Hi everyone! I hope Spring is going well and you're as happy as I am to be out of the cold and into the (already) sweltering heat! It makes me happy :) Guess what?! I was a featured blogger on For Two Fitness! They sell some pretty cool workout clothes for pregnant moms but also provide great advice on staying healthy and working out. Check out my blog here! Then stop in and check out the rest of their website.
On another note:
We just finished a "Spring into Summer" 6 week lifestyle challenge at the HeartStrong Fitness studio and the winners were announced!
All the final check ins done and the winner was announced in our private facebook group but I thought I'd let everyone know that Michelle Leaf was our grand prize winner of the Spring into Summer 6 week challenge! She has done amazing! Such a great inspiration!
*EVERYONE lost inches (and that's what we want...smaller and tighter!)
*not everyone lost pounds but I always say it's not about the scale in the grand scheme of things next time we'll change it up for the final results. But I am so proud of everyone who did this challenge and I hope you all keep up the workouts and healthy choices! Thank you!
This challenge gave me some grief a little bit. See, I always say that it's about the inches lost not what the scale says....but for this challenge sake, to make it fair, we had to do percent of total weight lost. This is an easier one that will be most fair across the board. I'm thinking I'll rearrange the way I do the next challenge because inches are certainly much more telling of body change than just the scale. I mean, I'm all about gaining muscle, and that's just what everyone did! yay!
Hope you have a happy and healthy weekend!
Showing posts with label fitspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitspiration. Show all posts
New Year, New food mmmm...
So January is over and I am now asking about the resolutions you've made for 2014....why now? Because it's about now that you are probably moving on from them :) Resolutions, goals, personal fixes, do-overs,...whatever you call them I want you to think about them as Superbowl Sunday approaches us this weekend!
One of my many goals I set for myself was to add more recipes. I used to do it a lot so I'm going to post more recipes and workouts per blog. The recipes will be gluten free and mostly dairy free so I hope I can help those of you who are just finding out you need to be either one, or both, of those. It's rough when trying to change how you eat/cook so if I can help I will certainly try. Eating healthy is pretty much the only way we eat in our house, not because we try so hard but mostly because that's the stuff I like, and I cook so it ends up that way. We do like to splurge but our splurges tend to be Thai or sushi which are not the worst we could choose.
Here's the deal though. I'm not a chef, not even a wonderful cook. But I love to eat and I hate to shop soooo that means that I've become really good at figuring out how to put together meals with whatever is in the cabinet and they usually end up tasty, if I do say so myself. I also have a few rules when it comes to recipes that I use. Due to my laziness most recipes will have 6 ingredients or less and about 5 steps or less (most will include one step that says "put all ingredients in a bowl and stir" :) ) So if you want easy and fast...I'm your girl...wait, I mean...you'll like my food suggestions.
Here's a great one for the Superbowl:
Peanut butter balls...
we did this regularly as a kid, it may even be the first recipe i memorized. It is great for the sweet tooth but will fill you up.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup peanut butter (an all natural PB is recommended — the only ingredient necessary is crushed peanuts)
1 cup honey
3 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 cup dried fruit (we like crasins in our house but mini dark chocolate or rasins would do)
unsweetened coconut
1 cup honey
3 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 cup dried fruit (we like crasins in our house but mini dark chocolate or rasins would do)
unsweetened coconut
DIRECTIONS
Mix the first four ingredients together thoroughly. Form them into balls (makes about 10-12 depending on size) then roll them in the crushed nuts, granola cereal, or unsweetened coconut. Serve or refrigerate.
Nutrition Info:
Recipe yields four dozen quarter-sized balls.
Nutritional information per serving: 100 calories; 5 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 12.2 g carbohydrates; 2.8 g protein; 4.4 mg sodium; 1.5 g fiber; 7.1 g sugar
Super Workout:
10 "field goal" Crunch- Lay on back with arms and legs stretched out and raise shoulders up while lifting legs and hold for 2 counts.
10 supermans- (reverse of elongated crunch) Lay on belly and raise legs and arms, hold for 2 count and lower
10 out and in ab crunches
20 touchdowns- stand with feet apart take left hand and as you side step to the right you touch left hand to the right foot. Then side jump/step to the left and bend to touch right hand to left foot. Alternating sides.
10 Squat sidekicks each leg - squat and then kick leg to the side kind of like a roundhouse kick.
10 Switch lunge jumps
15 Single leg squat each side
10 run-downs...20 high knee run in place and drop down for a pushup then repeat
15 tricep dips.
10 "field goal" Crunch- Lay on back with arms and legs stretched out and raise shoulders up while lifting legs and hold for 2 counts.
10 supermans- (reverse of elongated crunch) Lay on belly and raise legs and arms, hold for 2 count and lower
10 out and in ab crunches
20 touchdowns- stand with feet apart take left hand and as you side step to the right you touch left hand to the right foot. Then side jump/step to the left and bend to touch right hand to left foot. Alternating sides.
10 Squat sidekicks each leg - squat and then kick leg to the side kind of like a roundhouse kick.
10 Switch lunge jumps
15 Single leg squat each side
10 run-downs...20 high knee run in place and drop down for a pushup then repeat
15 tricep dips.
Repeat this 1 to 5 times before the game starts then at least once at the end....so you don't snack too much!
3 day smoothie "that's not food" review...
So here is my theory on detoxing/cleansing/juicing... whatever you want to call it.... As humans, we have a kidney and a liver whose primary job is to clean out, cleanse and rid the body of toxins. As long as they are in standard working order why do you think you need to help them along? Just because you indulge yourself on a regular basis doesn't mean your body isn't working, really, it's probably your mindset that needs some assistance. Now, when it comes to bloating I have a different view on that, I do believe we bloat based on what we eat, as I'm sure you all have experienced. And some of us bloat WAY more easily than others, to our dissatisfaction.
I did this "cleanse" for many reasons the first being that I have never done one and I am asked ALL the TIME about drinking smoothies, detoxing and cleansing and other things along those lines. The other being that I was asked about blenders and I couldn't even give a recommendation because I didn't own one...so I bought one. I am a scientific thinking kinda person, I was in the biology track in high school and majored in biology in college (until I was biologied out and switched) and I married a biology major who has worked in research-testing stuff. So I like evidence, research and results. I also don't believe in animal testing so I test on myself, as I feel I'm closer to the average human than a pig or rat.
I did a 3-day smoothie cleanse that is found all over the internet, I found Dr. Oz's website publishing it as well as a well known blogger (who I won't name) also publishing it as her own.... with not one ingredient change so it was identical. But regardless, it is one that many people follow and I wanted to be able to speak knowledgeably about it, based solely on my own experiences.
As most of my friends, family and clients know, I LOVE to eat. Volume of food is important to me, so drinking all of this was hard for me, I'd much rather take the pile of ingredients and eat them all up. But I did it and for the most part, stuck to it. I was spot on for the first two days. What is hard for me is that I have hypoglycemia so regular eating is important to keep me, um, nice (?) and also upright...I eat so I can be happy but I also eat so I don't pass out, which has happened and it's not fun. Drinking high sugar is not the best way to eat to keep blood sugar in working order. So basically, here's how it went.
Day 1: On Tuesday morning I drank a delicious shake and then for lunch I drank a delicious shake and again at dinner...a shake. This one was a shocker, it was a tad spicy so I warn those of you that don't like spicy, it has got a kick. I like it and it certainly made me not want to snack that night.
Day 2: I woke up feeling much trimmer and very empty. I certainly felt that some bloat was going away, so I kept with the regimen. I drank all the shakes as I was supposed to but I started to get pretty hungry. Just drinking was not really satisfying me. I was CRAVING some protein. But I stuck to it because I promised myself I would. This was a test of willpower also, something I have a hard time with.
Day 3: I lasted only until lunch. I had a business meeting so I couldn't not eat! Yep, I gave in and had a chicken salad but it was only part of it, no dressing and I ate all the chicken and pecans and not much else. I was about to tell myself, "well, I lost weight and look better so I've proved it, I can eat"... The salad was so small and empty that in the end I didn't really ingest that much. And decided that I wouldn't give up because what I've proved to myself was that this cleanse was very easy to give up on, even when it's only 3 days. So I had the dinner shake coupled with a few bites of enchilada meat and some olives. I was craving fats, more than the tablespoon of almond butter or coconut oil that is included in the shakes.
Observations: I did not do the baths, it's too hard for me to set that aside 3 nights in a row. But I did do the multi vitamin, fish oil and probiotics (already do those). I also worked out all three days, which would require a bit more calories and why I was really hungry.
The day the cleanse was to finish was date night and I could tell it wasn't going to be pretty because I was already planning what I was going to eat...and it wasn't a chicken salad! It was one of those moments where you just know you're depriving yourself and a binge was coming on. What I decided to do was allow myself some bites of food so I didn't binge on the next meal that was set in front of me! And I think that is the problem for most people, when we hear "no" or restrict too much we end up going a tad (or more) overboard when we finally allow ourselves to get what we want. Hence my whole "it's a lifestyle not a moment in time" way of living.
Conclusion: As I sit here sipping my kale, blueberry, green apple shake.... The cleans is only alright. A 3-day smoothie cleanse is not totally for me but it is a great way to reduce some bloat and get your mind reset. This is a mind-reset cleanse not a detox cleanse. My liver and kidney do just fine, blood tests prove that. So what I got out of this cleanse was a great way to reset my mind after Thanksgiving (3 days of it!) and get my mind and body ready to get back to normal amounts of food and a reasonable caloric intake. I do feel good.
As you can see from pictures, I had some changes but not a ton. I went from 117.6 to 115 pounds. (though I fluctuate by 3-5 on a daily basis). I took the pictures at the same time each morning, after going to the bathroom and before eating or drinking anything. (If you noted the sports bra...I have 3, if I find something I like, I stock up, I swear :) )In the 4th picture, the morning after the 3rd day I'm not as lean as you'd think I'd be considering the 3rd day picture. The day before, during day 3, I truly had maybe 4 small bites of enchilada meat and one bite of tortilla for dinner in addition to the chicken salad with no dressing (so it was pretty uninteresting) for lunch. So one meal in place of a smoothie made that much of a difference?...it's not worth it to me, I like to eat too much to give up 2 or 3 meals a day. At the same time, I have to admit, I will be adding kale, cucumber and mango smoothies...with protein powder...to my regimen on a busy day. I am no longer opposed to smoothies because they are just good and tasty, and a great way to get in some antioxidants and veggies. But please add a scoop of protein so you aren't missing out on that important macronutrient!
I did this "cleanse" for many reasons the first being that I have never done one and I am asked ALL the TIME about drinking smoothies, detoxing and cleansing and other things along those lines. The other being that I was asked about blenders and I couldn't even give a recommendation because I didn't own one...so I bought one. I am a scientific thinking kinda person, I was in the biology track in high school and majored in biology in college (until I was biologied out and switched) and I married a biology major who has worked in research-testing stuff. So I like evidence, research and results. I also don't believe in animal testing so I test on myself, as I feel I'm closer to the average human than a pig or rat.
I did a 3-day smoothie cleanse that is found all over the internet, I found Dr. Oz's website publishing it as well as a well known blogger (who I won't name) also publishing it as her own.... with not one ingredient change so it was identical. But regardless, it is one that many people follow and I wanted to be able to speak knowledgeably about it, based solely on my own experiences.
Day 1: On Tuesday morning I drank a delicious shake and then for lunch I drank a delicious shake and again at dinner...a shake. This one was a shocker, it was a tad spicy so I warn those of you that don't like spicy, it has got a kick. I like it and it certainly made me not want to snack that night.
Day 2: I woke up feeling much trimmer and very empty. I certainly felt that some bloat was going away, so I kept with the regimen. I drank all the shakes as I was supposed to but I started to get pretty hungry. Just drinking was not really satisfying me. I was CRAVING some protein. But I stuck to it because I promised myself I would. This was a test of willpower also, something I have a hard time with.
Day 3: I lasted only until lunch. I had a business meeting so I couldn't not eat! Yep, I gave in and had a chicken salad but it was only part of it, no dressing and I ate all the chicken and pecans and not much else. I was about to tell myself, "well, I lost weight and look better so I've proved it, I can eat"... The salad was so small and empty that in the end I didn't really ingest that much. And decided that I wouldn't give up because what I've proved to myself was that this cleanse was very easy to give up on, even when it's only 3 days. So I had the dinner shake coupled with a few bites of enchilada meat and some olives. I was craving fats, more than the tablespoon of almond butter or coconut oil that is included in the shakes.
Observations: I did not do the baths, it's too hard for me to set that aside 3 nights in a row. But I did do the multi vitamin, fish oil and probiotics (already do those). I also worked out all three days, which would require a bit more calories and why I was really hungry.
The day the cleanse was to finish was date night and I could tell it wasn't going to be pretty because I was already planning what I was going to eat...and it wasn't a chicken salad! It was one of those moments where you just know you're depriving yourself and a binge was coming on. What I decided to do was allow myself some bites of food so I didn't binge on the next meal that was set in front of me! And I think that is the problem for most people, when we hear "no" or restrict too much we end up going a tad (or more) overboard when we finally allow ourselves to get what we want. Hence my whole "it's a lifestyle not a moment in time" way of living.
Conclusion: As I sit here sipping my kale, blueberry, green apple shake.... The cleans is only alright. A 3-day smoothie cleanse is not totally for me but it is a great way to reduce some bloat and get your mind reset. This is a mind-reset cleanse not a detox cleanse. My liver and kidney do just fine, blood tests prove that. So what I got out of this cleanse was a great way to reset my mind after Thanksgiving (3 days of it!) and get my mind and body ready to get back to normal amounts of food and a reasonable caloric intake. I do feel good.
As you can see from pictures, I had some changes but not a ton. I went from 117.6 to 115 pounds. (though I fluctuate by 3-5 on a daily basis). I took the pictures at the same time each morning, after going to the bathroom and before eating or drinking anything. (If you noted the sports bra...I have 3, if I find something I like, I stock up, I swear :) )In the 4th picture, the morning after the 3rd day I'm not as lean as you'd think I'd be considering the 3rd day picture. The day before, during day 3, I truly had maybe 4 small bites of enchilada meat and one bite of tortilla for dinner in addition to the chicken salad with no dressing (so it was pretty uninteresting) for lunch. So one meal in place of a smoothie made that much of a difference?...it's not worth it to me, I like to eat too much to give up 2 or 3 meals a day. At the same time, I have to admit, I will be adding kale, cucumber and mango smoothies...with protein powder...to my regimen on a busy day. I am no longer opposed to smoothies because they are just good and tasty, and a great way to get in some antioxidants and veggies. But please add a scoop of protein so you aren't missing out on that important macronutrient!
If you want to see the cleanse...here it is, like I said, I've seen this pinned on Pinterest from other popular blogs as their own, so I don't know where it originated but it's all the same. I did the nutrition breakdown and it was way low based on what I normally intake (1600++ calories):
| Calories 1,260 | Carbs 204 | Fat 48 | Protein 28 |
From the thoughts of my 2 1/2 year old daughter: "Mommy, what are you going to eat for dinner?" Me: "my smoothie" Her: "that's not food! That's a drink. What are you going to EAT?"
Transformers-more than meets the eye!
Wow, has it been a while...with grad school almost over, Gia getting busier and work at the Studio picking up...not to mention trying to fit in solid workouts...it has been quite a crazy 2 months. But I see a light at the end of the tunnel and I'm feeling motivated, or is that extreme exhaustion? I can't tell.
But either way, I set a goal for myself (and anyone wanting to join) of transforming into a stronger person both physically and mentally. The mental part has been simple, with all that I have going on there is no room for weak! The physical part was mostly to push me towards Nationals (physique competition- bikini division) and for personal growth, health and increased fitness. I've been lifting heavy, eating a lot more and putting on some muscle. It's been working...imagine that, lifting heavy weights and timing my nutrients just right has done the trick! It's hard to post pics because there is no "cut" or definition during this time of growth but there will be soon enough...the goal is nearing. But maybe I should post pics...it will let you all know that being "competition ready" all the time is impossible, especially if you are trying to make any kind of gains (while repairing your metabolism/body as I had to do). You CANNOT gain a ton of muscle eating in a deficit (low calories)... so eat more to gain muscle, and eat right to gain it healthily.
Transforming your body, as I tell my clients, is not easy...
But either way, I set a goal for myself (and anyone wanting to join) of transforming into a stronger person both physically and mentally. The mental part has been simple, with all that I have going on there is no room for weak! The physical part was mostly to push me towards Nationals (physique competition- bikini division) and for personal growth, health and increased fitness. I've been lifting heavy, eating a lot more and putting on some muscle. It's been working...imagine that, lifting heavy weights and timing my nutrients just right has done the trick! It's hard to post pics because there is no "cut" or definition during this time of growth but there will be soon enough...the goal is nearing. But maybe I should post pics...it will let you all know that being "competition ready" all the time is impossible, especially if you are trying to make any kind of gains (while repairing your metabolism/body as I had to do). You CANNOT gain a ton of muscle eating in a deficit (low calories)... so eat more to gain muscle, and eat right to gain it healthily.Transforming your body, as I tell my clients, is not easy...
Reassess and Transform....a CHALLENGE for you!!
It's hard for me to open up to people about things, I'm a personable person (I think) and love sharing things but sometimes opening up is a challenge for me. I'm competitive by nature, both internally and externally- so here's my new task. I'm opening up to all of you who follow me and look for inspiration on the internet...yikes. Welcome to my newest personal challenge!
Here's a little insight into my life on the fitness front: I'm not saying I'm leaving the competition world behind me because it is so much fun and such a rewarding experience but I am saying that I need to get healthy first and foremost before I step on stage again...I'm hooked on 1st place finishes..lol. What most people don't understand is that most competitors (upwards of 90%)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
