Now that's a number that makes me smile!  It's so hard to be intimidated when looking at the big number like when I would think "I want to lose 100 pounds" I would immediately be discouraged because it sounds like such a HUGE number!  Thinking of it as 2lbs per week.. far less intimidating :).  Plus, that's just an average - so even if I have weeks where I only lose 1 pound, the weeks where I bust EXTRA ass and lose 4 or so will more than make-up for that!
So, what I'm trying to say is I'm happy with 2.5lbs :)

This weekend went pretty well.  I didn't go to the gym at all because 1. My body was super sore from working so hard last week and 2. Branden was bustin my chops about needing to take at least 2 days off to give my body time to recover.  So, I did. 
I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning (between snuggling with Nora and it pouring rain out of the sky), so I was a bit late getting to the gym.  I got through my whole workout, I just cut 1 set out of the Cable Squat Punches (they seem to take forever!) and I still got everything finished within 10 minutes of my usual leaving time.  I wasn't excited going to the gym but I just kept reminding myself how good I would feel when I was walking out.. and I was right :)
Saturday we went to a park for my friend Myrion's daughter's 3rd birthday party.  It was a lot of fun and Nora had a blast!  She doesn't get to play with other kids very often so it was fun to see her interact with them.  She did really well, we just may need to do a little more work on the sharing.  Oh, and she looked totally adorable too :)
The party was a cookout but I still did pretty well.  I made a fruit salad (easy recipe below) and I hate that and some pretzels, some veggies and some black bean tortilla chips with salsa.  I drank water and felt good when I left knowing that I didn't kill my diet! 
Yesterday was a different story.. I had my normal breakfast (protein shake and waffle), protein drink for lunch and then we cooked out at my mom's for dinner.  I ate a brat (on a white bun, yikes!) with grilled onion and ketchup, asian coleslaw (bad!), grilled veggies and baked beans.  I kind of dropped the ball on that one but I weighed myself after dinner and still weighed the same as Friday afternoon so that made me feel better lol (as if it's instant?).  Oh well, I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not going to perfect and eat perfectly every day.  I'm just committing to doing the best that I can while still enjoying my life. 

Recipe Time!
Fruit Salad:
2 Red Apples, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 Green Apple, ""
2c Dark Red seedless grapes, cut in 1/2
2 individual cups of Pineapple Greek Yogurt (or a light regular yogurt if you can find Pineapple flavor!)
1/2c Walnut halves and pieces

Put everything into a big bowl and toss until yogurt coats it all!  It's super yummy and simple and wonderful for a summer cookout or a quick snack!

I also made the following mixture to eat on lettuce as a salad for lunches:
Black Bean Salad:
1 can Black Beans
1 can Mexican Tomatoes (chopped tomatoes w/ jalapenos)
1c Frozen Corn
1tbs Adobo Sauce (canned chipotle sauce)
1tsp Cumin
1tsp Chili Powder
1tbs Garlic
Handful of Cilantro
Squeeze of Lime

Put everything other than cilantro and lime into a skillet and cover, simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add the Cilantro and Lime and cook for an additional 5 minutes, covered.
Let it cool completely and serve over chopped romaine lettuce, red onion and fresh tomato. Yum!

Food Today
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
WW Waffle, dry

Snack:
Cytomax Protein Drink
Few Raw Almonds

Lunch:
Black Bean Salad

Snack:
Fruit Salad

Dinner:
Grilled Chicken over Romaine Salad w/ Light Cesar Dressing

Oh yeah, I also started a Cleanse this week.  I've been wanting to do a detox for a while but it just makes me nervous, I don't want to poop my pants at work lol.  I took the first 3 capsules this morning and will take 3 more at lunch.. wish me luck! ha!

So today is May 2nd and on May 15th I'll be posting updated pictures of myself.  Now that I've put it all out there, I'm a hell of a lot more comfortable sharing my weight/pictures/almost anything!  Photos will be once a month, weight once a week.
May 2, 2011 : Weight 281.5lbs

Well kids, until tomorrow!

Nice Stems!

Oh the legs.. the legs.  I did my Legs workout this morning and I'm feeling a little weak right now lol.  Last night I went to Bellydance in Rabbit Hash and danced for about an hour and a half and got a good sweat on!  I miss dancing a lot and I was very happy to be able to do it again!
My workout this morning went as follows:

TIME	EXERCISE	REPS	WEIGHT	SETS
10 MIN	ELLIPTICAL	FAST	N/A	1
	OVERHEAD PRESS AND SQUAT	10	15	3
	CABLE SQUAT TO PUNCH	10	30	3
	DUMBBELL PUNCH	30 SEC	5	3
	WEIGHTED BACK SLIDE	10	90	3
	CALF RAISES (STRAIGHT/INNER/OUTER)	10/10/10	30	3
	WALL SITS	30 SEC	N/A	3
10 MIN	BIKE	FAST	N/A	1

Tomorrow is Shoulders and Back :) 
I'm excited about these new workouts but am wondering if I should switch them up and have 2 or 3 days of pure cardio and lessen the strength training?  I have a fear of loose skin which is a big reason why I do so much of the strength training... and I just love muscles (we've already went over that, right?) :)

I feel like crap today.  I very easily made the decision yesterday that I will no longer be drinking alcohol in excess.  Nothing good comes from it, really.  I can't even enjoy myself anymore because I know that I still have to get up early with Nora and I still have a ton of responsibilities waiting for me when I get home.. and it's just not worth it!  I mean seriously, I'm working on day 2 of a freakin hangover.  Pathetic.  My sister's famous quote, "I'm done!".

Menu for Today:
Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
LF Vanilla Yogurt w/ strawberries and fruit and nut granola

Lunch:
Chick Pea Salad (chick peas, banana peppers, red onion, feta cheese, diced tomato, EVOO, garlic infused red wine vinegar) and chopped grilled chicken

Snack:
Organic raw almonds

Dinner:
Turkey Meatloaf
Roasted Veggies

The weather is a stormy mess today so I do believe this evening will be a lazy one!  Considering the fact that I got NO sleep last night.. I'm completely okay with that. 

Well, until tomorrow!

TGIF!

Hello there, and happy Friday to everyone!
Sorry about the lack of post yesterday, I was working from home while also watching sweet Nora.. and sweet Nora is a busy Nora.. so I didn't have time to post!
I ended up not doing Zumba last night, it's 'that time of the month' and my lower back was cramping pretty seriously and I really wasn't feeling up to it.  In addition to not doing Zumba, I didn't make it to the gym this morning either!  Nora kept mommy awake for a good portion of the night and I 'snoozed' right through all of my alarms!  I plan to go tomorrow morning to make up for it, though :)
I did a good arm workout yesterday morning and I'm sore from it today!  I love being sore, then I know I've really done something.  OH! and I made my new workouts!  All on my own!  I'm so proud of myself lol.  I'll be starting these workouts on Monday and I can't wait!  The schedule is as follows:
Monday: Legs
Tuesday: Shoulders & Back
Wednesday: Cardio Only
Thursday: Abs & Butt
Friday: Arms & Chest
Each of the weight-training days have a little cardio at the beginning and end of each session as well.  I think it's going to be good!!  I'm also going to continue doing Zumba and Spinning so that's an additional 120 minutes of cardio per week. 

Wednesday night I mentioned that I was cooking Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries and a Veggie for dinner.  It was totally yummy and here's the recipe:
Turkey Burgers:
I keep frozen turkey burgers in my freezer as regular inventory so I used those and seasoned with Cumin, Granulated Garlic and Chili Powder, but if you want to make yours fresh, here's the recipe that I had (which sounds delicious!)
1lb Thawed Ground Turkey
1 small can Diced Green Chiles
1/2 tbs Diced Garlic
Low Fat Pepperjack Cheese
Romaine Lettuce
Tomato
Avacado
Whole Wheat Buns
Sweet Potato Fries:
2 Sweet Potatoes
1tbs EVOO
1tsp Ground Cumin
1tsp Chili Powder
1tsp Granulated Garlic
Salt & Pepper
For the Potatoes:
Pre-heat oven to 425
Cut your potatoes in 1/2" rounds and then slice the rounds into 'fingers'.  Put in a big bowl then add EVOO and the seasonings.  Toss to coat.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray w/ cooking spray.  Spread potatoes on cookie sheet in an even layer and bake for 30-35 minutes, stirring frequently (important step, they will burn!) Remove from the oven, squeeze a little lime juice over them and enjoy!
For the Burgers:
Combine turkey, cumin and garlic.  Shape into 4 patties and grill (I used George Forman).
Toast the buns under the broiler for a couple of minutes (keep an eye- they burn easily!) or directly on the grill.
Build:
On bottom of bun, put your patty, a slice of LF cheese (optional, I skipped the cheese to save calories/fat), a couple slices of avacado, slice of tomato and lettuce. Top with the top of your bun!
*I served this meal with Green Beans and chopped Bell Pepper sauteed in a little EVOO, garlic and worcestershire sauce. 

Yummy, right?!  And easy :)
So last night I made Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salso and Black Beans.  Again, yummy!
Shrimp Tacos:
1lb Medium Shrimp, deveined, shell and tail OFF (I couldn't find tail off so I had to pull it off of each shrimp!)
1tbs EVOO
2tbs Minced Garlic
1tbs Ground Cumin
1tsp Cayanne Pepper
1/4c Cilantro, chopped
1 tbs Lime Juice
4 Whole Wheat Tortillas
Pineapple Mango Salsa:
1 ripe Mango, peeled and diced
1 8oz can of Pineapple Tidbits in JUICE (not syrup!), diced
1/2 Red bell pepper, diced
1/4c Red Onion, diced
2tbs Cilantro, chopped
Lime Juice
Salt and Pepper
Black Beans:
1 can Black Beans
2tbs EVOO
1tsp Ground Cumin
2tbs Red Onion, diced
1tsp Minced Garlic
For the Tacos:
In a skillet over medium heat, add EVOO and garlic.  Cook for 1 minute then add Cumin and Cayanne. Cook for 2 minutes then add Shrimp.  Toss and cook until shrimp cooked through (opaque).  Once cooked, squeeze lime juice and add Cilantro, toss and remove from heat.
For the Salsa:
Dice the mango, pineapple, red bell pepper and red onion and add to a bowl.  Squeeze in a bit of lime juice, add cilantro, season with salt and pepper and mix, set aside.
For the Beans:
In a saucepan, cook EVOO and onion and garlic for about 2 minutes.  Add the cumin and beans and simmer for about 5 minutes.
To serve:
In a WW tortilla, scoop 1/4 of shrimp and top with a couple spoons of the salsa.  Wrap and serve beans on the side. 
This was really yummy and I plan to try it again with chicken to lower cholesterol and calories!

Okay, moving on to today! My menu for the day is pretty whack because I didn't have much time to pack anything this morning :(
Food for today:
Breakfast:
LF Vanilla yogurt w/ strawberries and crushed grahams

Snack:
Pineapple and a few natural raw almonds

Lunch:
TBD - I'm going to meet my parents and Nora :)  Something healthy!!

Snack:
More pineapple and almonds

Dinner:
TBD!  I'll update tomorrow :)

I'm kind of excited to weigh-in tonight.  Although I skipped the gym 2 days this week, I feel as if I've done well with my nutrition and the time I spent in the gym I did some pretty good work :)

I have made a decision that if I am going to commit myself to this I need to commit myself fully.. SO tomorrow I am going to finally post my before pictures and my current weight to track.  This makes me nervous.  Very nervous.  I never tell anyone how much I weigh.. so why not start with the whole internet, right?!
Oh well I just keep telling myself not to be embarrassed because it's only a starting point.. and at some point I'll be proud to tell people how much I weigh :)

So, until tomorrow..... :)