Sunday, August 30, 2009

Back on Track!


Dara Torres image courtesy of BBC


Back on track! I made sure to seriously kick my ass today to make up for lost time. All this was made much easier since I got off of work early and didn't have to work that double. After work I did some cleaning and then RAN to the gym. No driving, running, and it was all up hill (and 5 miles through the snow) Just kidding. It was 2 miles round trip and more in the upper 80s and muggy as hell.

Anyways, ran to the gym and did my normal routine, but added weights to my ab exercises. There was this woman there that put everyone to shame. She must have been in her early 40s and didn't look a day over 35. That's not the point though. This lady was doing things I had never even thought of doing. And I've been a gym rat since the 6th grade. It was honestly inspiring.

After those few days I fell off the wagon it was sort of depressing. Me, in my 20's getting my progressively tighter ass handed to me by an older woman. But that's not the way to look at it. That initial impression is bound to occur, but we're all better than that. Try to avoid thinking, "I wish I could be a housewife and my job was to look pretty and fuck my husband." It's ok I do sometimes too. But seriously loaded lady or not, everyone has a lot of shit on their plate, just not the same shit. Every one deserves credit for busting their asses and making the effort no matter how big their ass is.

Lizzi Miller: Real Sexy Woman

More info on Lizzi Miller and the photo that has made quite a stir. I have attached a link to the Glamour blog article written in response to the mass amounts of feedback to the 3x3 inch image.

The Woman on Page 194

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Not doing so good.

So I haven't worked out, nothing, since Wednesday. How terrible is that? I need to go for a run ASAP. I had school from 7 am to 9 pm Thursday, and have been working doubles everyday after that. Tomorrow I must go for a run tomorrow after work. Hopefully I can squeeze in some homework and studying too. Wish me luck!

Love Who You Are

Getting healthy isn't about being a specific size and fitting a specific cultural mold. It's about feeling good in your own skin, looking in the mirror and loving you are. This photograph run by Glamour magazine in this month's issue is a perfect example. Don't tell me she isn't gorgeous.

Lizzie Miller

Friday, August 28, 2009

Uh Oh... The Major Pitfall

So I've come to my major getting in shape pitfall.

Overconfidence

You know... When you get to the point where you start seeing the results in yourself and say "Damn! Pretty good! My hard work and focus is paying off! It won't be that big of a deal if I have a big bowl of of Extreme Chocolate Moose-tracks ice cream."

It happens to the best of us. But that one bowl of ice cream, that one trip to Burger King, that one sneaky little vice item will send you on a slippery slope back to square one. I don't want it to happen, you don't want it to happen, so let's not let it happen. So I've listed some ways to avoid this problem or overcome it when the times comes, and believe me the time will come.

1. Have that Vice Item: But plan it ahead of time. This pitfall normally occurs when we don't lay out some ground rules in advance. When you want that item, give yourself a week. Not only will this in many cases make the craving go away and increase your willpower, but if/when you do have that item, it will be much more appreciated, enjoyed, savored, etc.

2. Make yourself work for it: You know that hunk of cheese cake packs a ton of calories so why not work extra to work it off ahead of time? Make it a weekend, have a killer cardio intensive morning workout, a light (but filling) lunch, and have it as an early afternoon treat.

3. Avoid the night time: Those extra calories from whatever slice of deliciousness you have will turn into fat as you sleep it off. No good.

4. Set Mini Goals: Not one big one. It's so easy to get discouraged when the final goal is so far away. Enjoy the journey. Celebrate all of your accomplishments.

5. Reward yourself with a non-food item: I am a shoe freak! As you progress with your change towards a better you, find something you lust after. Now spend the time until you reach your goal price shopping, or if you don't have an item, but a price limit, searching for what you can get with the most bang for your buck. Last time I managed to find a pair of brown leather boots that were originally $365 for under $200 with free shipping. Booyah!

6. Don't Give Up: Come back kicking ass! Everyone has their off days. Accept it and move on.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Well That Wasn't Inspirational

My favorite workout buddy hands down is my Dad. We have been going to the gym together since I was in middle school. My dad is who I look to for much of my work out inspiration. He's over 60, works out 6 days a week, has the best eating habits, and doesn't look a day over 55. One of his favorite sayings is, "It wasn't inspirational, but I did it." referring to the gym. He goes every morning 5 minutes after 7 without fail and though it may not have been an inspirational work out, he went and he did it. As opposed to other people that stayed home and in bed.

This quote is something to live by. Have you ever had one of those days where just the thought of any form of physical activity makes you want to grab a pillow and find the nearest soft surface? I know I do. Yesterday was the perfect example.

After a full day of work I needed to head out to storage to find a calculator (not one of those easily replaceable ones) which was like searching for a needle in a hay stack. After multiple trips and every box examined, no calculator. I know this doesn't seem like a big deal, but I had homework to do, and no where near $100 dollars to spare for a new one after spending over $700 on text books. I was planning on running, but was so stressed the thought of it made me want to sink into the couch.

So what did I do? I gave myself 5 minutes, got a drink and went running. It wasn't the best run, but at least I did it.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Runnnning


courtesy of valerag on DeviantArt


It's been awhile. At the moment with work and classes I don't have a "day off" at all. Classes two days and work the other 5. Ugh. It's not bad though. This is the happiest I've been with my time situation. Unfortunately though due to the craziness of school I have picked up running again. Not really unfortunately, running is in my opinion the best work out. You get your cardio in as well as toning your muscles. Not to mention it's the best way to burn that stubborn belly fat. Hell yeah! Think of that. Even better... you can fit it in to any time frame. Try making an excuse for that one. Bad knees? Me too. Run on grass. So there!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

I feel great!

So today was a great day. Work wasn't bad and I'm looking forward to school tomorrow, but guess what else I did!

I took my first Yoga class! Love it! I have always wanted to, but no classes have ever been available at my gym when I wasn't working, and I get really nervous about new things. Especially this, since I am about as flexible as a steel rod. In the end though I figured what do I have to lose? My back has been killing me, and my legs were sore as shit from running. Not to mention I should have this time slot available the rest of the semester so I might as well start the routine before school starts and I already get another routine. (I'm crazy about routines)

Well anyways... it was great! I didn't feel like a fish out of water. It was sooo relaxing, and better yet I could feel that I was getting a work out. Subtly though, and it felt wonderful, not like I wanted to die. On top of that my legs felt fine afterwards, and my back has never felt so good!

Try new things. You might end up liking it.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Dragging my feet

Wow! Long weekend! I was supposed to go out of town, but the car broke and we ended up getting a new one, and now what days I am not at school I am working. Ugh. On to workout stuff.

Sunday I don't think I have ever not been in the mood to be at the gym like Sunday. You know why? I didn't get anywhere near 8 hours of sleep. Lesson learned...again.

As for Monday and today I have been trying to get back on the running horse. Not easy let me tell you. The last time I was hard core running my friend and I ran at least 3 miles a day 5 days a week. Let me tell you with no one to run with this is not fun. On the flipside running has always given me a much stronger feeling of accomplishment. My mile time was about where I want it to be (for long distance) and it wasn't as painful as I expected. In fact things went so well Monday night running that I went ahead and ran to the gym this morning. What I love about running is that it doesn't take too long and it's the fastest way to trim down and get rid of fat in the tricky areas. With school starting up that's exactly what I'm gonna need.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

No more excuses

Okay. I know we all have plenty of excuses lined up for why we don't work out or get healthy like we should. My personal favorite is "I don't have enough time." So here's a list of common excuses and some good ways to beat them:

Not Enough Time
  • Exercise first thing in the morning. You'll not only feel energized for the rest of the day and have that metabolism boost I posted about previously, but your work out won't get in the way of other activities.
  • Go for a walk during any sort of break you have.
  • Don't drive anywhere unless you absolutely have to.
  • Take the stairs! I cannot emphasize this enough. It's such an easy way to burn some extra calories, not to mention tone your butt.
  • Combine exercise with other activities. The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) Had the wonderful idea to have walking meetings with friends, colleagues, etc.
  • Get your priorities straight! Don't let other things get you sidetracked. Do your workout first. You'll feel more pumped to get other shit done.
Icky Weather
  • Invest in good exercise clothing. You'll feel better. And the heat, cold, rain is no excuse. People have been through much worse hardships.
  • Get some hand weights and a mat (if you want one) and do some abdominal workouts, arm workouts, and even squats or lunges while you're watching TV.
  • Indoor Options! Get a gym membership (sooo worth it), or Exercise videos. Netflix has a wide variety available to watch instantly. I personally recommend any of the Self workout videos. They are easy to follow, and not that difficult.
Tired
  • Get an exercise buddy! This is my favorite. You can keep each other going. Another person gives you motivation, not to mention a little mental competition to keep pushing yourself. Better yet, a distraction. There is nothing like doing some cardio with a friend then looking at the clock and realizing "Holy shit! I passed 30 minutes!"
  • Work out in the morning (are you convinced yet?) Mental fatigue will have you talking yourself out of it if you wait too long. If you really don't like the idea of doing it first thing, give it a sincere effort for a month of working out, and then you can move to a more suitable time for you.
  • Get your sleep. Don't stay up late. Establish a routine that gives you at LEAST 8 hours of sleep and never go less than 7 hours. Trust me this works. And you will look better. Your complexion will look rejuvenated and healthy. Not to mention you'll have a much better attitude.
  • Find something you enjoy doing, that helps you relieve stress, or gives you the social time you need. Or what I love, the alone time. If you fulfill one of these needs you will find yourself looking forward to being active.

Friday, August 14, 2009

A moment on my lips forever on my hips...not

I have always been a huge fan of wraps. They're yummy. Here are a couple I love that are very filling, tasty, and healthy.

Turkey Spinach Wrap
Deli Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast (I will not buy packaged lunch meat)
Organic Baby Spring Salad Mix
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Briannas Blush Wine Vinaigrette Dressing (the one with the strawberry on the label)
Spinach Wrap (the green one)

Take wrap and spread Vinaigrette on shell, it will be a little messy. Get over it. Lay up to 4 slices of turkey on shell. Add a line of the salad mix with a sprinkling of cheese. Wrap it up!

Peanut Crunch Wrap
Crunchy Peanut Butter
Whole Grain Wheat Wrap

Spread peanut butter on wheat wrap, roll up, enjoy. I know it's simple, but it sticks to your stomach and fills you up extremely well.

Today at the gym

30 Minutes Stationary Bike: 8.57 miles (Mile time ~ 3.5)
Leg Press: 140 lbs. This is not enough weight for me. It hurts my knees which is why you will see a lot of quad exercises.
Leg Extension: 50 lbs. for 12 reps.
Adductor: 90 lbs for 25 reps.
Abductor: 90 lbs. for 25 reps.
Lateral Pull Down: 80 lbs. for 12 reps.
Back Hyperextension: 25 reps. with 8 lb. medicine ball, on side 25 reps. with 10 lbs.
Leg Raise: 25 reps.
Tricep Press: 75 lbs. 12 reps.
Chest Press: 55 lbs. 12 reps.
30+ Lunges with 5 lbs. in each hand

oops

Sorry for the mix up with the dates of my previous postings. There was a problem with my previous domain name. Then the import posts thing was too complicated. Etc Etc.

What is strength training doing to you?

Many women hate the thought of lifting weights, and even more avoid it as much as possible. In my opinion a woman's misconception of what weight training will do to her body is one of the main excuses for not working out. That's right it's just an excuse. A complete load of bullshit that everyone needs to get out of their heads.

For starters ladies, our bodies aren't built to bulk up like men. It simply won't happen. Women who have "bulky" figures have to work ridiculously hard to get that way. While it may not be your cup of tea, these individuals deserve a lot of respect for the work they have put into their bodies.

Whether you are using weights, elastic bands, or your own body weight, strength training will help to tone your flub and boost your metabolism. In short, strength training forces your body to repair torn muscle fibers and create new ones. This process forces your metabolism to up the ante to burn more calories to maintain the new tissue you have created.

This results in your body burning more calories, even while resting (up to double what you normally would have 12 hours after your trip to the gym). So come on Ladies! Hit the weights!

Get Off Your Ass and Get Started

Thursday August 13

This book is a major must-read. And for those guys out there I recommend Skinny Bastard- the male equivalent. Either way, read this book. It is the BEST tough love guide to getting healthy. Not dieting, but changing your lifestyle to become a much better you. LOVE IT. Skinny Bitch is an easy read, and I guarantee you won't put it down until your done.

All work and too much play

Thursday August 13

Sorry for the gap in post. I worked a double and was watching my nephew while my brother was in Chicago. Luckily I managed to get off early so I could take my nephew to the pool. He's great, loves the water, but even after teaching him how to swim he has a tendency if you don't get on him, to swallow a little water. Needless to say he puked everywhere. Then proceeded to thank the life guard for cleaning it up. Poor guy.

Wednesday I didn't make it to the gym, but running around non-stop with the energy of a 3 year old counts right? Either way it's gonna count as my off day.

Can't think of much else to leave you with for now. When I go to the gym tomorrow I'll bring something to jot down all the technicalities of my workouts. I don't tend to think much about that stuff since I've been going to this gym since I can remember. But that's another story for another day.

What I ate today and tips to make any workout easier

Tuesday August 11

Breakfast: Small (and I mean SMALL) bowl of Post Selects Great Grains cereal with Raisins, Dates, and Pecans with a small bowl of cool green grapes that have been in the fridge. Yum. Don't over do that bowl of cereal in the morning, you can always get seconds. Our eyes are always bigger than our tummies and no one ever remembers how filling fiber can be.

Snack at the Pool: Reduced Fat Triscuit crackers

Lunch: Campbell Selects Harvest (Potato, Broccoli, and Cheese)

Treat: Ice cream, make a small cup of it.

Dinner....Dunno yet. I'll let you know.

Daily Work Out Tips
  • Do your cardio first. Get it over with, and that way you aren't already tired from the other stuff. Plus everything else seems easy after some cardio.
  • Jump around! Don't focus entirely on one body part, rotate. That way each part gets a break while another is working. Not to mention that body part will be less tired and when its turn has come it will be ready to kick ass.

Day 2

Tuesday August 11

Lazy day. I opt to open the windows instead of using the AC and with the heat index around 100 degrees all I feel like doing is sitting on the couch with a book (currently Asimov's I Robot and Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey) and doing my best not to melt.

To get my but rolling since I didn't have to work today I opted to sleep an hour later and go to the pool followed by a workout. Though that doesn't sound that much fun, bake at the pool, go work out, sweat, sweat, sweat, it was great! Once you're too hot to handle being outside any longer the gym feels wonderfully cool in comparison whether you're doing cardio or not.

Today my work out consisted of 30 minutes on a stationary bike, followed by a leg intensive workout. Lunges, etc. As well as my daily favorites (machines/equipment I do on a daily basis, I'll post a list of my favorite work outs later). By the time I got home and had a cold shower I felt pleased and accomplished and ready to tackle the rest of my day.

Day One! (but really week 3)

Monday August 10

Technically this is week three for me. I started off while I was in between moving and staying with my brother and his 3 year old son for a week. It was great! I learned how to sleep like a 3 year old.

First off... Get a full nights rest! 8 hours, no less. And if you really want to kick ass start getting up earlier for enough time to get an hour work out in. You don't need to actually work out the first week if you want to ease into it. I didn't. I just went to work teaching kids how to swim. Enjoy that hour "me" time in the morning. It won't be easy at first, but after doing it a week, maybe two, it starts becoming routine.

As for the food... You are what you eat. Pay attention to how you feel when and after you eat. There's nothing like a good meal with a great dump after. Don't even try and convince me otherwise. My brother made this great shake that even though it looked like pond scum, it tasted great. And 30 minutes after finishing it you will feel as if your whole body has been cleansed. What a great way to start the day!

Have one every day if you can. It starts you off on a clean slate and you won't feel hungry for a long time. That way when you do eat again you can clearly gauge by how your body feels post consumption how well you actually are eating.

Week 2
Hit the gym 6 days a week. SIX DAYS. I know it sounds horrible, but honestly it's not bad. Break it down.

Sunday: Weights and Stretching. Get a good variety of stuff covered. Go over everything. Don't over work. Rotate arms, abs, legs. Simple as that.

Monday: 30 minutes cardio. 1st thing. Do NOT stop until the time is up. You can do it. After that same thing as Sunday, but try and push it a bit. Ladies, 12 reps on everything. If you can do more than 12 up the weight a bit.

Tuesday: Weights and Stretching.

Wednesday: Same as Monday. Kick ass!

Thursday: Repeat Tuesday (you getting the drift yet?) We're establishing a routine.

Friday: Same as Monday and Wednesday.

Saturday: Sleep in, relax, you deserve it.

And repeat simple as that.
Stop worrying about the scale I gained weight the 1st week, but you know what? My legs were starting to look HOTT and I've noticed less jiggle for my wiggle. You gain weight because you are converting fat into muscle. Don't worry about it.

First! And many to come!

Monday August 10

First Post... Let me give you a background info on myself. After 2 years of art school I have officially decided to change my major. Spending 2 years in a studio as opposed to on the pitch, in the pool, on the court, and around the track like I once had, I am out of shape.

I have tried multiple times to get back in shape, but it never quite sticks. (Note) I did not say skinny, but in shape. Who cares?! And whoever does care can kiss my ass...Really. Getting in shape isn't about other people, but about yourself. The priority not on looking good, but feeling good, because when you feel good you are going to look good.

So here's to the push! I am going to get in shape...Kick ass shape. No more I wishes or I wants. Only I'm gonna kick butt!