It can be a struggle to see how far you've come when your mindset is still in the past. Everyone has those bad days: you ate too much or you skipped working out or you were a couch potato for the whole day. This is all okay! You can't be in workout/diet mode forever. You have to relax and take some time to ADMIRE your accomplishments. A friend of mine recently lost some weight and she confessed to me that she was looking at herself in the mirror and was pleased with what she saw. Sadly, she said it as if she were embarrassed. That's nonsense! You work hard to achieve a goal; the least you can do is admire your work! That's half the point of getting fit anyway, isn't it? You want to be the best you and if that means taking a moment out of each day to say "...wow. You're hot" then what could be more motivating! You are awesome and you need to remind yourself of that. (and fyi, I flex in the mirror and when I see how close I am to becoming Wonder Woman, I get very pleased with myself. I have no shame in this!)
The Avengers 5k at Disneyland is fast approaching! A couple of friends just finished the Disneyland Half Marathon and it made me that much more excited about November's run. Today was day one in "training". I know what my weaknesses are and plan on doing my best to diminish them. Tonight's workout consisted of interval walk/run/jog. I only ended up doing a little over a mile but it has been a couple of months since I've been running and thought it best to take it a little easy this first week. I've discovered that 5mph is my steady jog speed and plan on building on that foundation. It's going to be a tough couple of months I think but I can't wait to see what progress I make by the end! Maybe I'll even break the 9 minute mile! ....if that happens, I will ...think of something to do to celebrate!
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Smoothies: Nature's Blended Family
Last year I got a personal blender (I guess you would call it?) for making smoothies. I have since embraced the smoothie as a snack between meals. It's a great way to get fruits (and veggies!) into your diet without a lot of effort. Pinterest has actually been very helpful with the recipe search and I thought I would share a couple of my favorites here. Of course, you have to make it work for you so tweaking is ALWAYS recommended!
Banana+Berries+Peanut Butter:
Bread, for the most part, is not a part of my eating routine anymore but sometimes I want a PBJ! I've found this smoothie as an adequate substitute. I usually use one whole banana, about a cup of frozen berries (I use a mixed berry blend but any berry will work and they are loaded with antioxidants, help with memory, help with diabetes,... the list goes on and on!), plain oatmeal, a dash of cinnamon, honey for some sweetness and coconut water the help blend it smooth. I've used cottage cheese in it as well which really helps keep me pretty full until lunch time but I don't always have it on hand.
Mango+Oranges+Carrots:
It sounds like a weird concoction but is quite delicious! The convenience of frozen mango (or frozen fruit of any kind really) is beneficial in the ease of these smoothies. I use about a cup of mango, half an orange, about 5-6 baby carrots, oatmeal and coconut water. You can also add honey to add a little sweetness or sweetened coconut (divine!).
Cucumber+Strawberries+Watermelon:
This is beyond a refreshing treat! It's not very sweet but just so tasty. I recommend peeling the cucumber but you can leave the peel on it as well. I don't generally add any coconut water to this one because the watermelon works in place (I've made soupy smoothies but adding coconut water with the watermelon ...not pleasant!). Again, frozen strawberries make this a quick and easy snack! Its all about equal parts of each in this smoothie. I usually add oatmeal to help curb the appetite but I find this fantastic on its own.
There are so many more recipes all over the internet to try. Don't be afraid to step outside the box and invent something crazy! Power greens like fresh spinach and kale can be added to the sweeter fruit smoothies for a boost of nutrients without interfering with flavor. Need a chocolate fix? A banana-peanut butter smoothie with some chocolate syrup can do the trick!
Banana+Berries+Peanut Butter:
Bread, for the most part, is not a part of my eating routine anymore but sometimes I want a PBJ! I've found this smoothie as an adequate substitute. I usually use one whole banana, about a cup of frozen berries (I use a mixed berry blend but any berry will work and they are loaded with antioxidants, help with memory, help with diabetes,... the list goes on and on!), plain oatmeal, a dash of cinnamon, honey for some sweetness and coconut water the help blend it smooth. I've used cottage cheese in it as well which really helps keep me pretty full until lunch time but I don't always have it on hand.
Mango+Oranges+Carrots:
It sounds like a weird concoction but is quite delicious! The convenience of frozen mango (or frozen fruit of any kind really) is beneficial in the ease of these smoothies. I use about a cup of mango, half an orange, about 5-6 baby carrots, oatmeal and coconut water. You can also add honey to add a little sweetness or sweetened coconut (divine!).
Cucumber+Strawberries+Watermelon:
This is beyond a refreshing treat! It's not very sweet but just so tasty. I recommend peeling the cucumber but you can leave the peel on it as well. I don't generally add any coconut water to this one because the watermelon works in place (I've made soupy smoothies but adding coconut water with the watermelon ...not pleasant!). Again, frozen strawberries make this a quick and easy snack! Its all about equal parts of each in this smoothie. I usually add oatmeal to help curb the appetite but I find this fantastic on its own.
There are so many more recipes all over the internet to try. Don't be afraid to step outside the box and invent something crazy! Power greens like fresh spinach and kale can be added to the sweeter fruit smoothies for a boost of nutrients without interfering with flavor. Need a chocolate fix? A banana-peanut butter smoothie with some chocolate syrup can do the trick!
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Progress Happens With Or Without The Scale
When I started my new food-lifestyle, I made a conscience effort NOT to get on the scale. I wanted to get my starting point number (which I believe was 227lbs) but from then on, I didn't want the scale to dictate how well I was doing. It was difficult; we all want that immediate gratification. We want to get on the scale after a hard workout and show 5lbs lost!... or, even better, 10lbs lost!
The truth of the matter is this: that scale is not your be-all end-all. It's more than losing weight that you're trying to accomplish; your end goal should be to become healthy and when you have a long road ahead of you, the last thing you need is something telling you that you aren't good enough. You ARE good enough so don't worry about that little square trying to tell you otherwise. There are some important questions I asked myself whenever I got the itch to check the scale: Do I feel better today? Do I have more energy? Are my clothes feeling different? Do I LOOK different? These questions and positively responding to them helped get over that need to check my weight every day. Eventually I saw the difference that was happening and only then did I check the scale to see what the "numbers" were. I had started in mid-October and by mid-March I had lost about 20lbs. It definitely motivated me to keep going and was self-gratifying enough to keep me away from the scale (it had worked this long, might as well keep going!). By May, I was in the 190 range and by October I had managed to get rid of 60lbs. And quite honestly, seeing the difference in my clothes was much better than weighing myself all the time.
It was important for me to get into the right mindset at the beginning. All the other times I tried losing weight I would end up failing because results weren't happening fast enough. Even currently as I continue to tone and build muscle, I struggle critiquing myself too harshly. I want that six-pack now! I want strong arms now! I don't want jiggly thighs NOW! I'm trying to remember that the journey is just as important as the finish line. It took me years to put on the weight, so why would I think its going to come off easy? It's not. It's difficult and continues to be BUT when you can run that mile faster, wear that smaller size, and just feel awesome, it makes the fight all worth it.
The truth of the matter is this: that scale is not your be-all end-all. It's more than losing weight that you're trying to accomplish; your end goal should be to become healthy and when you have a long road ahead of you, the last thing you need is something telling you that you aren't good enough. You ARE good enough so don't worry about that little square trying to tell you otherwise. There are some important questions I asked myself whenever I got the itch to check the scale: Do I feel better today? Do I have more energy? Are my clothes feeling different? Do I LOOK different? These questions and positively responding to them helped get over that need to check my weight every day. Eventually I saw the difference that was happening and only then did I check the scale to see what the "numbers" were. I had started in mid-October and by mid-March I had lost about 20lbs. It definitely motivated me to keep going and was self-gratifying enough to keep me away from the scale (it had worked this long, might as well keep going!). By May, I was in the 190 range and by October I had managed to get rid of 60lbs. And quite honestly, seeing the difference in my clothes was much better than weighing myself all the time.
It was important for me to get into the right mindset at the beginning. All the other times I tried losing weight I would end up failing because results weren't happening fast enough. Even currently as I continue to tone and build muscle, I struggle critiquing myself too harshly. I want that six-pack now! I want strong arms now! I don't want jiggly thighs NOW! I'm trying to remember that the journey is just as important as the finish line. It took me years to put on the weight, so why would I think its going to come off easy? It's not. It's difficult and continues to be BUT when you can run that mile faster, wear that smaller size, and just feel awesome, it makes the fight all worth it.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
My Warmup-Treadmill Relationship
I was going to start this second entry with food but achieving a fitness goal of mine today inspired me to switch it up!
In the beginning, the exercise I was doing consisted of mostly cardio. We had a dusty treadmill sitting in the garage, unused for quite a long time. I started out slow; warm up was at roughly 2.7 mph and the highest I could handle was about 3.3 mph. Just about every week, I would increase the speed between .3-.5 mph. If I felt my "top speed" was on the verge of being too much, I would stay at that speed for a couple of weeks to gain strength and stamina. As a warm up, I would usually stretch and ...dance. I actually continue to do that only there are added jumping jacks/jump rope. "Dancing" was a great way for me to get pumped up for the workout ahead. It got my heart pumping and my body ready for the treadmill. I would generally warm down with it as well and finish off with stretching. There's nothing like going out in the garage, putting on some awesome music and just going crazy. It's exhilarating, freeing and just a great way to get your mind (and body) excited for the next step! I highly recommend it.
Eventually, my jogging speed got up to a level I'm still kind of awe-struck about. It's the moment when your original top speed becomes your warm down speed that struck a chord. I am by no means a runner/jogger but I have surprised myself with what I've been able to accomplish by starting slow and pushing myself a little more each week. I got the brilliant idea to sign up for a 5k this year (and drag a friend along with me!). I tested out how fast and far I could run by venturing away from the treadmill and out onto the street. I nearly passed out and then almost started crying when I saw that my time on the street was a good 30 seconds faster than my treadmill time. Savor moments like that; they really do show you how far you've come!
I would like to mention that I did not have a gym pass when I started this weight loss journey and still do not have one. I know gym's are important, especially for those that don't have access to fitness equipment, but my point is you can find a way to exercise anywhere; don't use the lack-of-a-gym as an excuse. If you live in an area with a lot of inclines, use that to your advantage. Even if you walk/jog up and down the same incline, you're going to see a difference. Exploit the resources around you. Persevere and don't get discouraged. Make realistic goals and take realistic steps towards achieving them; whether it takes a week, a month, whatever! We all hit "the wall" but pushing past that makes you stronger and proves to yourself that you can honestly achieve anything.
In the beginning, the exercise I was doing consisted of mostly cardio. We had a dusty treadmill sitting in the garage, unused for quite a long time. I started out slow; warm up was at roughly 2.7 mph and the highest I could handle was about 3.3 mph. Just about every week, I would increase the speed between .3-.5 mph. If I felt my "top speed" was on the verge of being too much, I would stay at that speed for a couple of weeks to gain strength and stamina. As a warm up, I would usually stretch and ...dance. I actually continue to do that only there are added jumping jacks/jump rope. "Dancing" was a great way for me to get pumped up for the workout ahead. It got my heart pumping and my body ready for the treadmill. I would generally warm down with it as well and finish off with stretching. There's nothing like going out in the garage, putting on some awesome music and just going crazy. It's exhilarating, freeing and just a great way to get your mind (and body) excited for the next step! I highly recommend it.
Eventually, my jogging speed got up to a level I'm still kind of awe-struck about. It's the moment when your original top speed becomes your warm down speed that struck a chord. I am by no means a runner/jogger but I have surprised myself with what I've been able to accomplish by starting slow and pushing myself a little more each week. I got the brilliant idea to sign up for a 5k this year (and drag a friend along with me!). I tested out how fast and far I could run by venturing away from the treadmill and out onto the street. I nearly passed out and then almost started crying when I saw that my time on the street was a good 30 seconds faster than my treadmill time. Savor moments like that; they really do show you how far you've come!
I would like to mention that I did not have a gym pass when I started this weight loss journey and still do not have one. I know gym's are important, especially for those that don't have access to fitness equipment, but my point is you can find a way to exercise anywhere; don't use the lack-of-a-gym as an excuse. If you live in an area with a lot of inclines, use that to your advantage. Even if you walk/jog up and down the same incline, you're going to see a difference. Exploit the resources around you. Persevere and don't get discouraged. Make realistic goals and take realistic steps towards achieving them; whether it takes a week, a month, whatever! We all hit "the wall" but pushing past that makes you stronger and proves to yourself that you can honestly achieve anything.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
The Unexpected Journey of an Unremarkable Lady
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing"-Walt Disney
Almost two years ago, I started on a journey to become a better me. I decided after 27 years of bad habits and bad eating, I would change my ways and become healthy. It was October 18th, 2013 when I decided a lifestyle change was in dire need and took the first steps on this continuing quest.
But let's back up a little. For most of my life, I have been overweight. I began gaining weight in third grade and continued to do so until the date above. I was teased in elementary and middle school for it and felt very much an outsider almost all of the time. It was worse in middle school; the time when six classes meant splitting up from familiar friends and faces. I was quiet, very shy and very insecure about my weight in middle school, all of which lead to even more teasing. The comfort I had was food. Food was always there and food was always good. Food meant home-a safe haven from the isolation I felt at school. And food, of course, meant more weight.
High school, on the other hand, was a whole new chapter; a chance to reinvent yourself. I joined the swim team my freshman year and was happy. Swim team represented a chance to get healthy and be part of a team. Well, one of those was true. Bad eating habits continued with skipping breakfast, eating little to no lunch, having swim practice for a couple of hours and then going home and eating everything in sight. After swim snacks would include anything from fast food to frozen dinners to tortillas with butter... You name the unhealthy snack and I probably ate it in droves. This did nothing to help my still insecure and timid nature, especially when it came to the subject of-guys (an issue I deal with to this very day!) Those eating habits continued throughout high school and then throughout college; the difference being that in high school, swim would kill some of those bad calories but in college...
Freshman 15? More like freshman 30... or more. It was a steady gain through the years until that October 18th. I was at roughly 230 pounds and being 5' 5", it was NOT a cute look. I had decided if I don't like me or the way I look, there's only way person who can change that. I will unashamedly admit this sudden epiphany was partially brought on by the encounter of a very nice fellow who inadvertently became the catalyst to get me going in the right direction.
So there I was: Monday morning. No idea how to even begin eating healthy when my family didn't generally eat healthy. I took a look at what my daily intake consisted of and found the biggest culprits were bread (SO much bread), tortillas, pasta, and potatoes. It was slow at first: lots of lettuce wraps, lots of chicken and vegetables, anything simple. Pinterest quickly became a go-to for new ways of eating the same old vegetables (by the way, cauliflower deserves my love forever). Brown rice replaced white rice, lettuce replaced bread and tortillas (my dad still can't stand the sight of my lettuce wrap tacos), and grated zucchini replaced pasta (AND makes a delicious pizza crust).
By my one year mark, I had lost 60 pounds. I had gone from a size 22/24 to a size 12. I'm nearing the two year mark and can happily say I've kept the weight off and have slid into the size 10 range. One of my good friends (you know who you are) encouraged me to start a blog (or "become a personal trainer!") as a way to inspire others. I don't know how many people this will reach but if any words I write here, now and later, can help at least one person then I am happy to oblige. There will be plenty of posts about food, exercise and daily musings and hopefully some motivating?
Carpe the diem my friends!
Almost two years ago, I started on a journey to become a better me. I decided after 27 years of bad habits and bad eating, I would change my ways and become healthy. It was October 18th, 2013 when I decided a lifestyle change was in dire need and took the first steps on this continuing quest.
But let's back up a little. For most of my life, I have been overweight. I began gaining weight in third grade and continued to do so until the date above. I was teased in elementary and middle school for it and felt very much an outsider almost all of the time. It was worse in middle school; the time when six classes meant splitting up from familiar friends and faces. I was quiet, very shy and very insecure about my weight in middle school, all of which lead to even more teasing. The comfort I had was food. Food was always there and food was always good. Food meant home-a safe haven from the isolation I felt at school. And food, of course, meant more weight.
High school, on the other hand, was a whole new chapter; a chance to reinvent yourself. I joined the swim team my freshman year and was happy. Swim team represented a chance to get healthy and be part of a team. Well, one of those was true. Bad eating habits continued with skipping breakfast, eating little to no lunch, having swim practice for a couple of hours and then going home and eating everything in sight. After swim snacks would include anything from fast food to frozen dinners to tortillas with butter... You name the unhealthy snack and I probably ate it in droves. This did nothing to help my still insecure and timid nature, especially when it came to the subject of-guys (an issue I deal with to this very day!) Those eating habits continued throughout high school and then throughout college; the difference being that in high school, swim would kill some of those bad calories but in college...
Freshman 15? More like freshman 30... or more. It was a steady gain through the years until that October 18th. I was at roughly 230 pounds and being 5' 5", it was NOT a cute look. I had decided if I don't like me or the way I look, there's only way person who can change that. I will unashamedly admit this sudden epiphany was partially brought on by the encounter of a very nice fellow who inadvertently became the catalyst to get me going in the right direction.
So there I was: Monday morning. No idea how to even begin eating healthy when my family didn't generally eat healthy. I took a look at what my daily intake consisted of and found the biggest culprits were bread (SO much bread), tortillas, pasta, and potatoes. It was slow at first: lots of lettuce wraps, lots of chicken and vegetables, anything simple. Pinterest quickly became a go-to for new ways of eating the same old vegetables (by the way, cauliflower deserves my love forever). Brown rice replaced white rice, lettuce replaced bread and tortillas (my dad still can't stand the sight of my lettuce wrap tacos), and grated zucchini replaced pasta (AND makes a delicious pizza crust).
By my one year mark, I had lost 60 pounds. I had gone from a size 22/24 to a size 12. I'm nearing the two year mark and can happily say I've kept the weight off and have slid into the size 10 range. One of my good friends (you know who you are) encouraged me to start a blog (or "become a personal trainer!") as a way to inspire others. I don't know how many people this will reach but if any words I write here, now and later, can help at least one person then I am happy to oblige. There will be plenty of posts about food, exercise and daily musings and hopefully some motivating?
Carpe the diem my friends!
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