24 days have FLOWN by. I'm almost a month into this! CRAZY.
Anyway, today was a great day because my mom has decided to hop on the fitness train (YAY!) She started doing her Zumba videos again (I did today's with her, let me tell you even for a dancer it takes a lot of coordination to cumbia and bicep curl at the same time...) she is also incorporating Elliptical and she attempted to do INSANITY with me, but it is just a little too advanced for her.
She has been eating healthy with us, which helps, but I'm SO glad that she's finally exercising too. It's hard for me not to drown her in fitness and nutrition advice but I have to remember one thing, what works for one person doesn't always work for another.
One thing I do worry about my mom though is like in an earlier post where I addressed before, she is looking for QUICK results. My dad is already down over 20 pounds in the 24 days that we started this. But my dad was also a good 100 pounds heavier than me and he was nearly 50% bodyfat. He is losing at a good pace I just hope he doesn't hit a plateau. he is already halfway to his goal of 45 pounds and we are only a few weeks in. He has to keep progressing and maintain his weight until his birthday in order to win the contest he entered.
Anyway, my mom's battle for weight loss has always been a yo-yo quick-fix type thing, instead of a lifestyle change. 3 years ago, I decided to make a lifestyle change and although my weight has fluctuated a bit, since last year I have kept a solid 15 pounds off (I'm actually at 18 now!). Today she told me "you've lost 4 pounds, whoop-dee-doo" and it was a little demoralizing, especially when I look at my dad's progress. But I also have to keep in mind that I was already a fit person. And I am putting on muscle as I'm losing weight. My arms and shoulders are very toned and I'm seeing more definition in my legs everyday. My mom may not want my advice, and maybe she won't need it. But like I said before slow and steady will win the race!
I looked at my INSANITY calendar for month two and it is crazy. The workouts are in excess of an hour long and there is a rotation of 5 videos... AND when you take the fit test you still have a workout afterwards! Maybe this "maxed out" month two is what I need to increase my results. I really wanted to start running and lifting again but my mom convinced me to wait until after the program is finished before I go sign up for a gym membership. I decided that it can wait, because I do want to make a lifestyle change and keep this new body I'm getting. My dad and I went into a bet to see who can get a six pack first. And I'm going to win, dangit!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Because Change is Good (INSANITY DAY 23)
I got that catchphrase from Pure Bikram Yoga, the yoga studio I attended over the summer. People are naturally afraid of change. But change can be good!
This saying is sooooo true, especially when it comes to weight loss. We get excited about working out. We start eating healthier, we start a workout regimen, and the weight just falls off. Then BAM. The scale won't budge. But why??? You're still following the same meal plan and doing the same gym routine that you were before, why isn't it working anymore??? That right there is the problem.
That's why programs like INSANITY and P90x work. I'm at the point in INSANITY where I'm still working HARD, but the videos are doable now. I can master all the moves now and can keep up with the people in the video. I finish tired and drenched in sweat but not as exhausted as I did in week one. So of course next week I'm doing a new video and the week after that the program is moving onto the "maxed out" section, which according to testimonials I've seen on YouTube, is exponentially harder than the first month. The same goes for P90x. Tony Horton goes for "muscle confusion", which helps keep your body from hitting a plateau. I've noticed that it takes about a month for both programs before they switch it up. This makes sense. If you run two miles everyday for a month, eventually you will be able to maintain but you will not continue to progress. This is also why CrossFit give such great results. The workouts are generally random instead of following a set schedule. It always keeps your body guessing.
This phenomenon in the dancer world is something we call "muscle memory". At first when learning a new move or routine, we have to think before every move and struggle through to hit every count and every motion. But after a few weeks of practice, it becomes easier. By our end of the year show, we can do not only one but 15+ routines while barely even thinking about it, because our bodies are so used to following the pattern we've practiced over and over and over.
If you do the same thing over and over, your body will eventually go into "autopilot", and then you find yourself not trying as hard as you did when that activity was new. That's why in terms of progress, it is always worth switching up your routine every four weeks or so to avoid plateaus. Next week I plan on incorporating weight training and running into my routine (as it is an "off week" from INSANITY) and then hopefully keeping that up. I'm trying to convince my mom to go to the gym with me and help her lose weight. She recently had a friend visit and she looks great. She has lost about 45 pounds since we last saw her. She's a mother of four (two of which are twins that are only a couple years old!) and looks great. I'm jealous of her arm definition. Anyway, my mom was shocked to see how good she looks, and when my mom asked her what her secret was, she replied "I spend about 3 hours in the gym 5-6 times a week". This was no surprise to me. I'm hoping it's a wake-up call for my mom. I'm seriously worried about her health, we have so many risk factors in our genetics working against us already, being overweight only makes those risk factors for stroke and heart disease even worse. I'm hoping to be an inspiration to her by my progress. My dad has already lost about 20 pounds since he started! I want to be a healthy family together. I want my mom to realize that if she wants to change she's going to have to make some radical changes. Because if she does what she's always done, she'll get what she's always got.
This saying is sooooo true, especially when it comes to weight loss. We get excited about working out. We start eating healthier, we start a workout regimen, and the weight just falls off. Then BAM. The scale won't budge. But why??? You're still following the same meal plan and doing the same gym routine that you were before, why isn't it working anymore??? That right there is the problem.
That's why programs like INSANITY and P90x work. I'm at the point in INSANITY where I'm still working HARD, but the videos are doable now. I can master all the moves now and can keep up with the people in the video. I finish tired and drenched in sweat but not as exhausted as I did in week one. So of course next week I'm doing a new video and the week after that the program is moving onto the "maxed out" section, which according to testimonials I've seen on YouTube, is exponentially harder than the first month. The same goes for P90x. Tony Horton goes for "muscle confusion", which helps keep your body from hitting a plateau. I've noticed that it takes about a month for both programs before they switch it up. This makes sense. If you run two miles everyday for a month, eventually you will be able to maintain but you will not continue to progress. This is also why CrossFit give such great results. The workouts are generally random instead of following a set schedule. It always keeps your body guessing.
This phenomenon in the dancer world is something we call "muscle memory". At first when learning a new move or routine, we have to think before every move and struggle through to hit every count and every motion. But after a few weeks of practice, it becomes easier. By our end of the year show, we can do not only one but 15+ routines while barely even thinking about it, because our bodies are so used to following the pattern we've practiced over and over and over.
If you do the same thing over and over, your body will eventually go into "autopilot", and then you find yourself not trying as hard as you did when that activity was new. That's why in terms of progress, it is always worth switching up your routine every four weeks or so to avoid plateaus. Next week I plan on incorporating weight training and running into my routine (as it is an "off week" from INSANITY) and then hopefully keeping that up. I'm trying to convince my mom to go to the gym with me and help her lose weight. She recently had a friend visit and she looks great. She has lost about 45 pounds since we last saw her. She's a mother of four (two of which are twins that are only a couple years old!) and looks great. I'm jealous of her arm definition. Anyway, my mom was shocked to see how good she looks, and when my mom asked her what her secret was, she replied "I spend about 3 hours in the gym 5-6 times a week". This was no surprise to me. I'm hoping it's a wake-up call for my mom. I'm seriously worried about her health, we have so many risk factors in our genetics working against us already, being overweight only makes those risk factors for stroke and heart disease even worse. I'm hoping to be an inspiration to her by my progress. My dad has already lost about 20 pounds since he started! I want to be a healthy family together. I want my mom to realize that if she wants to change she's going to have to make some radical changes. Because if she does what she's always done, she'll get what she's always got.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Slow and Steady Wins the Race (INSANITY Day 22)
Whenever people get on a fitness kick, they run at all gears go for a couple weeks and then get discouraged because they're not seeing any drastic results. But one has to remember that in order to have permanent and SAFE results, one should aim for about a pound a week. Especially someone like me, who doesn't have much to lose in the first place. I'm aiming to be a toned 140-145 pounds. I started at 160. That means that I only have at maximum 20 pounds to lose. I could go to 130-135, but I want to have some muscle mass. My goal may to be eventually 130 but for now I'm okay with my original goal. Much more than that would start to be on the dangerous side and would be hard to maintain if I have a lot of lean muscle mass. One of the most important things about attempting to lose weight is that you set REALISTIC goals.
A pound a week is the most recommended and safest way to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF. Sure, you can lose more than a pound a week, but that kind of drastic weight loss is difficult to maintain and can cause some weird things to go on with your skin (stretch marks, lots of extra saggy skin... nobody wants that). When you have more to lose than I do, say 30 pounds or more, it is safe to lose about 2-3 pounds a week and still keep it off.
Sometimes I do feel a little discouraged because I'm just ready to have a six pack like the girls in the video, but I'm already seeing little changes every day. My arms are getting more definition, my legs are getting toned, my butt is becoming lifted and tighter. My stomach is flatter and my hourglass shape is becoming more pronounced. And I'm seeing progress not only in looks but also just my cardiovascular endurance. Today I did the Pure Cardio warmup with ankle weights AND holding small dumbbells. I planned on completing the entire workout with them on but one busted during the warmup and I had to take it off because it was putting sand all over my living room floor. Even then, I beasted through the workout, never having to take any breaks! I had to slow down the moves a bit, but I never stopped moving. I felt so accomplished! I also did ALL of the pushups in the video. Before I started INSANITY, I couldn't even do a "boy" pushup!
Sometimes when you feel discouraged about the big picture, it's okay to find joy in the small accomplishments you make every day. Before you know it, your 60 days will be up, and you'll be 10 pounds lighter and toned like never before! Besides, when strength training, one has to remember that they're transforming their body. They're losing fat and gaining muscle, and muscle weighs much more than fat.
The girl in the picture GAINED 9 pounds but look at her body! I'd rather be heavy muscular instead of skinny fat. I'm proud of my accomplishments so far and I know it can only get better from here!
The real moment of truth will be at the end of the week when I weight in again, take more measurements, and re-measure my body fat percentage! Then we'll really know my progress :)
PS- I got offered a job today! So now that I'm a working girl I really gotta get out of the habit of starting my workouts after midnight and posting in the middle of the night...
A pound a week is the most recommended and safest way to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF. Sure, you can lose more than a pound a week, but that kind of drastic weight loss is difficult to maintain and can cause some weird things to go on with your skin (stretch marks, lots of extra saggy skin... nobody wants that). When you have more to lose than I do, say 30 pounds or more, it is safe to lose about 2-3 pounds a week and still keep it off.
Sometimes I do feel a little discouraged because I'm just ready to have a six pack like the girls in the video, but I'm already seeing little changes every day. My arms are getting more definition, my legs are getting toned, my butt is becoming lifted and tighter. My stomach is flatter and my hourglass shape is becoming more pronounced. And I'm seeing progress not only in looks but also just my cardiovascular endurance. Today I did the Pure Cardio warmup with ankle weights AND holding small dumbbells. I planned on completing the entire workout with them on but one busted during the warmup and I had to take it off because it was putting sand all over my living room floor. Even then, I beasted through the workout, never having to take any breaks! I had to slow down the moves a bit, but I never stopped moving. I felt so accomplished! I also did ALL of the pushups in the video. Before I started INSANITY, I couldn't even do a "boy" pushup!
Sometimes when you feel discouraged about the big picture, it's okay to find joy in the small accomplishments you make every day. Before you know it, your 60 days will be up, and you'll be 10 pounds lighter and toned like never before! Besides, when strength training, one has to remember that they're transforming their body. They're losing fat and gaining muscle, and muscle weighs much more than fat.
The girl in the picture GAINED 9 pounds but look at her body! I'd rather be heavy muscular instead of skinny fat. I'm proud of my accomplishments so far and I know it can only get better from here!
The real moment of truth will be at the end of the week when I weight in again, take more measurements, and re-measure my body fat percentage! Then we'll really know my progress :)
PS- I got offered a job today! So now that I'm a working girl I really gotta get out of the habit of starting my workouts after midnight and posting in the middle of the night...
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Guilty Pleasures (INSANITY DAY 21)
This week is the last week of month one before the recovery week of core cardio and balance before moving on to the "maxed out" month two, where the workouts are longer and harder. The timing works out because if I get offered the position I'm interviewing for the "off week" will fall on the week where I will be in a hotel most of the week due to orientation. The videos are starting to become easier, so I decided to add weights as an extra challenge. I used my mom's Zumba toning sticks today during the warm-up and during one of the circuits (they're basically weighted maracas) and my arms are dead! Tomorrow, I'm going to use ankle weights :)
This weekend I had a few splurges because we had a party at the house. The food we served was actually very healthy and we made a fabulous berry and almond salad as well as baked fish and mango salsa and edamame. But we also had some Filipino splurges and of course desert. My mom made this to-die-for fruit cake that is just so moist and yummy. And I ended up having to cave on the girl scout cookies because my mom's goddaughter was selling them so we bought a box of Mango Cremes. They're vanilla coconut cookie sandwiches with a mango creme in the middle... kind of like a tropical oreo. They are soooo yummy and I somehow ate SIX of them today (two servings), along with two pieces (not all in one sitting) of my mom's pineapple paradise cake. YIKES. Still under my calorie count thankfully, and I did extra work in today's INSANITY workout. But I definitely felt the cake while I was working out. Oh well. We're all human and I'm hitting the clean eating again this week. But hey, it must be a good sign if I'd rather have a mango cookie over a peanut butter patty or a thin mint... right?
Saturday, January 26, 2013
2013: The Year of Commitment (Update to INSANITY Day 18)
"We aren't concerned about your performance. We know you would be very successful. What everyone is concerned about is your commitment"
As I sat in the Group Rental Manager's office today for my third and final step in the interview process, I let these words sink in. Commitment.
I've never considered myself the type to have commitment issues, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. The reason why this "concern" arose in the first place is that I admitted in an interview (which to many the following would scream HUGE mistake) that I was considering actively searching for work while working for the company that I was interviewing for. Granted, I am a fresh out of college student, who hasn't really done anything else. My first real job was an internship with this company a couple of years ago, and although I did stellar as an intern, I had to decide whether there is nothing else out there for me.
My cousin Melanie, who has her own blog, Melanie's Journey to Tinier Pants, admitted that she might be afraid of success. I think I may suffer from the same problem. I'm afraid to commit, even in situations where success is promising. Especially in situations where success is promising. I heard once "if your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough.". I'm definitely afraid. Why am I afraid of being in intimate relationships with the people around me? Why is it easier to push them away? Why am I afraid of working hard and having a bangin' body? Why is it easier to sit on the couch and just pout with a pint of ice cream? Why am I afraid of working for a company where success isn't guaranteed, but it's probably the best opportunity that will come my way for quite some time? Why am I afraid to have a personal relationship with God? Why is it easier to just say I'm a believer and occasionally go to church and sometimes read His word? Perhaps it's not commitment that scares me. Maybe it's conviction.
2013 is going to be the year of commitment for me. Committing to my exercise regimen, committing to clean eating, committing to every relationship in my life, committing to God and being the person He wants me to be, and possibly committing myself to an employer. If I get offered a job on Monday, I'm committing myself to a company for three years. "Give me three years, and if you're still not happy I will personally help you find a new job", the GRM said to me. "Give me 60 days and I will transform your body", said Shaun T. "Give me your heart and I will give you eternal life" said Jesus.
Deal.
As I sat in the Group Rental Manager's office today for my third and final step in the interview process, I let these words sink in. Commitment.
I've never considered myself the type to have commitment issues, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. The reason why this "concern" arose in the first place is that I admitted in an interview (which to many the following would scream HUGE mistake) that I was considering actively searching for work while working for the company that I was interviewing for. Granted, I am a fresh out of college student, who hasn't really done anything else. My first real job was an internship with this company a couple of years ago, and although I did stellar as an intern, I had to decide whether there is nothing else out there for me.
My cousin Melanie, who has her own blog, Melanie's Journey to Tinier Pants, admitted that she might be afraid of success. I think I may suffer from the same problem. I'm afraid to commit, even in situations where success is promising. Especially in situations where success is promising. I heard once "if your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough.". I'm definitely afraid. Why am I afraid of being in intimate relationships with the people around me? Why is it easier to push them away? Why am I afraid of working hard and having a bangin' body? Why is it easier to sit on the couch and just pout with a pint of ice cream? Why am I afraid of working for a company where success isn't guaranteed, but it's probably the best opportunity that will come my way for quite some time? Why am I afraid to have a personal relationship with God? Why is it easier to just say I'm a believer and occasionally go to church and sometimes read His word? Perhaps it's not commitment that scares me. Maybe it's conviction.
2013 is going to be the year of commitment for me. Committing to my exercise regimen, committing to clean eating, committing to every relationship in my life, committing to God and being the person He wants me to be, and possibly committing myself to an employer. If I get offered a job on Monday, I'm committing myself to a company for three years. "Give me three years, and if you're still not happy I will personally help you find a new job", the GRM said to me. "Give me 60 days and I will transform your body", said Shaun T. "Give me your heart and I will give you eternal life" said Jesus.
Deal.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Weekend Update (INSANITY DAY 16)
So I promised a more thorough post tonight since I wasn't a very good blogger this weekend and skipped out last night due to an early interview this morning. For those of you who were wondering, it went pretty well! I had mixed impressions of what the manager thought of me, but I received a call from the general manager for a third interview so that has to be a good sign, right?
Anyway, this weekend I went to visit Rudy in Belton. When I got there, we went to the gym and did a shoulder workout following the Body Beast workout by Beachbody, a bodybuilding series. If you're looking at me funny for saying the word "bodybuilding"... take a look at an earlier post about the benefits of strength training. Then we did the Power Cardio and Resistance video together and then followed up with the Cardio Recovery video to make up for the fact we both skipped it the day before. Talk about tiring.. I spent literally THREE HOURS in the gym that day! Plus, seeing myself doing the workouts in the mirror were both scary and awesome at the same time. Rudy was very impressed with my endurance which was definitely a confidence boost :)
We rewarded ourselves with a trip to Chipoltle. Now, before you frown... you can actually get a healthy meal at Chipoltle! What we did is we got lean steak (I would recommend chicken but we decided to splurge a little... we did not know at the time that we would be eating ALL of our meals out that weekend), with brown rice and black beans and loaded up on the veggies and had guacamole instead of cheese or sour cream. Add a double portion of lettuce and you've got a delicious meal that's low in fat and high in protein.
After our trip to Chipolte, we walked around a bit to loosen up our tired muscles then took a trip to HEB that was supposed to be a trip to stock up on healthy groceries and ingredients for some clean dinners we were going to cook together over the weekend. What ended up happening was Rudy's old roomate called him and said he was coming to get his stuff that he left behind when he did not come back for the Spring semester, including the fridge they shared. Rudy and I soon realized that we could not stock up on the veggies and clean ingredients we wanted because we had no way to store them :(
So we went back home, showered off and relaxed the rest of the night. We snacked on some of the leftover lean meats we knew we had to get rid of them before his roommate arrived or they would go to waste. We slept in the next morning and then I fixed us a brunch of whatever I could find in the fridge. So I sauteed some mushrooms, spinach, and carrots and created a bed for lean pork chops topped with fried eggs and a sprinkle of fat free cheddar cheese. It ended up being really yummy!
After our food settled we went to the gym and worked it out once more. This time we did Pure Cardio (the hardest video in my opinon) and then followed it with Cardio Abs. THAT was hard. I left the gym almost limping. Afterwards we got ready to go on a dinner date which we had originally planned to be our cheat meal for the week. We went to BJ's and ordered an appetizer of boneless wings and we both got burgers. I ordered the "california burger", which is a lean angus burger served on sourdough toast with avocado, sauteed mushrooms and onions and crispy shoestring fries. But interestingly enough... I couldn't even eat it. The bread was far too greasy (and that was the first time I've eaten white bread in almonst a month) and I only ate about half the burger. My body was dehydrated so I devoured the fries. I regretted it later, though. I felt so gross and full... I'd rather feel energized and healthy like I do when I eat clean. Rudy and I decided that our next cheat meals would be a little less extravagant.
Then we met up with some old friends and went dancing. I had four drinks (also kind of a splurge, with all the sugar). Alcohol is NOT clean at all, but I figured since I was offsetting it with dancing, it would be okay. Besides, I do not drink very often and I definitely avoid beer. They call it beer gut for a reason.
The next morning, we went to Church and then went to Jason's deli for lunch. Rudy and I both stuck to the salad bar but I do admit I splurged on a couple of their small muffins and I got a small cup of soup that I split with Rudy along with my salad and fruit. We both also indulged a little bit of the free frozen yogurt they have. Afterwards we saw Zero Dark Thirty (so good!) and then took complete advantage of our rest day by taking a nice long nap.
Then we decided to continue our movie night with a couple of rentals: Ted and The Five Year Engagement. Since we had no fridge, we had to resort to using microwave frozen meals for dinner. We got Healthy Choice steam meals, that have fresh veggies that steam right in the microwave and then you mix the ingredients afterwards. I also made greek yogurt spinach dip (thanks Pinterest!)
All I did was sautee a box of fresh baby spinach and then add it to a tub of nonfat plain greek yogurt. Then I added some spices such as garlic and onion and then added some parmesean from Pizza Hut from a while back (no fridge, remember?) We ate it with some blue corn tortilla chips. So good!
The next morning we slept in again, and went to Genghis Grill for lunch. Mongolian BBQ can actually be healthy, as you choose exactly what goes in your plate. I decided to stick with yummy lean seafood and used fish, shrimp, and scallops and TONS of veggies and put it on brown rice. It was delicious. I was sad to leave Rudy behind but after lunch I drove home. After getting home, I ate a small snack of some fruit and then later that night I did the INSANITY fit test, as yesterday was day 15. And WOW! I did SO much better. Even if I don't have any huge results in terms of my body just yet, just my endurance and performance has improved so much since day 1! So awesome :))
Today I tried to go back to my 4-5 meal a day regimen. Rudy and I really wanted to do that this weekend but it just wasn't feasible as we had to eat all of our meals out. I also admit that I fell off counting my calories a little bit, but I did not stop doing INSANITY, which is my goal. Of course again it's late, and I'm attempting to fix my poor sleeping schedule as I'm hoping that soon I will be joining the workforce. Goodnight!
Anyway, this weekend I went to visit Rudy in Belton. When I got there, we went to the gym and did a shoulder workout following the Body Beast workout by Beachbody, a bodybuilding series. If you're looking at me funny for saying the word "bodybuilding"... take a look at an earlier post about the benefits of strength training. Then we did the Power Cardio and Resistance video together and then followed up with the Cardio Recovery video to make up for the fact we both skipped it the day before. Talk about tiring.. I spent literally THREE HOURS in the gym that day! Plus, seeing myself doing the workouts in the mirror were both scary and awesome at the same time. Rudy was very impressed with my endurance which was definitely a confidence boost :)
We rewarded ourselves with a trip to Chipoltle. Now, before you frown... you can actually get a healthy meal at Chipoltle! What we did is we got lean steak (I would recommend chicken but we decided to splurge a little... we did not know at the time that we would be eating ALL of our meals out that weekend), with brown rice and black beans and loaded up on the veggies and had guacamole instead of cheese or sour cream. Add a double portion of lettuce and you've got a delicious meal that's low in fat and high in protein.
After our trip to Chipolte, we walked around a bit to loosen up our tired muscles then took a trip to HEB that was supposed to be a trip to stock up on healthy groceries and ingredients for some clean dinners we were going to cook together over the weekend. What ended up happening was Rudy's old roomate called him and said he was coming to get his stuff that he left behind when he did not come back for the Spring semester, including the fridge they shared. Rudy and I soon realized that we could not stock up on the veggies and clean ingredients we wanted because we had no way to store them :(
So we went back home, showered off and relaxed the rest of the night. We snacked on some of the leftover lean meats we knew we had to get rid of them before his roommate arrived or they would go to waste. We slept in the next morning and then I fixed us a brunch of whatever I could find in the fridge. So I sauteed some mushrooms, spinach, and carrots and created a bed for lean pork chops topped with fried eggs and a sprinkle of fat free cheddar cheese. It ended up being really yummy!
After our food settled we went to the gym and worked it out once more. This time we did Pure Cardio (the hardest video in my opinon) and then followed it with Cardio Abs. THAT was hard. I left the gym almost limping. Afterwards we got ready to go on a dinner date which we had originally planned to be our cheat meal for the week. We went to BJ's and ordered an appetizer of boneless wings and we both got burgers. I ordered the "california burger", which is a lean angus burger served on sourdough toast with avocado, sauteed mushrooms and onions and crispy shoestring fries. But interestingly enough... I couldn't even eat it. The bread was far too greasy (and that was the first time I've eaten white bread in almonst a month) and I only ate about half the burger. My body was dehydrated so I devoured the fries. I regretted it later, though. I felt so gross and full... I'd rather feel energized and healthy like I do when I eat clean. Rudy and I decided that our next cheat meals would be a little less extravagant.
Then we met up with some old friends and went dancing. I had four drinks (also kind of a splurge, with all the sugar). Alcohol is NOT clean at all, but I figured since I was offsetting it with dancing, it would be okay. Besides, I do not drink very often and I definitely avoid beer. They call it beer gut for a reason.
The next morning, we went to Church and then went to Jason's deli for lunch. Rudy and I both stuck to the salad bar but I do admit I splurged on a couple of their small muffins and I got a small cup of soup that I split with Rudy along with my salad and fruit. We both also indulged a little bit of the free frozen yogurt they have. Afterwards we saw Zero Dark Thirty (so good!) and then took complete advantage of our rest day by taking a nice long nap.
Then we decided to continue our movie night with a couple of rentals: Ted and The Five Year Engagement. Since we had no fridge, we had to resort to using microwave frozen meals for dinner. We got Healthy Choice steam meals, that have fresh veggies that steam right in the microwave and then you mix the ingredients afterwards. I also made greek yogurt spinach dip (thanks Pinterest!)
All I did was sautee a box of fresh baby spinach and then add it to a tub of nonfat plain greek yogurt. Then I added some spices such as garlic and onion and then added some parmesean from Pizza Hut from a while back (no fridge, remember?) We ate it with some blue corn tortilla chips. So good!
The next morning we slept in again, and went to Genghis Grill for lunch. Mongolian BBQ can actually be healthy, as you choose exactly what goes in your plate. I decided to stick with yummy lean seafood and used fish, shrimp, and scallops and TONS of veggies and put it on brown rice. It was delicious. I was sad to leave Rudy behind but after lunch I drove home. After getting home, I ate a small snack of some fruit and then later that night I did the INSANITY fit test, as yesterday was day 15. And WOW! I did SO much better. Even if I don't have any huge results in terms of my body just yet, just my endurance and performance has improved so much since day 1! So awesome :))
Today I tried to go back to my 4-5 meal a day regimen. Rudy and I really wanted to do that this weekend but it just wasn't feasible as we had to eat all of our meals out. I also admit that I fell off counting my calories a little bit, but I did not stop doing INSANITY, which is my goal. Of course again it's late, and I'm attempting to fix my poor sleeping schedule as I'm hoping that soon I will be joining the workforce. Goodnight!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Long Weekends (INSANITY Update to Day 15)
Well today marked day 15 and I'm officially 20% through the program! I re-took the fitness test today and wow, I've improved so much already! Check the progress tab for just how much more in shape I am :)
As for this weekend, I'm sorry I didn't post. I went to Belton this weekend to visit Rudy and we did some Insanity workouts together. I must admit it sucks watching yourself struggle through the workout, as we did the workouts in a mirrored aerobics room. On Thursday, I saw Les Miserables with my mom and when I got back, I had a severe migrane and since the video was just a stretching video, I ended up going to bed without working out. Don't worry though, I made up for it on Friday. Doing Power Cardio and Resistance and then Cardio Recovery back to back was brutal. And then Saturday was the first time that we had to do Cardio abs with the Pure Cardio video, and we did weights before that... and that was killer. As for my diet this weekend, Rudy and I were faced with the task of finding healthy food while eating out because he lost his fridge this weekend. I will elaborate more on that subject tomorrow, because it is late and I have a job interview VERY early tomorrow morning. Wish me luck and goodnight! :)
As for this weekend, I'm sorry I didn't post. I went to Belton this weekend to visit Rudy and we did some Insanity workouts together. I must admit it sucks watching yourself struggle through the workout, as we did the workouts in a mirrored aerobics room. On Thursday, I saw Les Miserables with my mom and when I got back, I had a severe migrane and since the video was just a stretching video, I ended up going to bed without working out. Don't worry though, I made up for it on Friday. Doing Power Cardio and Resistance and then Cardio Recovery back to back was brutal. And then Saturday was the first time that we had to do Cardio abs with the Pure Cardio video, and we did weights before that... and that was killer. As for my diet this weekend, Rudy and I were faced with the task of finding healthy food while eating out because he lost his fridge this weekend. I will elaborate more on that subject tomorrow, because it is late and I have a job interview VERY early tomorrow morning. Wish me luck and goodnight! :)
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Clean is Mean (INSANITY DAY 10)
I'm about two weeks into eating clean, and I can't imagine how I haven't done this before! I love eating clean. You would think that eating a diet of mostly veggies, lean meats, and fruits, and limiting grains (even whole grains) and saving starches for cheat meals (corn, potatoes, white breads) would leave me hungry, but it does just the opposite. By eating low glycemic foods that are high in fiber and protein, they fill me up and I stay full for a long time! And best of all, I can eat as much as I want :)) To help you give an idea of how much more clean food you can eat for the amount of calories:
Yesterday I had a job interview and didn't have time to fix myself a meal so I stopped by the convenience store and bought Special K Cracker chips and a Greek Yogurt Granola bar. The chips were 110 calories for the package (not bad for chips) and the granola bar was 160 (typical for a granola bar but I picked it for it's 7 grams of protein). So together those two snacks were 270 calories. When I got home, I was naturally hungry (the cracker chips weren't all that healthy and the granola bar had a lot of sugar) so I ate all this between when I got home and when I went to bed: for dinner, sauteed kale, spinach, garlic, onions, portabello mushrooms, and tomatoes with wild-caught salmon and a sprinkle of feta cheese. Then for a post-dinner snack I had carrot sticks, raw cauliflower, and celery sticks with a little bit of hummus, and some sliced grapefruit. ALL of that together was only 284 calories, a MERE 14 more calories than a bag of "healthy chips" and a granola bar.
Then, because of all my healthy eating I still had about 500 calories left to meet my daily goal of 1,380 calories (and if I don't eat at least 1,200 my metabolism will slow down) so for dessert I made a whole wheat waffle with a small teaspoon of almond butter, a sliced strawberry and blueberries, and a drizzle of agave nectar (thanks Pinterest!) and a glass of fat-free milk. All of that together was only about 280 calories. So after my workout, I ate bowl of Special K Protein cereal with a handful of blueberries and made my protein shake with milk instead of water. If you're keeping track, I ate alllllll of that food yesterday for about 1,350 calories. To put it into perspective, a typical meal at Chili's is about 1,400 calories ALONE. That's not including appetizers, drinks, or dessert.
Today was Mediterranean day in regards to my diet. I had a delicious caprese salad that was so pretty in color I took a picture (no Instagram filter needed!)
For dinner me and my dad made a delicious Mediterranean flatbread pizza. I promised a recipe so here it is!
Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza (makes 2 servings)
The crust is Whole Grain Naan from HEB (found in the Deli section)
First we brushed the flatbread with the olive oil from my caprese salad (just olive oil and basil)
The "sauce" was actually just a teaspoon of a mixture of salsa and red pepper hummus
Then we sprinkled about 1/8 cup of Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage crumbles among the pizza
On top of the turkey sausage was a sliced baby Portabello mushroom, about 10 cherub tomatoes, and handful of spinach.
Then we added about a teaspoon of feta cheese crumbles, and some red pepper and oregano, and a tiny bit of Parmesan.
We baked it in the oven for 8 minutes on a pizza stone in the oven at 350 degrees. Then for two minutes my dad broiled the pizza to brown it a little and slightly melt the feta cheese.
For a "ranch" dipping sauce, I mixed a couple tablespoons of fat-free plain Greek yogurt with a teaspoon or so of Hidden Valley Ranch mix and a splash of fat-free milk to make it a little more smooth. All together the meal was about 260 calories, which is less than one slice of normal pizza with no ranch (the size of my portion is comparable to about two slices) and I was full afterwards! This healthy pizza also had only 9 grams of fat and a whopping 14 grams of protein. ONE slice of Papa John's thin crust supreme (sausage and veggie) pizza would be 290 calories, 15 grams of fat and 11 grams protein. And I can almost guarantee you that one slice would not be enough...
Hopefully this post will inspire you to consider eating clean! Not to mention how much more energy I have, how much better my skin looks, and how delicious everything is :))
Yesterday I had a job interview and didn't have time to fix myself a meal so I stopped by the convenience store and bought Special K Cracker chips and a Greek Yogurt Granola bar. The chips were 110 calories for the package (not bad for chips) and the granola bar was 160 (typical for a granola bar but I picked it for it's 7 grams of protein). So together those two snacks were 270 calories. When I got home, I was naturally hungry (the cracker chips weren't all that healthy and the granola bar had a lot of sugar) so I ate all this between when I got home and when I went to bed: for dinner, sauteed kale, spinach, garlic, onions, portabello mushrooms, and tomatoes with wild-caught salmon and a sprinkle of feta cheese. Then for a post-dinner snack I had carrot sticks, raw cauliflower, and celery sticks with a little bit of hummus, and some sliced grapefruit. ALL of that together was only 284 calories, a MERE 14 more calories than a bag of "healthy chips" and a granola bar.
Then, because of all my healthy eating I still had about 500 calories left to meet my daily goal of 1,380 calories (and if I don't eat at least 1,200 my metabolism will slow down) so for dessert I made a whole wheat waffle with a small teaspoon of almond butter, a sliced strawberry and blueberries, and a drizzle of agave nectar (thanks Pinterest!) and a glass of fat-free milk. All of that together was only about 280 calories. So after my workout, I ate bowl of Special K Protein cereal with a handful of blueberries and made my protein shake with milk instead of water. If you're keeping track, I ate alllllll of that food yesterday for about 1,350 calories. To put it into perspective, a typical meal at Chili's is about 1,400 calories ALONE. That's not including appetizers, drinks, or dessert.
Today was Mediterranean day in regards to my diet. I had a delicious caprese salad that was so pretty in color I took a picture (no Instagram filter needed!)
For dinner me and my dad made a delicious Mediterranean flatbread pizza. I promised a recipe so here it is!
Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza (makes 2 servings)
The crust is Whole Grain Naan from HEB (found in the Deli section)
First we brushed the flatbread with the olive oil from my caprese salad (just olive oil and basil)
The "sauce" was actually just a teaspoon of a mixture of salsa and red pepper hummus
Then we sprinkled about 1/8 cup of Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage crumbles among the pizza
On top of the turkey sausage was a sliced baby Portabello mushroom, about 10 cherub tomatoes, and handful of spinach.
Then we added about a teaspoon of feta cheese crumbles, and some red pepper and oregano, and a tiny bit of Parmesan.
We baked it in the oven for 8 minutes on a pizza stone in the oven at 350 degrees. Then for two minutes my dad broiled the pizza to brown it a little and slightly melt the feta cheese.
For a "ranch" dipping sauce, I mixed a couple tablespoons of fat-free plain Greek yogurt with a teaspoon or so of Hidden Valley Ranch mix and a splash of fat-free milk to make it a little more smooth. All together the meal was about 260 calories, which is less than one slice of normal pizza with no ranch (the size of my portion is comparable to about two slices) and I was full afterwards! This healthy pizza also had only 9 grams of fat and a whopping 14 grams of protein. ONE slice of Papa John's thin crust supreme (sausage and veggie) pizza would be 290 calories, 15 grams of fat and 11 grams protein. And I can almost guarantee you that one slice would not be enough...
Hopefully this post will inspire you to consider eating clean! Not to mention how much more energy I have, how much better my skin looks, and how delicious everything is :))
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
That (Expletive) Is Bananas (INSANITY Days 8 & 9)
Sorry about skipping a post yesterday, I didn't get around to working out until midnight last night and then had another late workout today. It's that special time of the month and well, I'm exhausted. Me, like other women, become very iron deficient and therefore absolutely fatigued. Before, my favorite way to get my iron while PMSing was to treat myself to a nice, juicy burger. Not happening this time (I'm saving my cheat meal for when I'm with Rudy this weekend but I may still eat one then...) so instead yesterday I made myself a Tuna burger:
All you need is a packet of flavored tuna, a couple spoons of bread crumbs, a splash of egg substitute, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Then you sear it in a pan! I sauteed some mushrooms and onions and used a slice of Greek yogurt cheese (lactose free!) with a tiny bit of olive oil mayo on a whole wheat bun. I added extra veggies with tomato slices and a handful of baby kale. It was delicious and satisfying.
Yesterday's workout was power cardio and resistance, which was nice because I did NOT have the energy to do a more cardio-intense workout. I put off working until midnight yesterday because I was so tired. I fought off today's Iron deficiency with a berry and spinach smoothie this morning. I was late today because I had to travel to South Austin for a job interview. It went really well and sometime either this week or next week I will have a follow-up interview with my prospective manager.
Today's workout was Pure Cardio, the hardest video of Month 1 in my opinion. It's nonstop hardcore cardio and instead of circuits Shaun T mixes it up , not letting you settle into routine. They're all familiar moves but instead you just do one minute of each move and then move on to the next set. Even Shaun T said "That Sh*t is Bananas, YO!" at the end of the video. I'm beat! Especially my arms, lats, and chest... there are a lotttt of pushups in INSANITY and I have very little upper body strength (compared to my lower body)... for now...
I'm off to hit the shower, bury myself in God's word and knock out! Goodnight!
All you need is a packet of flavored tuna, a couple spoons of bread crumbs, a splash of egg substitute, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Then you sear it in a pan! I sauteed some mushrooms and onions and used a slice of Greek yogurt cheese (lactose free!) with a tiny bit of olive oil mayo on a whole wheat bun. I added extra veggies with tomato slices and a handful of baby kale. It was delicious and satisfying.
Yesterday's workout was power cardio and resistance, which was nice because I did NOT have the energy to do a more cardio-intense workout. I put off working until midnight yesterday because I was so tired. I fought off today's Iron deficiency with a berry and spinach smoothie this morning. I was late today because I had to travel to South Austin for a job interview. It went really well and sometime either this week or next week I will have a follow-up interview with my prospective manager.
Today's workout was Pure Cardio, the hardest video of Month 1 in my opinion. It's nonstop hardcore cardio and instead of circuits Shaun T mixes it up , not letting you settle into routine. They're all familiar moves but instead you just do one minute of each move and then move on to the next set. Even Shaun T said "That Sh*t is Bananas, YO!" at the end of the video. I'm beat! Especially my arms, lats, and chest... there are a lotttt of pushups in INSANITY and I have very little upper body strength (compared to my lower body)... for now...
I'm off to hit the shower, bury myself in God's word and knock out! Goodnight!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
And on the 7th day... (INSANITY Day 7)
Ah, rest days. My favorite day of the week. Today I observed the Sabbath in every sense of the word. First, I slept in until about 12:30! (It felt awesome). Then I woke up, baked some muffins and relaxed a bit.The muffins I made were a simple fiber one mix, but I substituted the oil requirement for a quarter of a cup of banana puree and used egg whites instead of a whole egg. I filled out some job applications (no, I'm not a full-time blogger, haha) and then grabbed another snack. By then, it was time to go to church with my mom and we stopped by the grocery store to stock up on some more fresh produce. We cooked a dinner of blackened tilapia, mango salsa, brown rice, and black beans. It was a nice taste of summer on a chilly evening.
After dinner, we enjoyed a game of dominoes and I actually won! It's time for me to sleep now, I'm ready to start another week of INSANE training. :)
After dinner, we enjoyed a game of dominoes and I actually won! It's time for me to sleep now, I'm ready to start another week of INSANE training. :)
Anniversaries and Cheat Meals (INSANITY Day 6)
Yesterday was my parent's 28th Anniversary, and that's why I didn't post. But I promise that I still did my workout! I slept in and then ate a few snacks because I knew that I had a cheat meal coming up. When you hear me say "cheat meal", what I'm referring to is the ONE meal a week I treat myself to keep myself sane and reward myself for my hard work during the week. It's okay to eat unhealthy food in moderation, which is why I give myself ONE meal to do that a week. A big mistake a lot of people do when dieting is eat really strict during the week, and eat whatever they want on the weekends. This completely undoes all the work you put in during the week! One meal is not enough to ruin your diet, and it is also enough to make you feel like you're still living and can splurge a little. You can save this meal for a social gathering or special occasion so that you do not feel deprived. This week it was sushi at Kenichi Austin, a swank Japanese restaurant downtown since my parents were celebrating their 28th anniversary.
I know what you're probably thinking... "isn't sushi healthy?" and in a way it is. A simple roll with fish and some veggies is only about 200 calories for the entire roll (typically 6-8 pieces). We were eating at an upscale sushi restaurant with fish supposedly from Japan, so the sushi wasn't corrupted with the toppings that you may find at more commercial restaurants (spicy mayo sauce, tempura and panko; and some rolls are even deep fried and contain high-calorie ingredients such as cream cheese and avocado). If you want sushi, go with Sashimi. You avoid the white rice and the extra calories. The fish used in sushi is high-fat, but they are healthy fats. The sushi we had was simple and clean, but the white rice still had me feeling sluggish and hungry again a few hours later. I also tried some Wagyu beef tips, which is a type of beef where the cows are grass fed and almost papered. You can really taste the difference in the beef. However, this type of Wagyu was swimming in a gravy and served over sauteed bok choy and radishes. It was still delicious. Overall I probably had about 600 calories at dinner, which was fine considering I only had a few small snacks before I went. I also did the INSANITY Plyometric Circuit before I got ready to go out, which helped make up for some of the splurging I did at dinner. I try to schedule my cheat meals on days that I work out so that I can somewhat "negate what I ate".
What's good about eating healthy is once you get into the groove of things, you start to prefer healthy foods. Not just because of how they taste, but how they make you feel. Back in my dance days, I would always pack lots of fruits and salads and nothing heavy during campus because I hated feeling sluggish while trying to dance for 6 hours a day. Now that I'm doing INSANITY, I know that the best thing for me is to put healthy things in my body, because after all, abs are made in the kitchen :)
I know what you're probably thinking... "isn't sushi healthy?" and in a way it is. A simple roll with fish and some veggies is only about 200 calories for the entire roll (typically 6-8 pieces). We were eating at an upscale sushi restaurant with fish supposedly from Japan, so the sushi wasn't corrupted with the toppings that you may find at more commercial restaurants (spicy mayo sauce, tempura and panko; and some rolls are even deep fried and contain high-calorie ingredients such as cream cheese and avocado). If you want sushi, go with Sashimi. You avoid the white rice and the extra calories. The fish used in sushi is high-fat, but they are healthy fats. The sushi we had was simple and clean, but the white rice still had me feeling sluggish and hungry again a few hours later. I also tried some Wagyu beef tips, which is a type of beef where the cows are grass fed and almost papered. You can really taste the difference in the beef. However, this type of Wagyu was swimming in a gravy and served over sauteed bok choy and radishes. It was still delicious. Overall I probably had about 600 calories at dinner, which was fine considering I only had a few small snacks before I went. I also did the INSANITY Plyometric Circuit before I got ready to go out, which helped make up for some of the splurging I did at dinner. I try to schedule my cheat meals on days that I work out so that I can somewhat "negate what I ate".
What's good about eating healthy is once you get into the groove of things, you start to prefer healthy foods. Not just because of how they taste, but how they make you feel. Back in my dance days, I would always pack lots of fruits and salads and nothing heavy during campus because I hated feeling sluggish while trying to dance for 6 hours a day. Now that I'm doing INSANITY, I know that the best thing for me is to put healthy things in my body, because after all, abs are made in the kitchen :)
Friday, January 11, 2013
Get Fit, or Get Out (INSANITY Day 5)
Today's workout was probably the hardest one so far. Super crazy. It sounds so simple... "Pure Cardio". Don't be fooled. Pretty much all the hardest stuff from the Power Cardio and Resistance and the Plyometric Cardio Circuit were compiled into this one death video. And next week I have to add abs to it?!?!?!?!
Anyway, today's INSANE workout was fueled by my NEW favorite love, Spaghetti Squash! I swear this is the miracle vegetable and it will change your life forever.
If you're like me, you LOVE pasta and noodles. A while back my family switched to whole wheat noodles, but even then they have a LOT of carbs, and frankly don't taste very good. The wholesome noodle doesn't soak up sauce very well. Thanks to Pinterest, I have found the most amazing thing I have every laid eyes on...
Yes, this is real! I had my doubts but I decided to try it. I bought a spaghetti squash at HEB, cut it in half, and roasted it in the oven for about an hour cut side down (skin side up) at 400 degrees. I let it cool a bit so I could pick it up, and used a fork to separate the strands. You don't have to shred it! Just use the fork to fluff it up and noodle-like strands fall right out! And it tastes AMAZING! The squash by itself (no seasonings, no butter, no oil) tastes great by itself, but mixed in with some marinara and you can barely taste the difference between it and white pasta. It soaks up sauce beautifully and has a measly 46 calories per cup. FOURTY-SIX. How awesome is that?!?! Me and my family fell in love and swore to never eat pasta again! (except for cheat meals, of course). I've already pinned so many recipes mmmmmm!
Tomorrow is my parent's 28th anniversary and I can't wait to have some sushi as a delicious cheat meal! :)
Anyway, today's INSANE workout was fueled by my NEW favorite love, Spaghetti Squash! I swear this is the miracle vegetable and it will change your life forever.
If you're like me, you LOVE pasta and noodles. A while back my family switched to whole wheat noodles, but even then they have a LOT of carbs, and frankly don't taste very good. The wholesome noodle doesn't soak up sauce very well. Thanks to Pinterest, I have found the most amazing thing I have every laid eyes on...
Yes, this is real! I had my doubts but I decided to try it. I bought a spaghetti squash at HEB, cut it in half, and roasted it in the oven for about an hour cut side down (skin side up) at 400 degrees. I let it cool a bit so I could pick it up, and used a fork to separate the strands. You don't have to shred it! Just use the fork to fluff it up and noodle-like strands fall right out! And it tastes AMAZING! The squash by itself (no seasonings, no butter, no oil) tastes great by itself, but mixed in with some marinara and you can barely taste the difference between it and white pasta. It soaks up sauce beautifully and has a measly 46 calories per cup. FOURTY-SIX. How awesome is that?!?! Me and my family fell in love and swore to never eat pasta again! (except for cheat meals, of course). I've already pinned so many recipes mmmmmm!
Tomorrow is my parent's 28th anniversary and I can't wait to have some sushi as a delicious cheat meal! :)
Namaste (INSANITY DAY 4)
For those of you following along, I'm sorry I forgot to post yesterday! I PROMISE I did the workout! It was the day that Shaun T "takes it easy" on us. The best way to describe the video is a mixture of Yoga and Pilates moves. I loved it! It was still a hard workout, and even though my heart wasn't racing like the normal chaos of INSANITY, I was still working up a crazy sweat and finished with my normal case of jello legs.
I took Bikram yoga classes this summer and I fell in love. Basically it's an HOUR AND A HALF (that's a long time) of 26 poses both standing and sitting in a room that is ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE DEGREES. You read that right. Imagine doing really hard yoga in a sauna. It's so intense, you bring a towel to lay over your mat. And when you leave, you, and that towel are soaking wet, as if you just came from the swimming pool. For those of you who love routine, Bikram is for you. The same poses are done every single time, and the same exact dialogue (almost verbatim) is used by the instructors. I also like it because the instructors "PUSH" you (if you've taken Bikram before you would get the play on words I made there). There is always room to improve, so don't worry about getting bored with it. It takes about 3 classes before you get completely used to the heat. They encourage to sit down and take breaks whenever you need it, and you first couple classes YOU WILL NEED IT. That's perfectly fine. It took me 6 classes before I was able to survive the entire series with no breaks, and it took maybe 8 before I was able to execute every single pose. And I still had plenty of room for improvement.
There is some controversy around Bikram... as the heat can be dangerous if you're not properly hydrated and there are some concerns about the contortions and certain poses that cause you to lock your knees. I wanted to start Bikram again but it is VERY EXPENSIVE. At the studio close to where I live, you can get punch cards for about $12 a class. A year's unlimited membership is over $1,000. I decided instead to invest my graduation money into INSANITY instead. However, I'm keeping an eye out for any Living Social deals or Groupons because I miss it. I saw GREAT results with Bikram and it also helped a lot with stress. I also like it because it keeps you accountable with your diet: You will NOT be able to make it through a class pleasantly with junk in your stomach. With that said, it's highly recommended to drink a LOT of water before you go and have an empty stomach (do not eat any big meals within 3 hours of class). I usually go first thing in the morning and grab a protein bar and munch on it on the way there. I would also recommend freezing your water bottle (of at least 1 Liter) and bring it to class completely frozen. It'll defrost, don't worry. Otherwise, you'll be sipping on bathwater throughout your workout. (Yuck!)
If Bikram sounds too intense for you, I would still encourage you to practice traditional yoga. Not only does it increase flexibility, it is a great way to stretch and strengthen muscles without being too strenuous and it is a tremendous stress buster. Namaste!
I took Bikram yoga classes this summer and I fell in love. Basically it's an HOUR AND A HALF (that's a long time) of 26 poses both standing and sitting in a room that is ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE DEGREES. You read that right. Imagine doing really hard yoga in a sauna. It's so intense, you bring a towel to lay over your mat. And when you leave, you, and that towel are soaking wet, as if you just came from the swimming pool. For those of you who love routine, Bikram is for you. The same poses are done every single time, and the same exact dialogue (almost verbatim) is used by the instructors. I also like it because the instructors "PUSH" you (if you've taken Bikram before you would get the play on words I made there). There is always room to improve, so don't worry about getting bored with it. It takes about 3 classes before you get completely used to the heat. They encourage to sit down and take breaks whenever you need it, and you first couple classes YOU WILL NEED IT. That's perfectly fine. It took me 6 classes before I was able to survive the entire series with no breaks, and it took maybe 8 before I was able to execute every single pose. And I still had plenty of room for improvement.
There is some controversy around Bikram... as the heat can be dangerous if you're not properly hydrated and there are some concerns about the contortions and certain poses that cause you to lock your knees. I wanted to start Bikram again but it is VERY EXPENSIVE. At the studio close to where I live, you can get punch cards for about $12 a class. A year's unlimited membership is over $1,000. I decided instead to invest my graduation money into INSANITY instead. However, I'm keeping an eye out for any Living Social deals or Groupons because I miss it. I saw GREAT results with Bikram and it also helped a lot with stress. I also like it because it keeps you accountable with your diet: You will NOT be able to make it through a class pleasantly with junk in your stomach. With that said, it's highly recommended to drink a LOT of water before you go and have an empty stomach (do not eat any big meals within 3 hours of class). I usually go first thing in the morning and grab a protein bar and munch on it on the way there. I would also recommend freezing your water bottle (of at least 1 Liter) and bring it to class completely frozen. It'll defrost, don't worry. Otherwise, you'll be sipping on bathwater throughout your workout. (Yuck!)
If Bikram sounds too intense for you, I would still encourage you to practice traditional yoga. Not only does it increase flexibility, it is a great way to stretch and strengthen muscles without being too strenuous and it is a tremendous stress buster. Namaste!
 |
| When I first mastered Toe Stand. I was so excited I had my mom take a picture when I got home, haha! |
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Strong is the New Sexy (INSANITY Day 3)
...It's not a blog without a GIF right? haha
Anyway, today's INSANITY video was called, "Power Cardio and Resistance"... aka, strength training! It was a lot of push-ups, dips, and squats. I'm going to be even MORE sore tomorrow, I can feel it. Strength Training is just as important as cardio when it comes to losing weight.
Why should you strength train? If a lean, sexy body and strong muscles aren't enough for you, these answers come STRAIGHT from the Center of Disease Control (CDC):
Here are numerous benefits to strength training regularly, particularly as you grow older. It can be very powerful in reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions, among them:
- Arthritis- The effectiveness of strength training to ease the pain of osteoarthritis was just as potent, if not more potent, as medications in clinical study. Similar effects of strength training have been seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
- Diabetes- studies now show that lifestyle changes such as strength training have a profound impact on helping older adults manage their diabetes. In a recent study of Hispanic men and women, 16 weeks of strength training produced dramatic improvements in glucose control that are comparable to taking diabetes medication. Additionally, the study volunteers were stronger, gained muscle, lost body fat, had less depression, and felt much more self-confident.
- Osteoporosis- esults from a study conducted at Tufts University, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1994, showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70.
- Obesity-Strength training is crucial to weight control, because individuals who have more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate. Muscle is active tissue that consumes calories while stored fat uses very little energy. Strength training can provide up to a 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is enormously helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control.
- Back pain- Stronger core and supporting muscles mean less strain on the back.
- Depression- Currently, it is not known if this is because people feel better when they are stronger or if strength training produces a helpful biochemical change in the brain. It is most likely a combination of the two. When older adults participate in strength training programs, their self-confidence and self-esteem improve, which has a strong impact on their overall quality of life.
There are so many misconceptions about lifting heavy weights that women always say that drive me CRAZY!!!
"I don't wanna get bulky, I just wanna get toned"
"I don't want to look like those freaky bodybuilders"
"Cardio will make me lose more fat"
"I just want a six pack"
Pretty much summed up in this picture:
The following is an excerpt from Jamie Eason's website on Bodybuilding.com:
"The primary concern women have when it comes to weight training is,
"I don't want to get big or bulky." We are here to tell you that you
won't! The hormone testosterone
is responsible for the large increases in muscle mass seen when men
lift weights. Women's testosterone levels are a fraction of men's
testosterone levels.Normal testosterone levels in men are 200-1200 ng/dl while 15-70 ng/dl are normal in women. As you can see, men's testosterone levels are significantly higher than women's. Even if a man is at the low end of the men's normal testosterone range (200 ng/dl), he still has more than twice the amount of testosterone as a woman at the high end of the women's normal testosterone range (70 ng/dl)."
Basically, if you want to look like the girl on the top, you probably need a testosterone booster or anabolic steroids (and a bad tan) to achieve that look. The sexy, toned girl on the bottom though, probably strength trains with heavy weights 3-4 times a week and eats a clean diet.
Heavy weights are the only way to get the toned sexy body that you are looking for. It's okay to start small, at maybe 5-10 pounds. But once you can do a set and not almost fail on the last lift, you are not lifting heavy enough weights. I can curl a 20lb weight and my arms are skinny little noodle arms. Doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps of a weight where on the last rep you REALLY have to struggle is perfect for looking like pretty girl #2 :)
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Ply-Ouch-Metrics (INSANITY Day 2)
They don't call it "INSANE" for nothin'. Day 2 of Insanity is a workout called "Plyometric Cardio Circuit". It's probably one of the hardest discs in month one. What is Plyometrics you ask?
"Plyometrics -- also known as jump training -- is a training technique designed to increase muscular power and explosiveness. Originally developed for Olympic athletes, plyometric training has become a popular workout routine for people of all ages, including children and adolescents.
Plyometric training conditions the body with dynamic resistance exercises that rapidly stretch a muscle (eccentric phase) and then rapidly shorten it (concentric phase). Hopping and jumping exercises, for example, subject the quadriceps to a stretch-shortening cycle that can strengthen these muscles, increase vertical jump, and reduce the force of impact on the joints.
Because plyometric exercises mimic the motions used in sports such as skiing, tennis, football, basketball, volleyball, and boxing, plyometric training often is used to condition professional and amateur adult athletes."
-From WebMD
From WebMD, a website where when I Google symptoms and almost always deduce that I have cancer or some other crazy disease, this is a fairly good description.
The INSANITY Plyo video starts off with a warm-up and then jumps right into the circuit training. The first circuit is just the warm-up repeated twice more with more speed each time and a 30 second break in between.After that, Shaun T gives your muscles a good stretch to prepare them for all of the jumping around that is about to happen Then the next circuit is a 4 jumping moves: suicide drills, Heismans, 1-2-3's, and mountain climbers. The last two circuits are football and basketball inspired, and the workout is polished off by some explosive abs, boxing style moves, and then a cool-down stretch. The entire workout spanned for over 40 minutes. I had to take a couple of breaks because it was really hard but I didn't let myself have more than 10 seconds before I went right back, usually holding a position such as child pose, downward facing dog, or getting on my back and doing sit-ups until I regain my breath. It was difficult but I powered through it. I can already tell that I'm probably going to be sore tomorrow.
My mom brought me a present today... more Kale and some spaghetti squash! Spaghetti squash is a squash that when cooked, it becomes a stringy pulp with a pasta-like texture. It's much healthier than pasta and gives the same effect! I can't wait to try it :)
My dad even brought me a present too... a fancy digital scale that supposedly calculates BMI and body fat percentage and tracks progress. Although I'm not sure if it's accurate, it will give me a benchmark. I just need the numbers to go down! So here's to progress! :)
"Plyometrics -- also known as jump training -- is a training technique designed to increase muscular power and explosiveness. Originally developed for Olympic athletes, plyometric training has become a popular workout routine for people of all ages, including children and adolescents.
Plyometric training conditions the body with dynamic resistance exercises that rapidly stretch a muscle (eccentric phase) and then rapidly shorten it (concentric phase). Hopping and jumping exercises, for example, subject the quadriceps to a stretch-shortening cycle that can strengthen these muscles, increase vertical jump, and reduce the force of impact on the joints.
Because plyometric exercises mimic the motions used in sports such as skiing, tennis, football, basketball, volleyball, and boxing, plyometric training often is used to condition professional and amateur adult athletes."
-From WebMD
From WebMD, a website where when I Google symptoms and almost always deduce that I have cancer or some other crazy disease, this is a fairly good description.
The INSANITY Plyo video starts off with a warm-up and then jumps right into the circuit training. The first circuit is just the warm-up repeated twice more with more speed each time and a 30 second break in between.After that, Shaun T gives your muscles a good stretch to prepare them for all of the jumping around that is about to happen Then the next circuit is a 4 jumping moves: suicide drills, Heismans, 1-2-3's, and mountain climbers. The last two circuits are football and basketball inspired, and the workout is polished off by some explosive abs, boxing style moves, and then a cool-down stretch. The entire workout spanned for over 40 minutes. I had to take a couple of breaks because it was really hard but I didn't let myself have more than 10 seconds before I went right back, usually holding a position such as child pose, downward facing dog, or getting on my back and doing sit-ups until I regain my breath. It was difficult but I powered through it. I can already tell that I'm probably going to be sore tomorrow.
My mom brought me a present today... more Kale and some spaghetti squash! Spaghetti squash is a squash that when cooked, it becomes a stringy pulp with a pasta-like texture. It's much healthier than pasta and gives the same effect! I can't wait to try it :)
My dad even brought me a present too... a fancy digital scale that supposedly calculates BMI and body fat percentage and tracks progress. Although I'm not sure if it's accurate, it will give me a benchmark. I just need the numbers to go down! So here's to progress! :)
Monday, January 7, 2013
Dig Deeper (INSANITY Day One)
Guess what the UPS guy brought me today :))
I have to admit I was a little intimidated and nervous to start and put off working out until almost 11pm tonight. Now my mind and heart is racing because I'm completely energized (plus I just took my pre-workout earlier) and I'll probably not be able to sleep till later... oh well...
Anyway, I can see why when I was looking for used INSANITY tests a lot of them only had one DVD used... the first DVD is the fit test and let me tell you, it is a DOOZIE. All the first day of the program is a 25-minute fit test. It consists of a 5 minute warm-up, 8-one minute tests, and a 5 minute cool down. There are 8 different moves (switch kicks, power jacks, power knees, power jumps, globe jumps, suicide jumps, push-up jacks, and low-plank oblique) and you do as many as you can in one minute then record your results. You re-take the test again on days 15, 36, 50, and 63 (pretty much every 2 weeks) so you can track your progress. I'll keep you posted on day 15 if I have any improvement!
I had to take several breaks and at one point felt like I might pass out, but I never gave up. Even the "machines" on the video had to take breaks, and that's ok! The point is that you push yourself as hard as you can go until you pretty much can't go anymore. Then you take a breather, and push again. Hence, "dig deeper". I haven't worked out in almost a month, and just started my clean eating regimen. Once I've been used to eating better and get into the swing of working out, it'll get easier. Just give it two weeks. That's all you really need to start forming habits.
If you are interested in seeing my "before" stats, you can click on the "progress" tab on my blog. Every time I take the fit test, I'll post my results as well as measurements, weight, and pictures. It takes a lot for me to put my body out there like that but I know by day 60 I'll be proud to pose for the camera!
Day One down, 59 more to go :))
 |
| The set: A fancy box containing the set of 10 DVD's, a fitness guide, a nutritional guide, and the wall calendar |
I have to admit I was a little intimidated and nervous to start and put off working out until almost 11pm tonight. Now my mind and heart is racing because I'm completely energized (plus I just took my pre-workout earlier) and I'll probably not be able to sleep till later... oh well...
Anyway, I can see why when I was looking for used INSANITY tests a lot of them only had one DVD used... the first DVD is the fit test and let me tell you, it is a DOOZIE. All the first day of the program is a 25-minute fit test. It consists of a 5 minute warm-up, 8-one minute tests, and a 5 minute cool down. There are 8 different moves (switch kicks, power jacks, power knees, power jumps, globe jumps, suicide jumps, push-up jacks, and low-plank oblique) and you do as many as you can in one minute then record your results. You re-take the test again on days 15, 36, 50, and 63 (pretty much every 2 weeks) so you can track your progress. I'll keep you posted on day 15 if I have any improvement!
I had to take several breaks and at one point felt like I might pass out, but I never gave up. Even the "machines" on the video had to take breaks, and that's ok! The point is that you push yourself as hard as you can go until you pretty much can't go anymore. Then you take a breather, and push again. Hence, "dig deeper". I haven't worked out in almost a month, and just started my clean eating regimen. Once I've been used to eating better and get into the swing of working out, it'll get easier. Just give it two weeks. That's all you really need to start forming habits.
If you are interested in seeing my "before" stats, you can click on the "progress" tab on my blog. Every time I take the fit test, I'll post my results as well as measurements, weight, and pictures. It takes a lot for me to put my body out there like that but I know by day 60 I'll be proud to pose for the camera!
Day One down, 59 more to go :))
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Lead By Example
Today I was quite the happy camper because I woke up to find my dad re-vamping our home gym in the garage. A little back story--- I don't know if you could tell by the picture on the about me section of my blog, but my dad used to be over 300 pounds! He was heavy my whole life and at my 10th birthday party, I had a horse party and he saw a picture of himself on a horse. He could not believe how heavy he looked and was inspired to change. He bought a home gym machine (it is basically a pully system with your basic needs: lat pulldown, squat, dips/lower abs, leg extension, chest press, military/shoulder press) and also a punching bag. We also have a recumbent stationary bicycle and elliptical machine. He pre-portioned out healthy meals of chicken breast, vegetables, and brown rice. We swapped our whole milk for 2%, and switched our white bread for whole wheat. My dad also got a gym membership. In a span of 9 months, he lost over 70 pounds! He said he decided to lose weight because he wanted to be around for a long time (awww). That was quite a few years ago, though, and he has had a few promotions since then so although he still went to the gym regularly, he did not work nearly as hard as he used to, let up on his diet, and age is now working against him.
Well anyway, he dusted off the old pully system and got it ready for use. In a previous post, I mentioned that my dad joined a weight loss contest at work and he has to lose 45 pounds by June. One thing I admire about my dad is he never does anything halfway. He started using my food scale to weight out portions and is even using a calorie counter app! He plans on going to the gym in the mornings and working out at home here in the evenings.We went to the grocery store (again!) today to buy some more healthy ingredients and for dinner we made delicious fish tacos (the whole meal was less than 400 calories!) I'm so glad that my dad is following what I'm doing. There are still many things that he's skeptical of (supplements, this food vs. that food, chia seeds...) and he's right to be a skeptic. The weight loss industry has boomed and therefore people are constantly trying to scam you simply because you're trying to follow your goals.
Unfortunately, my mom falls for these scams all the time. I've tried to tell her time and time again, there is no "get skinny quick" plan that actually WORKS. Crash diets destroy your metabolism. Whatever you do STAY AWAY!!!! There is no miracle pill that helps you lose weight. Now, there are supplements, and they're called supplements because they SUPPLEMENT a healthy diet and exercise. My mom, on the other hand, gets discouraged easily and finds excuses not to exercise. I try to tell her that exercising will not only help her lose weight, it will strengthen her muscles which will in turn help her pain! It relieves stress, helps you sleep better at night, and strengthens your heart. Why else wouldn't you want to work out?!? And don't get me started with our constant debates about strength training... Either way, even though what I was telling her for months was confirmed by her doctor, she still doesn't find credit in what I have to tell her. She thinks that weight loss should be easy, and it's not. She's stuck on the time that we both tried South Beach Diet and saw great results. We both also gained DOUBLE the amount we lost RIGHT BACK. I lost 15 pounds last year and kept it off, although I do weigh more than my slimmest last year. My dad still won't take my advice and although I am proud of him and have faith in him that he can do this, I fear that he might not perform like he wants to.
So what do I do? Simple. Lead by example. 60 days from now my parents will see that Insanity was a great investment. 6 months from now when I have a gym membership and have a great body (thanks to weight training), she'll see that I know what I'm talking about and hopefully I'll inspire her to do the same! I'm just worried about her health. My mom is not obese, but she is overweight and we have a bad history of stroke and heart disease in our family. Her oldest brother, her older sister, and my grandma were all taken by heart disease and stroke, and they were not even overweight. I worry about her health constantly and I hope she soon decides to make more healthy, permanent lifestyle changes instead of quick-fixes. The reason why I started going to the gym 2 years ago was because at 19 years old, I already had high cholesterol and high blood pressure, although I was a college athlete and ate fairly healthily. The doctor told me that exercise would fix all my problems, and it did! I only hope that I can convince my mom of this as well, before it's too late.
Well anyway, he dusted off the old pully system and got it ready for use. In a previous post, I mentioned that my dad joined a weight loss contest at work and he has to lose 45 pounds by June. One thing I admire about my dad is he never does anything halfway. He started using my food scale to weight out portions and is even using a calorie counter app! He plans on going to the gym in the mornings and working out at home here in the evenings.We went to the grocery store (again!) today to buy some more healthy ingredients and for dinner we made delicious fish tacos (the whole meal was less than 400 calories!) I'm so glad that my dad is following what I'm doing. There are still many things that he's skeptical of (supplements, this food vs. that food, chia seeds...) and he's right to be a skeptic. The weight loss industry has boomed and therefore people are constantly trying to scam you simply because you're trying to follow your goals.
Unfortunately, my mom falls for these scams all the time. I've tried to tell her time and time again, there is no "get skinny quick" plan that actually WORKS. Crash diets destroy your metabolism. Whatever you do STAY AWAY!!!! There is no miracle pill that helps you lose weight. Now, there are supplements, and they're called supplements because they SUPPLEMENT a healthy diet and exercise. My mom, on the other hand, gets discouraged easily and finds excuses not to exercise. I try to tell her that exercising will not only help her lose weight, it will strengthen her muscles which will in turn help her pain! It relieves stress, helps you sleep better at night, and strengthens your heart. Why else wouldn't you want to work out?!? And don't get me started with our constant debates about strength training... Either way, even though what I was telling her for months was confirmed by her doctor, she still doesn't find credit in what I have to tell her. She thinks that weight loss should be easy, and it's not. She's stuck on the time that we both tried South Beach Diet and saw great results. We both also gained DOUBLE the amount we lost RIGHT BACK. I lost 15 pounds last year and kept it off, although I do weigh more than my slimmest last year. My dad still won't take my advice and although I am proud of him and have faith in him that he can do this, I fear that he might not perform like he wants to.
So what do I do? Simple. Lead by example. 60 days from now my parents will see that Insanity was a great investment. 6 months from now when I have a gym membership and have a great body (thanks to weight training), she'll see that I know what I'm talking about and hopefully I'll inspire her to do the same! I'm just worried about her health. My mom is not obese, but she is overweight and we have a bad history of stroke and heart disease in our family. Her oldest brother, her older sister, and my grandma were all taken by heart disease and stroke, and they were not even overweight. I worry about her health constantly and I hope she soon decides to make more healthy, permanent lifestyle changes instead of quick-fixes. The reason why I started going to the gym 2 years ago was because at 19 years old, I already had high cholesterol and high blood pressure, although I was a college athlete and ate fairly healthily. The doctor told me that exercise would fix all my problems, and it did! I only hope that I can convince my mom of this as well, before it's too late.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
New Year, New Hair!
Today I discovered a new love, Kale. Kale is delicious sauteed or raw, a green leafy veggie loaded with beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and rich in calcium. I tried it first sauteed in olive oil and cracked pepper with a fresh garlic clove, red onion, cherub tomatoes, and wild-caught salmon, and then crumbled some feta cheese on top. So good and less than 200 calories for the entire dish!
Then mom and I went out for me to get a new haircut! I was nervous because I chopped off a LOT of hair, it used to be almost to my ribs and now it looks like this!
Then mom and I went out for me to get a new haircut! I was nervous because I chopped off a LOT of hair, it used to be almost to my ribs and now it looks like this!
It looks slightly different now because I had my stylist tweak it a bit after I took this pic. It has a slight angle to it and is shorter in the back than it is in the front. A "long angled bob" is the proper term for it! It's a dramatic change but I absolutely love it! My hair feels a lot healthier now too. I probably will miss my long hair soon, but it's just hair, it'll grow back! (Plus, eating healthy and exercising makes your hair grow faster, in case you didn't know!)
By the time we got out of there it was time for our second meal, so we headed over to Whole Foods. It's a healthy eating mecca but it's also kinda pricey. We figured it was our best bet to grab something healthy! We shared a roasted chicken and avocado sandwich called "The Mopac". It was delicious and kind of a splurge because it also had a little bit of pepperoni on there for a kick and chipotle mayo and jack cheese. It was also on a white bread panini. I think I want to re-crate it but nix the pepperoni, make a chipoltle greek yogurt spread and put it on whole wheat rye! We also sampled some Tofu and cabbage that was DELICIOUS (but I only had a bite because the Tofu was deep fried) and we bought a Mediterranean Kale Crunch Salad that I took home and ate for meal #4. It was yummy! I ate it Chickpeas, Olives and all! (and let me tell you I do NOT like Chickpeas OR Olives).
Then for my last meal/dessert I made a banana, oatmeal, greek yogurt, chocolate protein powder, and almond butter smoothie with a splash of Mootopia (a lactose-free milk) and a Stevia packet for a little more sweetness. I thought it was delicious but my mom wasn't really a fan, most likely because the greek yogurt was bitter to her and she was probably expecting a milkshake (haha). However, I got both of my parents to try almond butter and they both love it! Almond butter is much healthier than peanut butter, as it does not have the partially hydrogenated soybean oil (trans fats!) and is sweetened with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.
I love eating healthy! I do miss deep-fried, dripping in cheese, chocolate, and loaded with sauce like the next person, but that what cheat meals are for! It's okay to reward yourself once in a while, just don't overdo it. I'm going on a dinner date tomorrow with Rudy and best believe that's gonna be my cheat meal! Overall though, I just feel better when I eat healthy. My skin looks better, I have tons of energy, and when you eat as often as I do the cravings subside because you're keeping yourself full! Plus eating healthy fiber and protein loaded meals will fuel great workouts (I start Insanity on Monday, so excited!) Listen to your body. If you're hungry, it's because it's time to eat! No sense in starving yourself, because it only backfires later!
With that, goodnight :) Can't wait to see Rudy tomorrow, I hope he likes my new haircut! :))
Friday, January 4, 2013
Family Matters
Today was a busy day! I headed to the store to run errands to buy some healthy foods and pick up some much needed supplements. Now before you start to tune me out because you think I'm a juice head, hear me out! I got an extra boost of confidence in my plan today because my mom saw a weight loss doctor and inside the packet she brought home was stuff I already knew! 5 clean meals a day, cardio and weight training, and of course, supplements. So I went to GNC to take advantage of Gold Card week and all the sales they had going on. This is what I bought:
This is called 5-HTP. It is a plant-based supplement that acts as a natural precursor for serotonin. Studies show that it helps regulate mood and decreases carbohydrate cravings. The recommended dosage is 50-300mg a day. Side effects include nausea or drowsiness. If taken before bedtime, it can act as a sleep aid.
Price at GNC: $19.99 before discounts (I paid $15.99 for 45 tablets)
*Doctor Recommended
These pills are simply calcium with Vitamin D-3 to assist with calcium absorption and magnesium. Calcium plays a vital role in suppressing hormones that promote fat storage. It stimulated body processes that break down existing fat when combined with a low calorie diet. Recommended dose is 500-1000 mg per day. Studies show that magnesium has a positive effect on lipid profiles. It also may benefit blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and high cholesterol. Recommended dosage is about 100mg/day. Low vitamin D levels are associated with osteoporosis, muscle weakness, cancer, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, and kidney & auto-immune disease. Studies recommend a does of at least 1000 I.U. a day for adults.
GNC Retail price: 7.99 for 90 tablets, 12.99 for 180 (I paid $10.00 for 180)
*Doctor Recommended
These chews contain raspberry ketones, which were recommended by Dr. Oz. Raspberry ketone is the primary aroma compound of red raspberries. This
compound regulates adiponectin, a protein used by the body to regulate
metabolism. Raspberry ketone causes the fat within your cells to get broken up more effectively, helping your body burn fat faster. The recommended dose is 100mg per day (from Dr. Oz website). They also contain green coffee bean extract, which is taken from green coffee beans BEFORE roasting. They contain chlorogenic acid which increases metabolism of fat and slows the release of glucose. The recommended dose for green coffee bean extract is 400mg taken 3 times daily before meals.These chews are great appetite suppressants, you can pop one (up to 4 a day) in whenever you get a craving but it is not quite yet time for your next meal.
GNC Price: $24.99 for 40 chews (I paid $29.99 for 2 40-chew packets)
*Doctor recommended
This is a pre-workout that is made by GNC called pro-sculpt. Pre-workout helps give me an extra boost of energy on days where I just don't feel like I have enough energy to give 100% during a workout (which is often!). The product also claims to aid in fat burn and muscle development. It contains caffeine, beta-alanine, and green tea extract to help give an extra energy boost. It has a proprietary blend of amino acids to help aid in building muscles. Contained in this blend are two *doctor recommended ingredients:
1) Conjugate Linoleic Acid (CLA): naturally occurring fatty acid found in dairy and beef. It acts on enzymes that allow fat deposition and prevents it from happening. It helps maintain more lean muscle mass during and after dieting
2) L-Glutamine: an amino acid that curbs cravings for sweets, also aids in recovery of muscles.
I also like this pre-workout because it is Creatine FREE, so it isn't harsh or has harsh side effects. It also won't make you bloat (which Creatine does) and you won't have to worry about cycling on and off this product. Some side effects include upset stomach and headaches until you get used to the product. I recommend that you take this 15-20 minutes before your workout.
GNC Price: $49.99 for 30-scoop supply (I paid $59.99 for two 30-scoop supply canisters AND I got a free backpack) :))
So you're probably wondering... how much did that all cost? Well all together, I paid about $117.00 for 60 days (the entire Insanity program) worth of pre-workout, 2 packages of ketone chews (one for me and one for mom!), 180 Calcium tablets, and about a month's worth of appetite suppressants. Along with all that, I also got 2 free trials of other pre-workouts, a sample of a sleep-aid, a small bottle of CLA supplements for free, AND a free backpack (soooo gonna be my gym bag once I subscribe to a gym!). It did make me wince a bit to fork over that much money, but I did save over 70 dollars due to the sale. And if I get the results I want, it'll all be worth it! I know it seems like a lot, both price wise and consumption wise, and I'd hate to rain on your parade but there are actually a few other things you should consider for your fitness regimen, including a whole-food multivitamin, fish oil (omega 3) pills, vitamin B-12 (energy!), and protein powder for post-workout. I know this all seems overwhelming, but what I always say is it's better to take a whole bunch of pills now to protect your health so that you're not popping blood pressure bills, cholesterol pills, pain pills, heart disease bills, blood thinners, diuretics, etc. later! I also take a Biotin supplement to help promote healthy skin, hair, and nails.
At this point (if you've even made it this far) you're probably wondering where the "Family Matters" title came from. While I was at HEB buying great whole foods like fresh fruit, healthy fats, whole grains (like Quinoa), fresh veggies (like Kale and juicy tomatoes) and lean proteins (like eggs, tuna and wild-caught salmon), I got the best text EVER from my dad! He entered a weight loss contest at work and if he can lose 45 pounds by June, he will win up to $1,000! This was the best news! I was so proud of my dad that he was ready to make a lifestyle change! This will make things easier for me as now our entire family is trying to lose weight and I know I'll have more support with trying to be healthy in the kitchen. I bought a healthy eating cookbook and my mom was flipping through the recipes, excited to try them out! I'm so excited for my family to embark on this journey together! Also because that means with them eating healthier and being more active, I know my parents will be around for a long time :)
Thanks for reading this novel and I hope you learned something new! :) Until tomorrow! <3
*"Doctor recommended" denotes that this supplement or ingredient was recommended by my mom's weight loss doctor and supplement information was obtained from information given by her doctor unless otherwise noted.
Price at GNC: $19.99 before discounts (I paid $15.99 for 45 tablets)
*Doctor Recommended
These pills are simply calcium with Vitamin D-3 to assist with calcium absorption and magnesium. Calcium plays a vital role in suppressing hormones that promote fat storage. It stimulated body processes that break down existing fat when combined with a low calorie diet. Recommended dose is 500-1000 mg per day. Studies show that magnesium has a positive effect on lipid profiles. It also may benefit blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and high cholesterol. Recommended dosage is about 100mg/day. Low vitamin D levels are associated with osteoporosis, muscle weakness, cancer, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, and kidney & auto-immune disease. Studies recommend a does of at least 1000 I.U. a day for adults.
GNC Retail price: 7.99 for 90 tablets, 12.99 for 180 (I paid $10.00 for 180)
*Doctor Recommended
GNC Price: $24.99 for 40 chews (I paid $29.99 for 2 40-chew packets)
*Doctor recommended
1) Conjugate Linoleic Acid (CLA): naturally occurring fatty acid found in dairy and beef. It acts on enzymes that allow fat deposition and prevents it from happening. It helps maintain more lean muscle mass during and after dieting
2) L-Glutamine: an amino acid that curbs cravings for sweets, also aids in recovery of muscles.
I also like this pre-workout because it is Creatine FREE, so it isn't harsh or has harsh side effects. It also won't make you bloat (which Creatine does) and you won't have to worry about cycling on and off this product. Some side effects include upset stomach and headaches until you get used to the product. I recommend that you take this 15-20 minutes before your workout.
GNC Price: $49.99 for 30-scoop supply (I paid $59.99 for two 30-scoop supply canisters AND I got a free backpack) :))
So you're probably wondering... how much did that all cost? Well all together, I paid about $117.00 for 60 days (the entire Insanity program) worth of pre-workout, 2 packages of ketone chews (one for me and one for mom!), 180 Calcium tablets, and about a month's worth of appetite suppressants. Along with all that, I also got 2 free trials of other pre-workouts, a sample of a sleep-aid, a small bottle of CLA supplements for free, AND a free backpack (soooo gonna be my gym bag once I subscribe to a gym!). It did make me wince a bit to fork over that much money, but I did save over 70 dollars due to the sale. And if I get the results I want, it'll all be worth it! I know it seems like a lot, both price wise and consumption wise, and I'd hate to rain on your parade but there are actually a few other things you should consider for your fitness regimen, including a whole-food multivitamin, fish oil (omega 3) pills, vitamin B-12 (energy!), and protein powder for post-workout. I know this all seems overwhelming, but what I always say is it's better to take a whole bunch of pills now to protect your health so that you're not popping blood pressure bills, cholesterol pills, pain pills, heart disease bills, blood thinners, diuretics, etc. later! I also take a Biotin supplement to help promote healthy skin, hair, and nails.
At this point (if you've even made it this far) you're probably wondering where the "Family Matters" title came from. While I was at HEB buying great whole foods like fresh fruit, healthy fats, whole grains (like Quinoa), fresh veggies (like Kale and juicy tomatoes) and lean proteins (like eggs, tuna and wild-caught salmon), I got the best text EVER from my dad! He entered a weight loss contest at work and if he can lose 45 pounds by June, he will win up to $1,000! This was the best news! I was so proud of my dad that he was ready to make a lifestyle change! This will make things easier for me as now our entire family is trying to lose weight and I know I'll have more support with trying to be healthy in the kitchen. I bought a healthy eating cookbook and my mom was flipping through the recipes, excited to try them out! I'm so excited for my family to embark on this journey together! Also because that means with them eating healthier and being more active, I know my parents will be around for a long time :)
Thanks for reading this novel and I hope you learned something new! :) Until tomorrow! <3
*"Doctor recommended" denotes that this supplement or ingredient was recommended by my mom's weight loss doctor and supplement information was obtained from information given by her doctor unless otherwise noted.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
New Year, New You (How original, right?)
Happy New Year! It's officially 2013, and everyone knows what that means... New Year's resolutions. And of course, like everyone else, my resolution is to lose weight. But unlike everyone else, I really mean business. Last year, my roommates and I made the resolution to be healthier so that we could lose weight in time for Spring Break. My roommate Chelsea started running with me, and together we both ran 100 miles over the semester! My other roommate Hannah joined a cross-fit class and saw great results with that. Between January 2012 and January 2013, I have lost 15 pounds! I hope to repeat that goal again, only this time, I will do it by Spring Break 2013 when I will reunite with my friends! They are still in school and have access to a free gym now, and I have moved back home and hopefully will start working now that I have graduated. I know that while working full-time, going to the gym will be difficult, and I am not exactly sure where I will begin, so today I ordered this off of Amazon:
A couple years ago me and my friends attempted this program and let me tell you , it must work because it is HARD. We enjoyed doing it, but we had to quit after two weeks because we lived on the second floor and our downstairs neighbors complained of our noise. I decided to use this program instead of a traditional gym (although I am passionate about the gym, don't get me wrong I love cardio and lifting weights!) because I can do it from the comfort of my home in my own time, and once I get settled and find a job I'll get a gym membership where I think it will work best for me. So get ready, my daily posts will include how my workout went! Hopefully I'll be able to start Monday because I got rush delivery! We'll see if I can "Dig Deeper"! I'll probably include a little snippet each day just of my life in general and what I ate, etc. Cheers to 2013 and a new ME! :)
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