Personal Weight Loss Update

It's been almost a year since I made a weight gain confession. At the highest point, my weight crept up 11 pounds. I am happy to say that I am now within about 5 lbs of where I was last year. I'll take it! Now, I'm not trying to be superficial here about a few pounds, but when you've been the same weight for three years and pounds appear out of nowhere, there could be reason for concern.

Let me share with you what I've learned:

1. There is nothing medically wrong with me. I went through a slew of tests, including thyroid function, which showed that I am just fine. Thank goodness. I couldn't be more grateful.

2. I met with an on-site nutritionist that we have at work. She looked over some of my food journals and said "you're doing everything right." It is so reassuring hearing those words. I know I am doing everything I possibly can, but I needed to be told by a professional that I'm not seeing something no one else sees. She told me that if she put me in a room with 30 other people my age, I would have the toughest time losing weight. There is something about our genes and the way we're built that you can't always just nail down with a simple eat-this-many-calories-per-day-to-lose-weight equation. That doesn't give me an excuse, it gives me a new reason to work extra hard.

3. I met with an on-site wellness coordinator that we also have at work. I told her what was going on and she suggested adding one extra day of workouts to my regimen. I hate that suggestion, to be blatantly honest (What???? I'm not doing enough already with three 60-minute workouts a week, biking to work and walking at lunch?), but I also know that it's a must. To push through a plateau (or gain), I need to put in extra work. She also had a hunch that it could've been a birth control change last October that might've caused some of the weight gain. Well poo, but that won't stop me either.

4. I was under a heaping load of stress last October. My husband was going to school full-time and with crazy schedules and sometimes having to help him, I was completely stressed out. Add to that the fact that he was unemployed, and it was a doozy of a few months. Happily, my husband has found a new job and is taking a break from school to pursue a new career. The stress has diminished tenfold since this same time last year. Yes, cortisol can really mess you up. But I am so thankful for the peace I'm feeling these days.

5. I started the Supreme 90 Day workout system (I'll save the deets for another post) to kick through this final plateau and just to try a new fitness challenge. I've been used to going cardio-heavy, but this system is strength-driven, with cardio built into the circuits. Plus, it's a program that gets me working out almost every day--but not to the point of overworking. Its designed to work different parts of the body on alternate days. In fact, it's been told that it's a comparable alternative to P90X. I'm noticing differences, but not so much in weight as in inches of fat disappearing. I've never measured myself like that before. It's truly gratifying to see exactly how the work is paying off, instead of seeing the zero progress on the scale.

6. I've been really conscious about eating clean and I do notice that it makes me feel so much better. In fact, when I eat clean for a week and then try to eat French fries, I will inevitably get a stomachache. Such a strong motivator to put nutrients instead of crap into my body.
Well, there you have it, a personal look into what's been going on with my weight and fitness goals these days. I think it's best to be proactive about your health and take the steps necessary for change. It's a lot of hardcore work, especially so for a body type like mine, but it's best to be as informed as possible and rule out all possible hindrances. It's also helpful to learn as much about yourself as possible. We all lose weight differently, and it's good to know that so we can make educated changes based on our own bodies.

What have you learned about your body?

Supreme 90Day Overview

Say hello to my newest secret workout weapon: Supreme90Day

I ordered it right after my favorite magazine touted it as comparable to P90X, something I've always wanted to try but was reluctant to spend so much cash on. Lo and behold, Supreme90Day is super inexpensive. In fact, you can sometimes find it at some Big Lots stores for like $4. People, that's $4 for 10 workout DVDs. That's 40 cents each! Oh yeah, baby!!! For the value of this system, that is one heckuva price.

Let's get one thing straight. This system will bust your butt! In fact, if you don't have a strength training base to build upon, you might not want to start this until you do. I am a serious exerciser, and this still caught me off guard. This is not for beginners.

From a person who thrives upon change when it comes to working out, this 90-day workout system is ideal because you're doing something different every single day. This not only prevents me from getting bored but it keeps every one of my muscles guessing. I can already feel a change in my body. Carrying my son around doesn't feel as hard but my abs definitely feel harder! Push ups get a little easier, dashing up the stairs isn't as hard, and now some of my other workouts feel like child's play.

I'm currently on Day 15 of the system, working on this in conjunction with the Tone It Up Love Your Body series. Whoa! I started at Day 1 (again!) toward the end of December because I had a looong Christmas vacation to get a strong start. In fact, a friend and I just decided to head to the gym on our lunch breaks and we do some of the S90D circuits there. I started jotting the workouts down as I was working through the DVDs, so I can do them anywhere and I won't get off-track. Here's a glimpse at the breakdown (most videos pack major power into just 30-40 minutes):

Chest and Back: lots of push up and plank-style variation exercises, presses and flyes.
Ultimate Ball: prepare to work your entire body on the fitness ball.
Tabata Inferno: prepare to sweat profusely! Each circuit is performed 8 times for 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest. Some of the moves are strength-based (thrusters, lunges, etc), but you use lighter weights so you can power through them fast.
Shoulders and Arms: you'll be shaking when you're done and won't want to lift your arms. Lots of traditional and functional bicep, tricep and shoulder exercises.
Cardio Challenge: Another sweat-buster. And you won't do the same exercises twice in this powerful workout. Mountain climbers, plank jacks and burpees, oh my!
Legs: All different variations of lunges and squats abound in this leg circuit.
Core Dynamics: Sure, you'll work your core, but you'll also work your entire body. Don't plan on doing crunches, though. You'll be put through lots of plank variations and other powerful core exercises.
Total Body: Uses some exercises from the other videos and some new exercises to hit every major and minor muscle group.
Back and Bis: Many variations of what you'd expect with bicep curls, rows, and such. Some of the variations you probably haven't tried before. Also hits the lower back.
Chest, Shoulders and Tris: Again, many variations on exercises you know like kickbacks, push ups, flyes and such.

Every workout incorporates major core work. In fact, many of them feature a core circuit before getting into the regular workout. The pace is pretty fast though, which is good in a way because you're burning extra calories along with your strength training. But it can be difficult to keep up with.

You *could* do all of the workouts without a ball, but not without hand weights. And as you progress, you'll need heavier and heavier weights. Most of the time, Tom Holland shows you how to do the moves without the ball, but there are a few instances where he doesn't. I would highly recommend a ball. You can get one pretty cheap at Walmart.

In addition to the workouts, the system comes with a complete 90-day nutrition plan written by Tosca Reno. Be prepared for tons of lean protein like eggs and grilled chicken and eating every few hours. I am actually following the Tone It Up nutrition plan right now, but in some ways the eating plans are similar. Both emphasize lean, clean and green foods and eating every few hours. For those of you that don't know, Tosca Reno is the biggest public personality behind eating clean. If she wrote this plan, I put my trust in it. To me, it seems similar to a bodybuilding diet, which makes sense since Tosca Reno is a fitness competitor.

As long as I keep at it--and I plan to--I will continue to update you on my progress. If you're interested in learning more, please feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer.



*Disclaimer: I have no affiliation whatsoever with anyone or any system mentioned in this post. Nor am I a fitness or health professional (yet!). This post reflects my own thoughts and observations.

Yo Yo Dieting Versus Challenge Seeking

Definition of YO-YO DIETING

: the practice of repeatedly losing weight by dieting and subsequently regaining it

{Source}

If you haven't noticed, since I publish all my workouts publicly, I enjoy a good workout challenge. So far I've tried Supreme 90 Day, LiveFit Trainer, and 12WBT. I've also worked out with the Insanity, Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire series workouts. I really enjoy finding these types of regimented plans to challenge myself and change up my fitness routine.

But a comment in the 12WBT forum gave me cause to pause a moment between plan hopping recently to think about whether or not what I was doing was on the level of yo-yo dieting. Isn't that what I was doing jumping right from one plan to the next? With a little reflection, it's easy to see the difference between this type of challenge-seeking and yo-yo dieting. But what exactly is the difference between what I'm doing and yo-yo dieting?

1. I do not give up three days into the plan.

We all know people who start new diets and go hard the first few weeks and then peter off. They pay all that money for weight loss memberships, they sound super diligent about how "this time will be different" and then, after about two weeks, they just can't keep going for one reason or another. That's the biggest sign of a yo-yo dieter. A challenge-seeker on the other hand does not give up unless something is really wrong or unbalanced with the plan. I have been known to go off of a plan or adjust them to my own needs when I feel like something isn't working for me. For example, I couldn't follow S90Day completely, because the intensity was literally making me sick--my immune system was suffering. And on the 12WBT system, I know that 1200 calories are not enough for me, so I'm adding a little extra lean protein and greens to fill out the plan. However, most of the time, I complete what I start--mostly because I don't start anything that's just a fad or a short-term solution.

2. I am consistent. 

Not only am I a consistent exerciser and have been for over 11 years straight now, but I am also a pretty consistent eater. I don't try any diet tricks or crazy supplements. I don't go on and off diets. I eat almost the same type of thing every day. I love to try new recipes and such, but I consistently eat pretty clean. And I try to keep my calorie range pretty consistent--no crazy variations or fasts for me. A yo-yo dieter on the other hand will try diet after diet after diet. They might undulate calories, restrict calories, make crazy diet shakes, etc. And when they're off the plan, they're really off the plan, often binging or returning to their old ways of unhealthy eating. They rarely truly learn what it means to have a healthy sustainable diet.

3. I follow sound medical advice.

My alarms go off when I hear about diets that restrict you to 500 calories a day or require shots of some special serum. I've never tried a "detox" or "cleanse," because those are just hype. And in many cases, those types of diet plans are detrimental. I even shy away from swallowing anything other than a multivitamin and an Omega-3 supplement (because I don't eat fish). You have to convince me with sound scientific proof before I'll put anything else like that in my body. Sound medical advice states that fitness is healthy. It states that eating foods closest to how God made them is healthy. Medical advice doesn't say carbs or gluten are bad. Those are the guidelines that inform my choices.

Yo-yo dieters are often the victims of marketing hype. I mean, those late-night infomercials can be pretty tempting if you listen long enough. And if Dr. Oz says it, then it must be true, right? Even the great and powerful Oz has been known to be wrong. These people and programs have major money and marketing teams behind them, so it pays to do a little of your own research. If WebMd says that there's no real benefit from drinking apple cider vinegar, then don't drink it!

{source}

4. My weight doesn't fluctuate that much.

I've had some episodes of unexpected weight gain for reasons other than the yo-yo effect, purely medical. Other than that, my weight stays pretty much within a 2-3lb range. I can tell each day what I should weigh when I get up in the morning. Yo-yo dieters typically lose a bunch of weight when they go all gung-ho over a diet plan, but the second they stop the plan, they often gain all the weight back and then some. I've never fallen into this pattern, so I've never had to experience those fluctuations.

5. I'm not obsessive.

Ok, I admit, I'm obsessed with the health and fitness industry, but that's a whole different subject. It's my passion, so I love to live and breathe it. However, I don't get obsessive about food, working out or tracking my progress in a way that's unhealthy. I follow judicious exercise guidelines and only track my food if there's a reason to (a few extra pounds, an upcoming meeting with a nutritionist, etc). Since my weight and diet don't fluctuate that much, I don't obsess about standing on the scale. If I miss a workout--most often because I'm listening to my body--I don't worry too much about it or try to make up for it. Yo-yo dieters and other disordered eaters, on the other hand, can become quite obsessive about what they're eating and are often constantly thinking about food.

6. My intentions are different.

I like to try new recipes. The 12WBT is by far the best when it comes to clean recipes. I gobbled this stuff up. I also join these plans not as much for weight loss as for a challenge. As a trainer, I know that my body will just adapt to whatever I put it through, so these types of challenges help keep my body guessing. My intentions are never to drop a bunch of weight and then consider myself happy. I am happy. I am not intent on getting to a crazy end result, I'm intent on changing and challenging my body in new ways.

7. I don't consider a "healthy diet" to be synonymous with "being on a diet."

When people talk about "diet," they may be referring either to what they eat normally or what they eat temporarily. That "diet" word is pretty troublesome and wrought with conflicting meaning. As stated, I am pretty consistent with what I eat and consider how I eat to be how I will eat for the rest of my life. I will never go back to eating rows of Oreos at a time or downing a Mt. Dew with every single lunch. Nor will I ever eat cabbage soup every day for a week. I eat a pretty normal, balanced diet. I hardly ever consider myself to be "on a diet." Yo-yo dieting is very much a temporary solution. You have six weeks to change your body or three weeks of this soup and two weeks of that. A dieter will often put themselves on a diet for a specified amount of time, after which they revert to not being on a diet. They never really establish a lifelong, sustainable healthy diet.

{source}

8. I don't believe in quick fixes.

There is no magic diet pill that will strip away layers of fat overnight, as we're all aware. Losing weight takes effort. I know exactly how hard that is, because I've lived it! In order to lose weight, you must do work. Yo-yo dieters often look for simple solutions or someone to do the dirty work for them. The mindset of a challenge-seeker is quite the opposite of a yo-yo dieter. They're seeking challenge, not seeking the path of least resistance, so to speak. I enjoy new challenges because they push me in a way that I sometimes can't push myself. They're motivating to me, not like fad diets that sound a little more like torture.


What do you think?

What to Pack in Your Gym Bag

Whether it's your first time at the gym or you're just curious what other gymgoers are carrying around in their bags, I present to you the contents of my gym bag. Each item is pertinent to my workout habit. For practical reasons, I do not keep anything in my bag that I don't use regularly.

Like my cute Oakley bag? Me too! The mesh on the side pockets airs out my towel and shoes and the front pocket stores my workout logs. I sound like I'm advertising the thing, don't I? Turns out, describing products like this is my job.

I bought a cheap-o towel at the store because I didn't want to haul around one of my plush ones from home. It's much more portable and I don't have to worry about how I treat it or anything.

Also, I carry Avon body wash in case the gym soap dispenser is out, Jergen's lotion to soothe stripped skin (two showers a day will do that to you), Garnier hairspray and face towelettes, and travel-sized Dove deodorant. A friend and I have been hitting up the gym on our lunch breaks, so we don't have time for or really need full-body showers, just "rinses" as we like to call them and a change of socks and underthings. I sometimes carry Suave dry shampoo too, but rarely end up needing it.

Isn't this mini clipboard just the cutest? I think I got it in the dollar section at Target. I like to keep my workout index cards on it. I wrote out many of the workouts from Supreme 90 Day so I can do them at the gym instead of being confined to only the TV.

I got this cutie purple water bottle from work. It has a buckled lid to keep me from splashing myself and little notches on it to track water intake. If I take ANYthing to the gym, it is this precious reservoir.

If you're wondering what to pack for your first foray into the gym world, I would recommend most of the items above, depending on whether or not you'll be "rinsing" at the gym. Other than what's pictured, and your workout clothes (of course!), I would also recommend a good lock for the locker room, a magazine for the treadmill (if you can read and run), and a good playlist and headphones. A hand towel for dripping sweat is also pretty handy. I like to bring these pretty mantra towels when I remember them.

What are your main gym essentials? Any other gym packing tips?

Weekly Food and Fitness: What To Do When You Didn't Meal Prep

**Hey there, I thought I'd bring back my rundown of my weekly workouts and menus to perhaps inspire others to prepare in advance for a week of healthy eating and give you menu and training ideas. Now that I have more of an established schedule and all, it's easier for me to organize.

I have been doing at least 30 minutes of exercise every morning, 6 days a week, alternating strength training and cardio days. And for cardio, I've been alternating steady state and interval training.


Workouts:

• Monday: 30 min upper fix extreme
• Tuesday: 30 min interval run
• Wednesday: 30 min Supreme 90 Day legs
• Thursday: 30 min TurboFire HIIT
• Friday: 30 min Tracy Anderson arms and abs
• Saturday: 35 min interval run
• Sunday: 30 min Shiva Rae Yoga Trance Dance

Meal Prep:
None!


Oh my goodness, this week was a bit "off" for me with no meal prep, but I'm hanging in there. We had unexpected company over on Sunday and didn't get the chance to grocery shop or meal prep like we always do. I definitely don't eat quite as healthy when this happens. But, I have a few tricks to share on what to do when you haven't meal prepped, so you can still maintain a healthy diet.

1. Always have some backup food in the freezer or cupboard. I always have a supply of Boca Burgers in the freezer and usually a can of Amy's soup in the cupboard. I also try to keep a few of those new Protein Steamers on hand. These are not entirely the "cleanest" meals ever, but they're still very nutritious and a much better alternative.

2. Grab just a handful of ready-to-eat things at the grocery store--or even Kwik Trip! We grabbed eggs, cottage cheese and bananas to fill in my snack gaps for the week. There's no reason to have to whip up something complicated every week.

3. Use dinner leftovers whenever possible. My hungry boys usually eat up everything we make for dinner, so this one can be a little difficult at times. But if I'm able, I will sneak away a few things before we start eating so I have food for the next day. This helps prevent me from having to go out to eat.


What do you normally do when you haven't meal prepped for the week?

Weekly Food and Fitness--And the Easiest Pumpkin Turkey Chili Recipe Ever

Hey there, I thought I'd bring back my rundown of my weekly workouts and menus to perhaps inspire others to prepare in advance for a week of healthy eating and give you menu and training ideas. Now that I have more of an established schedule and all, it's easier for me to organize.

I have been doing at least 30 minutes of exercise every morning, 6 days a week, alternating strength training and cardio. And for cardio, I've been alternating steady state and interval training.


Workout Schedule
Monday: 30 min FlashFit (workout series designed by me!)
Tuesday: 30 min interval run
Wednesday: 30 min Supreme 90 Day total body
Thursday: 30 min steady run
Friday: 30 min Tracy Anderson workout
Saturday: 35 min interval run
Sunday: Rest



On the menu this week:

• Breakfast: My favorite Shakeology smoothie, Greek yogurt and egg whites with spinach.
• Lunch: Pumpkin turkey chili {below} and my own version of peanut butter balls
• Snack: cottage cheese with chickpeas (you've got to try this combo!!!)
• Dinners: Mini pizzas, turkey/green bean casserole, crockpot chicken, etc.

Here's a quick recipe for the chili I made for my lunches. It is adapted from several of my favorite chili recipes in one. I took ingredients that I loved and were super easy to assemble (mostly canned--still healthy) and came up with this:

Easiest Pumpkin Turkey Chili
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can pumpkin
2 lbs lean ground turkey
your favorite chili seasonings (I used garlic powder, chili powder and cumin)

1. Brown the turkey, drain the oil.
2. Dump in the rest of the ingredients and warm through.

Yes, that simple!!! I also would've added one diced onion if I had remembered to pick one up. The pumpkin may sound weird, but it really makes the chili so rich and creamy without any added cheese or sour cream. I actually went with a 15-oz can of pumpkin rather than the larger can shown in the picture. You don't really taste the pumpkin taste either, but do you know how brilliant pumpkin is for your health? You should definitely look it up!

I had my entire house clean on Saturday and my entire work week of food prepped by Sunday afternoon. I proudly read and relaxed the rest of Sunday after this was all prepared, for the first time since we moved. I haven't done that in a loooooooong time. Ever since we've moved, the projects and piles have prevented me from even wanting to relax. So, this type of simple food prep really helped get me to the point where I actually felt like I could relax and read.

How about you, what does your week of food and workouts look like?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Here is a rundown of my workout schedule for the week:

Monday:

• 35 min run in AM
• 20 gym strength training at lunch
• 15 min PM workout from this book (review to come!)

Tuesday:

• 35 min run in AM
• 30 min slow/mod walk at lunch

Wednesday:

• 35 min run in AM
• 30 min slow/mod walk at lunch
• 40 min Shiva Rea yoga in PM

Thursday:

• Rest
• 30 min slow/mod walk at lunch

Friday:

• 35 min interval run in AM
• 30 min brisk walk at lunch
• 25 min Supreme 90 Day Total Body

Saturday:

• 60 min run (4.5 miles)

Sunday:

• Rest

This is a pretty typical workout week for me. I always get 5 days of running and 3 days of strength training in. Then, I walk with my mom on my lunch break sometimes and if I'm feeling super strong, I might do other activities. I've just started incorporating foam rolling into my routine. And adding in a regular yoga rotation has been one of my goals for this year.

When my son was first born, I always did a 30 to 60 minute Yoga Today workout every Saturday morning, bar none. I always felt better equipped to handle a newborn after Zen-ing out for awhile. My husband was ever so kind to let me have Saturday mornings to sleep in a bit and do some sun salutations. I've been having some issues with stress lately, so I want to make sure I keep calm by incorporating a regular yoga practice. Plus, I sometimes get all hardcore on my workouts, and it's a nice change of pace to slow down and stretch out (although Shiva Rea is no lightweight). I could use a little more flexibility in my life.

I'm going to try and make it a habit to log my workouts here once a week, just to show you how I'm training and to keep myself accountable. Also, I want to see progress. I think that by posting this, I will have a tangible progress report to pump me up for the next week.

What about you? What is your regular workout routine?

Weekly Workout Rundown

I just noticed I didn't post my workouts for the week. Here is last week's workout rundown:

Monday: 

• 35 min AM run, 2.8 miles, my 30-20-10 plan
• 20 min Maybe Mudder at lunch

Tuesday: 

• 35 min AM run, 2.7 miles
• 30 min casual walk at lunch

Wednesday:

• 35 min AM run, 2.9 miles, my 30-20-10 plan
• 30 min, Supreme 90 Day Legs at lunch

Thursday:

• Rest
• 30 min brisk walk at lunch

Friday:

• 35 min AM run, 2.5 miles
• 25 min Maybe Mudder at lunch

Saturday:

• 60 min run, 5 miles

Sunday:

• Rest
• 20 min casual walk

Well, next week, I think I'm finally going to try Jamie Eason's 12-week training plan. I like to try different plans every now and then to get my body wondering, try new workouts, and keep from being bored. I'm going to have a really hard time giving up cardio for those first two entire weeks though, so we'll see if I cheat on that:) I've been quite the cardio queen for awhile now, so it's time to work on my muscular development for a bit. I am a born runner though, so I'm sure I'll have to sneak a little of it in. I don't want to lose all the endurance I've built up for that either. But I'm looking forward to training my body in a different way.

Right now, I'm trying to get through all the reading, organize the print-offs, and put together a menu plan. This plan definitely requires some pre-planning and preparation. However, it really breaks everything down for you so you don't have to wonder about anything. There are recipes, food group breakdowns, exercise guides, daily tips and so much more. It's a wonder, with all the work that went into the plan, that it is absolutely free!

How are your workouts looking this week?