Let's G.R.O.W...with your goals!

     Last weekend, I told my husband about a couple of changes I want to make, some goals I made for myself.  He then starts asking me a serious of questions.  

     After he was done asking, he says "That is something I learned during my leadership training this week."  And I thought, "You know, I'm going to share this in my blog!"  Because, it is super easy to remember, and helpful!"

     So...here is how you can G.R.O.W.

     G:   What is your Goal? 

             Be specific.  The more specific...the easier it will be to plan and achieve!

     R:   What are the Resistances keeping you from achieving your goal?

            No matter how little you think the Resistance is, write it down! 

     O:   What are your Options?

             For each of your resistances, write a couple different options that can get you past them.

     W:   When will you achieve your goal? Or When will you be carrying out your plan of action?

             If it's a goal with a date (i.e. run a marathon) put that When down.  If it's a long term goal (i.e.   

             start eating healthy) then When will you do your planning to make it happen?

           

     So, there you have it!  It's an easy, great plan! And reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

If you fail to plan,

You plan to fail.

I've got your back...on protecting your spine ;)

When you think of your core, what muscles do you think of? Most people think of just your abdominal muscles. In fact, your core is your entire mid section...front, back and sides! And it is important to train all these muscles.  Only training either your abs or your back, will cause your pelvis to tilt into an unnatural position, causing back pain and even sciatic nerve pain. 

So, what should you do, if you don't have access to a gym and weights.  Well, I just read an interview done with Dr. Stuart McGills.  And, according to him, sit-ups are NOT the answer! (and after reading his explanation...I see how it makes perfect sense!)

Dr. Stuart McGillis is a Professor of Spine and Biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, where his laboratory explores low back mechanics of both injured and uninjured people.
And in his interview he uses the example of a metal wire.  How do you break a metal wire with your hands?  Simply, bend it back and forth, back and forth until it fatigues and breaks.  

Do you see where I'm heading with this? Think of your spine as a wire, and what are you doing with your spine, when you do sit-ups? Exactly! You're repeatedly bending it! 

He says that he sees extremely fit athletes, with "washboard" abs...and horrible spinal health! 

His advice to a strong core...the 3 simple exercises. I've posted the link to his interview, and it includes the video of the exercises.  And let me tell you...they will WORK your core! In the interview he also address how to protect yourself from back pain, if your job involves sitting at a desk all day!

So, ditch the dreaded sit-ups, and try these workouts!

Thanks for stopping by!


Interview with Dr. Stuart McGill:

http://www.healthynomics.com/2010/11/dr-stuart-mcgill-interview-back-health-core-exercise/

Here's how I meal prep...

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, so many people say the don't have time to cook at every meal.  And let's be honest, who does, every single day?  I've learned some easy tricks to keep the guess work out of that.
On Saturday or Sunday, I plan my meals for the week; I eat 5 times a day, 7 days a week, so that makes 35 meals I prep on Sunday.  That may seem like a lot, but I keep it as simple as possible with these 2 steps:
1) I literally eat, the same thing, every day, at every meal...for that week.
2) I measure and prep everything out.

I bought some square (they fit nicer in the fridge) tupperware contains of various sizes. And all these meals, fit on 1 shelf in the fridge; and each meal gets its own row.
My breakfast and after gym snack RARELY change.  I like the simplicity of them!

Breakfast: Smoothie
8oz almond milk (I don't put liquids in the container)
1 good handful of greens (I prefer spinach, because it blends better.  If you prefer kale, freeze it first, it blends better that way)
1/2c baked sweet potato (seriously! It adds a sweetness and creaminess to the smoothie!)
1s protein powder (this is something else I don't add to the container)

After gym snack:
10-12oz water
2 good handfuls of greens
1/2 c baked sweet potato
1scoop protein powder
1scoop BCAA

Lunch:
2c steamed or raw veggies
4-6oz of protein
1/4-1/2c brown rice or sweet potato (theres are my favorite carbs.)
1-2oz or tablespoon of fat

Snack:
1/2c of berries
2-3 rice cakes
2T almond butter

Dinner:
4-6oz of protein
Cooked leafy greens
1-2oz or tablespoon of fat
(I don't eat carbs at night)

And there you have it.  This is my simple, go to meal plan.  And all the stuff is relatively inexpensive.  The reason for the variations in serving sizes, is that different foods carry different caloric value.  And since I like to eat a lot, I tend to choose foods with a lower caloric value :)

I often get asked, how much should I eat.  Well, that's a tough one to answer since every BODY is different, and every goal is different.  MyFitnessPal is a great tool to use on your smart phone or computer.  However, they're "suggest" carb, fat and protein goals (I think) are crazy.  They say 50% carbs. That's super high! Carbs are great, they give us energy.  But 50% is high!

My split goes like this:
45% Protein
35% Carbs
20% Fat

I know how my body responds to these macros, so that's what works for me.  But tool around with them.  Keep the same macros and calorie intake for a few weeks. If its working, keep it, if not change it a bit.

Here's a good page on calculating your calorie intake.  Now, like I said, everybody is different.  So if you're consuming the suggested calorie intake, and you feel tired...you're body isn't getting enough fuel, so increase your intake.  (And it doesn't need to be by much 50- 100calories of healthy foods, is a lot of food!)

Calorie Calculator:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Once again, thanks for stopping by!

First day of training, for my first triathlon...I had an argument with myself

So, I've never been one who likes cardio...as stated in my previous posts.  I think it's silly.  Well, as I've mentioned before, I am doing my first Triathlon, on July 11th.
I was suppose to start training on April 18th; however, with life and sickness getting in the way, I didn't actually have my first training day, until this morning.  And I was DREADING it...because it was 30 minutes of running at a pace that is moderately challenging.
As I'm doing my 10 minute warm-up I'm thinking to myself "You know, this is TECHNICALLY the 'moderately challenging' pace that my workout says, so I'll just count this toward my 30 minutes!" BOOM! ha ha ha I was being clever.
I'm running along on the treadmill, at 4.3mph 2% incline (which, for those of you that don't know, 2% incline is equivalent to running on the sidewalk...it has to do with gravity and whatnot) As 28 minutes rolls around I had another thought "Why would you cheat yourself out of training? The 10 minute warm-up does NOT count toward the 30 minutes!"  UGH! FINE! So, I went for 40 minutes of running, and then did a 5 minute cool down (my favorite part of cardio!)
And can I tell you, it felt pretty darn awesome! That is the longest I have ever run...because I, MYSELF, wanted to!
I've always said, "I'm not a runner." or "I'm not built for running." (Even though a few Drs have told me that my body is built for sports).
I have a new goal for myself, now.  And that goal, is to prove my old self wrong! I WILL become a runner! I WILL get my lungs in shape! I WILL learn to enjoy what my body is capable of doing!

And if anybody of you have thought about doing a Triathlon, but don't know where to start.  Check out the App "1st Time Tri".  You put in your skill level, how many days a week you can commit to working out, the date of your race....and BOOM....your 12 weeks of workouts are laid out for you!

Stay tuned for this growing relationship I'll be having with cardio!

Finding my silver lining...

So, today I had some self body image issues today.  It didn't last long...but it made me feel pretty crumby.
After an awesome cardio and core workout, I went to a swim store to find a lap swim suit (I signed up for sprint Tri in July...actually, my husband signed us up for one.) Now, I HATE running, I hate anything cardio. The reason being, is my cardiovascular system is SERIOUSLY out of shape. I'll do sprints...with a decent break in between. But long distant running...no thanks.
Anyway, my daughter S (whom will be 3 this week) and I went to the store, and I picked out some 1 piece suits to try on. I quickly realized that they are NOT flattering for the not very toned body. And then my sweet S, rolls out this gem: "Get your big butt in there."  Ahhh the things that little ones will say...and how they can quickly drive your self esteem into the pavement.
So, as we are driving home, I'm totally beating myself up.  I mean, just last November, I competed in a bikini competition; and I felt AMAZING. I was in the best shape of my life, at 30yrs old!

But then I really started to think:
1) I haven't been working out regularly
2) I haven't been eating like I should

What the heck was I to expect!? Nobody can keep a body in shape, while eating junk and not working out.

Then I found my silver lining!

I realized, with the...umm....excess that wasn't fitting so nicely into my new suit...those are my new measurements! Let's see how much I can get those to shrink!

So here's my plan of attack:

I'm attending a wedding 7.5 weeks from today, and I have a cute dress, spaghetti strapped dress, that I want awesome legs and arms to go with it!

Since I'm starting training for a triathlon, (I'm using the app called First Time Tri. You just put in the date of your triathlon and your skill level, and it gives you a 12 week program! BOOM! Day by day workouts, right at your finger tips!)
So, I will be doing these workouts.  However, since I despise cardio, I'm also going to be implementing weight training as well.

Here's how those days are going to go:

Monday: Upper Body (4 sets, 3-5 reps, at 80-90% 1RM) I'll go over that a little later

Tuesday: Lower Body (4 sets, 3-5 reps, at 80-90% 1RM)

Wednesday: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and Core

Thursday: Upper Body (4 sets, 8-12 reps, at 70-80% 1RM)

Friday: HIIT and Core

Saturday: Lower Body (4 sets, 8-12 reps, at 70-80% 1RM)

Sunday: Yoga

Here's where it gets slightly confusing....
In the mornings, I will be doing my Tri training workouts (at least the running and biking).  Then the days that I have listed above, for my HIIT and Core, I will be doing at home, in the morning (the lifting will be done at the gym).  And the mornings that I will be doing the HIIT and Core, I will be doing my swimming at the gym.
Does that make sense? I hope so!

So, with this work load, I should be good to go by the wedding in June!

The big thing, is nutrition! I have told people time and time again, that you can NOT outwork a bad diet!  So, it's back to the basics...and by basics, I mean basic foods.  No more processed stuff, no more foods that make my tummy not happy.  If you have access to do a food SENSITIVITY test, I highly recommend it! It's different than a food ALLERGY test, in that you don't have serious reactions to certain foods, they may just cause bloating and inflammation...so minimal that you may  not even notice it!  But it could be the reason you're not losing weight!

But a good start, is cut out the processed food, cut out the junk food, cut out the sugar, and cut out the booze.  Now I'm not saying you need to cut these things out 100%.  Because it is hard for most people to stick to that kind of a strict lifestyle change!

Here's my little story on that:

Training for my competition in November, I started out with one trainer...and she was HARD CORE! I mean, there was no give in my nutrition plan, whatsoever! (She actually gave me a good lecture because I had gyro meat on my salad!)
Anyway, I realized that I was stressing out about this nutrition plan she had me on (and we all know what stress does to the body!) so I decided to switch trainers.  And my second trainer was AMAZING! She was always positive and upbeat, always sending me "good vibes" and I learned a TON from her! (Her method of training, was my push for me to become a nutritionist (Or at least start going to school for it!))  One thing she told me, is that once a week (the same meal, on the same day...I did Saturday night) I could have a cheat meal.  I mean, all out cheat meal! My first cheat meal in months was Mexican food! Chips and salsa, margaritas and tacos! And can I tell you, I was so happy about this cheat meal, that I almost cried...seriously.

These cheat meals, sent my metabolism into overdrive to burn off all that I ate, and then on Sunday, when I went back to my original meal plan, my metabolism was still in overdrive.  Yeah, the morning after my cheat meal I would weight a few pounds more, but then a couple days after that, I was down from my Saturday morning weight!
My body totally responded to this once a week cheat meal deal! And I couldn't be happier!

What is 1RM?
Your 1 Rep Max, is just that.  When doing an exercise, how much can you lift, just one time.  Now, going out and trying to bench 200lbs isn't a good idea! So I've attached a link that can help you calculate your 1RM and there percentages of that!
You put in how many pounds, and how many reps, then hit calculate. WALA! There is your 1RM in front of you!

Website for 1RM Calculator!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/other7.htm

Now, on my lifting days, I have broken down like this:

Upper body:
2 Back Exercises
2 Bicep Exercises
2 Tricep Exercises
2 Shoulder Exercises
1 Chest Exercise
(if any of these exercises can be doubled up, I do that to save time. i.e. bicep curl with a shoulder press)

Lower Body:
I do 7 different leg exercises, to hit every muscle group in the leg. Your legs make up the most muscle mass in your body....make them work, and build them up! (The more muscle you have, the more fat your body burns....muscle burns fat!)

Core:
Everything I do, I do in plank.  It is SUCH a good total core workout!

Here's my core workout:

10 push-ups
Plank (as long as I can hold it)
10 Push-ups
Plank Knee Tucks (12-15 reps)
10 Push-ups
Plank Knee to Elbow (right side) (12-15 reps)
10 Push-ups
Plank Knee to Elbow (left side) (12-15 reps)
10 Push-ups
(Repeat 3 times)

Now, when it comes to push-ups, I have to do mine on my knees for 2 reasons:
1) Push-ups on my toes, hurt my shoulders
2) I get better range of motion...meaning I'm working more muscles.

So, this wedding is 7.5 weeks out, and this is my plan! Feel free to ask questions or join in with me!

Thanks for reading!

Revamping My Days! YAY!

Good day, good day! How is your day going thus far? I'm excited about today! I've realized that I've been feeling unorganized, and unmotivated...and I don't like it. So, its time to make a change.
Here are the 3 things I want to make changes to:
1) Organizing My Home Life
2) Financial Organization
3) Health and Fitness
These three things are things that I really enjoy, and I'm going to explain how I plan on doing each of these.

Let's start off with "Organizing My Home Life"
We moved from a (large) 4 bedroom house, on 3 acres; to a 2 bedroom apartment (by choice).  My hubby and I realized that we had too much stuff that was collecting dust.  So we figured if we moved into a smaller place, it would force us to downsize...and it did.  However, I think we still have stuff that can get sold, donated or thrown out.
Here's my thought process:
*Is it worth money? And not money to YOU, but would somebody else think it's worth money? If the answer is yes, sell it! Have a yard sale, or Craigslist is awesome!
* Is it not worth the time and hassle of selling, but is still in good shape? Donate it! (This is my favorite option! Just ask our 2yr old. If she can't find something, she always asks me "did you donate it?" haha makes me giggle)
* Is it just, well, junk? Those happy meal toys, broken toys, a stack of magazines, that craft project you never got to...throw it out! Get the clutter out!

Now, for "Financial Organization"
My husband and I are huge fans of Dave Ramsey! And we particularly love his Envelope System!
Basically, the way it works, is you figure out your budge..and every penny has a place.  So we have our rent budgeted, utilities (and if they vary in prices...I always aim a little higher, to makes sure it's covered) health care, credit card, entertainment, food, gas, babysitter, vehicle maintenance, home maintenance, clothes, gym membership, personal allowance, daughters' allowance, dog food, dog grooming, etc.
Now, go through these, and see which one's can be paid with cash. Pretty much all of them, except rent, utilities, medical and credit cards.

Now, budget certain amount of money for the cash accounts. When it comes to the entertainment and personal allowance...don't "short change yourself".  If you keep things too tight, its harder to stick to the budget. But if you allow for yourself to still enjoy the things you like to do (like movies and dinner), it will be easier to keep to the plan.  Just cut back the amount of times you go out to dinner. (We allow ourselves $300 a month in entertainment).

Now that you have that established, you can either make some cute envelopes for each category, or order some from Dave Ramsey's website (posted below). Every time you put money in, you write down the date, the amount, and current balance. And every time you spend money, write the date, where you spent the money (i.e. walmart) and how much, and then the balance again.
If the money is gone from the envelope...guess what..it's gone until next paycheck or month.

Budgeting and using the envelope system is such a stress free way of keeping on track with your finances. And any change we accumulate from using the envelope system, goes into a 5 gallon water jug. Consider it change, for a rainy day :)

Lastly, Health and Fitness:
So I've been a health nut for several years! I love everything fitness and nutrition related (I'm currently going to school to become a holistic nutritionist! And probably personal training certification, after that!)
Anyway, I competed in my first bikini competition, back in Nov '14. It was such a great experience! However, since my competition, I haven't been doing much working out...or eating healthy...and my body feels it!
Well, I decided enough is enough, I want to start feeling good and confident again!
I'm not really counting calories, I'm just making sure that what I put into my body, is true, healthy and as close to the natural source as possible!
And my workouts are going to be laid out simply, and executed with the utmost focus!
It basically looks like this:

Monday: Upper Body (3-5 reps, 4 sets, at 80%-90% my 1 Rep Max)

Tuesday: Lower Body (3-5 reps, 4 sets, at 80%-90% my 1RM)

Wednesday: HIIT Cardio (10min warm-up, 30min intervals, at 15% incline)

Thursday: Upper Body (8-12 reps, 4 sets, at 70%-80% my 1RM)

Friday: HIIT Cardio (10 min warm-up, 30min intervals, at 15% incline)

Saturday: Fat Burn Cardio (10min warm-up, 30min in zones 1&2, 15% incline)

Sunday: Yoga

After my lifting days, I'll do 30 minutes of the fat burn cardio again (minus the 10min warm-up, because I'll do that before my lifting starts)

I haven't decided which workouts I'm going to do for my lifting days, but I better get on that, because I lift tomorrow.  However, I know my exercise will be the same.

Below, I'll post a link to figure out your 1RM.  This is handy when trying to do a  certain percentage (like my above plan); and also, I feel like it makes me push myself to see how much I can lift...safely, and most importantly...WITH GOOD FORM! If you're unsure of an exercise, it is best to ask a trainer for direction!

Stay tuned to find out what exercise I'm doing! I plan on doing some of my favorites, but then also incorporating new ones!
Until then...thanks for stopping by!


Dave Ramsey's Envelope System: 

http://www.daveramsey.com/store/budgeting-tools/envelope-systems/designer-envelope-system-red/prod266.html?ectid=gsa.266&gclid=Cj0KEQjwmLipBRC59O_EqJ_E0asBEiQATYdNh2DVjX6MYbHfH4E_oe98x7W2mZGN96SOO0cxNMct7UcaAsPO8P8HAQ


1 Rep Max Calculator

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html

Yep! I surely am!

I've always wanted to start a blog, but I thought "who would want to read what's going on in my head?" But then I thought, "you know, somebody might!"
Besides I have so many thoughts and ideas, about LOTS of different things...I would like to share them from time to time.
And lets face it, I'm a stay at home mom of 2 girls (C is 6 and S is 2)...and some outside interaction is needed. For everybody's sanity!
This blogging stuff isn't going to be about anything specific.  As the site says...I'm a momma who loves to talk, and I have lots of different interests that I like to talk about!

For example:
I LOVE TO...
cook
clean
organize
bake
crafts
workout
recipe rehab (make not so healthy recipes, healthier)
camp
fish
hunt
watch movies
read books
sing
dance
talk...a lot (just ask my family!)
make it, instead of buy it (with my fair share of Pinterest fails!)

Basically, I'll give anything a try.

So, in short, I hope you enjoy what I have to share, and I'll be back!