Biggest Loser Lessons

Ok, hands down my favorite show right now. No matter how late I get home on a Tuesday night, I cannot sleep until I watched it, and last night was no exception. I did not get to start it until 11:00, but I was enthralled. So, I'm not usually here to talk about the show, but I think there were some very important things addressed on the show last night, that we can all take to heart.

First, did you see O'Neal walk up the stairs without stopping during each step. VERY MOVING!, but not what I'm here to discuss. It's what he said about how losing weight is great, but it is the life changes (being stronger, being able to climb stair unassisted) we will take with us forever. (Please forgive me, I should have written the quote down.) It's so true. Some of us may lose the weight, some may put it back on, some may float back and forth forever, but what my journey, your journey is about is CHANGING YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER. To be able to run with your kids, walk up the stairs, ride a bike, live longer, happier, more productive lives. It doesn't matter what the scale says. The scale is just a number, not your life.

I think I have talked about this before, but one time a girl said to me (during my 9 MONTH PLATEAU), "If I didn't see the scale move for two weeks, I would quit." THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT! If we don't see the scale move, then what, we give up, quit moving, get back on the couch, grab a bag of chips, and start the cycle over again?... or do you want to keep moving, live, and know that with living a better life, good things will come- including weight loss, even if it takes more time than you expect.

I know it's frustrating to feel like you are busting your ass every day to see no results, but how are you measuring your results? I used to last through 10 minutes of cardio. Now I can take 3 classes in one night. I didn't run. This weekend I will run a 2-mile race, then walk a 2-mile race with my family. Again, how are you measuring your results? Are you changing, and not taking the time to realize it? To be proud of it?

This brings me to my second favorite moment/lesson of the night, Sam being proud of his 2 pound weight loss.

Sam is a worker. He pushes, sweats, and does not slack off. Last night the scale did not show that. Now, for a guy that normally loses 7-10 lbs per week, he should have been crushed. He fell below the yellow line, but did he sulk? Nope. Sam talked about O'Neal's comments and how he knows he (Sam) is strong, and he is proud of himself no matter what. This may sound like some corny line that a person puts out when they aren't doing what they need to, to lose the weight, but it was a light-bulb moment for some of us last night.

No matter what the scale says, because of what I do each day by eating healthy and exercising, I am making my life better. I will live longer and be more productive because of it. If I did not lose another pound, I am stronger than ever. I can push harder, and go farther, I am proud of myself. You should be proud of yourself too.

Let Us Pat YOU On The Back!

Often times we are too hard on ourselves. We don't give credit where credit is due. So what have you done this past week that makes you proud of yourself? Tell us so we can pat you on the back!

Working Out At Home

So I had a request for this post quite some time ago, and I have to be honest, I am finding it a difficult one to write. My sister asked, since she does not have a gym near her what can she do to workout at home?...

READERS, I NEED YOU TO WEIGH IN ON THIS! I am going to write some of my favorite things to do at home, but since I spend 12 hours (or more) a week at our local YMCA, I feel I am by no means an expert in this area (not that I'm really an expert in any area!)

So here are some things I do at home, (or could do if I couldn't make it to the Y that day.)

1. A workout video: Now I know you're probably like, she's really not an expert if that's all she can give, but hold on, I've tried a few... here are my critiques/analysis' of them....

There are specifically 3 Jillian Michael's DVD's that I love. I think you should own all three for different reasons. (I believe I have gotten all of them at Walmart.com and they're fairly inexpensive)

• JM's 30 Day Shred: I really like this video when I need to burn calories fast, and get some toning in. If I work hard during this video I can burn 450- 550 calories, plus I get a full body toning routine. I recommend having some hand weights, and although her girls only use 1 set through the video, I think that is unrealistic, and keeps you from pushing yourself. I like to have 8 lbs and 10 lbs, but I won't lie, there are times that I wish I just had 5 lbs. So, if you're going to buy some I would recommend buying 5's and either 8's or 10's depending on how buff :) you already are! I also recommend having a yoga mat or something to lay on because you do lots of ab work during this video.
• JM's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism: This is like a 45 minute all cardio workout. If you just need to get you're heart rate up, and burn some calories, do this! I won't lie, it's kind of exhausting if you really push yourself, but worth it. I don't recall needing anything other than good shoes, and an oxygen mask to finish this one.
• JM's No More Trouble Zones: This video is all toning. All weights. Obviously you will need hand weights for this. It's about 45 minutes, and set up much like her BFBM video, but you won't burn a ton of calories lifting weights... not at home or the gym. It's still important to build those muscles, so this is a good one to do a couple of times per week.

So there are some videos you can try that I really like. Now, on to other things:

Of course you can always purchase equipment, but let's see how we can do some of the same things without it:

A treadmill: Go on a walk, or a jog, what ever you can handle. Just be sure to get into your Target Heart Zone. If you don't do that, you're not effectively burning calories, and will not get much of a workout. If you are just starting to jog, try jogging for 30 seconds, then walk for 2 minutes. Keep this up as long as you can. Then add more jogging, and less walking. I will post a better running post later, but this will get you started.

A stair stepper: Do stairs in your home, your apartment complex, a track/stadium. The key to making it a workout is to not just do one set, but start out and set a goal, then finish it. Currently If I run the stairs at the stadium, it's 1520 stairs. I know that's a lot, but shoot for something that stretches your potential. You are stronger than you may think!

I don't know that I have a great way to replicate an ARC or elliptical trainer. Sorry.

Do lunges in an open area. When I started I would do 12 lunges for 3 sets. Try this in your backyard. It's a great leg workout. If that's too easy, add 5 or 10lb hand weights while you are doing them.

Ok, this is my start, let's try and keep this going. Do you workout at home? What do you do? What equipment do you feel is important to have? Help! Leave some comments, and let's get some really good ideas rolling.

Let's Get Started...

So it's time to start thinking about doing some fitness together. I was thinking it would be fun to do The Wichita River Run together as I discussed in this post. Will you join me for the 2-mile fun run/walk. Don't worry, we can be ready no matter what fitness level you are at. Here's what you have to do:

1. Commit that you are going to do it. (Let me know in the comment section.)
2. Let me know if you are interested in training with me for it. - Don't worry, I'm not all hard core. I will start at the very beginning. I am still a basic runner myself. We will even be walking some of it, especially in the beginning. (I know some of you can't run for various reasons. Please join us anyways- we won't leave you!)
3. If you are wanting to train, let me know what your favorite day of the week to try and do that would be.

If you can't train with us, that's fine, I just want to give people that chance. It is so much fun to work out with a group of friends... it makes it feel like you're not really working out!

The deadline with Wichita Riverfest for early registration is May 3rd. If you want to register online, go here! So are you in?

Note: I think I will be signing my kiddos up for the tot trot this year also, if you have younger ones, and are interested! (Let me know.)

Eating...

So last week was spring break, and through an experiment (I didn't even know I was conducting at the time) I learned something VERY valuable. Eating is more important in determining weight loss than exercise.

Some may fight me on this, but I believe it to be 100% true. Now don't get me wrong, I think exercise is very important, for reasons other than losing weight. And with a good combination of the two, weight loss can be pushed along more speedily. Let me lay it all out.

Like I said, last week was spring break, and in the spirit of spring break I ate. Not like a pig, but I did enjoy some things out of my norm. And splurging is OK, in moderation, but I did it every day. Thankfully, I also worked out harder than ever. So what happened to the scale?... any guesses... I maintained. Although I probably burned more calories than usual last week because I did not watch my diet, I did not lose.

No worries, not discouraged, I just knew I had to get back to eating right again. So here are 5 tips to get your eating in order.

1. Figure out how many calories per day you should be eating. Learn to stick to this. Learn to live with this. You probably are not going to like the answer you are given. It won't leave you room for pizza, nachos, and cake all in one day. Sorry. The key to losing weight is burning more than you consume, and if you always consume too much, you will NEVER lose. NEVER.

Here is a link to figure out your calories needed. I like setting my activity level on sedentary, that way if I have a lazy day, I don't overeat. After you figure out your daily calories, you now either have to add in 500 calories burned of exercise, or you need to subtract 500 calories out of eating.

For example: I burn 1965 calories per day (sedentary). So I either need to be sedentary and eat 1465 calories per day OR Go to the gym and put in a 500 calorie workout and eat 1965 that day. (I generally eat less AND add in a workout- this is what I was talking about speeding the process up. Each day I end with about a 1200 calorie deficit, and generally lose 2-3 lbs per week.) A pound of fat is 3500 calories, so if you cut 500 calories per day, you should lose 1 lb of fat per week.

2. Log your food. It's the most treacherous, time consuming thing you will have to do- at first. Then you get better. You memorize numbers like your phone number... 1 oz cheese= 90 calories, 2 slices bread= 100 calories, etc... I still believe caloriecount.about.com is the best website I have found for food logging. If you haven't tried it, you should. It also will help you figure out how many calories you should be eating from #1.

3. Get into a habit. Get into an eating habit. Take time to eat. Some people like eating every three hours. I like eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, with an occasional snack. I don't have time or patience to eat 6 times a day.

4. Treat calories like a bank. When you go on vacation, you have a budget (at least most of us do.) Treat your daily calories like that. Wake up with a plan. On a normal day I like to SPEND 300 calories for breakfast, 600 calories for lunch, and 600 calories for dinner. If I'm going to have a fancy dinner, or if I know I will want a pre-workout snack, I BUDGET differently. No matter what, stay within your budget. Now this will sound crazy but, EAT WHAT YOU WANT. WITHIN YOUR BUDGET. I say this with a smirk, because what you will find is if you are truly trying to stay within your calorie budget, you will start to eat healthier just so you can have more My best example of this is I love eating veggies with ranch dip at lunch, but the ranch dip was taking up 140 of my 600 calories (25%) (and it wasn't a heap of ranch either), so I experimented until I found a lite ranch that is only 60 calories (10%), so I get more real food for lunch, and waste less of my budget on dip.

5. Weigh your food. If you are going to be true to yourself. If you really want to see results, then go spend $30, and start weighing your food. You are kidding yourself if you just "think" you ate 1 helping of chips, or if you "eyeball" 1 oz of cheese. I promise you will see results if you start weighing your food. Because at the end of the day, you can know it, budget it, and log it, but if it wasn't really that amount of food... it was all in vain.

This was a long post. I hope I didn't lose you at the beginning, but I feel that eating is the key to weight loss, and I want you to see the results that I have seen for myself. If you have any questions, just leave them in the comment section, check back, and I will answer them there!

Welcome back to High School!

So this is a big goal for me, therefore, I will post about it. I have been working ages to see this day. Today I weighed in at 175 lbs. Why is this significant you ask?

1. Because as of today, I am back to my high school weight! (Senior year pic.)

AND... 2. I only have one of these left to lose! (30 pounds)

Next goal: 160 pounds= 100 pounds lost... here I come!

So keep on chugging. If you don't give up, your goals will meet you. I am absolutely loving my life right now! I love what I eat each day. I am constantly expanding my food choices to be healthier and more fun to eat. And most of all I love my workouts right now. I know, that may sound crazy to some, (even myself at times), but I am loving the girls I am working with, and the things I am doing. I even started lap swimming last week, and will be working on competing in a mini-triathlon in the near future. What fun!

I'm Back!

So after 9 long days without a computer to speak of, we're up and running again, yeah! It's late in the evening, and I have a workout to catch, but I want to leave you with one thought...

"No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change."

~Bill Phillips~

More tomorrow!

I Haven't Forgot!

So, I have not forgot about this blog... like my other one, ha! Our home computer is BROKEN, and the "Geek Squad" is in no hurry to get it back to us. I am sitting here at my Sister-in-laws house trying to do quick updates, check e-mail, etc.

I have lots of things to share when the computer is up and running, but until then, I got my race results and I finished 19th in my age division! I am so excited for that!

So until sometime next week... keep up the good work, keep working hard, and we'll talk soon.

Race Day Results!

What an amazing day! I had such a great time running the race, and like I promised on my post-it this morning , I am proud of my accomplishments for today.

First off, I actually slept well last night. We started off with a pre-race dinner, and then I tried to keep it business as usual at home. I think in the past I've tried too hard to go to bed too early, so I end up flopping around like a fish for hours. (I have to say it also helped that Brian came to bed late, since he was watching the KSU game.) Here is a dinner pic with part of our time. Such an inspiring group of men and women.


This morning I was up around 5:30. It wasn't my intended time, but I decided when I woke around that time that I wasn't going to just lay around and be nervous for the next 45 minutes, so I got up and going.

We headed to the Intrust Bank Arena at 7:30, and as usual, I brought my cheering section. (I really depend on them.) Today's section was small but mighty!, as part of my fan club is out of town, and another member missed her alarm. They always make me smile, and it means the world to have their constant support.



Here is a portion of the team before the race.


They started us in 10 second intervals, so I started at 8:49:40. Just before the race (like literally a minute before), we were thrown a small loop. One of the race attendants explained the course, and turned out we would be running 9 laps around the arena instead of my expected 6. No problem. Off we went.

Here is a video of me finishing the race. (That guy was determined to blow past me in the end!) And for the laughable moment of the race, you may notice my hands on my hips right after I crossed the finish line... wardrobe malfunction... my shorts (that I bought less than a month ago) were too big, and kept falling off my hips, so I had to keep pulling them up. I know that's where I lost my time ;)



I ended up finishing in 21:57 (at least that's my unofficial time from my stopwatch). It took me a couple of minutes longer than I expected, but I ran the entire race, and I DID THE BEST THAT I KNOW I COULD. I ran strong. I did what I could, and I am entirely happy with that.

Way to go Team "Steppin' It Up!" Here's to "Doin' More" in 2010!

Snack on This Saturday

Are you doing your post it?

"Just for today I will be proud of myself no matter what. I accomplished much today!"

Here is a thought for the day:

"To change the world, start with one step. However big or small, the first step is the hardest of all" - David Matthews

Here is a recipe that I love to snack on: (From the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook)

2 medium cucumbers
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp chopped red onion
1/4 cup lowfat ranch dressing

Place fork at one end of cucumber and scrape the peel to make a pattern (peel, no peel). This makes the cucumbers more tender. Trim the ends off, and cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, remove the seeds from the cucumber,and cut them in half crosswise.

Arrange wedges side by side on a serving platter. Top evenly with tomato and onion, and drizzle with ranch.

Nutritional Facts:

4 Servings, 38 calories, 2 g protein, 5 g carbs, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 83 mg sodium

ENJOY!

I hope to post race results later today!

Just For Today!

So I was reading a website the other day, and Tara Costa (Biggest Loser, Season 7) mentioned that she does this to keep herself motivated.

So get your post it notes out and each day write "Just for today I will..." set a goal for yourself that you only keep for the day. Place the post it somewhere that you will see it often to remind you. I mean you can do anything for a day right? Here are some suggestions:
Just for today I will...
1. Log all of my foods
2. Work out for an extra 30 minutes
3. Try a group exercise class
4. Drink only water
5. Try a new fruit or vegetable
6. Keep my dinner to ____ calories (pick a number slightly lower than what you're used to)
7. Weigh my foods
8. Not make any excuses
9. Lift weights (or put in extra reps)
10. Not snack after dinner

This list is endless. These are only ideas. Think of some. Write one post it note a day for the next week. Let me know what you think! I think it will be fun.

So here is my first post it: " Just for today I will not eat carrot cake at Doc Green's for dinner!" (I stinkin' love that cake, and Cole always wants to share a piece with me, not tonight.)

On another note:


I am getting ready to run in the Fight For Air Climb in the morning. I am so excited, ready to go, and just starting to get butterflies! Pray for me to sleep tonight. My adrenaline always seems to start building up about now, and I NEVER sleep well before a race. I have trained really hard for this, and want to do well.

I really don't know what to expect time-wise as there is no duplicating (at least not accurately) what I will do tomorrow, but I am hoping to finish in less than 17:30. That would have me running 9 minute miles with stairs included. My start time is 8:49:40, so that would put me done by 9:07:10 (if my math skills are correct). It's a goal. I may be way off. Whatever I do tomorrow I will be proud of, but we always have to shoot for something right?

Our team will be having dinner together tonight before the race. I really have loved getting to know this group of men and women, and look forward to running with the Steppin' It Up! team in the morning. Wish us luck!

Finally:

The no pop challenge I committed to is just 2 hours from being over, and I DID IT! I still miss pop. Wish it was a memory, but it's not. I will drink it much less in the future though. Final tally for the week was 4.6 lbs lost. That is double my usual loss, and the only true difference this week was pop. I may have even put in a little less gym this week as I am trying not to be as sore as usual for the race tomorrow. Good results for the effort!

Have a great weekend! I will try and post results from the race tomorrow!

How ya doin'?

So I want to thank all of you girls that made a commitment to change this week. I will say this hasn't been the easiest week not drinking pop, but I'm actually getting used to it! With only 26 hours left to go (yes, I'm still counting :) ), I am going to extend my time through my race on Saturday. That way I will know I am well hydrated and ready to go. After that, I know there will be a huge reduction in the amount of pop I drink in the future.

So here's how not drinking pop has impacted me this week...
1. With still 1 day to go before "official" weigh in, I have lost 4.2 lbs this week. That is 2 pounds more than usual!
2. I am better hydrated. I am no longer getting leg cramps at night. My body has probably not been properly hydrated for years! Really.
3. A side effect is that my children are not drinking pop. Since the only pop they drink is when they steal sips out of my can, and my can isn't there... there's nothing to sip. That makes me very happy.

How did your week go? Here are the commitments I know of, I would love to hear from you!

Erin: committed to not eating out all week. That's tough!
Tina: committed to getting out of bed each morning at 5 a.m. to workout... wish I had her stamina.
Sherry: committed to not snacking after dinner. Good job Sherry, that will take the pounds off.
Lindsay: committed to not eating sugar for a whole month. WOW!
Molly: facebooked me to tell me she started Turbokick again, and would like to shoot for 3 days a week. I am proud of you Molly.

Congrats girls. Sometimes the hardest thing is to spot a weakness, and stare it in the eye. That's what we did this week!

I am going to start something new tomorrow. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. You will need a pad of post it notes. That's all I am going to tell you for now :)

In the meantime, if I forgot you, I am so sorry, I tried to go back and remember all of the commitments for the week. Would you please comment on how your week went. We would all love an update. If it didn't go great, that's OK, let us encourage you! If you did something awesome this week, would you comment, we want to hear from you. Also, don't forget to check the comment section, I am commenting on your comments there (you can comment on others comments also). Have a great day!

My Newest Mountain To Climb

This is my newest mountain. 76 bleachers, 10 times up, for a total of 760 bleachers! It is exhausting. It makes my legs shake, literally, and it makes me ache for days when I'm done, but...
I can climb it. Can you? Want to try?
I will be there tonight (WSU track/Cessna Stadium) from 5:30- 6:30

Unpredictable

That's what our bodies can be. I had a tough weekend. I was a little under the weather, and really sore from my workouts last week. It's like the virus had settled in my joints, and the daily aches that usually subside after moving around a little in the morning would not go away.

So did I handle it like a trooper and press on?... kind of, but not really. I worked out Saturday morning, but that was mostly because I ate like CRAP Friday evening. Saturday eating went well, still a little snacky, and then dinner Saturday night... awful again. I blame the restaurant slightly. I ordered Chicken Parmesan and asked for the chicken to be grilled. Did they bring it out that way- of course not! So with 2 antsy toddlers in tow, I bit the bullet (or the chicken) and moved on. I only ate about 1/2 my dinner, but still felt bad about my whole eating situation.

Sunday I decided to make it better. Back on track. Good breakfast, reasonable lunch, then ate too much for dinner. Now, dinner was a home cooked, low cal meal, but still I know when to stop, and I didn't. To top it off, Brian came to bed, yes, bed with Oreos, and who put their hand in the package... moi!

Monday morning came. The day I dread. I weigh in, and find out how much I have to lose before the "new" weight loss begins each week. I weighed in at 183.6. First of all, I was SHOCKED to only be up 2.6 pounds for the weekend, but I have been wanting 170's for a couple of weeks now, and they just won't come. Until today... After a day of healthy eating, calorie counting, and a great Monday evening workout, I got on the scale today and weighed 179.2! That's it. Officially 80 pounds lost!

Our bodies can be unpredictable sometimes. There are days when you can eat perfectly and work your a$$ off in the gym (last Thursday), and not see a single pound shed. But if I gave up every time that happened, I would probably still weigh 259 pounds. Then there are days like today when our bodies forgive us for the wrongs of the weekend, and let us move on towards 90 pounds.

I Struggle, but Press On!

Not drinking pop is so hard! I am now at 51 hours without any soda, yes, I am counting people. It's that bad. It's pushing me. Thanks to those who have committed to one change for the week. If you still want to, there's always time!

Have You Committed?

Did you commit to try and do/change 1 thing this week? How's it going? Let us know.

Here's my workout schedule for the week (if you are interested in joining me, I would love to have some buddies!)

Monday: Turbokick, 7:15- 8:15, and PiYo, 8:15- 8:45, Andover YMCA
Tuesday: I will be squeezing in a quick workout somewhere due to obligations!
Wednesday: Bleacher climb, 5:30- 6:30, WSU, Turbokick, 7:15- 8:15, Andover YMCA
Thursday: Turbokick, 5:30- 6:30, East YMCA, followed by some running
Friday: I will recoup for my race Saturday
Saturday: I will be racing in the Fight For Air Climb at the Intrust Bank Arena. (I will post more about this later.)

Let's get out there and change ourselves a little this week!

Welcome to Snack on this Saturday!

On Saturdays, I'm hoping to give you a quick fitness tidbit, and a healthy treat for your weekend. Enjoy!

Your Just-Right Workout Buddy

"The person exercising next to you can have a significant impact on your workout — for better or worse.

A recent study from the University of California at San Diego reports that exercising next to someone who seems “more fit” than you are can actually lead to shorter and less-effective workouts. The study found that participants spent less than three minutes on the pull-down machine when working out next to a more-fit person. Working alone had them spending four minutes on the machine. But when working out with someone of similar physical appearance and endurance, the participants used the machine for more than five minutes. So find a just-right buddy and hit the gym!"

Quoted from: makinglifebetter.com

Warm Cinnamon Apple

An apple is my favorite pre-workout snack. The sugar in the apple boosts my energy, while the fiber keeps me full while I burn calories. I love making it this way to spice it up a little.

1. Use an apple corer to slice up your apple.

2. Place your apple in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with cling wrap, and heat for 3 minutes on high.

3. Remove apple and uncover carefully. Sprinkle 1 packet zero calorie sweetener (I prefer Splenda.) And sprinkle with 1 tbsp cinnamon.

It's such a sweet snack to pump you up for your workouts. Enjoy.

Nutrition Info: 89 calories, .3g fat, 0 cholesterol, 2mg sodium, 26 carbs, 7 g fiber, 14g sugar, 1 g protein

Saboteur

So I was preparing this post about who or what is your weight loss saboteur? Like, is it the hubby who wants you to eat out a lot, or is it your mom who invites you over for unhealthy meals, is it your co-worker who brings their extra baked goods to the office to share, your boss made you work late again, etc, etc, etc.

Then I was at Turbo last night, going through the motions, joints aching, wishing I hadn't been talked into climbing 760 bleachers the evening before hand, when I realized, that (now this part is really important) I was going through the motions.

I had decided I was tired, and because I was tired, I was just going to do it and be done. OK, stay with me. This is when the next realization came. I control my body and my mind. I don't have to go through the motions that I expect from myself or that other people expect.

So I finished Turbo strong, and then did my 2 fastest miles ever on the track! Your body is stronger than your mind. I promise.

This is the key to weight loss. Taking over your own mind and your own body, and taking control of your life. You see, the saboteurs are out there. They always will be, and it is not always their intention to hurt you. Most probably don't even realize they are doing it. That's why you have to make the choice to be better, push harder, go farther. When your hubby wants to go to dinner, go, make a good choice off the menu. Compromise to eat somewhere healthier if you're going to go out. If your mom makes an unhealthy meal, eat less this meal. You will eat again, you won't starve! Your co-worker brings birthday treats, just say no... or if you have the calories to do so, then say yes. Your boss made you work late, don't skip your workout, squeeze it in, even if it's shortened. You will be glad you did. You are in control of your body. For success to come, we have to stop finding a way to place the blame on others, and instead put the control in our court.

So what am I saying, there are no saboteurs other than ourselves.

This week lets go farther. I challenge you to post one thing in the comment section that you will do this week to stretch yourself.

I will NOT DRINK ANY POP for 1 week. (This is huge for me! I drink 3 cans of Diet pop per day.) What will you do? Name 1 thing!

Sweat Your Cares Away

This is a quote from my friend Jacqueline Myles (Fitness Coach),

"An exercise physiologist taught me to do this when I'm tired or feeling sick.. Sit down and assess yourself.. Are you mentally tired or physically tired? Mentally tired? Do your work out! Physically tired? Take a break! When your body is tired you are prone to injury!"

I think it is such a great quote because there are so many times at the end of the day when I feel to exhausted to do anything else. I have no desire to change my clothes, pack up the kids, plan a meal around a workout, get to the Y, and workout, but 19 times out of 20, I do it anyways. Sometimes as late as 9:30 in the evening... and you know what. I am never sorry I did.

I may feel mentally exhausted, but that's what a workout is good for. From the Mayo Clinic website:

"Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression."

So stop, evaluate, are you physically or mentally tired. If mentally tired, then go make yourself feel better by sweating your cares away.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

... How often do you weigh yourself?

I am a daily weigher. I get up every morning, turn on the shower, use the bathroom, strip, and weigh. It's as consistent as I can get. I also track my weight each day on Calorie Count.

However, I only count my weekly weight loss on Fridays. You see, I seem to have a reasonably perfect diet from Monday through Friday, but come Friday night, all bets are off. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still eat well, but I overindulge a little, eat out, etc. By Monday morning the scale is usually up about 2 pounds, but throughout the week I lose those 2 pounds plus a couple more, so I only count actual weight loss for the week every Friday morning.

This is the best article I have ever read defending my position on weighing daily. I get people all the time telling me not to be so hard on myself. To "not weigh tomorrow". Weighing keeps me on track. Sometimes it even causes me to relax a little. Once I realize that I can eat things in moderation without gaining a ton of weight, I learn to enjoy this process a little more.

So fill me in, what is your routine? How often do you weigh?

Recipe: Raspberry Streusel Muffins

Oh my, these things are AMAZING! I have been eating one each morning with an egg beater omelet for breakfast. Here's the recipe:

Muffin:
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I use the Splenda baking mix)
1/4 cup sugar (I use the Splenda zero calorie. NOT THE BAKING MIX)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp skim milk
2 tbsp butter, melted (I use Smart Balance sticks)
1.25 cups fresh raspberries (It's one of the small packages)

Topping:
1/4 cup chopped pecans (you can skip these if you prefer)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted

Glaze:
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1.5 tsp lemon juice

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. (I use a sifter to make sure they are combined well.) Combine egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in raspberries, careful not to mash them up too much. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray fill with batter (I do not use paper muffin cups with these).
• Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle about 1 tbsp over each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack (be sure to do this, or your hot raspberries will cause your muffing to fall apart.)
  
• Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm muffins.

NOTE: If you use Splenda, be sure to freeze your muffins within 24 hours. Splenda has no preservative in it, and will cause them to mold quickly otherwise. Remove frozen muffin from freezer, place in microwave for 1 minute, and it will taste like you have one fresh out of the oven! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: 1 muffin, 171 calories, 5 g fat, 23mg cholesterol, 83mg sodium, 27g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 3g protein These facts are calculated using Splenda products.

Welcome Mae!

We had a new buddy at Turbokick tonight! Welcome Mae, you were so brave to jump in on the front row, and you did such a great job. We look forward to seeing you at more TK! It is so much fun to workout with friends. If anyone is interested, here is my Turbokick schedule:

Monday, 7:15-8:15, at the Andover YMCA
Wednesday, 7:15-8:15, at the Andover YMCA
and
Thursday, 5:30- 6:30, at the East YMCA

I would love to workout with you. Let me know!

Top 5 Items I Can't Lose Weight Without...

Here are the 5 items I feel like I must have in order to lose weight or stay on track. (In no particular order...

1. Polar Heart Rate Monitor: I wear this watch to EVERY workout. It helps me track my heart rate to be sure that I am staying in my Target Heart Zone, and it tells me how many calories I burned. I find it very gratifying to know that I may be tired and sweaty after a workout, but I burned 700 or so calories. It has a really cool feature that reminds you to move if you haven't used it in more than 2 days. All in all TOTALLY worth the money, and definitely a must have tool for me.


2. Local YMCA: Now don't get me wrong, I don't think you have to belong to a gym to lose weight, but the Y has brought us so much more than just some fitness equipment. Since we have joined the Y, we go there 6 days a week. It has made being active a lifestyle. It is a close time for our family. We may take the boys swimming, rock climb... it doesn't only have to be about climbing on a treadmill to sweat. I also love having knowledgeable trainers and athletes wandering the building. I can always find someone to help answer a question, or to motivate me out of a rut. Our YMCA has been a great place to lose weight, be encouraged, and to get to know new friends.


3. The Biggest Loser: Laugh if you want, but you know you secretly love watching also. Watching the Biggest Loser has always created such inspiration in me. I was one of them. Am one of them. Going through a journey to lose over 100 pounds. I laugh, cry, and sometimes my body literally even aches with them. The Biggest Loser cookbooks, and products have also been wonderful to use.



4. www.caloriecount.about.com : The best free website I have ever found for weight loss. Like all websites, you have to take time to get to know it, but after using calorie count for a short time, I was very comfortable with it. I log my food and weight into it everyday to help keep track of where I am. With over 80,000 foods already pre-logged into the system, it is rare that I have to copy nutrition labels which saves me a lot of time. It is a wonderful tool, and like I said... IT'S FREE!
5. A food scale: WE EAT TOO MUCH. Most of us anyways. I never realized what a serving of anything was until I started taking the time to weigh it. Now my husband laughs at me because I weigh almost everything. I have 2 tips if you plan to purchase one: 1. find a scale that zeros out. This allows use to leave food on the scale, and hit a button to take it back to zero, so if you are making a salad for example, you can weigh your lettuce, hit zero, weigh your veggies, hit zero, and weigh your dressing all without having to make a mess of lots of containers to weigh them. 2. Use the gram setting. Most labels are weighed in grams also, and that tends to be more precise.

There you have it. A few of my favorite things. Do you have any fitness tools you can't live without?