Fitness Friday Update!

It's been awhile since I've written an update.

I'm still going strong although the weightloss has slowed down quite a bit. I'm sure it's because I'm at the end of the line. 8 more pounds and I will have reached my goal! I've lost 3 inches off of my middle and hips, and several inches off my bust and thighs. Most of the weight still wants to hang around my middle. That might be because my muscles were stretched out from having my children. Who knows!

I've been doing great with my exercising. I'm walking every weekday morning with a friend. It has been in the 20's this week but we are still bundling up and getting out! It's not only good for our bodies but also for our minds and spirits. Then 2 days a week we also go to a gym and work out with a friend who is a personal trainer, and 1 day a week we do water aerobics. I think the water aerobics is my favorite.

Getting out and doing these things with a friend has really helped me step up and keep going. I lose interest with the same old thing over and over again. I also really enjoy being around other people. I never thought I would but surprisingly I do!

So, my next goal is to drop 5 pounds in the next couple weeks. I'm sure it'll be tough with the winter upon us but I know I can do it! I'll report in again in a couple weeks! :)

Fitness Friday: Progress Report

It's been awhile since I've written a progress report. I seem to be going at an ever slowing snails pace. Well, I shouldn't really say that because I have made a lot of progress! In the roughly 4 months I've been at this I have dropped 20 pounds. The last 10 pounds to come off will be tough, I'm sure. The end is always the hardest!

It's been a long 4 months. With my husband deployed, running a small business, and loosing my childcare, I've had to let some of my fitness goals slide. I've not lost the weight as quickly as I'd hoped but it is still coming off. I'm no longer training for a 5k, although I would some day like to. I mostly just try to get my toddler in his stroller in the morning and walk/jog a 2.5 mile route. I no longer find the time to do any strength training or toning or yoga.  Someday I will though. :)

Fitness Friday: Progress Report!

I haven't written a Fitness Friday post in over a month! It's definitely time to tell you my progress!


I have been working really hard to lose some weight, any weight. lol I'd been on a plateau for nearly 3 weeks without much weight loss and it was getting really frustrating! I'd been exercising regularly but having troubles counting my calories or watching what I eat. It's easier in the mornings but dinner always trips me up.

My 2.5 month progress report is actually pretty good even though I've been stuck for awhile! I'm down 13 pounds. I'm half way to my first goal weight and about 22 pounds from my final goal. I've also been keep track by tape measuring myself. I've lost an inch from around my neck, an inch from my waist, 2 inches from my hips, and an inch from my thighs. :)

Progress with my exercise program is going pretty well too! I've finished week 7 of my Couch to 5K program… half way done! I've also been doing a few strength training exercises and some yoga but not as regularly as I should.

So how to I feel? Great! I'm glad I've dropped some weight but I'm even happier with how much extra energy I have. I have been eating much healthier foods, mostly wholefoods, and drinking plenty of water.

My August weight loss goals are to continue training for a 5k, drop at least 5 more pounds (but 10 pounds would be even better), and to get into my size 8 jeans again. :) I'll update you again next week!

Heather's Couch to 5K Workout Version- 15 Weeks

I've never been a runner and have never been encouraged to be one. I don't exactly have the long, lean body type of a runner. I'm a curvy 5'3" average woman. But I'm not going to let any of those things stop me from doing something that I have always wanted to do. A while ago I had a friend decide to do the Couch to 5k program, also known as C25K. I looked at it and thought the 9 week program was just too intense for me so I took it and lengthened it to 15 weeks. You still get the health benefits of running but it gives you a little longer to build up that endurance to running a 5k. Give it a shot!

Week 1: 3 Days a Week

• Day 1:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• *60 Seconds: Jog
• 90 Seconds: Walk*
• Repeat from * to * for a total of 20 minutes.
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minute Walk
• Day 2: Repeat Day 1
• Day 3: Repeat Day 1

Week 2: 3 Days a Week

• Day 4: Repeat Day 1
• Day 5: Repeat Day 1
• Day 6:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• *90 Seconds: Jog
• 2 Minutes: Walk*
• Repeat from * to * for a total of 20 minutes.
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minute Walk

Week 3: 3 Days a Week

• Day 7: Repeat Day 6
• Day 8: Repeat Day 6
• Day 9: Repeat Day 6

Week 4: 3 Days a Week

• Day 10: Repeat Day 6
• Day 11:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 90 Seconds: Jog
• 90 Seconds: Walk
• 3 Minutes: Jog
• 3 Minutes: Walk
• Repeat Once.
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minute Walk
• Day 12: Repeat Day 11

Week 5: 3 Days a Week

• Day 13: Repeat Day 11
• Day 14: Repeat Day 11
• Day 15: Repeat Day 11

Week 6: 3 Days a Week

• Day 16:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 3 Minutes: Jog
• 90 Seconds: Walk
• 5 Minutes: Jog
• 2.5 Minutes: Walk
• 3 Minutes: Jog
• 90 Seconds: Walk
• 5 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minute Walk
• Day 17: Repeat Day 16
• Day 18: Repeat Day 16

Week 7: 3 Days a Week

• Day 19: Repeat Day 16
• Day 20: Repeat Day 16
• Day 21:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 5 Minutes: Jog
• 3 Minutes: Walk
• 5 Minutes: Jog
• 3 Minutes: Walk
• 5 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minute Walk

Week 8: 3 Days a Week

• Day 22: Repeat Day 21
• Day 23: Repeat Day 21
• Day 24:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 8 Minutes: Jog
• 5 Minutes: Walk
• 8 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minutes Walk

Week 9: 3 Days a Week

• Day 25: Repeat Day 24
• Day 26: Repeat Day 25
• Day 27:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 20 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minutes Walk

Week 10: 3 Days a Week

• Day 28: Repeat Day 27
• Day 29: Repeat Day 27
• Day 30:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 5 Minutes: Jog
• 3 Minutes: Walk
• 8 Minutes: Jog
• 3 Minutes: Walk
• 5 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minutes Walk

Week 11: 3 Days a Week

• Day 31: Repeat Day 30
• Day 32: Repeat Day 31
• Day 33:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 10 Minutes: Jog
• 3 Minutes: Walk
• 10 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minutes Walk

Week 12: 3 Days a Week

• Day 34: Repeat Day 33
• Day 35: Repeat Day 33
• Day 36:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 25 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minutes Walk

Week 13: 3 Days a Week

• Day 37: Repeat Day 36
• Day 38: Repeat Day 36
• Day 39: Repeat Day 36

Week 14: 3 Days a Week

• Day 40: Repeat Day 36
• Day 41: Repeat Day 36
• Day 42:
• Warm Up: Brisk 5 Minute Walk
• 30 Minutes: Jog
• Cool Down: Slow 5 Minute Walk

Week 15: 3 Days a Week

• Day 43: Repeat Day 42
• Day 44: Repeat Day 42
• Day 45: Repeat Day 42

Fitness Friday!

Since my husband will be gone for so long I decided I needed something to help get me through the time. It's a proven fact that exercise helps depression, not to mention the waistline!


So, I decided to get myself back in the game. I've been back and forth with some sort of fitness routine for the past year but I've not lost anything or had much motivation. This time around it feels different! I've got so much more energy and I just feel happy (most) of the time.

I set up a 15 week program to follow. I'm starting with some 'experience' but not a whole lot so it moves slowly enough but not too slowly that I'll get bored with it. I do a daily yoga session, usually at night after I get the boys to bed so I can wind down. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I do my version of the couch to 5k jogging plan. I will post my version next. And Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm doing some strength training exercises.

At first I wasn't sure how I would be able to squeeze in another thing in to my day but it is all working out better then I hoped. I think the biggest thing is teaching my boys that this time is 'mom's time' and you can't bug me for 30 minutes. It's a work in progress for them because as all mom's know that once your kids can't have access to something (or someone) then that's the only thing they want!

After I figured out my exercise routine I focused on my eating habits. This wasn't too hard. Stay away from processed crap and eat as close to raw as possible with a few meals of meat thrown in here and there because I'm not a vegetarian. I'm also way too busy to cook everything so I cheated a little and bought some pre-packaged healthy frozen meals. There is actually a lot more to choose from then what I remember! The key is keeping everything balanced.

Lastly, I track everything on MyFitnessPal.com. I don't have to think about calorie counting because this does it for me. And the more people who use it the larger the food database has gotten. They also have apps for the smart phones and I have it on my kindle fire. Click and go. For me it's really gotten as simple as that.

So, how far have I come, you ask!?!

I've just finished week 2. I'm down 5 pounds but haven't noticed a huge change in the way I look. My moods and energy levels are way, way up though and that is what really counts at this point in time. My goals are to finish the 15 week plan and to be down another 15 pounds. That will get me very close to my goal weight.

And this concludes my first Fitness Friday in a long time. I hope to have many more!

Fitness Friday Goal

I didn't meet the goal I set out for myself 2 weeks ago. I'm still stuck at 145 lbs. I'm having a really hard time fitting in exercising. I just don't have enough hours in the day! The only thing I can think of to do right now is to dig out the jogging stroller from the back of the garage. I can then stick Jameson in it and Ian can ride his bike. We could then get out of the house before we start our school day while it's still in the cool morning hours. I have managed to continue eating healthy and will keep that up.

I'm not sure if I should set myself any weight loss goals for the month of May because I know I wouldn't meet it. I will, however, set a goal to jog with the boys every weekday morning. And get myself new running shoes. I need better shoes.

Whatever happens, I'll keep trying!

Fitness Friday Confessional

I have a confession to make. I've not been very good at eating right or exercising the past 2 months. Things were kind of crazy as we were getting used to homeschooling. My sister told me I was nuts to start homeschooling and a fitness routine at the same time. You know, she was right! So, I pulled back on the fitness routine until we got the homeschooling routine figured out.

The past 2 weeks I've been able to add getting healthy back in to my daily routine.

I try to be mindful of what I eat now and write down everything that goes in to my mouth. At night, before bed, I record what I've eaten on myfitnesspal.com which tracks my calories in and calories out. I'm not mindlessly stuffing food in my mouth but am conscious of what I eat and why I eat it.

I'm still trying to figure out a good exercise routine. I don't have a gym or reliable childcare available to me. I also try not to rely on my husband too much because we are never sure what hours he is working that day or if he'll even be home or out of town. However, I'm trying to take my boys out for walks as much as possible, jump on our new trampoline, or walk on the treadmill in the basement. I am working on adding the exercising habit to my daily routine.

The only good thing about pulling back and taking a break from my fitness routine is that I didn't put the weight back on that I had originally taken off. I somehow managed to maintain 144.5 pounds, down from 150 pounds at the beginning of this year. (If I was 5'8" then 150 pounds would probably look perfect on me but on my 5'3" frame it's too much.)

I still have a ways to go though before I get back to my pre-pregnancy days of 120 pounds. I know I can do it!

I've set myself a new mini-goal for the end of this month- I want to weight 142 on 4/30/11. It's recommended to lose only about a pound per week. If I can manage to lose 2.5 pounds in the next 2 weeks then I will be so proud of myself!

Is anyone else on a Fitness Journey with me? What are your goals?

Fitness Friday: 12 Simple Ways to Curb Your Appetite

There are several natural ways to suppress your that is safe for your body, one of them is exercise and drinking lots of water, but here are 12 ways to beat the urge to binge.


#1 Peppermint Oil added to some water

#2 Apples
Most experts agree that apple comes first on the list of suppressants. You may have noticed that apples take longer to chew especially if you do not cut them into little pieces. Chewing longer will give your brain the time it needs to register that you are full. This will in turn reduce your chances of overeating. Apples are also fiber-rich. Fiber can make you feel fuller longer because it does not digest quickly.

#3 Tea
Aside from being an anti suppressant, green tea in particular is known for its ability to help burn fat. This is why it is popular among people who wish to lose weight. The beverage however can also stimulate the release of hormones that can control or limit food cravings.

#4 Chocolate
Some kinds of chocolates should be avoided. Some brands and types carry a lot of calories and are sugar rich which makes them major weight contributors. Very small portions of dark chocolate however may be good for you. The bittersweet taste of pure dark chocolate can leave you feeling satisfied.

#5 Oatmeal
Another suppressant is the oatmeal. That’s why it should be in your breakfast menu more often. Oatmeal contains carbohydrates that do not quickly run out as you use it for energy, hence making you feel less like eating more. It is also fiber rich.

#6 Flaxseeds or Flax Oil
Looking for another rich in fiber? Flaxseeds are yet again rich in fiber. They are however, best consumed when raw. If you want more flavors with your flaxseeds, you can mix them with your early morning bowl of oatmeal.

#7 Water
Hydration is another important thing. Drinking a lot of water throughout the day can keep you hydrated. It can also limit your appetite especially if you drink a glass before a meal.

#8 Salad
Eat salad. It makes a lot of sense to serve salads before the main meal. This is because salads are rich in fiber. Some salad greens also contain water. This makes them perfect suppressants.

#9 Coffee
Coffee can also help you cut your appetite. You do have to take it moderately though. Drink only one or two cups a day and make sure that your creamer is non-fat. If you are able to take unsweetened coffee then that would be a better idea.

#10 Soup
There’s a reason why soups are served before the main course. Like salads, soup too is often served before the main course. Since soup contains water, it can naturally make you feel full even before you take your first bite. Do make sure though that you do not take soup that is creamy because this can be fattening.

#11 Almonds
The proteins and enzymes can trick your belly into fullness... It also has a lot of healthy fats as well, just stick with the low or no salt ones.

#12 Be Mindful and Thankful of your Food
Being mindful, expressing gratitude over how the food got to your plate, and chewing to enjoy your food are all great ways to fill up quickly.

Source

Fitness Friday: Journaling

Keeping track of your daily exercises and food intake is a really great idea. It's a great tool to that allows you to see your progress.

For a food journal write down what you ate, how much you ate, when you ate, and how you felt after you ate. Don't forget to keep track of what you drank too. After awhile you might start to recognize patterns in your eating. You might see how you eat when your stressed or tired or if you eat more when you've had a cocktail.

For an exercise journal, keep track of what exercises you do, your progress, and how you feel before and after your work out.

I have a form I fill out everyday and I can look back through to see how I'm doing or where there is room for improvement. There are also website online where you can fill out and keep track of everything. I don't always have instant access to the computer so I prefer to just write it down. I do, however, like to use www.myfitnesspal.com to track my weight loss and goals.

I'm not an expert in how to create a printable or PDF file but you can copy and paste my form (below) into a word document to use for yourself! Enjoy!

Date:_____________________
Exercises Completed: ___________________________________________
Time: _________
Motivation: (ex: a healthier me) _______________________
Mood/Spirit: (ex: good/bad/grumpy) _________________________
Post Work-Out Reward: (ex: hot shower, big glass of water, etc.) ______________________

Food Journal

Breakfast: {time-________}, [mood-________], meal:______________________________
Snack: {time-________}, [mood-________], meal:______________________________
Lunch: {time-________}, [mood-________], meal:______________________________
Snack: {time-________}, [mood-________], meal:______________________________
Dinner: {time-________}, [mood-________], meal:______________________________
Snack: {time-________}, [mood-________], meal:______________________________

Water (o o o o o o o o)

Notes:____________________________________________________________________________

Fitness Friday Check In

Now here is the real Fitness Friday blog post (finally). And it's my birthday today… Happy Birthday to me! :)

This week has gone by so fast! I can't believe it! The faster the better because that will make spring come sooner.

• Monday went well. I ate healthy and I got up early to exercise. I did one of the pre-set programs on the treadmill which last 30 minutes.
• Tuesday was another good day. I did pretty good eating right and I spent 20 minutes on the elliptical.
• Wednesday started out right. I got up and exercised for 20 minutes on the elliptical and things went well until my toddler woke up an hour and a half too early. Things went down hill from there. He ended up being tired and cranky most of the day. Ian had plenty of his moments too today. I was stressed and didn't eat right the rest of the day.
• Thursday was my 'off day'. I slept in for an hour (yay!). No one got up early and the day went by a lot better. I ate pretty good but probably not the best. Ian ended up having the stomach flu and I was busy taking care of him today too.
• Friday is my birthday! I slept in again and pretty much took a day off of everything. Hey, it's my birthday, so I'm allowed to! Ian was feeling better today but we didn't do much so he could recoop.

Beginning Weight: 1/1/11: 150 lbs
Weekly Weigh-In: 2/11/11: 144.5 lbs
I've lost 5.5 pounds!

Measurements {beginning 1/7/11} (current 2/11/11) [lost]
Neck: {12.5"} (12.25") [.25"]
Waist: {31.5"} (31.5") [0"]
Hips: {39"} (38.5") [.5"]
Thigh: {23.5"} (23.25") [.25"]

Not bad!

How are you doing on your Fitness goals?

Fitness Friday: My SMART Goal!

*A Fitness Friday Special*

Do you have a fitness goal? Well, why not? It's something that would be SMART…


What is your Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Tangible goal?

S- What do you want to accomplish? The more specific you are, the better.
M- How do you plan on measuring your progress, and what is your 'end date'?
A- Is it attainable? Do you feel like you can complete this goal? If not, refine until you feel it's attainable.
R- Can you realistically get it accomplished in the given amount of time?
T- Is it tangible? Meaning - is it something you can DO rather than just feel?
Source

Here is my SMART goal:

S:

• Short term: I want to complete the 10 week program I have made for myself and to exercise 6 days a week. (My program cycles through using the treadmill and elliptical for cardio and the total gym and weight machine for strength training. It also builds on itself as time goes on and I get stronger and more durable.)
• Long term: Loose my belly fat, slim down and build muscle. I want to comfortably (and confidently) wear a bikini this summer. I'm going to avoid saying "I want to weigh..." because muscle weighs more than fat but I really need to loose about 20 pounds.

M: I will be weighing myself and measuring my waist, hips and thighs weekly as part of my routine.

A: I absolutely feel my goals are attainable!

R: Yes, I can!

T: Yes! I can do it (and I know I can)!

Alright now that we have our goals set it’s time to get exercising. It doesn’t have to be big or extensive as long as you GET UP and MOVE! I have created myself a 10 week exercise plan that builds on its self. I don’t have a gym available but I do have a treadmill, elliptical, total gym and weight machine in my basement. Most of our equipment was bought used but in practically new condition. If you’re in the market for exercise equipment, begin your search on craigslist.com. If you have a gym available then take advantage of it!

What are your goals? I'd love to know!

Fitness Friday Wake-Up Call!

*A Fitness Friday Special- I know it's not Friday yet. :)

A couple of years ago I started Fitness Fridays. The goal was to keep me accountable for my fitness, weight loss, to pass along any knowledge I might gain, and to encourage others who are also on the same journey.

Then I got pregnant and my weight loss journey was sort of put on hold. Then my baby was born and I just didn't have the time or energy to exercise. Then we started homeschooling. And, well, then I realized I was making excuses! I kept telling myself that I just didn't have the time to get in shape, exercise, or eat right.

But what am I really accomplishing by not doing anything of those things? I'm not getting any healthier and in doing so my quality of life is being challenged. And I'm not setting a very good example for my family, especially my 2 boys who watch my every move. And there was my wake-up call!

Now I am on a mission to become healthy and fit again. I'll mostly use this as an accountability for myself but I encourage anyone out there to join in. I'll post about my progress and any tips or tricks I learn about along the way.

So, are you with me?