Simple Quick Workout

Here is a quick workout to do that is sure to be effective:

Warm up by joggin in place and doing 50 jumping jacks
30 Squats
30 Skater Jumps
30 Push Ups
30 Crunches
30 Squat Jumps
30 Dips (find something to grab ahold of)
30 Mountain Climbers
30 V-ups
30 Butt lifts

Repeat as desired :)
Try to repeat twice!

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Salad

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Salad
This is one of my favorite things to eat and it is so healthy AND so good! The fresher ingredients you buy, they better it will be!
This recipe is for one salad so double or triple as you need to!

Ingredients:
1 small to medium size tomato
3 fresh basil leaves (found in the vegetable section of the grocery store--usually by the lettuce)
3-5 slices. of Mozzarella (try to buy this fresh! in the cheese aisle)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice Tomato into any size squares/triangles/slices that you would like and place on serving plate.  Slice Mozzarella and place over tomato. Take basil leaves Slice basil and place over tomato and mozzarella (or slice if need).Spread olive oil and balsamic vinegar over salad and sprinkle salt and pepper.
Perfecto!

Should look something like this:

Overcoming and Sticking With

Overcoming and Sticking With

So obviously I have been HORRIBLE with my blog lately L I have absolutely no excuse other than I have been simply forgetting to post on here. I think once I got out of the routine of counting my calories every day, I forgot about this too.

I really want to stick with posting on this though. There are so many new and interesting things to talk about with health and fitness all the time. Plus it will help keep my motivation going J

So to catch up, I am living in California right now and pretty much settled in since the big move. My routine of working out and eating well has changed quite a bit. Where I’m living now, it’s a little harder to get to gyms so I have been doing a lot of running and home workouts. These seem to work well but I know I’m not getting nearly the amount of intense workouts in as I was doing at Fitness One in NC. I have noticed a change in my muscle as well and this kind of depresses me. I really miss that place a lot!

I haven’t found a place like it yet but I’m going to keep looking. I went to a pretty basic gym for a week to try it out but it frustrates me to drive 20 minutes there and back when I know I could provide myself a good workout at home and save the gas. So, for now, that is what I’m going to do.  I think once I move out of my sisters and into my own place, I will look harder for a better gym because I will (hopefully) be in a little bit better location to do so.

Since I have been working from home, I’m not on such a strict schedule as before and this has been much harder than I thought it would be. I’m the kind of person where I really need structure and scheduling. The flexibility of being at home offers a lot of distractions especially now that work has slowed down. My solution to this is to plan my days out better so that I do get in a routine and add some structure. This has worked pretty well lately. I usually get up in the morning and get some kind of exercise in and then eat, shower, do some work, take a break or run errands, do some work, and then relax for the most part. I’m also training for a half marathon and have gotten to running 8 miles so staying on schedule with my training for that helps too.

My eating has been….well, so-so. I cannot blame anyone but myself. I usually eat really well for most of the day up until the afternoon and evening. Then I will give in to a desert or indulge in more carbs than necessary. I’ve added (literally) a few pounds on.

I am honestly disappointed in myself. I worked so hard when I was back in NC and was probably in the best shape of my life. 2-3 pounds back on isn’t a huge deal but it makes me a little upset at myself because of how motivated I was and how much I learned to try and prevent this from happening.

BUT as the saying goes, it can only get better. I know what to eat, how to train, and how to stay focused. I’m going to work hard to get myself back on track! And writing this has really made me feel better, thank you blog J

My goal is to post on here at least 3 times a week. Here we go!

The Best Foods for Women in their 20s

I found this article on Women's Health and I learned a lot from it. Your 20s are a crucial time to take care of your body for the long term.

Your nutritional needs depend on your age. We outline the foods you should eat in your 20s to help you look and feel your best!

By Phillip Rhodes; Additional Reporting by Elizabeth Callahan

Calcium (and Vitamin D) for Bone-Building

The Problem: This is your last chance to strengthen your skeleton. When you hit 30, you're pretty much stuck with what you've got.
The Fix: Drink two eight-ounce glasses of vitamin D-fortified, low-fat milk every day. You'll get 581 milligrams of calcium and five micrograms of vitamin D, the perfect nutrient combo to develop break-resistant bones.
Broccoli also deserves a place on your menu. It contains a respectable 43 milligrams of calcium per cup and is also home to magnesium, vitamin K, and phosphorus, all of which, research shows, play a major role in keeping you upright from here to Social Security.
Find naked broccoli unbearably boring? Top it with a nearly decadent layer of melted low-fat cheddar for the ultimate bone-friendly side dish, says ADA spokesperson Kerry Neville, R.D.

Microwave Meals for the Time-Cruncher

The Problem: Between jobs, boyfriends, working out, and trying to keep some measure of a social life, who has time to eat, let alone eat healthily?
The Fix: Choose microwave-friendly meals that have the perfect balance of protein, carbs, and veggies in one package (we like Kashi's Sweet and Sour Chicken).
In general, look for these qualifications when choosing a frozen feast: 450 milligrams or less of sodium and no more than three grams of total and one gram of saturated fat per 100 calories, says Constance Brown-Riggs, R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Bonus: Harvard scientists found that every one-serving increase in daily vegetable intake decreases your risk of heart disease by 4 percent.

Beef for Sports Injuries

Whether it's because you're bombing down black diamonds or entering too many charity 5-Ks, you are seven times as likely to tear an ACL as a man in the same age group.
The Fix: Beef. It's the perfect muscle food because it's packed with protein and creatine—both build muscle, which basically acts like bubble wrap around tendons and joints.
Try this ligament-loving Tex-Mex salad recipe: Brown a quarter pound of extra-lean ground beef over medium heat. As it cooks, sprinkle it with black pepper, two teaspoons of chili powder, and a couple dashes of hot sauce. Place the cooked beef, one diced tomato, and two tablespoons of low-fat cheese over a bed of lettuce and top with salsa.

Flaxseed for Undetected Depression

The Problem: A Red Bull may boost your mood temporarily, but it won't improve your long-term outlook.
The Fix: Eat a tablespoon of ground flaxseed every day.
It's the best source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a fatty acid that researchers say improves the operation of the cerebral cortex. That's the area of the brain that processes sensory information, including pleasure signals.
To meet your quota, sprinkle it on salads, vegetables, and cereal, or mix it into a smoothie or a shake. You can find ground flaxseed in the health-food section of your grocery store.

No Excuses

I have been watching the Biggest Loser this season and it is so inspirational. I love watching the contestants transform from the inside out. Many people do not realize how much obesity can affect you mentally. The contestants have truly seen what they have been made of and pushed themselves to achieve so much.

This season has been the season of "No Excuses". The trainers use this a lot to keep the contestants motivated. I love it and I thought I would reflect on what this means to me.

There are so many things that each of us deal with every day. There's work, trying to stay in touch with friends and family, daily chores like cleaning and cooking, school, studying, errands to run, animals to take care, etc. You get the idea. On top of this, we try and lead healthy lives by working out and eating well. It can be a hard thing to balance no doubt.

However, it is all about how you think about it and how you manage your time. A quote that I love is, "There is someone busier than you that found time to workout today". I know that seems kind of harsh but it's true and I think it really connects with the idea of no excuses. You will make time for what you want to make time for.

Here is my advice: get organized and make a schedule. Something I do is plan my workouts out for the next week. So usually on Sundays I will sit down and schedule out my week of workouts. This helps me stay on track and saves me time throughout the week so I don't have to think of a workout. I know what to expect so I can prepare for it.

This is also a great idea for your nutrition. Before I moved to California, I would plan all my meals out for the week as well along with my workouts on a note card. That way all I had to do was look at it and I would know what the plan was for that day. It took away from having to think and decide. I had already done this so I just had to go with the plan. I want to start doing this again because I found it really worked for me.

There are 24 hours in a day. That's a lot of time and if you really sit down and think about it, I know you can schedule in at least 30 minutes of exercise no matter how busy you are. On the Biggest Loser, they had Michelle Obama come in and do an exercise with them. She also talked about how important exercise and nutrition is and how she makes time for it every day. Do you think you're busier than the First Lady? Probably not. What excuse do you have to not lead a healthy lifestyle?

I have to admit that since I have moved, I have sub-consciously been making excuses. I am living with a woman who cooks a lot of Mexican food and it's usually not too healthy. At first, I didn't think I had much control over this so I was kind of like "oh well". But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that no matter what my "Mexican Mama" cooks, I still have control over how much I eat of it and I can try and make it healthier.

In conclusion, no matter how busy you may be, don't make excuses to skip out on exercise that your body needs and make healthy food choices. There will be days when you won't exercise and there will be times that you indulge in desert. It's not expected that you workout every single day and have no slip ups from time to time. Just be mindful and conscious and make an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle. There is really no excuse not to and your body will love you for it :)

How to get in a better mood

I really liked this article so I thought I would share :)

Get in a Better Mood...now!!

You're in a lousy mood and want to feel better fast. What you need is a happiness fix—right now! Try one of these spirit-boosting tips to jump-start joy in 5 minutes or less.
1. Start a blog. Like journaling, it gives you an outlet for your feelings. “But it may be even better for triggering happiness because people can leave you positive comments,” says Caroline Adams Miller, coauthor of Creating Your Best Life. Begin one at Blogger.com.
2. Make up a ridiculous story. If someone is fueling your sour mood, create a goofy character in your head based on that person. “Imagine an outrageous comic calamity befalling him,” says Amy Riley, a life balance consultant for Tiara Coaching in Chicago. You’ll get a good chuckle out of it.
3. Put yourself in the movies. Think of your favorite film scene, one that makes you feel great every time you see it—like Bridget Jones kissing Mark Darcy in the snow. Now picture yourself as the main character. “Embracing that moment triggers optimism,” says John Ryder, PhD, author of Positive Directions.
4. Soak up the sun. Go outside or stand beside a bright window and bask in the warming rays for a few minutes. Sunlight ups the level of vitamin D in your body, which in turn keeps serotonin (a feel-good hormone) high, explains Mehmet Oz, MD, coauthor of You: Being Beautiful.
5. Touch your toes. “It opens up your hip joints, which is where most people store tension,” says Dr. Oz. Hold the position for a minute, then slowly roll up. As you lift, so will your mood.
6. Take it all in. “Little things in life that inspire joy are often subtle and don’t always grab your attention,” says Barbara Fredrickson, PhD, author of Positivity. So be on the lookout for small wonders: butterflies in your garden, an amazingly bright full moon.
7. Turn on the tunes. Listen to your favorite upbeat song and you’ll be happier in seconds. “Music has a powerful influence over state of mind,” says Alice Domar, PhD, director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health in Waltham, Massachusetts. That’s because music—especially songs that make you boogie—activates the part of our brain that’s hardwired for pleasure.
8. Show off your moves. Speaking of boogying, that’s another quick way to break into a smile. Got two left feet? It doesn’t matter. “Any form of movement will release endorphins and elevate your mood,” explains Dr. Domar. So while you’re listening to that favorite song, get up and dance.
9. Put photos on the fridge. We look at our refrigerator about 27 times a day, so make the most of it. “Research shows that the happiest people have many joyful family photos displayed in their homes,” says Adams Miller.
10. Get plant-happy. Deadhead the spent flowers on your gardenia or buy a bunch of tulips at the market. Studies show that being around foliage or colorful blooms relieves stress, soothes sadness and increases calmness.
11. Create a new code. Change one of your passwords (e-mail, voice mail, ATM) to a word that primes you to think in an optimistic way—the name of your much-loved pet, the funny nickname you call your husband, or even the word love.
12. Break out of the box. Do one small thing that’s new and unexpected. Put a temporary tattoo on your ankle. Top off your morning coffee with some whipped cream. “Novelty makes people feel good,” says Adams Miller.
13. Mark your calendar. Make a note of an upcoming event that you’re looking forward to—a weekend getaway with your best friend, an outdoor concert with your husband. The sheer anticipation you feel every time you see it penciled in is almost as good as the special event itself.
14. Be generous. A recent study found that when people spent as little as $5 on others, they reported greater feelings of joy. Shopping at the grocery store? Pick up a few staples for your neighbor. Just bought a cup of coffee? Give the barista an extra $5 to pay for the customer behind you.
15. Turn the negative positive. List five to 10 things that went wrong today, then read them out loud, says Riley. It may sound counterintuitive but it works: When you hear all of it together—you dropped your morning bagel on the floor, noticed a new gray hair, discovered that your teen used the last of the shampoo—you’ll see how minor it all is. And a little perspective goes a long way.
16. Send out good vibes. “Text three friends and tell each of them one thing you like about her,” says Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, author of The How of Happiness. Your kind words will make them (and you) feel terrific.
17. Lend a hand. Call a local nursing home, shelter, church or charitable organization and ask how you can help. Those few minutes on the phone are all it takes to kick your spirits into high gear. Knowing that you’ll soon be helping others—and then following through—makes you feel good about yourself, says Susan Ouellette, a health care educator in Baltimore, Maryland.
18. Think of the good stuff. Spend a couple of minutes reflecting on your accomplishments over the past five, 10, 15 years, recommends Dan Baker, PhD, author of What Happy Women Know. Maybe you’re a more skilled cook now than you were then, or perhaps you have developed a lifelong hobby into a successful part-time business. Recognizing and acknowledging your growth will provide an immediate sense of gratification. You’ll be cheered instantly.

Spaghetti Squash!

Spaghetti Squash!

Spaghetti squash is a good alternative to pasta, potatoes, or rice. The cooked squash flesh shreds into threads like thin spaghetti or vermicelli, hence its name. 1 cup of Spaghetti Squash is about 45 Calories and about 8g Net Carbs. 1 cup of angel hair pasta is about 180 Calories and about 33g Net Carbs.

The squash should be an even light yellow color and firm with no bruises. Store whole at room temperature up to 3 weeks. Spaghetti squash is available year-round with peak season in fall.

You will need:
• 1 spaghetti squash.
• Large sharp knife.
• Baking pan.
• Oven.
• Kitchen fork.

• Prick the spaghetti squash all over with a knife or skewer so it will not burst while baking.
• Place whole squash in a shallow baking pan.
• Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 1 hour.
Let cool for a half hour

• When cool enough to handle, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise with a serrated knife.

• Scoop the seeds and fibrous strings from the center of the cooked spaghetti squash.

• Gently scrape the tines of a kitchen fork around the edge of the spaghetti squash to shred the pulp into strands.

• Cooked spaghetti squash is usually served with a sauce or gravy because the flesh is very bland in flavor.
• It may be served alone as a side dish with the addition of salt, pepper, and butter.

Here is a recipe of mine that I love!

Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey Meat

2 Eggs

1c. Bread Crumbs (doesn’t really matter what kind)

Spaghetti Squash

1c. Marinara Sauce of your choice (I used Barilla Basil and Garlic)

Directions:

Cook Spaghetti Squash using directions above. Remember that it takes about an hour to cook so you may want to cook the squash first. Once you have prepped the spaghetti squash, place in a bowl and set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, mix together ground meat, eggs and bread crumbs with your hands. Then, form into small meatballs and place baking sheet. Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are done.

Take 1c. of Spaghetti Squash and top it with 4-6 meatballs and 1c. Marinara. Voila and Bon Apetite! I think you will enjoy J

Top 10 things that I’ve learned on my Commit to be Fit Journey

Top 10 things that I’ve learned on my Commit to be Fit Journey

These past 10 weeks have been hard, rewarding, challenging, educational, and totally worth it. I am really glad that I pushed myself to get more intense workouts in while documenting my nutrition. I have learned so much and above all, I have created healthy habits for myself. I started at about 132 pounds and I am now down to about 125 pounds. I started with 17% body fat and I am now down to 15% body fat. I feel stronger and faster in my workouts and like I am really pushing myself to the limit. I can see small results in my body too which is great. I can honestly say that I have worked extremely hard and I am proud of myself.

I know that there is no stopping now though. I am going to continue to eat the way I have been while getting in great workouts. I am going to keep my good habits going and try hard to stay with my healthy nutrition. I know there will be slip ups from time to time but the goal is to keep working hard and push through it. Get back up again and keep moving forward and to not let mistakes build on top of each other.

I feel in a really good mental state right now. I feel well educated on my food options and I know how to make the right choices. I have learned new workouts that I can use to challenge myself and I know how to push myself to the limit. I also know that I need to keep exercising almost every day and incorporating strength exercises. Overall, I feel well prepared to continue my commitment to be fit without documenting everything thing I eat along with my workouts.

It’s time for me to lose the diary for a while and see if I can do without it. I am going to keep this blog to post interesting articles, workout ideas, recipes, and other things relating to fitness and nutrition.  

Here are the top things that I have learned so far:

1.       Drink lots of water. All the time. This makes me feel good, gives me energy, and there are so many more benefits to being hydrated.

2.       It’s about MUSCLE. Do Strength Workouts and Incorporate Weights. Muscle burns fat and helps you lean out not bulk up. You need cardio too but muscle is very important and it's crucial to get strength workouts in.

3.       Know what Nutrition Labels mean. It was amazing to me how unhealthy certain foods were that I previously didn’t know about. I have been much better at especially looking at carbs, sodium, and sugar and not just calories. Now that I know how much of each category I should have per day, it helps put things in perspective.

4.       Be INTENSE. I found that if I reminded myself to push as hard as I could, my workouts were so much more beneficial. I think you will see results when you push yourself out of your comfort zone and your gasping for breath or sweating like a maniac.

5.       Change it up! When I would get into a boring slump, I would take a different kind of exercise class or make up a new and different workout for myself. When I was bored with my food, I tried out different healthy recipes.

6.       Use Common Sense. We know what are healthy choices and what are not most of the time. If you don’t think something is good for you, it’s probably not. Stick to fresh produce, lean meats, and whole grains.

7.       Find Inspiration. For me, my inspiration was in quotes, reading or watching people who overcame obstacles, listening to certain music, or looking ahead to my goals and what I wanted to achieve. You have to find whatever will keep you motivated to stay focused and keep working hard.

8.       Indulge wisely. When you have that craving you just can’t shake, give in a little but be careful. Don’t overdo it and see if there is a way you can make it healthier. For example, I found a way to cure my sweet tooth by using light cool whip, low fat vanilla wafers, and fruit.  If you do a little creative thinking and research, I’m sure you can find a way to make an unhealthy option just a little bit better.

9.       Have a Support System. I found that it was helpful and comforting to talk to my friends who were also trying to slim down. We were able to share ideas and keep each other motivated. Also, by using facebook and this blog, it helped keep me in check because a lot of people would ask me about it.

10.   Reward Yourself. Not with food but with other incentives. In one of my blogs, I outlined how I was going to reward myself in 3 week intervals with manicures, massages, shopping, etc. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get yourself up every day, get workouts, eat right, make good choices, and stick with it. So you deserve to reward yourself plus hopefully it will give you incentives to keep doing what you’re doing.

Using Common Sense

My past couple of days have been pretty busy while I have been out on the road travelling for work so I apologize for not posting how I usually do.

Workouts: Yesterday, I did a bike ride around the neighborhood and I really enjoyed that for my exercise. I would definitley say it was a light form of exercise but at least something :) Today, I had a really good workout. Check it out:

1 lap around neighborhood (about 1.5 miles)

-          50 Jumping Jacks

-          100 High Knees

-          50 Skater Slides

-          1 min of freestyle cardio boxing

-          Plank held for 1 min.

-          Squat to overhead push with weights for 1 min.

-          Mountain Climbers for 1 min.

-          V-up for 1 min.

-          Lung Jumps for 1 min.

-          Pushups for 1 min.

-          Kettlebell exercises for legs and arms (pick 3-4 Kettlebell exercises)

-          50 pushups

-          50 bicep curls

-          50 tricep kickbacks

-          50 chest flys

-          50 superman back flys

Food: Since I have been pretty busy, I have been keeping track of my calories count instead of all the other little details. I would have loved to keep track of those details but I just haven't been able to. Yesterday, I ate around 1300 Calories. Here is what I ate today:
Breakfast: 1c. Multigrain Cherrios with 3/4c. Silk Soy Milk and blueberries: 275 Calories
Morning Snack: 1/2 a Banana and 3 Tbsp. Trail Mix: 210 Calories
Lunch: 2 Slices BBQ Chicken Pizza (leftover from dinner last night) and 3 Tbsp. Trail Mix: 460 Calories
Afternoon Snack: Frozen Yogurt at the Beach (I couldn't help it plus it's really not bad for you and worked as a good snack): 200 Calories
Dinner: Asian Sesame Chicken Salad at Panera (no wonton strips): 310 Calories
Total Calories: 1455

Using Common Sense
This week has definitely been pretty hard for me because I have been out of my structured environment. I started to think about it more and more and I came to a conclusion. USE COMMON SENSE. Obviously, this sounds so easy and I do understand that it's not always that easy but I think the concept is still good. When you are out eating or you are deciding what to eat (wherever you are), choose what makes sense. Does it make sense to choice fried or greasy options when you're trying to lose weight or eat healthy? No. Does it make sense to try and get some kind of exercise in almost every day? Yes. Does it make sense to try and drink as much water as you can, fill your meals with fresh fruit and vegetables, and incorporate protein? Yes. These are all simple questions and answers to things you are faced with every day. I think when it really comes down to things, choose healthy options, exercise, drink water, listen to yourself, and splurge occasionaly. Oh, and don't be an idiot or try and convince yourself that unhealthy options are actually healthy. Be honest with yourself and pay attention to what you're doing. Don't overinduldge and go over board.
I think this was good for me to write about because I will be ending my food journal next week. This means that I won't be keeping track of everything on paper and seeing it every day. I will still be eating the same and getting in intense workouts but I won't be documenting and this is signicant. Writing down every little thing that I have been eating has really helped me. But I can't do it forever. I need to do this "on my own" per se. So when I am faced with every day decisions on what to eat or when to exercise, I will think of this and use my common sense if I want to continue a healthy lifestyle.

The Naughty Nutrition Devil

Date: 3/5/2012
Workout: Ran around the neighborhood (approximately 4-5miles)
Food:
Breakfast: 1c. Multigrain Cherios, 3/4c. Silk Milk, and ½ Banana: 240 Calories, 47g Carbs (41 net), 8g Protein, 6g Fiber, 4g Fat, 191mg Sodium, 22g Sugar
Morning Snack: Apple and 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter: 165 Calories, 21g Carbs (17 net), 4g Protein, 4g Fiber, 8g fat, 76m Sodium, 14g Sugar
Lunch: Panera-Cup of Sonoma Chicken Stew and ½ Thai Chop Chicken Salad (no wonton strips): 530 Calories, 45 Carbs (40 net), 31g Protein, 5g Fiber, 26g Fat, 1820mg Sodium (woops!), 14g Sugar
Afternoon Snack: Nutrigrain Bar and 8 strawberries: 152 Calories, 32g Carbs (29 net), 2g Protein, 3g Fiber, 3g Fat, 110mg Sodium, 30g Sugar

Dinner: Chicken and Broccoli: 180 Calories, 4g Carbs (2 net), 31g Protein, 2g Fiber, 5g Fat, 80mg Sodium, 2g Sugar

Total Nutrition Intake:
1,267 Calories
149g Carbs (129g Net Carbs)
76g Protein
20g Fiber
46g Fat

2,277mg Sodium

82g Sugar

I’m tired right now and about to go to bed. It’s hard travelling and trying to keep track of all this plus get my workouts in. I’m kind of in a sore mood about my health and fitness right now :/ I think because I know I’m not going to be able to lose any weight or get stronger or basically achieve my fitness goals when I am away from my structured environment. I guess that is the challenge though.

Tomorrow is a new day and I hope I wake up pissing sunshine and feeling motivated. I promise, better blogs to come. This one just shows a bad day and the downs that can come with trying to slim down. I think sometimes, these days just happen and you need to get over them and move on better to the next day. You learn from your mistakes and keep getting better because of them.

I keep having these fantasies of sitting on my couch for a whole day and eating ice cream, chocolate, pizza, cookie dough, etc… Do I have issues? Probably. I keep trying to remind myself of the way I feel inside after completing a good workout or after a long period of eating right and exercising. I know that feeling is good and I am the happiest when I am doing those things. Not the opposite. I think the naughty nutrition devil is trying to tempt and challenge me and get in my head. I’m going to go to bed now because I am rambling and also because the best thing for me to do right now is get some sleep and start better and fresher tomorrow.

Good night!

Keep On Moving

Date: 3/3/2012

Workout: 2 Laps around the neighborhood (3.5 miles) and a circuit exercise (below)

-          Plank held for 1 min.

-          Squat to overhead push with weights for 1 min.

-          Mountain Climbers for 1 min.

-          V-up for 1 min.

-          Lung Jumps for 1 min.

-          Pushups for 1 min.

Did each exercise for a minute and repeated circuit 3 times

Food:

Breakfast: Life Cereal with Milk and Strawberries: 215 Calories

Morning Snack: Yoplait Yogurt: 100 Calories

Lunch: Toast with Peanut Butter and a Salad: 400 Calories

Afternoon Snack: Cheese and Nuts: 150 Calories

Dinner: Meatloaf, veggies, and potatoe (and some icecream and a emanada for desert L ): 500 Calories

Total: 1365 Calories

I only did a Calorie count today because it’s the weekend and I usually don’t count specifics on the weekend and my dinner I had to estimate a lot. My dinner was my one down fall meal of the day. Everything else was perfect. We went to the neighbors for dinner and they were serving meatloaf, veggies, and baked potatoes. I had a little of each and tried to eat a lot of veggies. I had some desert and well but not a lot. Minor slips which do add up and I’m not thrilled with myself but I still feel like I was on a good track today.

Highs and Lows

Date: 3/2/2012
Workout: Took the day off

Food:

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with milk and a few strawberries: 229 Calories, 40g Carbs (37 net), 8g Protein, 3g Fiber, 3g Fat, 316mg Sodium, 22g Sugar
Morning Snack: Pita Chips and an Apple: 22 Calories, 39g Carbs (35 net), 3g Protein, 4g Fiber, 6g Fat, 251mg Sodium, 14g Sugar
Lunch: Greek Salad from Meditarean Restaurant(lettuce, tomatoe, cucumber, feta, peppers, greek dressing): 300 Calories, 11g Carbs (9 net), 10g Protein, 4g Fiber, 6g Fat, 251mg Sodium, 14g Sugar
Afternoon Snack: Nutrigrain Bar and a Clementine: 170 Calories, 30g Carbs (26 net), 2g Protein, 4g Fiber, 2g Fat, 121mg Sodium, 17g Sugar
Dinner: Sushi (I got something called the Hawaiin Roll—it had tuna on top and crab, avocado, and cucmber on the inside, I used the rainbow roll nutrition to calculate it): 490 Calories, 55g Carbs (49 net), 35g Protein, 6g Fiber, 16g Fat, 700mg Sodium, 2g Sugar

Total Nutrition Intake:

1,411 Calories
175g Carbs (156 Net Carbs)
52g Protein
19g Fiber
42g Fat
1,738mg Sodium
57g Sugar

When I look at what I ate today, I’m like wow this sucks. Everything that I want low is high and everything I want higher is low. Just not good overall. BUT I need to look at this and learn. The good thing is that I didn’t do horrible and I ate good things but I just need to make some changes and improve. I am glad that I made good choices while eating out today (twice!). You have no idea how bad I wanted to get a Gyro instead of a salad during lunch. I have planned out my workouts for the rest of the week and I think if I can pre-plan what I will be eating the day before as much as possible, that will help. I need to think high protein, low calories, low carb with my food choices.

Updates

Date: 3/1/2012

Workout: 5:30am Class at Fitness One

Food:

Breakfast: Protein Shake (1/2c. Frozen Blueberries, 1/2c. Low Fat Organic Milk, 1 scoop protein), plain oatmeal and 12 crushed almonds and 1/4c. Blueberries: 453 Calories, 45g Carbs (37 net), 45g Protein, 8g Fiber, 14g Fat, 194mg Sodium, 19g Sugar
Morning Snack: Apple and a Light Frigo Cheese stick: 135 Calories, 21g Carbs (17 net), 8g Protein, 4g Fiber, 2g Fat, 232mg Sodium, 16g Sugar
Lunch: Shrimp and Moo Shu Vegetable Stir-fry with 1c. Brown Rice: 485 Calories, 56g Carbs (50 net), 34g Protein, 6g Fiber, 12g Fat, 473mg Sodium, 12g Sugar
Afternoon Snack: Kashi TLC Bar and 1 Kiwi: 166 Calories, 26g Carbs (20 net), 6g Protein, 6g Fiber, 2g Fat, 67mg Sodium, 15g Sugar
Dinner: 6 slices Oscar Mayer Turkey with spinach on a Whole Wheat Bun: 182 Calories, 26g Carbs (21 net), 15g Protein, 5g Fiber, 3g Fat, 674mg Sodium, 3g Sugar

Total Nutrition Intake:

1,421 Calories
174g Carbs (145 Net Carbs)
108g Protein
29g Fiber
33g Fat
1,640mg Sodium
65g Sugar

My nutrition intake is a little high today overall and there is a reason for that. I am going to be flying to California today for work. So here is my thought process: if I fill up with healthy foods and make my nutrition slightly higher today, hopefully I won’t be tempted to get something unhealthy at the airport. My flight leaves at 4:45pm from Greensboro and I will be getting in to San Diego at 9:30pm tonight (12:30pm NC time). I packed a turkey sandwich for dinner and I’m planning on eating my afternoon snack before my first flight. Once again, I’m trying to plan ahead of time to resist the urge to get something unhealthy. I hope it works!

So I will be in California from today through next Friday. Let the games begin. I know I will face some challenges for sure. I will be staying with my family so I don’t know what to expect for meals. I know we will probably be eating most dinners together and then everything else I should be able to plan out on my own. So when dinner time comes, I’m going to try and stick with meat and veggies and nothing more. This way I will be avoiding extras and carbs as much as possible. This weekend we will probably eat out and run some errands together so I will need to make sure to stay focused, pack snacks, and make healthy choices. On my way there, I am going to plan out my workouts for the week too so that should help. I’m excited for my trip and to see my family though! And the dogs!

My goal is to really be strict and focused this week while I’m travelling for work. I know it is going to be really hard but when I look back at this journey so far, I really slacked and didn’t do well when I traveled for work in early February. I can’t be too hard on myself but I am so close to my weight goal and getting my body just where I want it so I need to keep up the intensity!

Updates:

1.       I will be moving to Southern California at the end of March. I will be a Regional Admissions Counselor for High Point University. So basically I will still be working for HPU but living in my territory. A lot of schools have Regional Counselors and there are a lot of benefits of this. For me, I know this will help in many ways for my job but I am also able to help my family out. My sister is currently deployed and her husband will be deployed. I will be able to help look after their house, my niece, and their dogs. I’m really excited about this opportunity! I’m also a little scared and nervous to be making such a big move but I’m just trying to take one thing at a time.

2.       I have decided to keep doing my blog for as long as I can. After Wednesday March 14^th, I’m not going to post every day and write every little detail of what I eat like I have been but I will still post a couple times a week about health and fitness topics. I think this will be great for me to still stay centered on living a healthy lifestyle and it will hopefully give people something helpful to read.

7 Diet Myths Exposed

Date: 2/29/2012

Workout: 5:45am Class at Fitness One

                For some reason, Kevin decided to really make sure I was having a hard workout this morning. We did a circuit of different exercises for 2 minutes intervals. For almost every exercise, he would come up to me and try and make it harder for me. When we were on our backs and holding our feet 6 inches above the ground, he placed a 10 pound ball on my feet. I thought I couldn’t hold it up but Kevin just kept yelling and pushing me and I ended up being able to do it. For the jump roping part, he told me to use a weighted jump rope which I had never used and it definitely was a lot harder. Everything else, he was really singling me out to add more weight or go faster. At the time, I hated him and was cursing under my breath. But I just tried to stay focused and work as hard as I could. I’m really glad that he pushed me like he did because it showed me that I could do more than I thought.

Food:

Breakfast: Protein Shake (1/2c. Frozen Strawberries, ½ a Banana, 1/2c. Low Fat Organic Milk, and 1 scoop of Protein) and 1 Small Skinny Vanilla Latte from Starbucks: 375 Calories, 43g Carbs (40 net), 46g Protein, 3g Fiber, 4g Fat, 225mg Sodium, 22g Sugar
Morning Snack: Kashi TLC Bar and a Clementine: 165 Calories,20g Carbs (24 net), 5g Protein, 5g Fiber, 5g Fat, 81mg Sodium, 14g Sugar
Lunch: 6 Slices Oscar Mayer Turkey Meat w/ 1c. Spinach and Honey Dijon Mustard on a Whole Wheat Bun with carrots and 1 Tbsp. Hummus: 257 Calories, 37g Carbs (29 net), 17g Protein, 8g Fiber, 6g Fat, 859mg Sodium, 8g Sugar
Afternoon Snack: 2 Tbsp. Natural Peanut Butter and Celery: 200 Calories, 8g Carbs (5 net), 8g Protein, 3g Fiber, 16g Fat, 201mg Sodium, 4g Sugar
Dinner: Tilapia and baby green salad with bean salad: 193 Calories, 15g Carbs (9 net), 26g Protein, 6g Fiber, 3g Fat, 275mg Sodium, 3g Sugar

Total Nutrition Intake:

1,190 Calories
132g Carbs (107 Net Carbs)
102g Protein
25g Fiber
34g Fat
1,641mg Sodium
51g Sugar

I have to say, my nutrition is pretty on point today. I really focused on getting the majority of my carbs in for Breakfast, Morning Snack, and Lunch. I think this really helped so that I had to make sure my Afternoon Snack and Dinner didn’t have hardly any carbs.

I found an article that I really enjoyed that talked about different advice that we hear about our diets and why, most of the time, they don’t work. It also come with better advice and options on how to stay healthy. The only one I semi-disagree with is the one about water. I truly believe it is very important to drink as much water as you can and flush your body out of all the water it is holding on to. Other than that, very good read. I hope you enjoy!

7 Diet Myths Exposed

Most of the time, nutritionists and dietitians are full of brilliant ideas that help you eat healthier, stay slimmer, and live longer. But every once in a while, food gurus forget that the rest of us have limited time, funds, and willpower. That's when they spit out wonky bits of wisdom like "Ask your waiter to wrap half your entrée before you start eating." Yeah, he'd be happy to--right after he sticks his thumb in your salade Niçoise. We collected seven of the hardest-to-swallow expert suggestions and replaced them with equally healthy tips that a normal person can actually use. Because unless your name is Jessica Seinfeld, you're not going to spend every second fretting about what goes on your plate.

The advice: Chug eight glasses of water a day.

Why it's useless: Peeing every 20 minutes seriously interferes with life.
The real deal: Believe it or not, the eight-glass quota isn't etched in stone. Yes, we need to be well-hydrated, but if your urine is clear or close to it, you're probably getting enough fluids. If your No. 1 is neon yellow, lighten things up by adding one or two glasses a day. Once your body adjusts to getting more fluid (and you don't have to run to the can every 10 minutes), add another, says Karen Benzinger, R.D., a dietary consultant in Chicago who specializes in health care. And don't forget that all liquids--including tea, juice, even the tonic in your vodka drink--help keep your body sufficiently saturated.

The advice; Don't drink juice--it's a sugar bomb.
Why it's useless: Juice is a breakfast staple, and it's essential for smoothies.
The real deal: There's a big difference between 100 percent juice and a bottle of sugar water with a few cranberries squeezed into it. Yes, juice has a lot of the sweet stuff, but a six-ounce glass of 100 percent juice also counts as a full serving of fruit and delivers many of the same vitamins and antioxidants, making it worth the occasional sugar rush, says Jessica Ganzer, R.D., owner of Ganzer Wellness Consulting in Arlington, Virginia. And it can be the easiest way to get a superfood: Drinking 100 percent pomegranate juice is easy; picking apart a real pomegranate, not so much. As long as you drink 100 percent juice (from concentrate is fine) and limit yourself to one six-to-eight ounce glass a day, you're not breaking any rules of good nutrition. If you're seriously cutting back on calories or carbs, try Tropicana's Light 'n Healthy line; a serving has about half the sugar (10 grams) and calories (50) of normal juice.
The advice: Shut the kitchen down after 7 p.m. to prevent weight gain.
Why it's useless: After a long day at the office and a trip to the gym, you either eat dinner at 9:30 or starve.
The real deal: The no-food-right-before-bed rule was meant for the nighttime nosher who mindlessly wolfs down a bag of Oreos while watching CSI: Miami. If you get home long after dark, a late dinner is perfectly fine. A calorie is a calorie, no matter what time you eat it, according to Katie Clark, R.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of family health care nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. But do keep your evening meal light--along the lines of a chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and brown rice. Too much chow will keep you up at night: To break down all that food, your gut has to churn like a cement truck.
The advice: Simmer steel-cut oatmeal instead of nuking the instant kind.
Why it's useless: The only way we have time for breakfast is if making breakfast doesn't take any time.
The real deal: The pros push this tip because people usually eat flavored instant oatmeal, which comes with up to a whopping 13 grams of sugar per 43-gram packet--compared with one gram or less of sweetness in the steel-cut stuff. And steel-cut oats are less processed than the rolled oats used in the just-add-water variety, so they take longer to digest (this keeps your blood sugar nice and steady, helping you avoid mood swings and hunger pangs). That said, instant oatmeal still uses whole grain oats (they're just mashed a bit more), so it comes with most of the same health benefits. One of these is the cholesterol-lowering, hunger-satisfying soluble fiber beta-glucan: It turns gummy when it hits your GI tract, binds with cholesterol, and drags it out. "I'd rather my clients eat one-minute oatmeal than no oatmeal at all," Ganzer says. If you find unsweetened oatmeal about as appetizing as paste, combine half a packet of the flavored kind with half a packet of plain. Or consider Quaker Oatmeal's Weight Control flavored instants, which pack even more fiber than steel-cut oats (six grams per packet) and keep sugar down to one gram.
The advice: If you must drink while you diet, order a white-wine spritzer.
Why it's useless: Despite the dainty name, it tastes just like what it is: watered-down wine.
The real deal: There's no weight-loss magic in a spritzer, a cup of wine diluted with calorie-free carbonated water. It's just another portion-control trick that trims your total calorie intake, Clark says. If you balk at the idea of outdated cocktails or weak-tasting grape juice, slowly sipping a glass of water between rounds of pinot grigio accomplishes the same goal.
The advice: Put half your entrée in a to-go box before you start to eat.
Why it's useless: You know you have portion-control issues, but that doesn't mean you want everyone else at your table to know it too.
The real deal: A better way to cut back on restaurant binging is to pretend the breadbasket is sprinkled with cyanide and to double up on veggie sides instead of ordering fries. Also effective: putting your fork down between bites, which gives your stomach and brain time to register that you're full (which takes about 20 minutes). Once your gauge hits "F," ask the waiter to box up the rest of your food right away so you won't keep nibbling, Benzinger says.

The advice: Have just one bite of dessert.

Why it's useless: That's like telling an addict to have just a little crack.
The real deal: Eating chocolate cake is like watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians: There's nothing right about it, so just revel in how deliciously wrong it is. A smarter strategy: Before you begin the debauchery, plan for the extra calories--skip the appetizer, the bread, or (ouch) the booze. "If the dessert is really that good, it's worth the sacrifice," Benzinger says.