So here is my finalized work-out calendar for April. If any of you live in or around Richmond and are members of American Family Fitness, please feel free to join me! The work-outs are all at the Southside location unless they are high-lighted. The high-lighted work-outs are at Swift Creek which is on Route 360. The event on April the 17th is an outside event, a field day or boot camp if you will. Scary but I know it will be FUN! I hope that some of you can join me for some of these classes! They really are a lot of fun!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
20 Ways to Eat Healthier NOW! (as published in SELF magazine)
One of the biggest struggles it seems for so many people doing this BAL competition is the food. I came across this article on 20 really simple ways to change the way that you eat without having to stress over the calorie counting and what not today and I thought it may be helpful to some out there. I bolded some of the ones that I think are super important, and ones that I follow as much as possible. So read and heed!
20 Ways to Eat Healthier Right Now
Adopt one (or all) of these simple strategies to drop pounds and feel great!
Marisa Cohen, SELF
Remember when you were a kid and eating was as simple as “Open, chew, enjoy”? You didn’t count the grams of fiber and fat in your PB&J. You munched when you were hungry, stopped when you were full and ran off to play with your Cabbage Patch Kids. But choosing a meal as a health-minded adult can be as complicated and joyless as a calculus final. Enough! Here are 20 common-sense rules that make eating right as easy as pie for you and your inner 8-year-old.
1. Eat like a tourist in Greece
The sunset over your office park isn’t as stunning as the one over an Aegean beach, but a plate of grilled fish and fresh vegetables and a glass of wine is as delicious in Athens, Ga., as it is in Athens, Greece. Plus, a Mediterranean menu can help lower your risk for heart disease and keep you slim, says Susan Mitchell, Ph.D., co-author of Fat Is Not Your Fate (Fireside).
2. If you can’t grow it, don’t eat it
A potato comes from the ground, an egg from a hen. But where did that Pop-Tart come from? If your best guess is “aisle 7,” pass it up. “Unprocessed, whole foods will give you the most benefits,” says Michelle K. Berman, R.D., of Fairfax, Va. Processing takes out nutrients such as antioxidants and fiber, and even when chemists add them back, nothing stacks up to Mother Nature.
3. Read the back of the box first
“The front is all advertising,” Berman says. Flip it around for the real story. The more ingredients, the more likely it has visited a few processing plants where something artificial was mixed in, says Lydia Zepeda, Ph.D., professor of consumer science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
4. The crunchier, the better
Snacks that offer a big, satisfying crunch when you bite into them—we mean apples, celery, snap peas and nuts, not chips—keep your mouth busy longer than food you slurp. “The more you chew, the slower you eat and the more time your body has to register fullness,” Mitchell says.
5. You can always have more
Tomorrow. A food shortage is not imminent. Besides, anything you eat after you’re full doesn’t even taste as good. “There is a toning down of taste buds after the first few bites,” says Linda Bacon, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at City College of San Francisco. And no one loves feeling stuffed.
6. A frozen berry beats a fresh doughnut
Purchasing organic local produce is better for both the environment and your health, but when the nearest farm is hours away, don’t default to a package of Oreos. “Frozen, canned and fresh fruit all have comparable amounts of nutrients,” says Christine M. Bruhm, Ph.D., director of the Center for Consumer Research at the University of California at Davis.
7. You can’t replace real ice cream
When you’re craving Chunky Monkey, no amount of fat-free ice treat will make up for it. “Diet foods leave you feeling hungry and cheated,” says Paul McKenna, Ph.D., author of I Can Make You Thin (Sterling). Splurge on one scoop of the real deal and savor it. “You’ll be satisfied physically and psychologically,” McKenna says.
8. There’s no fruit in “fruit flavor”
Seeing flavor on a label is a sign the food was stripped of its real taste and a fabricated one swapped in, Bacon says. Natural only means the additive came from a plant or an animal, which may not be as healthy as it sounds. “Scientists create flavors using bacteria and call them ‘natural,’” she says. Would you buy Bacteri-Os?
9. If it’s not around, you can’t eat it
You’re in your cozy armchair watching Gossip Girl when you get an urge for Cool Ranch Doritos. If all you have to do is walk to your pantry, you’ll grab a bag and attack it. But let’s say you must put on your shoes, find your keys and drive to the store. Laziness will triumph. (Yes, sometimes sloth is a good thing!)
10. Table your meals
As much sitting as we do, we rarely stay put during dinner. Fifty-nine percent of young women eat on the run, a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association finds, and on-the-go eaters consume more total fat, as well as more soda and fast food. The less distracted and stressed you are when you dine, the more efficiently your body absorbs nutrients. Turn off the tube, step away from your desk and park the car before you dig in.
11. Judge food by its cover
When you have to hack through layers of packaging and plastic to get to your dinner, it’s likely to be unhealthy, Zepeda says. Plus, research indicates that perfluorochemicals in food containers may lower fertility. Companies aren’t phasing out PFCs until 2015! So do it yourself now.
12. Cake’s just not that into you
Sugary carbs are the bad boyfriends of the food world. They woo us with sweet nothings and leave us unsatisfied, guilt-ridden and 10 pounds heavier. The solution: Pick a snack that has your back, such as fruit, low-fat yogurt and honey. The occasional hookup with a sexy old fling is fine (hello, red velvet!), but most splurges should have your health in mind.
13. Don’t drink dessert
Brimming with vitamins! Bursting with energy! Store shelves are exploding with colorful, cleverly named drinks that sound healthy but are actually just sweetened water. Don’t let the labels fool you, Berman says. If it’s not skim milk, plain H2O or regular coffee or tea, it’s a treat. For a healthier sip, try lemon or mint iced tea or sparkling water with a splash of juice.
14. Make sure you can ID the animal
You don’t have to hunt and skin your supper, but if your chicken has been molded into a nugget, who knows what you’re really chewing? And when you choose meat that’s been processed into sausage, strips or slices, you’re downing sodium and preservatives instead of healthy nutrients, says Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., director of the nutritional sciences program at the University of Washington at Seattle. Stick to unfussed-with cuts straight from the butcher.
15. Fuel up in the morning, not at night
A car needs gas when it’s hitting the road, not when it’s sitting in the garage—so why do we have our biggest meal when the only energy burner on the agenda is working the remote? Instead, aim for a 550-calorie breakfast, a 500-calorie lunch, a 450-calorie dinner and a 100-calorie snack. “If you overeat at night, you’re less likely to burn off the calories,” Mitchell says.
16. Don’t buy food where you buy tires
In our time-crunched life, it’s tempting to grab groceries at the pump or in a store where you can get a giant box of cereal along with an ottoman. But for the healthiest food at the fairest price, visit the neighborhood grocery store. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that convenience stores charge more for nutritious fare than supermarkets do.
17. Work for your dinner
Sure, you could inhale supper straight out of a bucket, but for a healthy meal, you need to invest at least a few minutes in chopping, rinsing or grilling. The result is worth the effort, Mitchell says. “When you prepare dishes yourself, you can see exactly which ingredients are going into it and make conscious choices about what you truly want to eat,” she says.
18. Your hips are not a fridge
Once you slice and sauté your way to a fabulous feast, you don’t have to finish every bite. “We’re conditioned to think that if we don’t devour everything on our plate, we are misbehaving,” McKenna says. But if you keep munching even after you’re full, you are using your body as a storage unit. If there’s enough left over for lunch tomorrow, pack it up and put it in the fridge. Otherwise, toss scraps in the trash. We promise we won’t tell your mom.
19. Watching Top Chef isn’t cooking
We love food shows, too, but zoning out in front of the TV with a container of greasy moo shu pork is kind of missing the point. “Cooking has become a spectator sport,” Drewnowski says. “People watch and think, 'If only that chef could come cook for me!'” No need to whip up a seven-course meal, but you can pick up tips about combining flavors and using fresh ingredients.
20. Cut yourself a break
If you follow these rules most of the time but occasionally crave a fast-food fix, a slice of pizza or a brownie, go for it. You can happily resume your healthy plan once you satisfy the urge. “We all have to relax a bit,” Drewnowski says. “If you want fried chicken now and then, enjoy it!”
20 Ways to Eat Healthier Right Now
Adopt one (or all) of these simple strategies to drop pounds and feel great!
Marisa Cohen, SELF
Remember when you were a kid and eating was as simple as “Open, chew, enjoy”? You didn’t count the grams of fiber and fat in your PB&J. You munched when you were hungry, stopped when you were full and ran off to play with your Cabbage Patch Kids. But choosing a meal as a health-minded adult can be as complicated and joyless as a calculus final. Enough! Here are 20 common-sense rules that make eating right as easy as pie for you and your inner 8-year-old.
1. Eat like a tourist in Greece
The sunset over your office park isn’t as stunning as the one over an Aegean beach, but a plate of grilled fish and fresh vegetables and a glass of wine is as delicious in Athens, Ga., as it is in Athens, Greece. Plus, a Mediterranean menu can help lower your risk for heart disease and keep you slim, says Susan Mitchell, Ph.D., co-author of Fat Is Not Your Fate (Fireside).
2. If you can’t grow it, don’t eat it
A potato comes from the ground, an egg from a hen. But where did that Pop-Tart come from? If your best guess is “aisle 7,” pass it up. “Unprocessed, whole foods will give you the most benefits,” says Michelle K. Berman, R.D., of Fairfax, Va. Processing takes out nutrients such as antioxidants and fiber, and even when chemists add them back, nothing stacks up to Mother Nature.
3. Read the back of the box first
“The front is all advertising,” Berman says. Flip it around for the real story. The more ingredients, the more likely it has visited a few processing plants where something artificial was mixed in, says Lydia Zepeda, Ph.D., professor of consumer science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
4. The crunchier, the better
Snacks that offer a big, satisfying crunch when you bite into them—we mean apples, celery, snap peas and nuts, not chips—keep your mouth busy longer than food you slurp. “The more you chew, the slower you eat and the more time your body has to register fullness,” Mitchell says.
5. You can always have more
Tomorrow. A food shortage is not imminent. Besides, anything you eat after you’re full doesn’t even taste as good. “There is a toning down of taste buds after the first few bites,” says Linda Bacon, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at City College of San Francisco. And no one loves feeling stuffed.
6. A frozen berry beats a fresh doughnut
Purchasing organic local produce is better for both the environment and your health, but when the nearest farm is hours away, don’t default to a package of Oreos. “Frozen, canned and fresh fruit all have comparable amounts of nutrients,” says Christine M. Bruhm, Ph.D., director of the Center for Consumer Research at the University of California at Davis.
7. You can’t replace real ice cream
When you’re craving Chunky Monkey, no amount of fat-free ice treat will make up for it. “Diet foods leave you feeling hungry and cheated,” says Paul McKenna, Ph.D., author of I Can Make You Thin (Sterling). Splurge on one scoop of the real deal and savor it. “You’ll be satisfied physically and psychologically,” McKenna says.
8. There’s no fruit in “fruit flavor”
Seeing flavor on a label is a sign the food was stripped of its real taste and a fabricated one swapped in, Bacon says. Natural only means the additive came from a plant or an animal, which may not be as healthy as it sounds. “Scientists create flavors using bacteria and call them ‘natural,’” she says. Would you buy Bacteri-Os?
9. If it’s not around, you can’t eat it
You’re in your cozy armchair watching Gossip Girl when you get an urge for Cool Ranch Doritos. If all you have to do is walk to your pantry, you’ll grab a bag and attack it. But let’s say you must put on your shoes, find your keys and drive to the store. Laziness will triumph. (Yes, sometimes sloth is a good thing!)
10. Table your meals
As much sitting as we do, we rarely stay put during dinner. Fifty-nine percent of young women eat on the run, a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association finds, and on-the-go eaters consume more total fat, as well as more soda and fast food. The less distracted and stressed you are when you dine, the more efficiently your body absorbs nutrients. Turn off the tube, step away from your desk and park the car before you dig in.
11. Judge food by its cover
When you have to hack through layers of packaging and plastic to get to your dinner, it’s likely to be unhealthy, Zepeda says. Plus, research indicates that perfluorochemicals in food containers may lower fertility. Companies aren’t phasing out PFCs until 2015! So do it yourself now.
12. Cake’s just not that into you
Sugary carbs are the bad boyfriends of the food world. They woo us with sweet nothings and leave us unsatisfied, guilt-ridden and 10 pounds heavier. The solution: Pick a snack that has your back, such as fruit, low-fat yogurt and honey. The occasional hookup with a sexy old fling is fine (hello, red velvet!), but most splurges should have your health in mind.
13. Don’t drink dessert
Brimming with vitamins! Bursting with energy! Store shelves are exploding with colorful, cleverly named drinks that sound healthy but are actually just sweetened water. Don’t let the labels fool you, Berman says. If it’s not skim milk, plain H2O or regular coffee or tea, it’s a treat. For a healthier sip, try lemon or mint iced tea or sparkling water with a splash of juice.
14. Make sure you can ID the animal
You don’t have to hunt and skin your supper, but if your chicken has been molded into a nugget, who knows what you’re really chewing? And when you choose meat that’s been processed into sausage, strips or slices, you’re downing sodium and preservatives instead of healthy nutrients, says Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., director of the nutritional sciences program at the University of Washington at Seattle. Stick to unfussed-with cuts straight from the butcher.
15. Fuel up in the morning, not at night
A car needs gas when it’s hitting the road, not when it’s sitting in the garage—so why do we have our biggest meal when the only energy burner on the agenda is working the remote? Instead, aim for a 550-calorie breakfast, a 500-calorie lunch, a 450-calorie dinner and a 100-calorie snack. “If you overeat at night, you’re less likely to burn off the calories,” Mitchell says.
16. Don’t buy food where you buy tires
In our time-crunched life, it’s tempting to grab groceries at the pump or in a store where you can get a giant box of cereal along with an ottoman. But for the healthiest food at the fairest price, visit the neighborhood grocery store. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that convenience stores charge more for nutritious fare than supermarkets do.
17. Work for your dinner
Sure, you could inhale supper straight out of a bucket, but for a healthy meal, you need to invest at least a few minutes in chopping, rinsing or grilling. The result is worth the effort, Mitchell says. “When you prepare dishes yourself, you can see exactly which ingredients are going into it and make conscious choices about what you truly want to eat,” she says.
18. Your hips are not a fridge
Once you slice and sauté your way to a fabulous feast, you don’t have to finish every bite. “We’re conditioned to think that if we don’t devour everything on our plate, we are misbehaving,” McKenna says. But if you keep munching even after you’re full, you are using your body as a storage unit. If there’s enough left over for lunch tomorrow, pack it up and put it in the fridge. Otherwise, toss scraps in the trash. We promise we won’t tell your mom.
19. Watching Top Chef isn’t cooking
We love food shows, too, but zoning out in front of the TV with a container of greasy moo shu pork is kind of missing the point. “Cooking has become a spectator sport,” Drewnowski says. “People watch and think, 'If only that chef could come cook for me!'” No need to whip up a seven-course meal, but you can pick up tips about combining flavors and using fresh ingredients.
20. Cut yourself a break
If you follow these rules most of the time but occasionally crave a fast-food fix, a slice of pizza or a brownie, go for it. You can happily resume your healthy plan once you satisfy the urge. “We all have to relax a bit,” Drewnowski says. “If you want fried chicken now and then, enjoy it!”
Healthy Granola Bar Recipe!
Okay since I've gotten SO many request for the recipe, here it is you guys. These things really are delicious and it is MUCH cheaper than buying a box of granola bars at the store.
Ingredients:
• 2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
• 2 tbsp of your favorite “chaser”: such as millet, flax seed, flax seed meal, wheat germ, etc. (I use 1 tbsp of wheat germ and 1 tbsp of ground flax seed in mine)
• 1/4 cup of Soy Protein powder (optional, but gives nutritional boost, I use the vanilla flavor)
• 1/2 cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter (I use organic, you can also use almond or cashew butter for a different flavor if you're not a peanut fan)
• 1/2 cup Honey (mix it up by using 1/4 cup of organic Honey and 1/4 cup of organic Blue Agave syrup)
• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar (optional, I don’t need it the honey and agave are REALLY sweet enough)
• 1/2 cup of your favorite “additives”: sunflower seeds, raisins, cranberries, dried blueberries, figs, almonds, pecans, whatever your heart desires. In my last batch I used cranberries and pecans, but I've done dried apricots with walnuts, carob (vegan chocolate) chips and dried cherries...the possibilities are ENDLESS
• 1 tsp salt (optional, don’t use if you are using salted nut-butter or salted nuts already)
Preheat your oven to 400F. Prepare a small saucepan with the honey, peanut butter, and brown sugar (if using). Take this time to get out a 9×9 baking dish and line with parchment paper or aluminum foil. (I have issues with parchment paper so foil works better for me!) Also set out a cooling rack. Spread the oats (and chaser and additives if needing toasting, such as millet, wheat germ, or any type of nuts) onto a deep dish baking pan or cookie sheet. Place pan into oven. Turn the saucepan onto low to med-low heat. You want the mixture to get warm and combine smoothly, but be careful not to burn or simmer. You know your stovetop best to know what setting will work to accomplish this.
While the oats are toasting, prepare the additives that aren't toasting like the dried fruit into a medium sized mixing bowl and coat with protein powder (if using). Coating the additives with the protein powder allows them to settle more evenly into the mix. Plus the added protein is great and you aren't worrying about too many extra calories!
Be sure to watch the oats carefully, they don’t taste good when they get burnt. Take out of oven when they are a golden brown. This takes about 5-10 minutes for me, usually around 7 minutes. When oats are done, carefully add to the medium bowl with the additives. Then drizzle in the nut-butter/honey mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. This will take a bit of muscle work, but it is possible to combine it all together.
Plop the mixture into the baking dish lined with parchment paper and spread evenly into baking dish. The bars are around 1/4″ in depth when spread correctly. Place the pan on the baking rack and allow the bars to cool completely. After they have cooled down, pull the paper/foil up to remove your square of bars from the pan. Then just score the granola bars so you get as even a cut as you can and cut on a hard flat surface. Cut the bars apart and place into individual snack size Ziplocs. Store them in the fridge for quick and easy snacks all week long! Makes 18 granola bars.
Nutrition (Approximate. You will add more calories with sweetened fruit or chocolate of course):
• 137 cal
• 4 g fat
• 22 g carb
• 2 g fiber
• 5 g protein (this is higher depending on what type of protein powder you use)
Ingredients:
• 2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
• 2 tbsp of your favorite “chaser”: such as millet, flax seed, flax seed meal, wheat germ, etc. (I use 1 tbsp of wheat germ and 1 tbsp of ground flax seed in mine)
• 1/4 cup of Soy Protein powder (optional, but gives nutritional boost, I use the vanilla flavor)
• 1/2 cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter (I use organic, you can also use almond or cashew butter for a different flavor if you're not a peanut fan)
• 1/2 cup Honey (mix it up by using 1/4 cup of organic Honey and 1/4 cup of organic Blue Agave syrup)
• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar (optional, I don’t need it the honey and agave are REALLY sweet enough)
• 1/2 cup of your favorite “additives”: sunflower seeds, raisins, cranberries, dried blueberries, figs, almonds, pecans, whatever your heart desires. In my last batch I used cranberries and pecans, but I've done dried apricots with walnuts, carob (vegan chocolate) chips and dried cherries...the possibilities are ENDLESS
• 1 tsp salt (optional, don’t use if you are using salted nut-butter or salted nuts already)
Preheat your oven to 400F. Prepare a small saucepan with the honey, peanut butter, and brown sugar (if using). Take this time to get out a 9×9 baking dish and line with parchment paper or aluminum foil. (I have issues with parchment paper so foil works better for me!) Also set out a cooling rack. Spread the oats (and chaser and additives if needing toasting, such as millet, wheat germ, or any type of nuts) onto a deep dish baking pan or cookie sheet. Place pan into oven. Turn the saucepan onto low to med-low heat. You want the mixture to get warm and combine smoothly, but be careful not to burn or simmer. You know your stovetop best to know what setting will work to accomplish this.
While the oats are toasting, prepare the additives that aren't toasting like the dried fruit into a medium sized mixing bowl and coat with protein powder (if using). Coating the additives with the protein powder allows them to settle more evenly into the mix. Plus the added protein is great and you aren't worrying about too many extra calories!
Be sure to watch the oats carefully, they don’t taste good when they get burnt. Take out of oven when they are a golden brown. This takes about 5-10 minutes for me, usually around 7 minutes. When oats are done, carefully add to the medium bowl with the additives. Then drizzle in the nut-butter/honey mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. This will take a bit of muscle work, but it is possible to combine it all together.
Plop the mixture into the baking dish lined with parchment paper and spread evenly into baking dish. The bars are around 1/4″ in depth when spread correctly. Place the pan on the baking rack and allow the bars to cool completely. After they have cooled down, pull the paper/foil up to remove your square of bars from the pan. Then just score the granola bars so you get as even a cut as you can and cut on a hard flat surface. Cut the bars apart and place into individual snack size Ziplocs. Store them in the fridge for quick and easy snacks all week long! Makes 18 granola bars.
Nutrition (Approximate. You will add more calories with sweetened fruit or chocolate of course):
• 137 cal
• 4 g fat
• 22 g carb
• 2 g fiber
• 5 g protein (this is higher depending on what type of protein powder you use)
Enjoy! Let me know how they turn out!!!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
No more Miss Nice Liz!
Sooooooooo....it's been an interesting few weeks to say the least. I've been swamped at work and swamped at the gym so I haven't had a chance to post much at all. I guess what I have discovered in the past few weeks is that the dynamics of this competition are very much like the dynamics of other areas of life. There are those that push and push as hard as they can, every second of every workout. Then there are those that are afraid to push, so they rest on whatever excuses they have tendered for themselves. I understand both perspectives as I have been both places. I was the one for years who relied on the excuse that my knees couldn't handle working out but so hard. Man was I wrong. I've also been a competitive athlete, pushing myself to greater extents every single practice. So I get it. I know this program is hard. I have mornings when I am in extreme pain and I can't fathom getting up to go and workout, but I do it. I'm done with the excuses. I'm done with my own personal whining and inner complaining that has prevented me from accomplishing my goals for so many years. I turned over a new leaf in the past couple of days, and things are about to get very interesting.
The other issue that I am finding I have to deal with as this competition goes on is my suspicion of others. I was made fun of for years in school. When you spend that long with people whispering behind your back, it is hard to believe that it won't happen again. Until the start of this competition, I hadn't really opened up to many people since college. I do that on purpose because I don't want to get hurt. So I opened up to my team members seven weeks ago. I have had inclinations in the past few days that it may not have been the best idea to do so. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I am perceiving things incorrectly. But I can't help but to feel the whispers behind my back. I've been examining that recently and I can't help but to wonder why.
I am a leader. I have always been and I will always be. I also expect a lot of people. I'm a perfectionist. I am also a bit of a control freak. I can be aggressive, but I am also a very, very loyal friend and I think I give pretty darn good advice. Once I trust you, and I know I can trust you, I would go to the ends of the Earth for you. However, once that trust is broken, it is damn near impossible to repair.
Perhaps my expecting so much of people is a detriment to me in this competition. I don't know. I worry about others. I worry about my friends, and as such I've worried about my team members. While I know that I can't change that personality trait of mine overnight, and I will continue to worry, I have to let go a bit as well. Not every one in this competition is going to be able to make the life changes they need to make to accomplish their goals in the next four months. I know they all have it in them, but as much as this is a weight loss journey it is also a journey of self-discovery. It is that second journey that is the most difficult for some, and the one that will take much longer to accomplish. Without accomplishing it however, the first journey will at some point hit a brick wall. I've had it happen before. It makes me sad that some may not accomplish what they want to accomplish over the next few weeks. I can't linger on that. I have to continue with my journey and just hope that they all come along.
So I'm amping up the workouts again for myself. I'll be at the gym twice a day, every day except for Saturdays (when I'll just be going in the morning for a good 3 hours) from now until the end of July. I'm down quite a bit of weight thus far, but I want things to pick up for a while. If you're interested in my schedule, I am going to try to figure out a way to post a calendar to this blog. So we'll see what I can get figured out here soon. In the meantime, I will be doing the Komen Race for the Cure on May 8th, and I will also be going to the Dominion River Rock Festival the weekend of the 15th. Can't wait for both of those.
We have our cooking lesson and our field day coming up so hopefully I will have more pictures from those. I will post pictures from the 10K this coming weekend!
Have a wonderful and fit week, ALL of you.
The other issue that I am finding I have to deal with as this competition goes on is my suspicion of others. I was made fun of for years in school. When you spend that long with people whispering behind your back, it is hard to believe that it won't happen again. Until the start of this competition, I hadn't really opened up to many people since college. I do that on purpose because I don't want to get hurt. So I opened up to my team members seven weeks ago. I have had inclinations in the past few days that it may not have been the best idea to do so. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I am perceiving things incorrectly. But I can't help but to feel the whispers behind my back. I've been examining that recently and I can't help but to wonder why.
I am a leader. I have always been and I will always be. I also expect a lot of people. I'm a perfectionist. I am also a bit of a control freak. I can be aggressive, but I am also a very, very loyal friend and I think I give pretty darn good advice. Once I trust you, and I know I can trust you, I would go to the ends of the Earth for you. However, once that trust is broken, it is damn near impossible to repair.
Perhaps my expecting so much of people is a detriment to me in this competition. I don't know. I worry about others. I worry about my friends, and as such I've worried about my team members. While I know that I can't change that personality trait of mine overnight, and I will continue to worry, I have to let go a bit as well. Not every one in this competition is going to be able to make the life changes they need to make to accomplish their goals in the next four months. I know they all have it in them, but as much as this is a weight loss journey it is also a journey of self-discovery. It is that second journey that is the most difficult for some, and the one that will take much longer to accomplish. Without accomplishing it however, the first journey will at some point hit a brick wall. I've had it happen before. It makes me sad that some may not accomplish what they want to accomplish over the next few weeks. I can't linger on that. I have to continue with my journey and just hope that they all come along.
So I'm amping up the workouts again for myself. I'll be at the gym twice a day, every day except for Saturdays (when I'll just be going in the morning for a good 3 hours) from now until the end of July. I'm down quite a bit of weight thus far, but I want things to pick up for a while. If you're interested in my schedule, I am going to try to figure out a way to post a calendar to this blog. So we'll see what I can get figured out here soon. In the meantime, I will be doing the Komen Race for the Cure on May 8th, and I will also be going to the Dominion River Rock Festival the weekend of the 15th. Can't wait for both of those.
We have our cooking lesson and our field day coming up so hopefully I will have more pictures from those. I will post pictures from the 10K this coming weekend!
Have a wonderful and fit week, ALL of you.
The Myths of Weight Loss
I came across these when I got to work this morning and I felt like they warranted sharing. So here they are!
Myth #1: Carbs are the Enemy
Maybe we can blame Dr. Atkins and other proponents of the low-carb diet craze for this one. Experts suggest that carbohydrates play a star role in keep you energized and your organs functioning properly. The carb bad rap should rest squarely on the shoulders of "white carbs" like white bread, white rice, and sugar. These refined carbs, dietitians suggest, are more likely to pack on the pounds. Stick with whole grains like whole wheat pasta and brown rice for a healthier diet.
Myth #2: Never Eat After 8PM
The habit of under-eating all day only to overdo it at dinner time is likely where this myth came from. Eating excess calories at any hour of the day will lead to weight gain. Just remember: It's not when you eat, it's what you eat.
Myth #3: It's Not a Workout Unless You Sweat
A cardio workout that gets you huffing and puffing is vital for a healthy ticker, but that's only half the picture. Low-impact workouts, like weight-lifting and yoga, might not leave you drenched in sweat, but they're equally important to keeping your muscles strong and your body burning calories all day long. Work cardio and resistance training into your exercise regimen and you'll be seeing the full picture of health.
Myth #4: Weight-Lifting Bulks You Up
Most women don't have the necessary testosterone levels to transform them into the spitting image of Conan the Barbarian-era Arnold Schwarzenegger. But if you integrate weight-lifting into your workouts and find you're getting a little too cut, switch to lighter weights and more reps.
Myth #5: Muscle Weighs More than Fat
Here's the deal: a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weight exactly the same amount. A pound! The difference between muscle and fat is an issue of density and volume. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space in your body which can give you a leaner look overall.
Myth #1: Carbs are the Enemy
Maybe we can blame Dr. Atkins and other proponents of the low-carb diet craze for this one. Experts suggest that carbohydrates play a star role in keep you energized and your organs functioning properly. The carb bad rap should rest squarely on the shoulders of "white carbs" like white bread, white rice, and sugar. These refined carbs, dietitians suggest, are more likely to pack on the pounds. Stick with whole grains like whole wheat pasta and brown rice for a healthier diet.
Myth #2: Never Eat After 8PM
The habit of under-eating all day only to overdo it at dinner time is likely where this myth came from. Eating excess calories at any hour of the day will lead to weight gain. Just remember: It's not when you eat, it's what you eat.
Myth #3: It's Not a Workout Unless You Sweat
A cardio workout that gets you huffing and puffing is vital for a healthy ticker, but that's only half the picture. Low-impact workouts, like weight-lifting and yoga, might not leave you drenched in sweat, but they're equally important to keeping your muscles strong and your body burning calories all day long. Work cardio and resistance training into your exercise regimen and you'll be seeing the full picture of health.
Myth #4: Weight-Lifting Bulks You Up
Most women don't have the necessary testosterone levels to transform them into the spitting image of Conan the Barbarian-era Arnold Schwarzenegger. But if you integrate weight-lifting into your workouts and find you're getting a little too cut, switch to lighter weights and more reps.
Myth #5: Muscle Weighs More than Fat
Here's the deal: a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weight exactly the same amount. A pound! The difference between muscle and fat is an issue of density and volume. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space in your body which can give you a leaner look overall.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Week 4 Details
Well week 4 is done. I'm still feeling very strong, but have had a couple of small issues with my knees this week, and my feet. I did have a few victories as well. On Thursday I put on the pair of jeans that I bought over a year ago that I haven't been able to wear since I bought them. They're longs, of course, so I had to put on heels to wear them. First time I've worn heels since knee surgery. Well that didn't go so well. I ended up with very swollen feet, but I ignored it and went to cycle class that night. Ended up trying to compensate with my knee, and that of course was a bad idea. So I spent Friday icing and recovering and got back to it this morning by doing pilates. I did a little cardio later in the day, and burned quite a few calories washing the dogs. I'm definitely in a much better place today and ready to get back at it.
There are a few things still bothering me. First is that I feel like I'm abandoning my friends in some way. Almost like when a girlfriend starts a new relationship and they disappear off of the map for a while. I did that with my ex-husband and I don't want to do it again to my friends for any reason. However, at the same time, this competition and my ultimate goal of losing the weight for good, are very important to me, and I would hope that my friends understand why I can't go out very much, and why I am occupied so much during the week. I know that there is probably a balance out there, but until I lose this weight and get to my goal, I'm not sure that there is a "balance." For me it's almost all or nothing right now when it comes to working out and putting all of my effort into this.
Second, I know that a large chunk of this struggle is mental. I was working on TT stuff today and had the TV on in the background and Celebrity Fit Club was on. I haven't watched TV in a while, but this episode they were discussing anger, and having to let that anger go before real change can be accomplished in someone's life. I couldn't agree more. I think that all of us in this competition harbor anger, resentment, disappointment, rage, whatever...some emotion that is holding us back from accomplishing our true goals. I am trying to get my head around what those emotions are within myself. It isn't an easy process, but I feel it is necessary to success in this program.
Finally, I have begun to really take a look at the outside stressors and situations in my life that absolutely need to be changed in order for me to succeed at this. There are a few that I can change quickly, and then there are others that will take true effort to change. The question then becomes, "when am I going to have time to change these things?" I feel like the weekends go by far too qiuickly, and that I don't have enough time to accomplish the things that I need to get done. With the whole spring forward in time this evening, I'm even more wary that I'll be losing an hour.
I have no idea why I am having a stressful day. I think that the best route is to just go to sleep and to begin a new day tomorrow. Tomorrow is always a new day. I don't feel "off track" so to speak, but I guess with other things in my life that I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I would usually turn to food at points like this in my life, and I am fighting that urge every minute right now. I need my friends, I need my family, I don't want to lose anything...except the weight.
There are a few things still bothering me. First is that I feel like I'm abandoning my friends in some way. Almost like when a girlfriend starts a new relationship and they disappear off of the map for a while. I did that with my ex-husband and I don't want to do it again to my friends for any reason. However, at the same time, this competition and my ultimate goal of losing the weight for good, are very important to me, and I would hope that my friends understand why I can't go out very much, and why I am occupied so much during the week. I know that there is probably a balance out there, but until I lose this weight and get to my goal, I'm not sure that there is a "balance." For me it's almost all or nothing right now when it comes to working out and putting all of my effort into this.
Second, I know that a large chunk of this struggle is mental. I was working on TT stuff today and had the TV on in the background and Celebrity Fit Club was on. I haven't watched TV in a while, but this episode they were discussing anger, and having to let that anger go before real change can be accomplished in someone's life. I couldn't agree more. I think that all of us in this competition harbor anger, resentment, disappointment, rage, whatever...some emotion that is holding us back from accomplishing our true goals. I am trying to get my head around what those emotions are within myself. It isn't an easy process, but I feel it is necessary to success in this program.
Finally, I have begun to really take a look at the outside stressors and situations in my life that absolutely need to be changed in order for me to succeed at this. There are a few that I can change quickly, and then there are others that will take true effort to change. The question then becomes, "when am I going to have time to change these things?" I feel like the weekends go by far too qiuickly, and that I don't have enough time to accomplish the things that I need to get done. With the whole spring forward in time this evening, I'm even more wary that I'll be losing an hour.
I have no idea why I am having a stressful day. I think that the best route is to just go to sleep and to begin a new day tomorrow. Tomorrow is always a new day. I don't feel "off track" so to speak, but I guess with other things in my life that I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I would usually turn to food at points like this in my life, and I am fighting that urge every minute right now. I need my friends, I need my family, I don't want to lose anything...except the weight.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Be a Loser First Team Event Photos - 3 Lakes Park 5K
I don't have a ton of time to write this evening as I've booked three TT parties in the past two days and I have to get the hostess packets for them done tonight so that I can get them mailed out tomorrow. So instead I wanted to go ahead and post the pictures from the 5K event this past weekend. I didn't have time to take but so many since I was much more focused on getting myself through the event. I will try to take more at our next event in April at Byrd Park. Enjoy and have a great night! Biggest Loser comes on in a few minutes!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)