Progress!

I went clothes shopping today with plans on getting a pair of workout pants & a new skirt. I grabbed 3 sizes, unsure of where I would fall... None of them fit. I tried on one more size, FOUR sizes smaller than I am used to, and they fit PERFECTLY! Not only did I beat my goal of being down 3 full pants sizes by July 4th, but I lost an additional size on top of that! I am so excited. I even got two new shirts in a smaller size, too!

EVERYTHING IS SMALLER!

Words cannot express how content I am with my progress thus far. I can't wait until my birthday in November, I wonder what an additional few months will do to me! I hope they are as kind as the last two have been!

Why is sleep so important when trying to lose weight?

I have had trouble with falling asleep my whole life. I've been a night owl since I was a kid, and my body just never got used to going to bed before midnight, usually much later than that. When I was in high school, I suffered from really awful insomnia that would keep me up for days on end. Seriously. I hardly ever slept! Looking back on that time, I realize that I gained 60 pounds in one year - the year when I was told I suffered from insomnia. I was 17. This is when my weight troubles began. I remember weighing myself on new years eve and thinking I only had 20 pounds to lose, and the following new years I weighed myself again and was shocked to see I had to lose over 85 pounds to get to my goal weight. Ouch. 60 pounds in ONE YEAR.

Why did I gain so much weight so fast? It's really simple, and I wish I had known this back then, because my life could be a lot easier right now.

When you don't get enough sleep, your body is low on energy and it causes your brain to believe you NEED sugary foods for that instant rush on energy.  Your body will also have more trouble processing glucose which can lead to gaining weight. If you're having trouble sleeping, your body also is producing higher levels of cortisol & slows your metabolism down to a stop. As if THAT wasn't enough, your body will most likely be too tired to exercise, leading to weight gain.

"It's a no-brainer that sleep is important. There's nothing like a good night's rest to make you feel rejuvenated, energetic and ready for your day. Not to mention that research has shown that a lack of sleep increases the risk of diabetes, obesity and injuries.  Now there's a new study out furthering the cause for getting a solid 6-8 hours of sleep a night. According to the October 5 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, not getting enough sleep may inhibit fat loss in dieters.

In the study, dieters were divided into two groups: those who got about 8 hours of sleep and those who only got about 5 hours of sleep. While both groups lost the same amount of weight on a calorie-controlled diet, the amount of fat they lost was dependent on how much sleep they had. The group who got a full night's sleep had weight loss that consisted of 50 percent or more from fat, while the reduced sleep group had only one-fourth of their weight loss from fat, according to the study.

It's well researched that when sleep is restricted, levels of ghrelin go up and leptin levels go down. Ghrelin is a hormone that triggers hunger and reduces energy expenditure, while leptin controls appetite. So when you don't get enough sleep, it's a whole lot easier for your dieting willpower to go right out the window. It's actually hormonal. Unfortunately, most Americans aren't getting enough sleep, which is probably playing a role in the obesity epidemic." Taken from here.


How much sleep should you shoot for a night? As close to 7 to 9 hours as possible. You don't want to sleep too much, but you need to make sure you're shooting for 8 for weight loss.

What can you do to make sure you get more sleep each night?
- Exercise! Even if it's just walking for 20 minutes a day, it will go a long way.
- Try establishing a bedtime. I know it sounds silly, but your body will get used to going to bed at the same time each night & fall into a pattern.
- Cut out as much caffeine as possible from your diet, preferably completely. If you can't do that, at least stop having caffeinated beverages at least 4 hours before bed.
- Make your room very dark. Get an eye mask.
- Avoid naps.

Good luck and happy resting!

Ouchh.

So glad today is a rest day, as I overdid it yesterday. I did wake up by 9:30, but I wasn't able to get out of bed until after 1pm. Oops... I am taking it easy today & possibly not even bothering with the Nordic Track. I really need a REAL rest day.

I'm going to the pool now with the kids and I plan on just relaxing in the water, no real swimming intended. I will get in the water and play with the kids, but you can forget about me doing ANY exercising in that pool today! I hurt all over, which I find odd since I really only worked my abs hard last night.

Today's workout consisted of...

- Spent over 4 hours in the pool today.
I did a few laps, but mostly did aerobic exercises in the water when I wasn't busy playing with the kids.

- 4 miles on the Nordic Track.
Over 1200 calories burned, might I add, in less than an hour, to boot! According to the Nordic Track I burned 1200, but according to this calculator here, I burned almost 1500. Nice :) BTW that calculator is wonderful for almost every exercise you can think of! Random: I sooo want one of these.

- 150 regular crunches
I am kind of looking forward to my break tomorrow from crunches :)

- 50 reverse crunches
Mhm, done & done.

- 50 bicycle crunches
Ouch, these bad boys hurt.

- 20 REAL push ups
Did it, and it wasn't easy. I've never been able to do REAL pushups before! This was definitely the hardest part of my whole workout.

- 30 Day Shred
Done. I only did Level 1 because I didn't see a need to go all out since I did so much other exercising besides the DVD.

Other accomplishments for the day:
- Took my vitamins & supplements
Fish Oil, Super B complex, Chromium, Multi vitamin

- Consumed 120 ounces of water
I have started tracking my water & this is the most I've had since tracking began last week.

- Woke up at 9 & will be in bed by 1:30
No problem, I am exhausted! Andrew is working late tonight so I am not waiting up for him. I am taking a shower and headed off to dreamland. Looking forward to a solid 8 hours of sleep & getting up at a respectable time tomorrow!

- No soda.
Easyyyy! I do sometimes miss soda, but when I think about what is more important, health or soda, well - soda always loses.


In addition to all of those things, I also was very careful about what I ate. I wasn't nearly as hungry because of all the water I was drinking, but I forced myself to eat one thing, even if it was just some fruit or a piece of cheese or something, every 3 hours. I didn't go crazy at dinner time, and I haven't had any late night snacks, either. I'm proud!

I am looking forward to an easy day tomorrow. I only need to do 4 miles+ on the Nordic Track. I am taking a break from all other exercises tomorrow. All my goals & accomplishments are still going to HOPEFULLY be fulfilled, but so far so good!

How important are rest days between workouts and cool downs after workouts?

Are cool downs really important?

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I love doing the 30 Day Shred DVD. The first few times I used this dvd, I did the cool down afterwards. It hurt my back and my legs, so I stopped trying the cool down.

I was reading something interesting in The Biggest Loser's Fitness Program last night about how important cool downs really are & I decided to give them another chance. The cool down is just as important as the warm up. Do you ever workout without doing a warm up first? I know I don't!

A cool down brings your body back down to it's pre-exercise state. A cool down serves multiple purposes but the most important things a cool down does is it reduces your pulse to it's pre-exercise state and in addition to that, a cool down returns the blood to your heart in the proper amounts so it can expel the lactic acid (a chemical result of muscular fatigue) from your muscles. Signs of an improper cool down are dizziness, nausea, & an overall feeling of exhaustion.

In short: always try to do a cool down after any exercise.


Should I allow resting days in between my workouts?

Another thing you may have noticed is I am trying to do crunches on a daily basis, a minimum of 100 of them. After doing some research on rest days and their importance, I am going to shoot for 250 crunches a day 3- times a week instead of daily. Not a good idea to work out the same muscles so often! Kind of stinks, I love doing crunches.

If you are doing weight lifting or strength training in your workouts, you need to give your muscles a chance to regroup. When you're working out, you're ripping your muscles to shreds, literally. The resting period is when your muscle rebuilds & comes back stronger, appearing more toned than before. You also need to rest in order to give your body a chance to replenish energy stores as well.

It is believed by many that you should work out certain muscle groups only on certain days. An example of a suitable workout routine can be found here. I may try this schedule for myself this week! Not necessarily those exercises, but I like the general idea for the muscles worked on those days.

Do you need to take rest days from cardio as well as strength training?

No, you don't really need rest days from cardio. 6 days a week is considered reasonable for cardio, but if you're comfortable doing it daily, go for it. The thing you need to remember is that you should have one day a week that is a true rest day from all forms of exercise. It will help you avoid getting burned out!

Motivational Monday!

Happy Monday, everyone! 

Here are some motivational quotes to get the week off on the right foot:

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
- Mark Twain

Who aims at excellence will be above mediocrity; who aims at mediocrity will be far short of it.
- Burmese Saying

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than before.
- Polybius

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.
- Arthur C. Clarke

You cannot plow a field by
turning it over in your mind.
- Author Unknown

"The first step to becoming is to will it."  
- Mother Teresa

My new goals for this week are as follows:
150 regular crunches every other day (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
50 bicycle crunches every other day (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
50 reverse crunches every other day (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
30 Day Shred (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
4 miles a day on the Nordic Track 5-7 times 
Wake up by 9:30 every day & Go to bed by 1:30 at least 5 times this week (I am a notorious night owl, so I'm trying to break this habit slowly by easing into an early wake up time)
Drink 100 ounces or more of water daily
Take my vitamins & supplements daily
No soda

To take this list one step further, I also made an entire workout itinerary for the week for the rest of my body and even wrote down what workouts I would do each day and for what muscle groups. I am very organized and together this week, so I'm hoping this attitude carries over into the rest of the week! My workout itinerary isn't going to be a part of my goals list, because there are over 15 different exercises to name. The ones I listed on my goals list are the ones I am the most excited to follow through with.

I am aiming a bit higher than I did last week because I am trying to meet my goal of dropping one dress size by July 4th. I don't know how many of these I will be able to accomplish, but I am hoping to meet all of them. Realistically though, I'll be happy if I can stick to 7 out of the 9 goals I have set for myself. 


This morning I took my measurements for the first time in a while. I am proud to say that since beginning my exercise regimen, I have lost 9.5 inches IN MY WAIST alone! I've lost 4 inches total from my arms, too. Grand total for inches lost is 31 inches from all over my body. I am so proud!


I'd also like to report that all my workout pants are too big. They keep slipping off. 3 out of the 5 pairs of workout pants are from 2009, when I had lost over 30 pounds. I am so happy! I have to tie them up with hair ties, hahaha! Andrew will get me 2 new pairs next week, he says. I don't want to get too many new clothes because I am hoping the loss continues.


“You see things and say ‘Why?’ but I dream things and say ‘Why not?’”
- George Bernard Shaw

Kicking my own butt.

I have been doing great this weekend with working out! I went 9 miles on the Nordic Track today. I did 200 crunches, this time I mixed it up more than usual. I've mastered reverse crunches, oblique crunches, bicycle crunches, and torso twists. It's really starting to show, too. I put on my bathing suit for the first time in almost a week and I couldn't believe how much more loose it was in the belly area! I did get compliments at the pool from a few friends, too. In addition to those things, I also did the 30 Day Shred, and tried out a new DVD called Crunch: Belly, Butt & Thighs Boot Camp. I did arm exercises in addition to all of these things, too. I feel great & I can't even believe the difference between my body this week versus last week. It's amazing. I love feeling AND seeing the results all at once, you know?

People who haven't seen me in a few months will be shocked the next time we meet, guaranteed.

I also am really pleased to say that my father complimented me on how well I've been doing. He's not much for compliments. He says I am inspiring him to want to work out, too! When I told Laurin that he said that to me, she admitted that I was her inspiration for working out again! I can't believe how many people I'm motivating to better their lives through exercise! So happy!

I made a list of goals for the week which I will share tomorrow at some point. I hope you had a great weekend and have an even better week!

Did we reach our goals this week?

- No more fast food, even at the drive in. I don't mind splurging every now and then, but I want to go one full week without ANY fast food, just to prove I can do it.
Nope, I didn't make it. I went to the drive in on Monday night and had mozzarella sticks. Grrr. Oh well, better luck next week! It could have been worse though, right? I only had one fast food item this week instead of, say, 5. I'm pleased with this.

 
- Drink nothing but water and drink LOTS of it. I always behave & follow this, except on the days I go to the drive in. I had maybe half a cup of soda from Andrew on Saturday night & I paid the price with a horrible migraine. I am NOT making that mistake again. After going almost 2 weeks with no soda & nothing but water, I ruined it & paid the price.
Except for ONE gulp of coffee yesterday when my headache was really bad, I did hold true to this. I never drink coffee, but I figured the caffeine might help with the headache a bit. Can taking a sip of coffee for my headache really be held against me? I haaate coffee, yuck. I am going to go ahead and say I stuck with this. I've been averaging over 100 ounces a day OR MORE of water!


- Walk/Run 21 miles. It doesn't matter if it's from the Nordic Track, or from walking or running outside, I want to do this. Easy, 3 miles a day. I have been going above and beyond this lately, but I am trying a new system this week and seeing how it works for me.
SO CLOSE! I made it to 18 miles. I only did that over 3 days because I wasn't feeling well this week. It could be worse. Shooting for 21 miles again next week!
  


- Implement my new system of 15 minutes of intense walking or running on the Nordic Track followed by 10 minutes of strength training. Repeat as many times as able. No more marathon walking without strength training included. 
On the 3 days I used the Nordic Track, I did this and it felt great.



- Continue doing 100 crunches in a row each day. 
Pfft! I am up to over 100 crunches a day, and today I did 200! I have NOT missed a single day of crunches!




It could be better, but it could be worse. I completed 3 out of 5 of my goals. The best part about this is that I completed most of my goals even though I was having a really rough week. If I can do that on a bad week, imagine what i can do on a good week! I am so excited & happy. 

Now to think of what to add to this list for next week. Any ideas?

A little healthy competition.

My friend Laurin recently restarted her workout regimen with her personal trainer & has begun her new low carb diet. I had been in a bit of a slump, as I am sure you noticed. Knowing she was working out too gave me the motivation to start up again! I never completely stopped, but now I'm at it full force again. We were texting this afternoon and she said she was hopping on the elliptical for an hour. I decided to do the Nordic Track. I did 3 miles, and then did a bunch of arm and ab exercises, 200 crunches total! I did 3 more miles and then finished everything off with some more leg exercises.

I've been feeling horrible the last 24 hours with what I describe as an ice pick headache. Ouch. Working out at first was making the throbbing worse, but I am glad I stuck with it. Less than an hour after beginning, the headache stopped entirely. I feel great now.

I am so glad Laurin is doing this with me. She can help keep me accountable, keep me on my toes, and we can remind/push each other to do everything to the best we possibly can.

I had another friend in 2009 that I joined a gym with. We were really good about going quite a few times a week, and I think we motivated each other to keep going. I moved away, and she found out she was pregnant. Working out together ended, and I slowly began putting the weight back on. Up until that point, I never pushed myself as hard as I did when Alyssia and I were exercising together, so I am really glad Laurin is joining me! Luckily, I've built up quite a bit of stamina and I know much more efficient ways of exercising than I did in 2009. Here's hoping Laurin and I can lose 167 pounds together!

Do you have a workout buddy?

Food ABC's.

A is for Apple, what’s your favorite variety?
I love almost every apple I can find, but when I'm picking them, I tend to go for Pink Lady apples.

 
B: is for Bread, regardless of nutrition, calories, or whole grains what is your favorite type to have a nice big piece of?
I am hopelessly in love with garlic bread topped with cheeses.

C: is for Cereal what is your favorite kind currently (just one!)
Honey Nut Cheerios.

D: is for Doughnuts, you might not currently be eating them but what kind do you fancy? 
Strawberry.

 
E: is for Eggs, how would you like yours prepared?
Not a fan of eggs.

 
F: is for Fat Free, what is your favorite fat free product?
Jell-O Chocolate Pudding.

 
G: is for Groceries, where do you purchase yours at?
  Stop & Shop, BJ's, Target, Wal Mart & Market Basket. There certain things I love that I can only find at those stores. Grocery shopping is an all day event, haha.

 
H: is for Hot Beverages, what is your favorite hot drink?
Tea.

 
I: is for Ice Cream, pick a favorite flavor and add a fun topping.
I am boring, I want chocolate ice cream with caramel on top. Mmmm.

 
J: is for Jams or Jellies, do you eat them, and if so what kind and flavor?
Not really, no.

 
K: is for Kashi, name your favorite Kashi product?
I tried this cereal once and it was amazing. I need to buy some. Honey Almond Flax.

 
L: is for Lunch, what was yours today?
I had an apple. I wasn't feeling very hungry this afternoon. Had a horrible headache.

 
M: is for microwave, what is your favorite microwave meal/snack?
Popcorn, but only if it's burned!

 
N: is for nutrients, do you like carbs, fats, or proteins best?
Carbs. I am bad, I know.

 
O: is for oil, what kind do you like to use?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

 
P: is for protein, how do you get yours?
I am a fan of nuts lately. It's a new thing from back when I tried to be vegan (failed! :( very sad about that)

 
Q: is for Quaker, how do you like your oats?
With cinnamon and strawberries!

 
R: is for roasting, what is your favorite thing to roast?
peanuts

 
S: is for sandwich, what’s your favorite kind?
Maybe I need to grow up, but I still love Peanut Butter & Fluff!

 
T: is for travel, how do you handle eating while traveling?
Not very well, but I'm getting better. I pack snacks and fruits and veggies for long trips. 

 
U: is for unique, what is one of your weirdest food combos?
I am not sure that I like anything overly weird.

 
V: is for vitamins, what kind do you take?
Multi, Chromium, Fish Oil, Vitamin D, Super B Complex, etc.

 
W: is for wasabi, yay or nay?
Not a fan.

 
X: is for XRAY. if we xrayed your belly right now, what food would we see?
3 apples, some strawberries, a salad, a rice krispie treat, some pasta, and 5 french fries.

 
Y: is for youth, what food reminds you of your childhood?
Pancakes & cupcakes.

 
Z: is for zucchini, how do you prepare it?
Like this! I can't find teh exact recipe for how my grandfather made it, but that's pretty close. Love it. Need to make some myself.