I am a southern girl! I love my meat and potatoes. But I figured why not try to go meat free for a week and see if I notice a difference. What better time to do it then while I'm not training? Last week I was talkin with a friend of mine and we both decided to challenge ourselves and not eat meat for the week. After I talked with her I was like OMG, can I really do this? Is this gonna be possible? I immediately emailed another friend who is a vegetarian for some ideas. After getting her reply, I was like well this isn't gonna be so hard after all. I did some more research, we went to the farmers market and stocked up and veggies, I ate a lot of meat on Sunday for the last time, and here it is Wednesday and I haven't had any meat!
What was the point of this? I needed a way to decrease calories and its really a good cleansing. When working out and training, I used meat as a big source of protein. But there really are other sources of protein besides meat. I am still eating dairy products and veggie protein substitutes. The first day was really hard, I don't think I ate enough protein or drank enough water. Today, I haven't been to the point where I was like I'm really hungry. Just to give you an idea, here is what I ate:
Breakfast - small sweet potato, egg whites, and a banana (I was having some bad muscle twitches so the banana helped)
Snack 1 - whole wheat toast w/nutella and yogurt
Lunch - Bean burrito (beans, cheese, and salsa) and 1/2 Avocado and a peach
Snack 2 - Hummus and Pretzels
Dinner - Minestrone soup(meatless) and a salad with a boiled egg chopped up.
Every meal had some form of protein in it that kept me full. I have also drank almost a gallon of water today. This challenge has been really good so far. I feel better and more energized! Am I going to give meat up completely? NO! But I do think that I am going to switch to just fish, chicken and turkey, have a meat free day at least 1 or 2 days out of the week, and allow myself red meat once a month. There are a lot of things out there that you can eat that are good for you and filling that don't have meat. I'm really glad I did this challenge and cant wait to see how my body reacts as I continue on a limited meat diet!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
I'm not gonna let this get me down..IM A FIGHTER
Well, I must say it has been far to long since my last blog! A lot has happened since I last blogged! I started training for a half marathon 2 weeks ago. I went out for a run on 7/14 before my kickboxing class. It was hot, but it felt so good to be outside running instead of instead on a treadmill. I got just to my one mile mark, when I stepped on a rock and rolled my ankle out!! I thought I had just twisted it and was gonna try and keep going...but I was sadly mistaken. I felt sick to my stomach as I started to try and just walk on it for a minute. Luckily, I was very close to some family friends' house that I managed to get there and call my family. It started to swell up but I got it elevated and put some ice on it right away. The pain was getting much worse though. I called my mom and told her I needed to go to the ER, I thought it may be broken. The crazy thing to this all was that my dad had just been discharged from the ER that morning from a severe asthma attack. So we were gonna be headed back to the ER. My mom watched my daughter for me, and my dad took me to the ER. CRAZINESS!
Good news was it wasn't broken. I was diagnosed with a chip bone fracture and sprang. I was devastated though. They put me in an air cast and on crutches till at least Monday. I went to the orthopaedic on Monday. He said I'd be out of activity for at least 6 to 8 weeks and put me in a walking boot for at least 2 weeks with Physical Therapy. He also informed me I wouldn't be able to run the half marathon! Even more devastation sank in. I wasn't gonna be able to run, and he took my hobby and passion away..working out!
I told Hether, my trainer right away. My biggest fear was gaining weight because I wasn't going to be able to work out. But she said I would have to focus on maintaining my weight. Another heart break because I wanted to reach goal weight by my birthday in August. She gave me a few tips though.
*Lower calories because I wouldn't be working out hard like I had been
*Weight lifting from a chair and ab work
*Water workouts (which are harder then you think)
*This could send your weight loss to new levels
Just when I thought I wasn't going to be able to do anything, my hero rescues me..like always! LOL! She opened my eyes to new things that I could do while injured. I even took on a new challenge. This week, myself and a friend have decided to go without meat. I'll blog more on that tomorrow!
My point to this blog is this: Just when I thought I wasn't going to be able to do anything due to injury, my eyes were opened to a new set of challenges. I couldn't give up, I mean after all..I am a FIGHTER! I have been doing weekly workouts in the pool and some stuff at home to maintain and hopefully further my upper body strength. I have also changed my eating habits again and lowered my calories and eliminated meats this week. I have about 25 pounds left to loose to be at a healthy weight for my height. The last 25 pounds are always hard for anyone to get rid of. Hether told me that this could be what I need to really shake them off and get things movin again. My body is gonna be in total shock when I come back to working out full swing again. Therefore, the pounds are gonna fall right off! Injury isn't always a bad thing I see! I'm a FIGHTER and I'm gonna keep FIGHTING..injury and all!
Good news was it wasn't broken. I was diagnosed with a chip bone fracture and sprang. I was devastated though. They put me in an air cast and on crutches till at least Monday. I went to the orthopaedic on Monday. He said I'd be out of activity for at least 6 to 8 weeks and put me in a walking boot for at least 2 weeks with Physical Therapy. He also informed me I wouldn't be able to run the half marathon! Even more devastation sank in. I wasn't gonna be able to run, and he took my hobby and passion away..working out!
I told Hether, my trainer right away. My biggest fear was gaining weight because I wasn't going to be able to work out. But she said I would have to focus on maintaining my weight. Another heart break because I wanted to reach goal weight by my birthday in August. She gave me a few tips though.
*Lower calories because I wouldn't be working out hard like I had been
*Weight lifting from a chair and ab work
*Water workouts (which are harder then you think)
*This could send your weight loss to new levels
Just when I thought I wasn't going to be able to do anything, my hero rescues me..like always! LOL! She opened my eyes to new things that I could do while injured. I even took on a new challenge. This week, myself and a friend have decided to go without meat. I'll blog more on that tomorrow!
My point to this blog is this: Just when I thought I wasn't going to be able to do anything due to injury, my eyes were opened to a new set of challenges. I couldn't give up, I mean after all..I am a FIGHTER! I have been doing weekly workouts in the pool and some stuff at home to maintain and hopefully further my upper body strength. I have also changed my eating habits again and lowered my calories and eliminated meats this week. I have about 25 pounds left to loose to be at a healthy weight for my height. The last 25 pounds are always hard for anyone to get rid of. Hether told me that this could be what I need to really shake them off and get things movin again. My body is gonna be in total shock when I come back to working out full swing again. Therefore, the pounds are gonna fall right off! Injury isn't always a bad thing I see! I'm a FIGHTER and I'm gonna keep FIGHTING..injury and all!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Balance and Motivation...do you have it?
Well as you can see my blogs have been lacking the couple of weeks. Life for me has been crazy! Between being a single mom and keeping up with a 2 year old , working full time, preparing for my personal trainer certification, and preparing to go back to school, I don't know where I have found time to breathe! LOL! With this being said, I have had a hard time fitting my 6 days of working out in. Its been more like 4 days a week. I hear so often, I don't have time work out or I'm just so tired when I get home or I have to do this or that. Working out is a big key in losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You really have to find what motivates you to work out. For me, I know it is and has been a big part in my weight loss. Its also a stress reliever and allows me to get away for some me time.
As mom's and women in general, we always need that me time. So why not have some me time every day that is going to be beneficial to your health? Working out should be fun! Having a 2 year old, it can be hard to find an extra hour in the day to get away and go run or get to the gym. I am very fortunate to have the relationship that I do with my trainer (www.hethercrawford.com) in that she allows me to bring Ryleigh to our sessions. We have one on one sessions every week and Ryleigh goes to those sessions with me. She works out with me and Hether even uses her as a workout tool for me (pure torture is what I call that..she weighs 33 pounds!) Hether offers classes that I attend twice a week and she offers FREE childcare. Not many place do this so this is one of the MANY benefits to attending Hether's classes (class schedule can be found at www.hethercrawford.com) I also have a YMCA membership where they offer childcare and Ryleigh LOVES going there to play with the other kids. So there are many resources out there that will allow us moms to get that me time in and workout!
The I'm so tired excuse doesn't work for me when it comes to working out. There is at least one part in your day where you are the most energetic. Take that time and use an hour of it to get that workout in. If you're working out on a regular basis, your body is going to be adjusted to that and it will actually give you more energy to get up and get movin. I'm not necessarily a morning person, so I'm not one to wake up at 5am and head to the gym. I like to work out around 8 or 9 am and in the evening around 7 or 8pm. You have to find what works for you. This is where planning ahead comes into play.
It really helps to find a balance in your life and know at the beginning of the week what your schedule is going to be like. That means sitting down and actually planning ahead, another key to weight loss and healthy living. I sit down every week and plan my meals and workouts. I know what days, times, and classes I'm going to take every week.
In order to achieve your weight loss goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle, finding balance in your schedule to work out and figuring out what motivates you to workout are 2 keys to success. Working out should become apart of your daily living and lifestyle! I challenge you to sit down and actually schedule your daily workouts. Put them on paper so you can see every day at this time I have a workout scheduled. I'll leave you with 2 quotes I found and have come to love!
"It's a lifestyle - train like there's no finish line." -Unknown
"If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse." -Unknown
As mom's and women in general, we always need that me time. So why not have some me time every day that is going to be beneficial to your health? Working out should be fun! Having a 2 year old, it can be hard to find an extra hour in the day to get away and go run or get to the gym. I am very fortunate to have the relationship that I do with my trainer (www.hethercrawford.com) in that she allows me to bring Ryleigh to our sessions. We have one on one sessions every week and Ryleigh goes to those sessions with me. She works out with me and Hether even uses her as a workout tool for me (pure torture is what I call that..she weighs 33 pounds!) Hether offers classes that I attend twice a week and she offers FREE childcare. Not many place do this so this is one of the MANY benefits to attending Hether's classes (class schedule can be found at www.hethercrawford.com) I also have a YMCA membership where they offer childcare and Ryleigh LOVES going there to play with the other kids. So there are many resources out there that will allow us moms to get that me time in and workout!
The I'm so tired excuse doesn't work for me when it comes to working out. There is at least one part in your day where you are the most energetic. Take that time and use an hour of it to get that workout in. If you're working out on a regular basis, your body is going to be adjusted to that and it will actually give you more energy to get up and get movin. I'm not necessarily a morning person, so I'm not one to wake up at 5am and head to the gym. I like to work out around 8 or 9 am and in the evening around 7 or 8pm. You have to find what works for you. This is where planning ahead comes into play.
It really helps to find a balance in your life and know at the beginning of the week what your schedule is going to be like. That means sitting down and actually planning ahead, another key to weight loss and healthy living. I sit down every week and plan my meals and workouts. I know what days, times, and classes I'm going to take every week.
In order to achieve your weight loss goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle, finding balance in your schedule to work out and figuring out what motivates you to workout are 2 keys to success. Working out should become apart of your daily living and lifestyle! I challenge you to sit down and actually schedule your daily workouts. Put them on paper so you can see every day at this time I have a workout scheduled. I'll leave you with 2 quotes I found and have come to love!
"It's a lifestyle - train like there's no finish line." -Unknown
"If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse." -Unknown
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Summer time distractions...
I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. I started my weekend kind of early, hence the lack of blog after Wednesday. But now I'm back and ready to share something Ive been struggling with... SUMMER TIME DISTRACTIONS!
A lot of people say they gain weight in the winter months..not so for me! I gain mine in the summer! There's a couple reasons for this.
*I would much rather be by the pool then sweating in the gym
*I love ice cream
*I like having cookouts during the summer
*I enjoy a nice cold beer on a hot summer night
*I have been easily distracted by the male attention I have been getting when I go out with friends.
So how do I fix all of these and not be so distracted??? I have a goal set to accomplish by the end of August. I'm a month behind now on that goal because of these distractions and enjoying the summer. So its time to kick these distractions in the butt!
*Although the pool is nice, I have to remember that I need a good workout before I can have fun. So I've committed to waking up early before the pool to get my workout in. I cant go to the pool until I get my workout in!
*I love my ice cream, but have been indulging to often. I'm gonna swap ice cream for frozen yogurt, and only allow it as a treat on the weekend.
*Im still gonna have my cookouts, but I'm gonna switch my hamburgers to chicken and salmon. I even have a recipe for clean eating BBQ sauce!
*Beer....well as much as I love it, its empty calories. Instead of having several on the weekends and throughout the week, I'm going to limit myself to one, if any at all. And it will only be for a special occasion.
*Male attention..well I cant help that I get it..lol..but I recently was with someone who didn't fully support my weight loss. He kept telling me I was fine and didn't need to loose anymore weight, that I was gonna be too skinny. I couldn't be with someone who didn't support me in my weight loss goals. We ate foods that I haven't in forever. I felt awful and ran down because of the toxins I was putting in my body. So needless to say I have refocused my attention and updated my list of qualifications for men in my life...fitness support is pretty high on the list now. :)
Distractions happen to everyone. But the most important thing to do is to keep focused and if you get distracted, refocus. Writing all of this down and being able to see it daily helps me so much. It holds me accountable and reminds me that I have a goal that I have to reach. I also know that my trainer is going to be holding me accountable and pushing me in our workouts. No more distractions! I'm refocused and ready to reach this goal!!
A lot of people say they gain weight in the winter months..not so for me! I gain mine in the summer! There's a couple reasons for this.
*I would much rather be by the pool then sweating in the gym
*I love ice cream
*I like having cookouts during the summer
*I enjoy a nice cold beer on a hot summer night
*I have been easily distracted by the male attention I have been getting when I go out with friends.
So how do I fix all of these and not be so distracted??? I have a goal set to accomplish by the end of August. I'm a month behind now on that goal because of these distractions and enjoying the summer. So its time to kick these distractions in the butt!
*Although the pool is nice, I have to remember that I need a good workout before I can have fun. So I've committed to waking up early before the pool to get my workout in. I cant go to the pool until I get my workout in!
*I love my ice cream, but have been indulging to often. I'm gonna swap ice cream for frozen yogurt, and only allow it as a treat on the weekend.
*Im still gonna have my cookouts, but I'm gonna switch my hamburgers to chicken and salmon. I even have a recipe for clean eating BBQ sauce!
*Beer....well as much as I love it, its empty calories. Instead of having several on the weekends and throughout the week, I'm going to limit myself to one, if any at all. And it will only be for a special occasion.
*Male attention..well I cant help that I get it..lol..but I recently was with someone who didn't fully support my weight loss. He kept telling me I was fine and didn't need to loose anymore weight, that I was gonna be too skinny. I couldn't be with someone who didn't support me in my weight loss goals. We ate foods that I haven't in forever. I felt awful and ran down because of the toxins I was putting in my body. So needless to say I have refocused my attention and updated my list of qualifications for men in my life...fitness support is pretty high on the list now. :)
Distractions happen to everyone. But the most important thing to do is to keep focused and if you get distracted, refocus. Writing all of this down and being able to see it daily helps me so much. It holds me accountable and reminds me that I have a goal that I have to reach. I also know that my trainer is going to be holding me accountable and pushing me in our workouts. No more distractions! I'm refocused and ready to reach this goal!!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
NO CHINESE FOR ME!
Getting to my blog late tonight...it has been a crazy day at work. Today is my long day at work, so I'm here from 8am to 9pm. On days like today, I really have to plan. I have to take breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was very tempting to not order Chinese with the girls today since it ranks high on my favorite food list! :) But I didnt order it! YAY GO ME! Today is another hard day for a workout, but I plan on running a few miles when I get home. People always tell me im crazy to run so late, but it feels good! And its very relaxing! Looking forward to my workouts tomorrow. Gonna hit the Y in the mornin and going to Hotbox tomorrow (scared for that one, but Hether suggested it!) Here was the food plan today:
Breakfast - Egg white on an english muffin topped with salsa
Snack - Yogurt
Lunch - Tuna sandwhich on whole wheat bread and an apple
Snack - Pretzels and Hummus
Dinner - Boiled Shrimp w/ lite cocktail sauce and vegetable mix
Another pretty boring day as far as food goes. I'm gonna try and make some yummy things tomorrow for the weekend, so be lookin out for that! Have a great night :)
Breakfast - Egg white on an english muffin topped with salsa
Snack - Yogurt
Lunch - Tuna sandwhich on whole wheat bread and an apple
Snack - Pretzels and Hummus
Dinner - Boiled Shrimp w/ lite cocktail sauce and vegetable mix
Another pretty boring day as far as food goes. I'm gonna try and make some yummy things tomorrow for the weekend, so be lookin out for that! Have a great night :)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
2 for Tuesday!
What is up with all this rain??? I woke up this morning with a major headache, that I went to bed with last night. So needless to say I camped out on the couch watchin Dora and Diego with Ryleigh most of the day. I had hoped to go to the gym this morning, but my headache was not givin up! So I have plans to do a workout tonight that Hether, my trainer blogged this week. Its a circuit training that can be done in the comfort of your home! Here's the circuit and the plan for doing it. You can check more of her blogs out at www.hethercrawford.com
Do everything in this list in a row 25 times with only a 10 second break in between:
Jog in place (30 seconds to warm up)
Jumping Jacks
High knees (right, left=one)
Mountain Climbers (right, left=one)
Squat Jumps
Skaters
Burpees (with a jump at the end)
Jump Rope (slowing down)
Jog in place (slowly for 30 seconds to cool down)
Keep moving slowly (walk around) until your heart rate comes all the way back down to normal.
(You can repeat this circuit as many times as you want – I suggest three times through, but just getting through it once is enough! Do not include the cool down until you have completed it the number of times through you determine.)
This challenge does need to be completed all at once everyday, but should only take around 5-15 minutes. This is a great way to keep yourself moving all week. It’s a quick little blast of hard core calorie burning that will rev up your metabolism! We can all do this every day…Ready, Set, GO!
Here is what I ate today..not to exciting, as I wasn't feeling well most of the day.
Breakfast: Whole wheat English muffin with natural peanut butter
Snack 1: 3 pieces of deli ham
Lunch: left over enchilada
Snack 2: Apple
Dinner: Whole wheat spaghetti with all natural, no sugar added Ragu sauce and a small salad with Newmans Own All Natural Light Italian Dressing (THIS STUFF IS SOOOO GOOD!)
Do everything in this list in a row 25 times with only a 10 second break in between:
Jog in place (30 seconds to warm up)
Jumping Jacks
High knees (right, left=one)
Mountain Climbers (right, left=one)
Squat Jumps
Skaters
Burpees (with a jump at the end)
Jump Rope (slowing down)
Jog in place (slowly for 30 seconds to cool down)
Keep moving slowly (walk around) until your heart rate comes all the way back down to normal.
(You can repeat this circuit as many times as you want – I suggest three times through, but just getting through it once is enough! Do not include the cool down until you have completed it the number of times through you determine.)
This challenge does need to be completed all at once everyday, but should only take around 5-15 minutes. This is a great way to keep yourself moving all week. It’s a quick little blast of hard core calorie burning that will rev up your metabolism! We can all do this every day…Ready, Set, GO!
Here is what I ate today..not to exciting, as I wasn't feeling well most of the day.
Breakfast: Whole wheat English muffin with natural peanut butter
Snack 1: 3 pieces of deli ham
Lunch: left over enchilada
Snack 2: Apple
Dinner: Whole wheat spaghetti with all natural, no sugar added Ragu sauce and a small salad with Newmans Own All Natural Light Italian Dressing (THIS STUFF IS SOOOO GOOD!)
Monday, June 27, 2011
A walk in my shoes...
I get a lot of emails from people asking me what I eat and what kind of exercise I do. I promised a fellow reader that I would blog what eat every day and what kind of workouts I do. My trainer is out of town this week, so my workouts will be adjusted accordingly. In these blogs, I will also include recipes to the foods that I make. Hope you enjoy this journey of a walk in my shoes!
Monday: Mondays are a low calorie day for me because I spend most of my day at the pool. Its usually a rest day as far as a workout goes because we wake up, get dressed and head straight to the pool. When we leave the pool, I head straight home to get ready for work. So, as you can see theres not much time for a workout, unless you count the chasing my 2 year old around the pool like I did today..LOL! :) As far as food goes, I still eat my 5 to 6 meals a day, I just keep them rather low calorie since I'm not working out. Here is what I ate today:
Breakfast: 1 cup of cheerios with half a banana and milk
Snack 1: Nutrigrain bar
Lunch: Ham and cheese wrap, pretzels, and an apple
Snack 2: Pretzels and hummus
Dinner: Homemade clean eating enchiladas, beans, and cantaloupe. (I haven't had dinner yet but I packed it and brought it with me.)
Recipe number 1: Clean eating enchiladas
8 whole wheat tortillas
3 cups of shredded chicken ( I used about 8 pretty large chicken tenders)
1 16oz organic tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced chilies
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Pepper
Hot Sauce ( I use Franks)
Low Fat Shredded Cheese
2 Garlic Cloves ( I used the already minced garlic in a jar)
Preheat over to 350. Boil your chicken until done. Once done, shred chicken and put in a skillet with chilis, 1 1/2 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of garlic powder, 1 tsp of onion powder, 1 tsp of franks hot sauce, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix all of this together and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
While that's cooking, in a separate pot, mix together tomato sauce, 1 tsp of chili powder, 2 garlic gloves (if using the already minced kind, I put about 2 tablespoons in), a dash of salt and pepper. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes.
Once the chicken and sauce is done, put just enough sauce in the bottom of your pan that the enchiladas are going to be cooked in to cover it. Fill your tortillas with the chicken mixture and roll them and place them in the pan rolled side down. Top with the remaining sauce and lightly top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. ENJOY!
There are about 350 calories in 1 enchilada pair it with some black beans and corn and you have a wonderful, filling dinner.
Monday: Mondays are a low calorie day for me because I spend most of my day at the pool. Its usually a rest day as far as a workout goes because we wake up, get dressed and head straight to the pool. When we leave the pool, I head straight home to get ready for work. So, as you can see theres not much time for a workout, unless you count the chasing my 2 year old around the pool like I did today..LOL! :) As far as food goes, I still eat my 5 to 6 meals a day, I just keep them rather low calorie since I'm not working out. Here is what I ate today:
Breakfast: 1 cup of cheerios with half a banana and milk
Snack 1: Nutrigrain bar
Lunch: Ham and cheese wrap, pretzels, and an apple
Snack 2: Pretzels and hummus
Dinner: Homemade clean eating enchiladas, beans, and cantaloupe. (I haven't had dinner yet but I packed it and brought it with me.)
Recipe number 1: Clean eating enchiladas
8 whole wheat tortillas
3 cups of shredded chicken ( I used about 8 pretty large chicken tenders)
1 16oz organic tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced chilies
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Pepper
Hot Sauce ( I use Franks)
Low Fat Shredded Cheese
2 Garlic Cloves ( I used the already minced garlic in a jar)
Preheat over to 350. Boil your chicken until done. Once done, shred chicken and put in a skillet with chilis, 1 1/2 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of garlic powder, 1 tsp of onion powder, 1 tsp of franks hot sauce, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix all of this together and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
While that's cooking, in a separate pot, mix together tomato sauce, 1 tsp of chili powder, 2 garlic gloves (if using the already minced kind, I put about 2 tablespoons in), a dash of salt and pepper. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes.
Once the chicken and sauce is done, put just enough sauce in the bottom of your pan that the enchiladas are going to be cooked in to cover it. Fill your tortillas with the chicken mixture and roll them and place them in the pan rolled side down. Top with the remaining sauce and lightly top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. ENJOY!
There are about 350 calories in 1 enchilada pair it with some black beans and corn and you have a wonderful, filling dinner.
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