If you've seen my Fitness Tip of the Day on my Facebook Page: A Better Reflection posted on December 24, 2012 then
you know you need to USE YOUR CORE!.
Your core muscles are an integral
part of almost any workout. They help control your balance, protect
your back, and provide support for many other activities.Contracting
your core appropriately helps you get the most out of your activity and
keeps you safe.
As a matter of fact you can get strong tight abs without
doing a single sit up if you use your core in a variety of workouts .
I'm living proof of that thanks to Insanity. Your core consists of the
muscles surrounding your abdomen, upper abs, lower abs, and obliques.
Try it! You can help focus your abs by putting your hand on your abs or
touching or pointing to your abs as you do a particular workout
activity. Taking a few seconding to check your abs in this way during a
workout will help your body focus on contracting them and will eventually
lead to you automatically doing so without having to check as often. You
can check your abs any time you have a free hand in a exercise, even if
moving both arms is part of the exercise, such as when doing a jumping
jack.
Let's say you have decided to do as many jumping jacks as you can
in a minute. Start your jumping jacks. At a certain point to make sure
you are contracting your abs, just put one hand on your abs for a few
repetitions to make sure you are tightening your abs when doing this
move, meanwhile your legs and other arm keep doing the jumping jack
movement. Once your are sure your contracting your abs appropriately
return to using both arms as in the a tradition jumping jack.
Contracting your core during the jumping jacks protects both your back
and your knees! Just remember to keep your knees soft as you land.
Since
I started my fitness journey I have heard this bit of advice over an over
again in almost every fitness program I've tried from EA Sports Active workouts, workouts suggested in health magazines,
to the Beachbody workouts I've tried such as Turbo Jam, Tia Cheng, and
Insanity "Use Your Core!" or "Contract Your Abs!" because the fact of
the matter is that you use your abs to do almost everything like jumping, kicking, turning, squatting, sprinting, or doing a push up.
www.BeachBodyCoach.com/JJasMyself
www.MyUltimateReset.com/JJasMyself
www.MyShakeology.com/JJasMyself
Monday, December 24, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
New Years Resolutions & Challenge Packs
The holiday season is in full swing and soon we'll be celebrating the new year. A New Year often means making a resolution to improve your life in some way. If your New Years resolution includes eating healthier, improving your fitness level, losing weight, or adopting a healthier lifestyle altogether Team BeachBody can help! Take the Team Beachbody Challenge. The challenge packs include everything you need to succeed with your health and fitness goals this year. A fitness programs to meet a variety of interests and needs, sound nutrition guides, supplements, and most importantly the motivation and support of ME! Your Independent Team BeachBody Coach!
Order your Challenge Pack for fitness program today so you are ready to kick off the New Year!
www.BeachBodyCoach.com/JJasMyself
www.MyUltimateReset.com/JJasMyself
www.MyShakeology.com/JJasMyself
www.MyUltimateReset.com/JJasMyself
www.MyShakeology.com/JJasMyself
Monday, November 26, 2012
Insanity Review - Why It's the Perfect at Home Program
What do you call 6 feet of space, your own body weight, and something that plays a DVD?
Your personal total body gym!
I'm serious. If you have 6 feet of space and a place to watch a DVD you can get an excellent total body workout that will give you improved strength, cardio, and agility all in just 60 days 40 minutes a day.
I was never really one for at home workouts. Ever since I was a teenager (many, many moons ago) I would try some at home workout program or another, but would never stick with it for some reason or another. I hated, absolutely hated Aerobic workouts because I just couldn't seem to keep up with the video, just about the time I would get the hang of a certain set of moves, it would change. I felt clumsy and frustrated at best. Because of this I tended to stick to the gym, or running, or more conventional methods of training.
After having my baby it took me a few years to believe that I could ever be the healthy version of myself that I once was. I had gained so much weight over the years just believing I didn't have time for everything I had to do in my life as a homeowner, working full time, being a wife, and mother. So I slowly let my health and fitness slip away from me. A couple years later I was faced with the challenge of being a single mom. I love my baby girl more than anything in the world world and I didn't want to be the out of shape, always tired, version of a mom that I was any more. So, I started hitting the gym again, but progress was slow. Then my dad bought me a workout video game that I tried. I wasn't expecting much to happen as I felt like nothing would work, but slowly and surely I got in better shape. Soon I out worked the fitness video game. I needed something more. That sent me back to the gym to lift and run on the treadmill. Then a friend of mine, who was a Beachbody Coach, told me about the Team Beachbody Insanity Challenge group. So, I thought I'd give it a shot.
What's Not To Love About Insanity?!
No Equipment Needed
I never would have believed you could really get the kind of results I've been getting with an at home workout. Especially one that requires no extra equipment. Just six feet of space and your body. I'm only starting week 4 of Insanity and I've lost 2 inches around my waist and am seeing some serious definition in my arms and legs. Oh, and I'm making major improvements on my fit tests.
Realistic Expectations
One thing that has always bothered me about at home workout programs was watching all the "perfect bodied" people in the background working out and never once needed to take a break. There was always that cynical part of me with the thought in the back of my head that these workouts weren't meant for the average person. This simply isn't so with Insanity. Yes, Insanity pushes you to be able to do things that you probably never thought your body was capable of doing, but Shaun T reminds you throughout his workouts not to sacrifice form. To take a break if you need it and then get back to it. Even the trained athletes in his videos are seen taking a break when the needed. And like a good coach Shaun T even tells some of the people in his video to take a break when he sees them losing their form. "Take a break if you need it. I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm just trying to make push you and make you stronger." he says at one point in the Pure Cardio workout. I like this, because this alleviates that sense of failure I used to feel when I couldn't keep up withe video. So, I take a break when I need it and get back to it. After four weeks of Insanity I'm taking less breaks and the breaks I do take are shorter. Insanity WORKS.
Delicious & Nutritious Meals in the Elite Nutrition Guide
Insanity doesn't just set itself apart with the genius of Shaun T's fitness program, but with the Elite Nutrition Guide as well! Unlike many of the healthy eating guide's I have tried in the past the majority of the meals in the Elite Nutrition Guide are comprised of everyday easy to prepare foods. THIS to me is key to maintaining a healthy diet. Anyone who has been reading this blog for any length of time knows that I try to present health and fitness from a real world perspective. And in the real world, people are busy, and people don't have much money to throw around. the Elite Nutrition Guide doesn't send you to the grocery store looking for some expensive rare ingredients. Chances are whatever your favorite grocery store happens to be, it will carry what you need for most the meals in the Elite Nutrition Guide. Saving you time and Money and who doesn't want to do that?
The Comfort of Your Own Home
Ok, so this is true about any at home workout program, but the fact that I get the results of Insanity in my own home makes this one seem so awesome! It's almost winter here in South Western PA which means snow, temperatures below freezing, and at times unsafe driving conditions. So, the fact that I can get stronger, faster, and more agile without having to leave my house is a major plus right now.
Results You Can See
When I was workout out with EA Sports Active 2 and tracking my diet on My Fitness Pal I was weighing myself every chance I could get and officially weighing in every week. That was what kept me motivated and kept me focused. Seeing the scale drop. With Insanity I hardly weight myself because I am getting results I can see... actually I'm getting results everyone can see. Whether it's a personal NSV like my clothes fitting better or seeing the definition in my shoulders and biceps or that first set of abs trying to make themselves known. I'm seeing results almost every day. I'm seeing results on my fit tests every two weeks. And everyone around me is seeing results and commenting on them. Even people I work with every day have been complimenting me on how good I'm looking and how they can tell I'm getting more toned and look firmer. Who needs a scale when you have results you can see and feel?
Ready to experience this kind of success for yourself. Pick up your copy of Insanity today!
http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/Insanity?referringRepId=198256
Have any questions or comments about Insanity. Feel free to contact me!
JJasMyself@BeachbodyCoach.com
Your personal total body gym!
I'm serious. If you have 6 feet of space and a place to watch a DVD you can get an excellent total body workout that will give you improved strength, cardio, and agility all in just 60 days 40 minutes a day.
I was never really one for at home workouts. Ever since I was a teenager (many, many moons ago) I would try some at home workout program or another, but would never stick with it for some reason or another. I hated, absolutely hated Aerobic workouts because I just couldn't seem to keep up with the video, just about the time I would get the hang of a certain set of moves, it would change. I felt clumsy and frustrated at best. Because of this I tended to stick to the gym, or running, or more conventional methods of training.
After having my baby it took me a few years to believe that I could ever be the healthy version of myself that I once was. I had gained so much weight over the years just believing I didn't have time for everything I had to do in my life as a homeowner, working full time, being a wife, and mother. So I slowly let my health and fitness slip away from me. A couple years later I was faced with the challenge of being a single mom. I love my baby girl more than anything in the world world and I didn't want to be the out of shape, always tired, version of a mom that I was any more. So, I started hitting the gym again, but progress was slow. Then my dad bought me a workout video game that I tried. I wasn't expecting much to happen as I felt like nothing would work, but slowly and surely I got in better shape. Soon I out worked the fitness video game. I needed something more. That sent me back to the gym to lift and run on the treadmill. Then a friend of mine, who was a Beachbody Coach, told me about the Team Beachbody Insanity Challenge group. So, I thought I'd give it a shot.
What's Not To Love About Insanity?!
No Equipment Needed
I never would have believed you could really get the kind of results I've been getting with an at home workout. Especially one that requires no extra equipment. Just six feet of space and your body. I'm only starting week 4 of Insanity and I've lost 2 inches around my waist and am seeing some serious definition in my arms and legs. Oh, and I'm making major improvements on my fit tests.
Realistic Expectations
One thing that has always bothered me about at home workout programs was watching all the "perfect bodied" people in the background working out and never once needed to take a break. There was always that cynical part of me with the thought in the back of my head that these workouts weren't meant for the average person. This simply isn't so with Insanity. Yes, Insanity pushes you to be able to do things that you probably never thought your body was capable of doing, but Shaun T reminds you throughout his workouts not to sacrifice form. To take a break if you need it and then get back to it. Even the trained athletes in his videos are seen taking a break when the needed. And like a good coach Shaun T even tells some of the people in his video to take a break when he sees them losing their form. "Take a break if you need it. I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm just trying to make push you and make you stronger." he says at one point in the Pure Cardio workout. I like this, because this alleviates that sense of failure I used to feel when I couldn't keep up withe video. So, I take a break when I need it and get back to it. After four weeks of Insanity I'm taking less breaks and the breaks I do take are shorter. Insanity WORKS.
Delicious & Nutritious Meals in the Elite Nutrition Guide
Insanity doesn't just set itself apart with the genius of Shaun T's fitness program, but with the Elite Nutrition Guide as well! Unlike many of the healthy eating guide's I have tried in the past the majority of the meals in the Elite Nutrition Guide are comprised of everyday easy to prepare foods. THIS to me is key to maintaining a healthy diet. Anyone who has been reading this blog for any length of time knows that I try to present health and fitness from a real world perspective. And in the real world, people are busy, and people don't have much money to throw around. the Elite Nutrition Guide doesn't send you to the grocery store looking for some expensive rare ingredients. Chances are whatever your favorite grocery store happens to be, it will carry what you need for most the meals in the Elite Nutrition Guide. Saving you time and Money and who doesn't want to do that?
The Comfort of Your Own Home
Ok, so this is true about any at home workout program, but the fact that I get the results of Insanity in my own home makes this one seem so awesome! It's almost winter here in South Western PA which means snow, temperatures below freezing, and at times unsafe driving conditions. So, the fact that I can get stronger, faster, and more agile without having to leave my house is a major plus right now.
Results You Can See
When I was workout out with EA Sports Active 2 and tracking my diet on My Fitness Pal I was weighing myself every chance I could get and officially weighing in every week. That was what kept me motivated and kept me focused. Seeing the scale drop. With Insanity I hardly weight myself because I am getting results I can see... actually I'm getting results everyone can see. Whether it's a personal NSV like my clothes fitting better or seeing the definition in my shoulders and biceps or that first set of abs trying to make themselves known. I'm seeing results almost every day. I'm seeing results on my fit tests every two weeks. And everyone around me is seeing results and commenting on them. Even people I work with every day have been complimenting me on how good I'm looking and how they can tell I'm getting more toned and look firmer. Who needs a scale when you have results you can see and feel?
Ready to experience this kind of success for yourself. Pick up your copy of Insanity today!
http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/Insanity?referringRepId=198256
Have any questions or comments about Insanity. Feel free to contact me!
JJasMyself@BeachbodyCoach.com
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
NSV - The Most Motivating Victory!
You don't have to be in the fitness world for very long before you see three letters pop up in everyone's posts and blogs. NSV.
What do they mean? For most people they mean the have undeniable proof that they are making actual progress toward their health and fitness goals. More motivating than the numbers on the scale and more genuine too!
NSV stands for "Non-Scale Victory"
A Non-Scale Victory can be anything that is proof positive that you are achieving your fitness goals. All the time and hard work you put into creating a healthier lifestyle are paying off.
NSVs tend to be more motivating than simply seeing the numbers drop on the scale for two reasons.
1) even when you are making progress the numbers on the scale don't always drop. Sometimes they hold steady and at times you might even seen them climb.... so really, the numbers on the scale are a poor indicator and at times can definitely be a poor motivator of your actually fitness progress.
2) Non-Scale Victories usually take you by surprise. It's that random comment from a co-worker who takes the time to say, "Wow, you're really looking good! Your body looks firmer" or "your skin is glowing." or that morning you are trudging up that flight of steps to drop your daughter off at day care before work when you get to the top and realize, you're not out of breath! That goes double for when you realize that you've reached the top, you're not out of breath, AND you were carrying your daughter!
It's running a 5K three whole minutes faster than you ran your last one. It's getting through INSANITY: Cardio Power & Resistance the third time around and realizing you didn't have to take a break before the warm ups were over. It's have to cut the sleeves off your t-shirts because your biceps have gotten so big the sleeves are uncomfortable.
But the coolest NSVs I've ever had are the ones you don't really think about until they happen. Like when you pull your winter clothes out of storage and realize not one pair of pants fits without a belt holding them up. Or something as silly as sinking into a bubble bath for the first time in months and realizing there's a whole lot more room in the tub than you remember there being the last time you had the chance to take one!
Yes, Non-Scale Victories are a delight. And can really keep you motivated. So, keep measuring, keep stepping on that scale if you need to, but don't let standard units of measure dictate your feelings about your progress. After all, getting healthy and staying fit isn't about seeing how skinny you can get or about how much weight you can lose. It's about increasing your quality of life. The more you can do today that you couldn't do a week ago, a month ago, a year ago, the better your quality of life is.
So, when you're chasing your little one around the backyard in a game of tag. Take a moment to realize how much more fun it is now that you don't get out of breath after just 5 minutes.
Now that you know what an NSV is I would love for you to share some of yours! What progress have you seen that keeps you motivated to continue doing what you're doing? Let me hear some Non-Scale Victories of your own!
What do they mean? For most people they mean the have undeniable proof that they are making actual progress toward their health and fitness goals. More motivating than the numbers on the scale and more genuine too!
NSV stands for "Non-Scale Victory"
A Non-Scale Victory can be anything that is proof positive that you are achieving your fitness goals. All the time and hard work you put into creating a healthier lifestyle are paying off.
NSVs tend to be more motivating than simply seeing the numbers drop on the scale for two reasons.
1) even when you are making progress the numbers on the scale don't always drop. Sometimes they hold steady and at times you might even seen them climb.... so really, the numbers on the scale are a poor indicator and at times can definitely be a poor motivator of your actually fitness progress.
2) Non-Scale Victories usually take you by surprise. It's that random comment from a co-worker who takes the time to say, "Wow, you're really looking good! Your body looks firmer" or "your skin is glowing." or that morning you are trudging up that flight of steps to drop your daughter off at day care before work when you get to the top and realize, you're not out of breath! That goes double for when you realize that you've reached the top, you're not out of breath, AND you were carrying your daughter!
It's running a 5K three whole minutes faster than you ran your last one. It's getting through INSANITY: Cardio Power & Resistance the third time around and realizing you didn't have to take a break before the warm ups were over. It's have to cut the sleeves off your t-shirts because your biceps have gotten so big the sleeves are uncomfortable.
But the coolest NSVs I've ever had are the ones you don't really think about until they happen. Like when you pull your winter clothes out of storage and realize not one pair of pants fits without a belt holding them up. Or something as silly as sinking into a bubble bath for the first time in months and realizing there's a whole lot more room in the tub than you remember there being the last time you had the chance to take one!
Yes, Non-Scale Victories are a delight. And can really keep you motivated. So, keep measuring, keep stepping on that scale if you need to, but don't let standard units of measure dictate your feelings about your progress. After all, getting healthy and staying fit isn't about seeing how skinny you can get or about how much weight you can lose. It's about increasing your quality of life. The more you can do today that you couldn't do a week ago, a month ago, a year ago, the better your quality of life is.
So, when you're chasing your little one around the backyard in a game of tag. Take a moment to realize how much more fun it is now that you don't get out of breath after just 5 minutes.
Now that you know what an NSV is I would love for you to share some of yours! What progress have you seen that keeps you motivated to continue doing what you're doing? Let me hear some Non-Scale Victories of your own!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Beachbody Coaching.
For those of your who are my friends or followers on Facebook or Twitter you already know that I've taken on endeavor. I have become and Independent Beach Body Coach.
Why Beachbody? Beachbody makes a full line of products from nutritional supplements, meal plans and workout equipment to highly effective and recognizable home workout programs. If you have ever heard of P90X, INSANITY, Turbo Jam, Brazil Butt Lift, or Body Beast then you've heard of Beachbody.
I was first introduced to Beachbody products when I saw an Infomercial for Turbo Jam back in 2007 I still have and do the Turbo Jam workouts today. As a matter of fact I am in the process of arranging a Turbo Jam Challenge group to kick off New Year! When I first started doing Turbo Jam I stuck to the included meal plans and made the workouts a part of my daily life and the extra weight just seemed to melt off.
Beachbody sells all the equipment you need to successfully succeed. After a while I felt I needed more of a challenge so I ordered the weight gloves to help increase the intensity of my workout. I love these gloves! I even use them when doing other workouts!
While the programs and equipment are excellent the thing that drew me to Beachbody was the community. The coaches and other Beachbody members are fantastic motivators. As a matter of fact my Beachbody coach was there to motivate and support me even when I was using other programs and products. It is evident that the Coaches of Beachbody are passionate about fitness and helping others on a their journey to health and fitness. That is why I decided to become a Beachbody Coach!
While I wear many hats I my daily life. I love health and fitness. I love sharing in others journeys and motivating each other. Since I have experienced the quality of Beachbody products and their effectiveness I knew it was something I could get behind.
Another product that is synonymous with Beachbody is ShakeOlogy. A meal replacement shake that is packed with nutrition!
To find out more about Beachbody or ShakeOlogy check out these links:
http://beachbodycoach.com/JJasMyself
http://myshakeology.com/JJasMyself
http://myultimatereset.com/JJasMyself
Why Beachbody? Beachbody makes a full line of products from nutritional supplements, meal plans and workout equipment to highly effective and recognizable home workout programs. If you have ever heard of P90X, INSANITY, Turbo Jam, Brazil Butt Lift, or Body Beast then you've heard of Beachbody.
I was first introduced to Beachbody products when I saw an Infomercial for Turbo Jam back in 2007 I still have and do the Turbo Jam workouts today. As a matter of fact I am in the process of arranging a Turbo Jam Challenge group to kick off New Year! When I first started doing Turbo Jam I stuck to the included meal plans and made the workouts a part of my daily life and the extra weight just seemed to melt off.
Beachbody sells all the equipment you need to successfully succeed. After a while I felt I needed more of a challenge so I ordered the weight gloves to help increase the intensity of my workout. I love these gloves! I even use them when doing other workouts!
While the programs and equipment are excellent the thing that drew me to Beachbody was the community. The coaches and other Beachbody members are fantastic motivators. As a matter of fact my Beachbody coach was there to motivate and support me even when I was using other programs and products. It is evident that the Coaches of Beachbody are passionate about fitness and helping others on a their journey to health and fitness. That is why I decided to become a Beachbody Coach!
While I wear many hats I my daily life. I love health and fitness. I love sharing in others journeys and motivating each other. Since I have experienced the quality of Beachbody products and their effectiveness I knew it was something I could get behind.
Another product that is synonymous with Beachbody is ShakeOlogy. A meal replacement shake that is packed with nutrition!
To find out more about Beachbody or ShakeOlogy check out these links:
http://beachbodycoach.com/JJasMyself
http://myshakeology.com/JJasMyself
http://myultimatereset.com/JJasMyself
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Body Proud at Any Size, and healthy too!
I've been reading a lot of articles lately in which the writers try to make people pursuing a healthy lifestyle into the enemy. Trying to flip the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle into a symptom of insecurity or lack of confidence. I'll be the first person to tell you that you should be proud of your body not matter what it looks like. No matter what it's shape or size. Your body is amazing. YOU are amazing. Who you are and the magnitude of amazingness has nothing to do with what you look like (Yes, I know "amazingness" is not a real word, but work with me here). End of Story. However, if you feel you have to defend your right to be body proud at a larger size by putting down those perusing a healthier lifestyle, you might really want to reflect on why you feel this way.
I honestly think men and women can be gorgeous at any size. And I'm not just talking Tyra banks version of plus size.What matters is if you're happy and if you're healthy.
When I was medically considered to be obese I wasn't happy. Not because of the terminology, but because of the way I felt. Thirty-Five pounds ago I was tired all the time. It took effort to run around the back yard with my toddler. I had no energy. My feet ached at the end of each work day. I just wanted to sleep all the time. And I got sick more often than I do now. As a matter of fact, I hardly get sick at all now. In the past year I only had to call off work one time due to illness, mostly because in the past year I've only been sick one time in the past year (yes, I know, I probably just jinxed myself by saying that). When you consider I'm a Pre-K teacher staying that healthy is an accomplishment!
Now, I am happy. Now, I love the way I feel now. I'm only 35 pounds lighter than I was 15 months ago, which is by no means super model thin, and with no desire to be, I feel great! I love how easily I can move with ease whether its getting up and down and moving all round the play areas at work or just running around the back yard and climbing play gyms with my own daughter. Love it! Movements that took effort 35lbs ago take place without a thought today. I sleep better. I have more energy. And I really enjoy my life and my body and all the amazing things it can do.
I workout today because it's fun! As a matter of fact I recently started a new workout program, Beachbody's INSANITY! I'm taking the INSANITY Challenge! Which means I had to take "before" pictures. The funny thing is, I wasn't like most people who take "before" pictures when starting a new diet or fitness program with the depressed look on their faces looking all frumpy. Nope! Not me! I took before pictures and I thought, "Wow! I look this good before the program! I can't wait to see how much stronger and leaner I'll look after!" That's the goal for me. Not to be thin, but to push myself to my physical peak of fitness. I love my body and seeing all the amazing things it can do. There's more to being healthy than your annual exam and blood test results. THIS amazing feeling is what keeps me workout out and eating right!
But what got me to this point was a concern for my health.
On top of the way I felt, when I was overweight, was the concern for my future health and all the health risks that come with being overweight. In many of the articles I've been reading lately the writers defend their right to be fat (their words, not mine) by citing their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. That's great! That's a start, but there's more to the story than blood pressure and cholesterol levels. I almost didn't write this post because I don't think scare tactics convince any one to do anything worth doing, but the fact is this is not a scare tactic. This is reality.
The reality is carrying extra weight, especially around your midsection is dangerous, regardless of your blood pressure or blood test results, especially if that extra weight comes in the form of visceral fat. I've written about visceral fat and subcutaneous fat before in another article: Visceral Fat vs Subcutaneous Fat. So, while you're blood pressure may be at a healthy level, you may still be at risk. In addition to risk to your internal organs is the strong correlation between being overweight and serious diseases like Heart Disease and Diabetes and the increased risk of certain cancers. These are real risks to your health that can be prevented by adopting a healthier lifestyle. So, be body proud at any size, just be healthy too.
For more information on Diabetes Prevention check out this site:
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/?loc=DropDownDB-prevention
For more information on Cancer Risks check out these articles:
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/body_weight/overweight/cancer_risk.htm
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity
For more information on Heart Disease check out this site:
http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/behavior.htm
I honestly think men and women can be gorgeous at any size. And I'm not just talking Tyra banks version of plus size.What matters is if you're happy and if you're healthy.
When I was medically considered to be obese I wasn't happy. Not because of the terminology, but because of the way I felt. Thirty-Five pounds ago I was tired all the time. It took effort to run around the back yard with my toddler. I had no energy. My feet ached at the end of each work day. I just wanted to sleep all the time. And I got sick more often than I do now. As a matter of fact, I hardly get sick at all now. In the past year I only had to call off work one time due to illness, mostly because in the past year I've only been sick one time in the past year (yes, I know, I probably just jinxed myself by saying that). When you consider I'm a Pre-K teacher staying that healthy is an accomplishment!
Now, I am happy. Now, I love the way I feel now. I'm only 35 pounds lighter than I was 15 months ago, which is by no means super model thin, and with no desire to be, I feel great! I love how easily I can move with ease whether its getting up and down and moving all round the play areas at work or just running around the back yard and climbing play gyms with my own daughter. Love it! Movements that took effort 35lbs ago take place without a thought today. I sleep better. I have more energy. And I really enjoy my life and my body and all the amazing things it can do.
I workout today because it's fun! As a matter of fact I recently started a new workout program, Beachbody's INSANITY! I'm taking the INSANITY Challenge! Which means I had to take "before" pictures. The funny thing is, I wasn't like most people who take "before" pictures when starting a new diet or fitness program with the depressed look on their faces looking all frumpy. Nope! Not me! I took before pictures and I thought, "Wow! I look this good before the program! I can't wait to see how much stronger and leaner I'll look after!" That's the goal for me. Not to be thin, but to push myself to my physical peak of fitness. I love my body and seeing all the amazing things it can do. There's more to being healthy than your annual exam and blood test results. THIS amazing feeling is what keeps me workout out and eating right!
But what got me to this point was a concern for my health.
On top of the way I felt, when I was overweight, was the concern for my future health and all the health risks that come with being overweight. In many of the articles I've been reading lately the writers defend their right to be fat (their words, not mine) by citing their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. That's great! That's a start, but there's more to the story than blood pressure and cholesterol levels. I almost didn't write this post because I don't think scare tactics convince any one to do anything worth doing, but the fact is this is not a scare tactic. This is reality.
The reality is carrying extra weight, especially around your midsection is dangerous, regardless of your blood pressure or blood test results, especially if that extra weight comes in the form of visceral fat. I've written about visceral fat and subcutaneous fat before in another article: Visceral Fat vs Subcutaneous Fat. So, while you're blood pressure may be at a healthy level, you may still be at risk. In addition to risk to your internal organs is the strong correlation between being overweight and serious diseases like Heart Disease and Diabetes and the increased risk of certain cancers. These are real risks to your health that can be prevented by adopting a healthier lifestyle. So, be body proud at any size, just be healthy too.
For more information on Diabetes Prevention check out this site:
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/?loc=DropDownDB-prevention
For more information on Cancer Risks check out these articles:
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/body_weight/overweight/cancer_risk.htm
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity
For more information on Heart Disease check out this site:
http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/behavior.htm
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Setting Clocks Back Doesn't Need to Set Your Fitness Back
It's that time of year again. The weather is getting colder and the sun is setting much earlier. The colder temperatures temp us to seek comfort foods usually in the form of carbs and sugar. The falling temperatures and the dwindling day light deter us from sticking to our outdoor summer workout routines because we don't want to leave our nice warm houses.
As humans we tend to be creatures of habit. We enjoy routines. As long as we have a routine we can stick to it. So, when seasons change causes a kink in our health and fitness plans. This is why I promote the idea of keeping your workout routines fresh. Learn to adapt and find ways to enjoy working out for each season.
I live in Pennsylvania where the outside conditions are drastically different in the spring and summer than they are in the fall and winter. While I enjoy the freedom, fresh air, and beauty of running outside in the spring, summer, and early fall, I find that it is neither fun nor safe to run outside in late fall and early winter. It gets dark so your a less visible to traffic and the amount and types of precipitation make it difficult to keep your footing. That and I hate being cold. I hate it with a passion. So, running outside when temperatures drop below 50, let alone below freezing is not my idea of fun and it's not a fitness routine that I could stick with. So, in the winter I bring my workouts inside. I've done anything from my own workouts, to EA Sports Active 2, to a variety of Beach Body workouts. As a matter of fact I just took the Insanity fit test today. I will be starting Day 1 of the 60 day Insanity program tomorrow.
Switching your fitness program every so often is a good idea even if you live in a area with more mild temperatures year round. Changing things up keeps your fitness routine fresh and interesting. Plus it might force you to workout aspects of your fitness or body that you've been neglecting in your current routines thus improving your over all fitness level.
Cold Weather and Warm Food
If you're like me, colder temperatures sends you raiding the cupboards for warm comforting foods. This can be dangerous especially since, as I've always joked, Halloween kicks off the eating season. From now until just after the New Year you'll be bombarded with cookies, cakes, snacks, and treats of all kinds. Who can resist the warmth of fresh baked breads, cookies, or cakes? While many of these things are absolutely delicious, as we all know, they wreak havoc on your health and weight loss goals.
I will never be one to tell you that you must completely deprive yourself of the occasional treat. I strongly believe you can enjoy some of your family's traditional holiday grub and still stick to your health and fitness goals. Just limit the amounts of the goodies and make it a point to reach for healthier foods for meals.
You can still get the warmth and comfort of your favorite winter time meals if you choose healthier versions of them. For instance you can choose whole grain versions of you favorite warm cereals, pastas, or breads. Even better, you can pair a smaller serving of your favorite comfort food with a side of steamed vegetables. Doing this will reduce your overall calorie intake and add healthier more filling components to your diet!
Since I started my journey back to health and fitness I have become a big fan of soups for my winter time meals! Soups are the ultimate comfort food since they are often low in calories and filling as well a hydrating... unless of course they are cream based soups then the low calorie factor is null and void.
So setting your clocks back doesn't have to set back your health and fitness routines too! With a little bit of creativity and adjustment you can continue making progress toward your health and fitness goals!
As humans we tend to be creatures of habit. We enjoy routines. As long as we have a routine we can stick to it. So, when seasons change causes a kink in our health and fitness plans. This is why I promote the idea of keeping your workout routines fresh. Learn to adapt and find ways to enjoy working out for each season.
I live in Pennsylvania where the outside conditions are drastically different in the spring and summer than they are in the fall and winter. While I enjoy the freedom, fresh air, and beauty of running outside in the spring, summer, and early fall, I find that it is neither fun nor safe to run outside in late fall and early winter. It gets dark so your a less visible to traffic and the amount and types of precipitation make it difficult to keep your footing. That and I hate being cold. I hate it with a passion. So, running outside when temperatures drop below 50, let alone below freezing is not my idea of fun and it's not a fitness routine that I could stick with. So, in the winter I bring my workouts inside. I've done anything from my own workouts, to EA Sports Active 2, to a variety of Beach Body workouts. As a matter of fact I just took the Insanity fit test today. I will be starting Day 1 of the 60 day Insanity program tomorrow.
Switching your fitness program every so often is a good idea even if you live in a area with more mild temperatures year round. Changing things up keeps your fitness routine fresh and interesting. Plus it might force you to workout aspects of your fitness or body that you've been neglecting in your current routines thus improving your over all fitness level.
Cold Weather and Warm Food
If you're like me, colder temperatures sends you raiding the cupboards for warm comforting foods. This can be dangerous especially since, as I've always joked, Halloween kicks off the eating season. From now until just after the New Year you'll be bombarded with cookies, cakes, snacks, and treats of all kinds. Who can resist the warmth of fresh baked breads, cookies, or cakes? While many of these things are absolutely delicious, as we all know, they wreak havoc on your health and weight loss goals.
I will never be one to tell you that you must completely deprive yourself of the occasional treat. I strongly believe you can enjoy some of your family's traditional holiday grub and still stick to your health and fitness goals. Just limit the amounts of the goodies and make it a point to reach for healthier foods for meals.
You can still get the warmth and comfort of your favorite winter time meals if you choose healthier versions of them. For instance you can choose whole grain versions of you favorite warm cereals, pastas, or breads. Even better, you can pair a smaller serving of your favorite comfort food with a side of steamed vegetables. Doing this will reduce your overall calorie intake and add healthier more filling components to your diet!
Since I started my journey back to health and fitness I have become a big fan of soups for my winter time meals! Soups are the ultimate comfort food since they are often low in calories and filling as well a hydrating... unless of course they are cream based soups then the low calorie factor is null and void.
So setting your clocks back doesn't have to set back your health and fitness routines too! With a little bit of creativity and adjustment you can continue making progress toward your health and fitness goals!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
What's Your Motivation?
How do you stay motivated to make the better choice, the healthier choice?
Making the better choice instead of the more comforting choice when it comes to food, Making the choice to fit in a workout instead of a few more minutes of sleep, isn't always easy. I takes motivation and daily reminders of why you are passing up a trip to Dairy Queen or choosing to only eat one ounce of dark chocolate instead of the entire bar to keep you on track. Sometimes just a look in the mirror at what you have accomplished is all you need. Or stepping on the scale every week. For some the motivation is reminding themselves of a specific date because their journey to a better lifestyle began because of an impending special event such as a wedding, a reunion, a landmark birthday, or some other special occasion, but depending on how far off the event is, it can be difficult to continually make the better choice. And once that day has come and gone, how do you continue to motivate yourself to stay on track?
I've been on a journey to a better lifestyle for a little over 11 months now. I've lost 37lbs and am literally half the size I was, but even I have had those moments of weakness and have run into what I viewed as road blocks, but I've kept as I say, "fighting the good fight."
These past few weeks since school has let out has been especially hard because it is a completely different schedule from the school year for me. So trying to rearrange everything has proven to be difficult. Then the other day I stumbled upon a healthy dose of motivation. I was scrolling through some Facebook pictures from 2 years ago when I took my daughter to an amusement park and I couldn't believe how different I looked then compared to now, but when I looked at those pics I didn't think about how I LOOKED so much as I how I remembered feeling. Those memories are happy ones because of the joy and excitement of my daughter, but remembering how tired I felt and how much my feet hurt at the end of the day the day is what motivated me. I remembered how much effort it took to keep up with my baby girl that day. And almost immediately, I made the stark comparison of the way I felt on this years trip to the same amusement park. I climbed the ropes, went up several flights of stairs to slide down slides multiples times, climbed stairs to the top of a big tree house and ran across a rope bridge, walked all over the park, play in the ball pit, and still had plenty of energy at the end of the day!
I feel the difference my lifestyle change has made every day when I run around the backyard playing tag, stomping like a dinosaur, or dancing with my baby girl. I can throw her in the air and catcher her as many times as she can manage to giggle out "again, again! mommy throw me again!" and ride her around piggy back without stopping to rest. This is why I choose the all you can eat salad buffet when we go to Chuck E Cheese, or the South West Chicken Salad with grilled chicken when everyone else gets McDonalds. This is why I'll gladly grill some salmon marinated in red hot, with a side steamed broccoli, and some fruit salad for dessert. And that is why I woke up early this morning and went for a half hour run. I thought of printing off a few copies of those pics from two years ago and hanging them on the refrigerator, the mirror, and near the bathroom scale, because it's no longer about how I look, or how much I weigh. It's about how I feel and what I can do.
This was never a motivation that occurred to me when I started out. My journey started because I simply want a better reflection. I wanted to look the way I did before I got married coupled with the fear of all the health problems that came with being overweight. Now, my motivation is the way I feel. Which also makes the food choices and the workouts easier to do, because even eating healthier foods makes me physically feel better.
So, how do you stay motivated?
Do you hang pictures of yourself to remind you of how far you've come?
Do you hang that special dress where you can see it every day?
Is it the compliments you've gotten from friends, family, and co-workers?
Do you keep a journal to refer back to?
Do you track the weight you lost?
Are you inspired by stories of others?
I've been on a journey to a better lifestyle for a little over 11 months now. I've lost 37lbs and am literally half the size I was, but even I have had those moments of weakness and have run into what I viewed as road blocks, but I've kept as I say, "fighting the good fight."
These past few weeks since school has let out has been especially hard because it is a completely different schedule from the school year for me. So trying to rearrange everything has proven to be difficult. Then the other day I stumbled upon a healthy dose of motivation. I was scrolling through some Facebook pictures from 2 years ago when I took my daughter to an amusement park and I couldn't believe how different I looked then compared to now, but when I looked at those pics I didn't think about how I LOOKED so much as I how I remembered feeling. Those memories are happy ones because of the joy and excitement of my daughter, but remembering how tired I felt and how much my feet hurt at the end of the day the day is what motivated me. I remembered how much effort it took to keep up with my baby girl that day. And almost immediately, I made the stark comparison of the way I felt on this years trip to the same amusement park. I climbed the ropes, went up several flights of stairs to slide down slides multiples times, climbed stairs to the top of a big tree house and ran across a rope bridge, walked all over the park, play in the ball pit, and still had plenty of energy at the end of the day!
I feel the difference my lifestyle change has made every day when I run around the backyard playing tag, stomping like a dinosaur, or dancing with my baby girl. I can throw her in the air and catcher her as many times as she can manage to giggle out "again, again! mommy throw me again!" and ride her around piggy back without stopping to rest. This is why I choose the all you can eat salad buffet when we go to Chuck E Cheese, or the South West Chicken Salad with grilled chicken when everyone else gets McDonalds. This is why I'll gladly grill some salmon marinated in red hot, with a side steamed broccoli, and some fruit salad for dessert. And that is why I woke up early this morning and went for a half hour run. I thought of printing off a few copies of those pics from two years ago and hanging them on the refrigerator, the mirror, and near the bathroom scale, because it's no longer about how I look, or how much I weigh. It's about how I feel and what I can do.
This was never a motivation that occurred to me when I started out. My journey started because I simply want a better reflection. I wanted to look the way I did before I got married coupled with the fear of all the health problems that came with being overweight. Now, my motivation is the way I feel. Which also makes the food choices and the workouts easier to do, because even eating healthier foods makes me physically feel better.
So, how do you stay motivated?
Do you hang pictures of yourself to remind you of how far you've come?
Do you hang that special dress where you can see it every day?
Is it the compliments you've gotten from friends, family, and co-workers?
Do you keep a journal to refer back to?
Do you track the weight you lost?
Are you inspired by stories of others?
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Test Post
I didn't realize my blogger app want functioning properly, so there are several posts that I thought I published from my blogger app that haven't shown up on either this or my PreK blog. So this is a test post to see if uninstalling & reinstalling has made a difference. This could pose a problem because I am rarely sitting down in front of my computer. Hope this works.
The good news is it works the bad news is because I installed & reinstalled I lost all the unpublished posts from the last month or two. :: sigh::
Saturday, June 30, 2012
What's the Difference Between Organic and Non-Organic Milk?
I'm a Pre-K Teacher for a state funded program in which the teachers are expected to eat breakfast and lunch with the children in order to demonstrate healthy eating and proper meal time manners for the children.. So, I'm lucky in the way that I don't have to worry about packing my own lunches. This saves on my food bill. This also means other than my morning snack, dinner, and my late night snack I don't have to buy as much food as often. Since milk is served with both breakfast and lunch at my workplace. I don't often drink much milk at home. I opt for water or other low calorie beverages. Which often meant the milk I bought would often expire before I was done with it.
My cousin told me she started buying organic milk because it didn't expire as quickly as other milk. So, yes, it is a little bit more expensive if you have to buy gallons of milk each week, but for someone like me who only has to buy a half gallon every two weeks or more it actually save money on my food budget.
A few friends and relatives lately have asked me what makes it organic, assuming that there had to be some kind of chemical process involved to make it last significantly longer than the other milks. So, I did a little research. Found a few sites that explained the difference, but the best explanation came from the Stonyfield website.
Basically, the difference between organic milk and non-organic milk whether or not chemicals are used in any step of the production of the milk and or the cows producing it. There are no chemicals used as either pesticides to protect the grass or feed of the cows, not are the cow injected with any chemicals to boost milk production.
In general farmers of anything grown Organically do not us pesticides or other chemicals to deter bugs. They use more natural methods to control pests and increase the fertility of the soil they use such as crop rotation and effective use of cover plants.
Organic milk lasts longer because it is also ultra pasteurized.
For more information on the difference between Organic and Non-Organic milk check out the Stonyfield website or the website of your favorite or local Organic milk producer. Here are a few sites for Organic Milk Producers:
StonyField
http://www.stonyfield.com/why-organic/organic-defined
Horizon
http://www.horizondairy.com/why-organic/what-is-organic/
Organic Valley
http://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic/organic-defined/
My cousin told me she started buying organic milk because it didn't expire as quickly as other milk. So, yes, it is a little bit more expensive if you have to buy gallons of milk each week, but for someone like me who only has to buy a half gallon every two weeks or more it actually save money on my food budget.
A few friends and relatives lately have asked me what makes it organic, assuming that there had to be some kind of chemical process involved to make it last significantly longer than the other milks. So, I did a little research. Found a few sites that explained the difference, but the best explanation came from the Stonyfield website.
Basically, the difference between organic milk and non-organic milk whether or not chemicals are used in any step of the production of the milk and or the cows producing it. There are no chemicals used as either pesticides to protect the grass or feed of the cows, not are the cow injected with any chemicals to boost milk production.
In general farmers of anything grown Organically do not us pesticides or other chemicals to deter bugs. They use more natural methods to control pests and increase the fertility of the soil they use such as crop rotation and effective use of cover plants.
Organic milk lasts longer because it is also ultra pasteurized.
For more information on the difference between Organic and Non-Organic milk check out the Stonyfield website or the website of your favorite or local Organic milk producer. Here are a few sites for Organic Milk Producers:
StonyField
http://www.stonyfield.com/why-organic/organic-defined
Horizon
http://www.horizondairy.com/why-organic/what-is-organic/
Organic Valley
http://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic/organic-defined/
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