Why even bother, you say. Well let me tell you... Top 10 Reasons to Eat Right and Exercise

Need a good reason or some motivation to living a healthy lifestyle of eating right and exercising?  I'll give you 10!  And no, none of them are:  To look hot in a bikini.....  that's just an added bonus.

1. Strengthens bones and muscles.  Let's just start with the obvious.  Getting the nutrients your body needs and regular exercise will make your body work the way its supposed to work.  You will have the strength and ability to do daily activities, such as your job, house work, play with your kids, etc.,  as well as extra curricular activities you may want to do like hiking, kayaking, or even bowling.  Not only will you be more able to any activity, you will be able to do it with ease, without the aches and pains, and much less likely to get injured.
2. Improved Energy.  So, not only will you be able to do more, you'll have the energy to do it.  When you eat simple carbohydrates (Junk Food:  candy bars, cookies, pastries, pop, etc.) you loose energy due to their fast digestion which leaves you feeling sluggish and drained.  However, complex carbohydrates (fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc.) are slowly digested, taking longer to break down, meaning they give you more energy for longer.  Plus, physical activity  helps deliver oxygen and nutrients which helps the cardiovascular system work more efficiently, thus giving you more energy. 
3. Improved Mood.  Physical activity stimulates brain activity that makes you feel happy.  Exercise increases hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine which make you feel good and can even help lessen stress and depression.  And again, with that added bonus of getting into shape, self esteem gets raised and can even give you empowerment and a greater since of self.
4. Improved Sleep.  Healthier eating habits creates regular eating schedules and decreases the amounts of sugars in daily diets helping regular sleeping patterns.  Exercise also promotes better sleep, though exercising right before bed could get you wound up for a while or it could wear you out and be a great sleep aid, so see what works for you.
5. Improved Skin.  Eating healthy, getting the proper nutrients, and drinking plenty of water hydrates the skin, gives it a healthy glow and can keep it young and radiant. 
6. Improved Sex Life.  With all this energy, better mood and self esteem, you may be getting in the mood more frequently.   Regular physical activity equals enhanced arousal in women, as well as less cases of erectile dysfunction in men.
7. Helps weight maintenance.  Healthy lifestyles help you to loose or gain weight to reach a healthy body weight and maintain that weight for optimal health.
8. Keeps you Healthy.  Good eating habits and regular exercise improves and strengthens your immune system so it's better equipped to fight against the common cold or flu viruses, as well as reduces headaches, some arthritis, and other common aches and pains.
9. Helps Manage Chronic Conditions.  Regular physical activity and healthy eating habits have been proven to lower blood pressure, control blood sugar, relieve certain forms of depression, decrease pain from fibromyalgia, and control certain types of asthma. 
10. Helps Prevent Disease.  Ending with the most important one of all.  Studies show that eating right and regular exercise significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes - some of the leading killers in our nation, especially this region.  It can also help prevent certain types of cancer, depression, arthritis and possibly Alzheimer's. 
    

Living a Healthy Lifestyle Helps you Live Longer, Happier Lives

Do it for yourself, do it for your children, do it for the people who love you and be an example for those you love.  It's not about vanity.  It's about taking care of yourself, taking control of yourself, and giving yourself the best odds for survival and happiness.  So MAKE YOURSELF!!


References:
health.usnews.com
CDC
Mayo Clinic
Livestrong.com

Get Moving

I read an article in a popular fitness magazine about half way through my 12 week transformation challenge that gave me the biggest motivation and drive to push as hard as I can and finish strong.  While I read this piece, my blood started to boil and I got so darn angry I wanted to punch something.

It was about getting the best out of your workouts for your best health.  Their advice was to spare no expense when it came to exercise;  pay more for the better gym, make sure you have a trainer, buy the best shoes and gear, and get top of the line everything.

Maybe I just read this on a bad day but it made me think; if I was someone who was just trying to get into fitness, but had limited means of getting there, I would have probably just sat back down on the couch and picked up a box of cookies because I couldn't afford any of that stuff the fitness magazine said I needed. It made me feel like they were saying all my efforts were futile because they were low grade.  *Granted, it did not say that these were the only ways to get fit or healthy, but suggested that you need them. 

Not everybody can afford a gym membership, much more a trainer.  And have you been to an athletic retailer lately?  These prices are outrageous.

Now I'm sure that with these high fluting items you may be able to achieve better results in some areas, but I found and became determined to show everyone, that it doesn't matter what you have or use, CONSISTENCY, DETERMINATION, and DISCIPLINE will give you the results you want.

Treadmill from Walmart - $350
Several Sets of Dumbbells - $70
Exercise Bench - $45
Yoga Mat - $5
Exercise Ball - $8
Bands - $10
Jump Rope - $10
Shoes - found on Amazon $60
Workout Gear - mostly from TJ Maxx (discounted prices!)
Bought throughout the years as routines and fitness levels change.

The satisfaction of my transformation completion and proving someone wrong - PRICELESS


Don't let your limited means be an excuse for not being able to workout.  There is always SOMETHING you can do.

You don't have to do my workouts, I know I was somewhat ambitious on them, but hey I was trying to will a challenge and prove someone wrong.  There are sooo many things you can do to get moving that will greatly improve your health and fitness.

Great ways to get moving:

1. If you can join a gym, join a gym. - Get a tour and let someone explain where and what everything is.  Do some research and make sure you know what you're doing and doing it properly before beginning. 
2. Find a class. - Zumba, Yoga, CrossFit, Piloxing, etc. 
3. Walk/Jog outdoors - it's finally pretty out so get out there.  Find a track nearby or just go out around your house.  Throw the kids in a stroller, put the dog on the leash and drag the whole family along!
4. Jump Rope - the perfect cardio for small time and spaces.  'Fake' jump roping also works.
5. Exercise DVD's - you can pick these up at Walmart for $5-$10.  Find something you love.  Doesn't matter if it's one of Jillian Micheal's newest DVD's or a 10 year old Tao Bo.  *For strength training I recommend Jacky Warner, great for getting toned!
6. Build a Home Gym - find some equipment and make a routine that you can do in your living room.  (Check out some of my workout routines.)

*Yard Sale season!!  Best time and place to find cheap workout equipment.  I lost 20lbs last year on an 18 year old treadmill that was a dust holder in a barn for the past 5-10 years that we got for $40.  Doesn't have to be pretty, folks, just needs to work.

       7.  Get Creative - make a routine that works for you, with what you've got.  If you live where
            there are stairs, get in some awesome cardio by going up and down.  If you take your kids to
            the park everyday, make you a small routine while watching them and bust out some squats or
            pull-ups on the monkey bars.  There are plenty of workouts that use your own body weight
            that don't require any extra equipment and ways to modify certain moves safely so you can
            perform them with what you have. 

There are many more possibilities that you can do to exercise.  The point is:  find something and get moving.  Make sure it's something you enjoy so you'll want to do it, and be consistent. 

And remember not to let anyone make you think you're efforts, despite how fast or slow your results might be, are useless.  You are making a point to better yourself and your health and that's never useless.  Anything is better than sitting on the couch!!  MAKE YOURSELF!!

Resources:  BodyBuilding.com, Muscle&Fitness Hers.

 

Baby Steps Towards Healthier Eating

I'm sure a lot of you read over my favorite meals and thought to yourselves, 'I've never even heard of some of that stuff' or maybe, 'I don't like any of those things, or maybe just have never tried them'. 

If you've been eating processed, over sugared and fattening foods for most of your life (like myself, and everyone else in the US) then transitioning to healthier eating my take some time and adjustment.  You'll have to learn what real vegetables taste like that aren't soaked in oil and fried and fruits that aren't coated in sugar.  But please believe, they do taste good, in fact they are delicious. 

Enjoy foods for what they are: healthy foods are energy and nutrient sources that make you feel and look good, junk foods are fat and disease suppliers that slow you down and make you look and feel like crap.  Sure, it's great while you're eating it because it's oh-so yummy, but any and all goodness that you are feeling is gone after it passes your taste buds.

You don't have to eat what I eat, or maybe it's a little overwhelming for beginners, so I've made a list of my Top 10 Ways to Start Improving Healthier Eating Habits:

1. Cut out all refined sugars:  This is your candy bars, brownies, pop tarts, doughnuts, tasty cakes, Little Debbie's, cookies...need I continue.
2. Cut out the sodas, fruit juices, and sports drinks. The diet drinks are not doing you any favors either!  Drink lots and lots of water.
3. Cut down/out eating out.  Even a lot of the 'healthier' items on the menu are still loaded with extra fat and calories, so you could only guess how bad the 'unhealthier' foods are. 
4. Switch to Whole Wheat (bread, pasta, rice, wraps, crackers, bagels, etc), and reduce the or eliminate things with white flour (even pizza).
5. Add more green veggies.  It doesn't have to always be a salad nor do you have to be a culinary artist to create a great dish.  Just pick up a steamers bag in the freezer sections and serve that with dinner instead of mac & cheese.
6. Change your methods of cooking:  try grilling, baking, or broiling instead of frying or cooking in oils.
7. Cut out all Trans Fats and way down on Saturated Fats.  (Potato Chips, French Fries, etc)
8. Cut down on Sodium.  Read food labels and learn what items have a lot of hidden sodium (like canned food).
9. Switch to leaner proteins.  Go for boneless, skinless chicken instead of nuggets.  Try tilapia or cod instead of fried fish or fish sticks.  Buy the leaner burger, and trim all extra fat off meats.
10. Watch portion sizes.  Read labels and follow proper sizes and refer to pic below.

Baby Steps
Some of this might sound hard, weird, or just plain impossible to you.  DO NOT try to change all at once.  If you've drank 4 pops a day for the past 10 years do not completely eliminate pop all together.  The same goes for the cookies and candies.  If you try to cut out all sugar and fat at the same time you will be craving like crazy by day 2 and caving by day 3.  Your body has become accustomed to these things, expects them, and when deprived, it will crave it.

That's why it's important to take baby steps.  Cut back to 1 candy bar or brownie treat a day, then down to one small fun size piece after lunch and dinner, then just dinner.  Do the same for sodas, continuing to cut down until you can stop completely.  This gives your body a chance to adjust to the lowering levels of unhealthy foods its getting and not go through a withdrawal. 

Gradually start switching over to the healthier foods in your meals.  Make a goal to eat at least 5 clean meals a week, then 6, then 7, and so on until you find that the majority of your meals are clean.  You can also set a goal to only eat out once a week, then once every two weeks.  And remember to allow yourself a good 'treat' meal a week to curb those cravings.  After making healthier eating a habit you'll probably find that you feel better, have more energy, and your pant are looser. 

Now let's talk about Exercise!!

After last night’s Birthday Celebration, it’s time to burn it back off.  And even with good eating, you still need to be sure to incorporate exercise into your regular routine.  Exercise is not only important for losing weight and sculpting a toned, sexy body, but it's also important for keeping your heart healthy, gaining strength and flexibility, and preventing injury.

There are numerous workout programs out there like yoga, cross fit, zumba, body building, piloxing and many more. Some I've tried, others I haven't, but have seen success from just about all of them when done consistently because it something other than sitting on the couch.

Different programs will give you different results, just depends on what type of results you are wanting. Despite the look, buff, toned, lean, or whatever your vision of hot is, you need both cardio and some form of strength training.

 

Cardio is great for weight loss, increasing endurance, and overall heart health.  It gets your heart rate up, gets you sweating, and melts the muffin tops.  The key is to push yourself, give yourself a challenge.  You’re not going to see any results if you only put in little effort, and no, walking around the mall doesn’t count.

My cardio time is my therapy time.  A time for me to either get on the treadmill with some good music or get outside in the fresh air and just clear my head.  And each time I get on the treadmill I challenge myself to make it more intense than the last run; increase speed, add an incline, or add 5 minutes to my time.  Changing it up will keep your body from plateauing and give you continued results.

A great way to incorporate both intensity and variation into your routine is High Intensity Interval Training – HIIT.  This is when you exercise at a high intensity (going as hard as you can) for a duration and then resting for a duration (may not be fully at rest, but slowing down to a pace to get rest and catch your breath).   

Ex:   Sprint 60 seconds, walk 60 seconds, sprint 60 seconds, walk 60 seconds – repeat

HIIT doesn’t have to be just running either.  Any exercise where you can perform intervals with very high and low intensities will be just as affective.  And HIIT is growing widely popular because it can be done in such a short time because of the high intensity.  Where you might dread the idea of cardio because it means an hour on the treadmill, HIIT will give you the same results in half the time and gives your metabolism an extra boost to keep burning calories longer after you’re done!

Get up, get out there and start sweating!  Find something you’ll love, something that will keep you motivated, and something that will get you results!

So, if cardio is what you do for maximum weight loss, then why strength train? 

Your body is covered in muscle; it’s what gives you the strength to get up, sit down, pick up stuff, run, play…anything.  Without that muscle you’ll be unable to perform daily tasks as efficiently and more susceptible to injury.  And despite how much weight you lose, without any muscle underneath your skin, you’ll still have some flabbiness and loosens. Gaining muscle also has great benefits in weight loss and control, helping to burn more calories faster and keeping your metabolism reved up longer.

Ladies, don’t think that if you do strength training or weight lifting that you’ll bulk up and look like this:

 Iris Kyle 2013 Arnold Classic Ms. International

This is done only through specific training and hormonal supplementation, where the average women will not be physically nor anatomically possible to get these results.

Strength training will, however, give you that fullness and sexy curviness everyone desires especially during bikini season.

Like I said before, there are so many different routines you can do to achieve the body type you want.  Some prefer muscle definition, others prefer more curves, and most just want to look like Victoria’s Secret models – all which are achieved through strength training.

I like muscle definition, so that’s what I worked for, but you can change your routine to focus on what body type you want or what part of the body may need extra work, but make sure you work every muscle group for symmetry and safety.  Use more weights, use less weight, use bands, just use something that will give your muscles a workout to tone and strengthen them.  And just like the cardio, make sure you’re pushing yourself and changing it up often to prevent plateaus.

 

Between both cardio and strength training the hardest exercises I’ve found are:

Getting up off the couch!

Putting down the remote!

Walking away from the fridge!

 

Check out my workout routines. Granted I was a bit ambitious for the challenge, but hey it was for $100K prize and it worked!  I'll also be adding more workouts as I find them or switch them up and keep an eye out for an upcoming post where I'll share some great time saver workouts, things for beginners, favorite DVD's, and other tips.  Or if you need any help finding or creating a workout for you, please contact me and I'll be happy to help.  So, find something you like, something that will work for you and MAKE YOURSELF!!



References:
Bodybuilding.com
LiveStrong.com
FitnessRxWomen.com

MAKE (IT) YOURSELF: Tasty New Recipes - Birthday Dinner

I used to start my celebrating my birthday at the beginning of April and would ride it through all the way to the end of the month.  These days, though, with keeping up with two toddlers, laundry, house chores, and all sorts of other chaos I don’t get to celebrate it as much as I did in the past.  However, there’s one thing everyone should want and expect on their birthday; GOOD FOOD!

Now I did start planning my birthday dinner weeks ago.  I got out my ‘Super Craving’ list, (yes, I really have a list of all the food I crave but can’t have) and started deciphering through to see what I wanted to treat myself to. 

Pizza and Mac & Cheese!!

Oh yeah, that’s right.  The worst of the worst, total carb and cheese overload sounded like the perfect birthday dinner.  But the more I planned, the more I already started feeling guilty about the crap I was planning on putting into my body.  I wanted something that I don’t get every day, something tasty, but something that wouldn’t leave me regretting the whole thing.   

So what did I eat for my birthday dinner??  PIZZA and MAC & CHEESE!!

What????

You can always find a healthier version to any of your favorite meals.  Not always ‘healthy’, but definitely ‘healthier’.  Any time you make something yourself you can use substitutions and healthier ingredients, making it with all of the taste but little to no guilt!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This was amazing!  I used the Artisan Whole Wheat Pizza Crust from Pillsbury (not completely clean, but at least its whole wheat), and I will say we will be making pizza’s a little more often with this.  It had the cheesiness of a pizza, but packed with more protein from the chicken and amazing flavor from the BBQ sauce and cilantro.  I did cheat a little and used store bought BBQ sauce, but hey, I’m not super women.

 

Mac & Cheese

 

This was no Kraft, but it definitely satisfied my craving for mac & cheese, and allowed me a small portion of seconds.  Made with whole wheat pasta, a little low fat evaporated milk, and a small amount of full flavored cheese, this was exactly what I wanted.  Could actually add cooked ham or broccoli to this recipe and make it an entire meal.

 

 

It was a perfect birthday dinner.  I though about adding some greens or a salad just to get some veggies in there, but you only have your birthday once a year.  I got exactly what I wanted with very little guilt.

 

AND FOR DESSERT...

Sorry to burst your bubble, but no amazingly healthy cakes (at least not in this post).  I had some cake this past weekend, and did a little extra celebrating so I decided to keep it light tonight.  I still overindulged making all my efforts to go light slightly pointless, but if you're going to over-do it, its better to over-do it on light and healthy, than big and heavy.  (Again, its my birthday, so its not an everyday thing).

My cake: don’t worry; I did not eat all of this!  White and Milk Chocolate Covered Strawberries, mini chocolate protein muffins, and protein chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate covered strawberried are one of my favorite treats.  Its a perfect combination of sweetness!  I usually perfer dark chocolate, but I had to use all my dark chocolate chips in my muffins and cookies.  (The white chocolate is for my husband, his favorite too).

Mini Chocolate Protein Muffins

 

These are perfect bite size treats but also have a good amount of protein in them so they can also be a great between meal snack if you're having that chocolate craving.  Plus they're perfect size and sweetness for my toddlers.

 

 

 

 

Protein Chocolate Chips Cookies

 

Made with all natural sweeteners (except the chips of course), whole wheat flour, and very little oil, these tasty cookies are the perfect 'no cheat treat'.  And again, these are full of protein too and would even be a good pre-workout snack.

 

All recipes will be posted to my recipe tabs later tonight because right now I need to workout!

Let's talk about diet!

First of all, I hate the word diet. I do not diet, I eat right. Diet gives the implication that this is a short term fix instead of a lifestyle of healthy eating habits. The term diet also seems to have a negative conotation and makes you feel more deprived. Plus there are sooooo many different fad diets out there that are confusing, rediculous or just plain weird and that only help as long as you are following it 100%, though often leaves you back where you started a week after you finish.

I like the term 'clean eating'. It means that the foods you eat have very low, to no processing and are in their natural form. No added chemicals, sugars, or other foreign products; clean.

Becoming healthy and getting fit relies 80% on what you eat. It doesn't matter how many hours you spend in the gym or on the treadmill, real body transformations happen in the kitchen. Eating is about fueling your body with the nutrients it needs to survive and work efficiently. There are tons of clean foods out there that fuel your body to become energy efficient, faster metabolizing, fat melting, machines. However, there are 10 times that many foods that work to clog up your body's engines and slow you down, causing weight gain and can lead to numerous diseases. These foods are often easier to come by, cheaper, and even may trick you into thinking they are healthy, which is why they are consumed more than healthy foods, but they are not at all good for you.

Examples of Clean Foods v/s Unclean Foods

Clean	Unclean
Whole Fruit	Chips
Vegetables	Cookies
Whole Wheat Bread	Candy
Whole Wheat Pasta	Pastries
Lean Proteins	Pizza
Red Meats	Hot Dogs
Nuts	Cheese Burgers
Brown Rice	Lunch Meat
Beans	Sugary Condiments
Oats	Cheeses
Fish	White Breads and Flours

So, I know what you're thinking, this clean eating thing sucks if I can't have any candy, cookies or pizza ever again. That's not exactly the case. You eat to fuel your body, but sometimes you need to reward your body as well. I like to eat by the 80/20 rule. Eat clean for 80% of the time and then give yourself 20% for a reward or cheat meal. So eat clean all throughout the week and allow 1-2 good 'cheat' meal somewhere in that week. Everybody has cravings and if you don't allow yourself to indulge a little then it could lead to a huge binge or quitting all together. The key is self control and discipline. Be smart about your 20% and don't take advantage of it, that could set you back or worse, reverse your progress.

Another great thing I've found is that you can make a healthier version of almost ANYTHING. I've found amazing recipies for cakes, cookies, brownies, even pizzas, wings, and cinnamon rolls. These are wonderful ways to kill that craving without the guilt = win/win!!

See my pages on Healthy Eating Habits, Menus, and Recipes for more info and look for more posts in the future about more healthy eating tips and advice, as well as new recipes.

Make Yourself

I made a resolution January 2012 that I was going to get in better shape and run a race.  I bought a Nike shirt to workout in and for my race (because all women know we are way more likely to do something with the right clothes).  The shirt simply said, "MAKE YOUR SELF."  I loved it, it was perfect motivation for what I needed.  No one else was going to make me, I had to make myself and it was up to me to not only make myself do it, but to ultimately decide what I was going to make myself into.  This little phrase has given me motivation, inspiration, and strength to completely transform my body, health, and life and to always remember that its a journey, one that where you have to MAKE YOURSELF!

My fitness journey started over a year ago, making gains and facing set backs, but I put it in overdrive this past 3 months after I entered a Total Body Transformation Challenge.  It was an amazing experience to learn not only better eating habits and workouts, but what my own strength and will power will do.  I was able to loose 20 lbs (making it a total of 50 since January 2012) and leaned down to 13% body fat.

How??  My secret??  It's something you may have heard of.... EAT RIGHT AND EXERCISE!!

Sounds too easy, right.  Well, it's not.  Most people hear that and say they do that already and get no results.  The problem is we as a society have completely lost sight of what that really means to eat right and proper exercise and are blinded and confused by all of the conflicting information, new diets, and fad workouts, not to mention the the media showing supermodels eating junk food and people miraculously getting sexy toned bodies by their 30 minute workout they do once a week.

So very easily do we take our health for granted and forget that we actually have to actively work to keep, or get back, our health.  The old sayings 'nothing worth having ever comes free' is true for your health as well.  If you are concerned about your health (or maybe just want to look hot - both go hand in hand) you have to do your part.  It takes effort, discipline, and self control, but the good news:  anybody at any fitness level, size, or shape can do something to become healthier and more fit.  You just have to MAKE YOUR SELF!!

4/14/12 First 10K ever!