The Marantz 2225 Stereophonic Receiver
6 months ago
Billie and I
So I took Billie out to walk the other night. It was rather hilarious. I use to dread taking him through neighborhoods, dealing with the tugging and the chasing of squirrels. I really did just go bonkers constantly correcting him. Then we go through downtown. You know what's worse than chasing squirrels? Trying to eat every piece of gum on the sidewalk. I know, it's gross! We survived and had a good night. Then I got home and used mapmyrun.com to see we went just over 4 miles. Combine that with the weights I did earlier and it was a very athletic day indeed!
On the Road Again
Fitness Plus is having a Christmas Challenge...we are going to Santa Clause, IN. Err, we are walking the distance between FP and Santa Clause. I remember going there as a kid. It's called Holiday World now but.. yeah we aren't actually going. Wouldn't that be fun? Running around with Nikki and Sheila playing with water guns...
Anywho - the Challenge... Walk 150 miles between now and Christmas. Not only that, but do it quicker than anybody else. Let's just say - I have this one in the bag! I forgot to mention the "cheating" part... 15 minutes of Cardio = 1 mile. That means one hour of my Work Out workout video equals 4 miles.
I am taking Billie four miles today. But in order to be the fastest.. we are going to have to ramp it up peoples.
And mucho apologies to all my loyal readers... all both of you. I have been working hard on my newest project - www.thedogtreatjar.com to write about junk on here. It's been motivating though. Imagine how fit I can be if all I do all day is run my internet business. Eer, what I mean is - if that is the only thing on my plate, think of all the time I will have left over for other junk. Anybody else contemplating the next half marathon? Yeah, me neither but it could happen!
Anywho - the Challenge... Walk 150 miles between now and Christmas. Not only that, but do it quicker than anybody else. Let's just say - I have this one in the bag! I forgot to mention the "cheating" part... 15 minutes of Cardio = 1 mile. That means one hour of my Work Out workout video equals 4 miles.
I am taking Billie four miles today. But in order to be the fastest.. we are going to have to ramp it up peoples.
And mucho apologies to all my loyal readers... all both of you. I have been working hard on my newest project - www.thedogtreatjar.com to write about junk on here. It's been motivating though. Imagine how fit I can be if all I do all day is run my internet business. Eer, what I mean is - if that is the only thing on my plate, think of all the time I will have left over for other junk. Anybody else contemplating the next half marathon? Yeah, me neither but it could happen!
Step two
Step one was to join the wellness center. check
Step two was to sign up for a personal trainer (Amie told me it was the best thing for me to do...and I always do what my children tell me -- ok...you can stop laughing now....and sorry if you read that with liquids in your mouth :-) )
I had no idea it would be so hard to get a personal trainer! It took almost 2 weeks to get someone to call me! But I finally got a call from Ruth and we had our first session yesterday.
After doing all of the 'paperwork' that is included in the first session, we didn't have a lot of time to exercise so I wasn't really sore or anything (which is really a good thing!). The best part? finishing the session with the realization that I'm going to be in MUCH better shape in 6 months! :-)
Now, to go buy separate 'stuff' (shampoo, moisturizers etc) to keep at the gym so I don't need to carry the stuff back and forth (and forget to take important stuff). Besides, I should reward myself for doing my one training session....right?
Step two was to sign up for a personal trainer (Amie told me it was the best thing for me to do...and I always do what my children tell me -- ok...you can stop laughing now....and sorry if you read that with liquids in your mouth :-) )
I had no idea it would be so hard to get a personal trainer! It took almost 2 weeks to get someone to call me! But I finally got a call from Ruth and we had our first session yesterday.
After doing all of the 'paperwork' that is included in the first session, we didn't have a lot of time to exercise so I wasn't really sore or anything (which is really a good thing!). The best part? finishing the session with the realization that I'm going to be in MUCH better shape in 6 months! :-)
Now, to go buy separate 'stuff' (shampoo, moisturizers etc) to keep at the gym so I don't need to carry the stuff back and forth (and forget to take important stuff). Besides, I should reward myself for doing my one training session....right?
Getting to know you, ... err, me
So the swine flu has started to pop up again all over. This had me thinking about how disconnected we are from our bodies. Just follow me here... isn't it crazy that you can have all sorts of things happening within your body and have no idea until there are outside symptoms?
Here's the leap - that's why endurance training is so unique. Or just running in general. Back when I was training for half marathons I would often get into this runners zone. It's like a unique conversation is happening with you and your body. You read it all the time in runners world and stuff - listen to your body. But what does that mean?
Maybe it is because you are focused on your body, or it might just simply mean you are listening for the first time. Think about it, if you spent the time to chronicle your feelings at length for a month you might have a much better idea of your health. Not to gross you fellas out but, a girl can learn a lot about herself when she pays attention to her "time of the month." This allows her to understand monthly weight gain, as well as some emotional pulls. And that is just one aspect of ourselves.
I don't have a solution, maybe Dr. Oz does... all I am saying is, we might all be in better health if we spent time each day focusing on our bodies and how they feel. Write in our journals when we feel an ache or pain. It could be simple weight gain, or something else.
Think of it this way, since many of you are dog lovers. Dogs can't speak, so they can't tell us that they are sick or feeling itchy or whatever. As dog owners you are suppose to pay special attention to your dogs actions and droppings so you can "speak" for your dog in case of illness. Our bodies can't speak either - we need to make the connection.
Here's the leap - that's why endurance training is so unique. Or just running in general. Back when I was training for half marathons I would often get into this runners zone. It's like a unique conversation is happening with you and your body. You read it all the time in runners world and stuff - listen to your body. But what does that mean?
Maybe it is because you are focused on your body, or it might just simply mean you are listening for the first time. Think about it, if you spent the time to chronicle your feelings at length for a month you might have a much better idea of your health. Not to gross you fellas out but, a girl can learn a lot about herself when she pays attention to her "time of the month." This allows her to understand monthly weight gain, as well as some emotional pulls. And that is just one aspect of ourselves.
I don't have a solution, maybe Dr. Oz does... all I am saying is, we might all be in better health if we spent time each day focusing on our bodies and how they feel. Write in our journals when we feel an ache or pain. It could be simple weight gain, or something else.
Think of it this way, since many of you are dog lovers. Dogs can't speak, so they can't tell us that they are sick or feeling itchy or whatever. As dog owners you are suppose to pay special attention to your dogs actions and droppings so you can "speak" for your dog in case of illness. Our bodies can't speak either - we need to make the connection.
I'm All Wet!!
I had a GREAT workout today with Nikki. Schedules got mixed up and I got a fantastic 40 minute elliptical workout before we did our weight training. I really wish I had programmed my weight in before starting. It showed just over 400 calories burned (40 minutes, resistance 4, incline 9) but that was for a 150 lb person. Let's just think I burned atleast 500 with my extra 90 or so lbs of lovage :) Yippee. 500 calories before my workout - that's a happy day! And since I did all that cardio we did just weights, exactly the way I like it! It still amazes me how many different ways there are to work out. I mean sure, a lot of the time I do things that I have done before but considering how many times I have worked with Nikki in the past and now - it's just crazy that she finds completely new ways to work it!
For some retarded reason I had my hair down today, which only makes the whole scenario worse. So, I am sweating like crazy before Nikki and I even get down to business. Then our session was great, then the walk home. It was raining. I use to hate the rain, probably because in California any sort of weather that isn't perfect bugs the crap out of us. It's like our barter with mother nature got messed up. 'I will live with crazy people and terrible traffic, you just give me clear skies and mid seventies - ok!' Anywho, so I am walking home, and I forgot to mention I brought my sachel with me to carry this meat I had purchased from a local beef farm that delivered to the gym. I just want you to have the full picture. I have this full sachel over my shoulder, my hoody sweatshirt zipped up and my hair down. I am drenched in sweat and the rain. That's right, it was beautiful. For a minute there I started to hear the Rocky theme in my head and imagined this beautiful intro sequence. "That's right, she can do... it's AMIE MARSE!"
Don't be jealous of my imagination :) Go get your own.
The best part of the story, I went straight home and had my planned lunch. No special extra because of the excess calories burned. Now that is a miracle!
For some retarded reason I had my hair down today, which only makes the whole scenario worse. So, I am sweating like crazy before Nikki and I even get down to business. Then our session was great, then the walk home. It was raining. I use to hate the rain, probably because in California any sort of weather that isn't perfect bugs the crap out of us. It's like our barter with mother nature got messed up. 'I will live with crazy people and terrible traffic, you just give me clear skies and mid seventies - ok!' Anywho, so I am walking home, and I forgot to mention I brought my sachel with me to carry this meat I had purchased from a local beef farm that delivered to the gym. I just want you to have the full picture. I have this full sachel over my shoulder, my hoody sweatshirt zipped up and my hair down. I am drenched in sweat and the rain. That's right, it was beautiful. For a minute there I started to hear the Rocky theme in my head and imagined this beautiful intro sequence. "That's right, she can do... it's AMIE MARSE!"
Don't be jealous of my imagination :) Go get your own.
The best part of the story, I went straight home and had my planned lunch. No special extra because of the excess calories burned. Now that is a miracle!
"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong
All the components
It is so important to know yourself. To recognize what motivates you, what makes you sluggish. That is how to keep yourself on track, know your pitfalls.
I was feeling less than 100% today and I was wondering why I had this lull about hitting the pavement with Billie.
And it hit me - No Nikki!! My personal trainer went on vacation this week and so our appointment changed from tuesday to tomorrow. No biggie but, it made me realize that tuesday is a perfect day to see Nikki. See, Monday nights are my "out with Lisa" evenings. Where we eat italian (one of my two cheat meals a week) and go grocery shopping. I also stuff myself and feel groggy the next day. If I don't have Nikki to snap me out of it that grogginess grows... hence my lull today.
I realize this sounds stupid, but I am just saying. It is important to have all the components for a well run machine. Working out with Nikki is like getting a pick me up, filling the tank, etc.
What's holding you back?
I was feeling less than 100% today and I was wondering why I had this lull about hitting the pavement with Billie.
And it hit me - No Nikki!! My personal trainer went on vacation this week and so our appointment changed from tuesday to tomorrow. No biggie but, it made me realize that tuesday is a perfect day to see Nikki. See, Monday nights are my "out with Lisa" evenings. Where we eat italian (one of my two cheat meals a week) and go grocery shopping. I also stuff myself and feel groggy the next day. If I don't have Nikki to snap me out of it that grogginess grows... hence my lull today.
I realize this sounds stupid, but I am just saying. It is important to have all the components for a well run machine. Working out with Nikki is like getting a pick me up, filling the tank, etc.
What's holding you back?
"There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't become one of them."
Personality Transplant
Mike touched on this a bit when he wrote about how you view soda...
We all know that we are not living the most healthy of lives. So, how does one go about making major changes in their lifestyle? Changes that will hopefully stick with us. How to make great choices a regular habit. Habits take so many days to ingrain...yadda yadda.. I have heard this and I am not convinced. The problem is that making better choices is more than a simple, 'I will now put my left sock on first' type of change. It's complex, it's ever changing. One day you are at the grocery store looking at cookies, the next at a carnival looking at candied apples. How do you prepare yourself to make the right decision. Like everything else - preparation is key!
At some point, a change for the outside means a change on the inside. If you want to drastically lose weight, like myself, you must recognize that your entire life must change. Instead of 5 hours of TV a day, you have to find an active hobby. Instead of going to the grocery store without the foggiest idea of what you want, you need a list. Candy bars are no longer snack items. Soda is no longer a refreshment. Both of these items are treats, and should be treated as such.
This is where a personality transplant comes in. A total shift. For example, instead of thinking of food as my comfort mechanism, or even worse not thinking about food at all and just stuffing your mouth with it, put food in its proper place. Start thinking of food as fuel for your body. We are back to "eat to train, not train to eat." There are many levels to this but in the spirit of keeping it simple let's narrow it down to two major aspects.
The first aspect is that food is energy. Calories in/Calories out should not be this epic battle between finding how to fit your favorite food into your "diet." Rather, it should be a roadmap that I want to do something (run a mile, play tennis, etc) and so I will need some extra energy to do so. Of course while you are in the losing weight stage of your program, such as myself you are also always looking for that deficit. So even on a super active day, I need to keep my calories between 1300-1500.
The second aspect of food is the way it interacts with your body. This is the type of food you are eating. What sort of nutrients are you putting in your body? This is why a bowl of cantaloupe is better for you than say a bag of baked potato chips. The calories might be the same, but one is full of vitamins and good stuff while the other is just, as they say, "empty calories."
So there you have it, the most basic roles of food. The energy you need to be an active, healthy person and the source of good vitamins and minerals.
We all know that we are not living the most healthy of lives. So, how does one go about making major changes in their lifestyle? Changes that will hopefully stick with us. How to make great choices a regular habit. Habits take so many days to ingrain...yadda yadda.. I have heard this and I am not convinced. The problem is that making better choices is more than a simple, 'I will now put my left sock on first' type of change. It's complex, it's ever changing. One day you are at the grocery store looking at cookies, the next at a carnival looking at candied apples. How do you prepare yourself to make the right decision. Like everything else - preparation is key!
At some point, a change for the outside means a change on the inside. If you want to drastically lose weight, like myself, you must recognize that your entire life must change. Instead of 5 hours of TV a day, you have to find an active hobby. Instead of going to the grocery store without the foggiest idea of what you want, you need a list. Candy bars are no longer snack items. Soda is no longer a refreshment. Both of these items are treats, and should be treated as such.
This is where a personality transplant comes in. A total shift. For example, instead of thinking of food as my comfort mechanism, or even worse not thinking about food at all and just stuffing your mouth with it, put food in its proper place. Start thinking of food as fuel for your body. We are back to "eat to train, not train to eat." There are many levels to this but in the spirit of keeping it simple let's narrow it down to two major aspects.
The first aspect is that food is energy. Calories in/Calories out should not be this epic battle between finding how to fit your favorite food into your "diet." Rather, it should be a roadmap that I want to do something (run a mile, play tennis, etc) and so I will need some extra energy to do so. Of course while you are in the losing weight stage of your program, such as myself you are also always looking for that deficit. So even on a super active day, I need to keep my calories between 1300-1500.
The second aspect of food is the way it interacts with your body. This is the type of food you are eating. What sort of nutrients are you putting in your body? This is why a bowl of cantaloupe is better for you than say a bag of baked potato chips. The calories might be the same, but one is full of vitamins and good stuff while the other is just, as they say, "empty calories."
So there you have it, the most basic roles of food. The energy you need to be an active, healthy person and the source of good vitamins and minerals.
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but instead will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." - Thomas Edison
My Ideal Women
There are a lot of reasons to get into fitness. There are a lot of healthy icons out there. The kind of athlete you are should be directly related to the "ideal" in your mind. As a women, I think about what my ideal would be. Now, I might be the wrong body type, I might have the wrong size frame...but knowing my ideal lets me know a little more about my goals. Think of your ideal women. Would she be a tall, lean pilates/yoga girl? What about a huge muscle bound tank of a fitness model? What about a slightly curvier but less bulky figure model? Or, is she simply the fit and healthy mom next door?
This path of fitness can take many roads. One can focus solely on cardio or really stress the weight training. The path you choose is directly related to the end result. Now, I am all for just doing something. Getting off your bum and making a change. We've heard it a thousand times, fitness and health must be a life change. I believe it, that is the whole point of this blog and journey. I want a life change. I also want to shape my inner athlete.
For me, the figure model is my ideal. She is tone, strong and lean. Not bulky, just sexy. I never want to be 115 lbs. I want to have too many muscles for that! I don't yearn for the Jennifer Aniston sleak look. Though she is gorgeous and I would love to look like her, she is not my ideal. What about you? And what does that ideal mean for your routine? Are you jogging like crazy and taking a namaste yoga class? Or, are you trying to fit your cardio around your weight training like me? You can be your ideal women. Sorry fellas, or your ideal man. My point is being fit is not a one size fits all deal. Find your size. Work toward your ideal.
This path of fitness can take many roads. One can focus solely on cardio or really stress the weight training. The path you choose is directly related to the end result. Now, I am all for just doing something. Getting off your bum and making a change. We've heard it a thousand times, fitness and health must be a life change. I believe it, that is the whole point of this blog and journey. I want a life change. I also want to shape my inner athlete.
For me, the figure model is my ideal. She is tone, strong and lean. Not bulky, just sexy. I never want to be 115 lbs. I want to have too many muscles for that! I don't yearn for the Jennifer Aniston sleak look. Though she is gorgeous and I would love to look like her, she is not my ideal. What about you? And what does that ideal mean for your routine? Are you jogging like crazy and taking a namaste yoga class? Or, are you trying to fit your cardio around your weight training like me? You can be your ideal women. Sorry fellas, or your ideal man. My point is being fit is not a one size fits all deal. Find your size. Work toward your ideal.
"Obsessed is what lazy people call the dedicated."
To my Fellow Bloggers
I am not a fan of the pics. Especially the food pics. Lots of these "watch my personal weight loss journey" blogs are full of pics of the food they are eating. I don't get it. Is it to verify that they really are eating what they are saying? Isn't it tempting people to eat more to see the food on blogs? I don't know. I guess that is why I don't have a lot of friends. I don't get into this let's all join hands and bug eachother about every passing thought...or image for that matter.
Don't get me wrong, the majority of blogs about fitness are great. I love the daily grind of people in the midst of their journey. I am just not a fan of the pics. I love to read about people 70 lbs down, 20 lbs to go....it's very motivating. Looking at pictures of their breakfast however, I could live without. Even before and after pics don't really do it for me, but I would rather that than food.
So this all brings me to our family blog. Obviously it is my blog and I am hoping you chime in...but I understand that it really is my baby :) That being said, if you come across something that would be more motivating for you let me know. Do you want recipes? Weight training routines. I have the time...believe me, I have the time :) Otherwise, I will just keep doing what I am doing.
Tried a little HIIT (high intensity interval training) today but didn't get far... then I took Billie for 4.2 miles. We weren't trucking, but we got done in an hour and 15 minutes.
Don't get me wrong, the majority of blogs about fitness are great. I love the daily grind of people in the midst of their journey. I am just not a fan of the pics. I love to read about people 70 lbs down, 20 lbs to go....it's very motivating. Looking at pictures of their breakfast however, I could live without. Even before and after pics don't really do it for me, but I would rather that than food.
So this all brings me to our family blog. Obviously it is my blog and I am hoping you chime in...but I understand that it really is my baby :) That being said, if you come across something that would be more motivating for you let me know. Do you want recipes? Weight training routines. I have the time...believe me, I have the time :) Otherwise, I will just keep doing what I am doing.
Tried a little HIIT (high intensity interval training) today but didn't get far... then I took Billie for 4.2 miles. We weren't trucking, but we got done in an hour and 15 minutes.
"Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong."
Keeping the Ball Rolling
I hope this blog has become a smidgen infectious for you. I certainly enjoy writing posts and reading blogs similar. I tell ya, I really REALLY love weight training blogs and basic health blogs. Obviously, I can't do a lot of the things in weight training blogs. I can't do clap push-ups for example. But it is nice to know that I can someday. I want to be fit enough that I can do them. The things I can control however are the basic health items. Things like drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, staying away from harmful food and drinks.
I am on the peak right now, where motivation is high and laziness is lacking. I got to tell you - yesterday I bounced out of bed, took Billie for a couple miles and then come home and busted out my workout video. Sweating like a boxer felt great, the cool shower afterward felt even better. Honestly, the only issue was I was charged the rest of the day and had to keep myself from going too far. This is my problem during this transition. I know that I can't be active for hours a day, really pushing myself. Just the same way I can't work out hard 7 days a week. I don't want to burn out, pull a muscle, lose momentum, etc.
The best solution for me is to really push when I am working out. I know what weight I can handle throughout my session, I know how to pace myself. I need to think about it in a different way. Instead of seeing what all I can do in a day (quantity), I need to work on really doing it to the max (quality) within reason.
So how does one do this? For one, the first couple weeks of any routine, pay attention to your body. Soreness is okay, limping is not. I read somewhere that if you are doing ab work - you should feel like your stomach is full of lava! Wow! I can honestly say I know exactly what they meant. And, I can honestly say I don't typically push myself that far. There is a fine line between maxing yourself and going too far. I want to find that line. The more fit you become, the more work it will take to make yourself sore. Eventually, you won't be sore at all :) Won't that be nice!
I will tell Nikki this week that I want higher weights. I will move up on the resistance of my Workout video. And the cardio....can I start jogging again? Let's see!
I really apppreciate this blog. It gives me another avenue to expel all this excess energy. Hopefully it will motivate me when I hit a wall. I know it's coming - best to be prepared.
So the lesson for today is quality. Sweat like a boxer once every day. Rest days=Active Rest days. Remember that muscle grows during rest, not during resistance. If you work out hard every day you simply will not see results. Find that fine line and work it!
I am on the peak right now, where motivation is high and laziness is lacking. I got to tell you - yesterday I bounced out of bed, took Billie for a couple miles and then come home and busted out my workout video. Sweating like a boxer felt great, the cool shower afterward felt even better. Honestly, the only issue was I was charged the rest of the day and had to keep myself from going too far. This is my problem during this transition. I know that I can't be active for hours a day, really pushing myself. Just the same way I can't work out hard 7 days a week. I don't want to burn out, pull a muscle, lose momentum, etc.
The best solution for me is to really push when I am working out. I know what weight I can handle throughout my session, I know how to pace myself. I need to think about it in a different way. Instead of seeing what all I can do in a day (quantity), I need to work on really doing it to the max (quality) within reason.
So how does one do this? For one, the first couple weeks of any routine, pay attention to your body. Soreness is okay, limping is not. I read somewhere that if you are doing ab work - you should feel like your stomach is full of lava! Wow! I can honestly say I know exactly what they meant. And, I can honestly say I don't typically push myself that far. There is a fine line between maxing yourself and going too far. I want to find that line. The more fit you become, the more work it will take to make yourself sore. Eventually, you won't be sore at all :) Won't that be nice!
I will tell Nikki this week that I want higher weights. I will move up on the resistance of my Workout video. And the cardio....can I start jogging again? Let's see!
I really apppreciate this blog. It gives me another avenue to expel all this excess energy. Hopefully it will motivate me when I hit a wall. I know it's coming - best to be prepared.
So the lesson for today is quality. Sweat like a boxer once every day. Rest days=Active Rest days. Remember that muscle grows during rest, not during resistance. If you work out hard every day you simply will not see results. Find that fine line and work it!
"Today I will do what you won't, so tomorrow I can do what you can't"
I'm in....
Physically, I'm on the Eastern Shore, in Salisbury Maryland (or close to it anyway). We are visiting John's sister Carole and today we are going to Ocean City to walk on the boardwalk.
But what I really meant is that I'm in for the 'lose 20 pounds by New Year's challenge'.
Good Luck!
But what I really meant is that I'm in for the 'lose 20 pounds by New Year's challenge'.
Good Luck!
Nutrisystem
Okay, so what is the deal with Nutrisystem? The way it works is you order 28 days worth of food for about $300. This is a breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Those are the four things you are suppose to eat every day that you get directly from Nutrisystem. In addition to those items you eat what are called "add-ons" which you buy on your own at the grocery store. So a full menu looks like this:
Breakfast - 1 nutrisystem entree, 1 dairy or protein serving, 1 fruit serving
Lunch - 1 nutrisystem entree, 2 vegetable servings, 1 dairy or protein serving
Afternoon Snack - 1 dairy or protein serving, 1 fruit serving
Dinner - 1 nutrisystem entree, 2 vegetable servings, 1 fat serving
Dessert - 1 nutristem entree
As you can see, it can actually add up to a lot of stuff. Nutrisystem gives you a grocery list to follow so you know all the options for each type of food as well as recommended serving sizes.
So for me...this is just too much. I can't get to the grocery store every few days and I don't feel like spending all the extra money. Plus, it's just a hassle to keep that much track of when and what and where and all that. I do my best when I am not constantly monitoring my day in anticipation of the next meal. I found the first month or so I was constantly figuring out what I was going to eat and then counting down the minutes until I could. My new mantra - Eat to Train, Not Train to Eat. This simply means that I want to view food as fuel for my workouts, not my workouts as an excuse to eat. But I digress...
Right now I am using Nutrisystem both to save money and to keep life as convenient as possible. I get a shipment of food once a month and it sits in the corner of my room. I make a point to drink at least 12 oz of water and a breakfast entree when I first get up. Other than that, I eat when I need to. If I get hungry and it is mid-day I have a lunch entree. If that isn't enough I wait 15 minutes or so and have a piece of cheese toast. Sometime between lunch and dinner and I grab a salad or frozen grapes. Dinnertime...you get the picture. There are a few "tricks" as dad calls them, that I play on myself. One is, I separate my dinner and dessert by at least an hour. Since I eat dinner in front of the TV, without being mindful I would just stuff myself into oblivion. If I am hungry after dessert I wait a bit, then get into my nuts. I have a ton of nuts, broken into baggies. Each baggie should lasts two sittings. Knowing this, I am a little careful how much I eat of them. They are a mix of a bunch of different nuts. And lastly, once eating is finished for the day - I brush my teeth and take my vitamins. It's like putting a mental "closed" sign on my mouth, lol! This is time for bed, a couple hours in front of the tube and hopefully I am off to laa laa land.
The Nutrisystem entrees constitute only 700-850 calories a day. They are broken into a low glycemic carb 55%; protein 25% and fat 20%. The sodium content is less than 1800mg/day which is below the suggested daily intake. Pretty nice for all packaged stuff. Plus, the sugar is less than 20g/day and there is no trans fat.
All of this allows me a lot of breathing room for what I want to supplement. I just have to be mindful that I need veggies and fruits during the day.
Anywho, this is how I use Nutrisystem and how it seems to work for me. Of course, it isn't for everyone ;)
Breakfast - 1 nutrisystem entree, 1 dairy or protein serving, 1 fruit serving
Lunch - 1 nutrisystem entree, 2 vegetable servings, 1 dairy or protein serving
Afternoon Snack - 1 dairy or protein serving, 1 fruit serving
Dinner - 1 nutrisystem entree, 2 vegetable servings, 1 fat serving
Dessert - 1 nutristem entree
As you can see, it can actually add up to a lot of stuff. Nutrisystem gives you a grocery list to follow so you know all the options for each type of food as well as recommended serving sizes.
So for me...this is just too much. I can't get to the grocery store every few days and I don't feel like spending all the extra money. Plus, it's just a hassle to keep that much track of when and what and where and all that. I do my best when I am not constantly monitoring my day in anticipation of the next meal. I found the first month or so I was constantly figuring out what I was going to eat and then counting down the minutes until I could. My new mantra - Eat to Train, Not Train to Eat. This simply means that I want to view food as fuel for my workouts, not my workouts as an excuse to eat. But I digress...
Right now I am using Nutrisystem both to save money and to keep life as convenient as possible. I get a shipment of food once a month and it sits in the corner of my room. I make a point to drink at least 12 oz of water and a breakfast entree when I first get up. Other than that, I eat when I need to. If I get hungry and it is mid-day I have a lunch entree. If that isn't enough I wait 15 minutes or so and have a piece of cheese toast. Sometime between lunch and dinner and I grab a salad or frozen grapes. Dinnertime...you get the picture. There are a few "tricks" as dad calls them, that I play on myself. One is, I separate my dinner and dessert by at least an hour. Since I eat dinner in front of the TV, without being mindful I would just stuff myself into oblivion. If I am hungry after dessert I wait a bit, then get into my nuts. I have a ton of nuts, broken into baggies. Each baggie should lasts two sittings. Knowing this, I am a little careful how much I eat of them. They are a mix of a bunch of different nuts. And lastly, once eating is finished for the day - I brush my teeth and take my vitamins. It's like putting a mental "closed" sign on my mouth, lol! This is time for bed, a couple hours in front of the tube and hopefully I am off to laa laa land.
The Nutrisystem entrees constitute only 700-850 calories a day. They are broken into a low glycemic carb 55%; protein 25% and fat 20%. The sodium content is less than 1800mg/day which is below the suggested daily intake. Pretty nice for all packaged stuff. Plus, the sugar is less than 20g/day and there is no trans fat.
All of this allows me a lot of breathing room for what I want to supplement. I just have to be mindful that I need veggies and fruits during the day.
Anywho, this is how I use Nutrisystem and how it seems to work for me. Of course, it isn't for everyone ;)
"Strong people are harder to kill then weak people, and are more useful in general"
- Mark Rippetoe
What kind of contributor name is "Bovinus"? I thought this blog was about getting in shape, not resembling a cow! Is he perhaps a Roman senator? When those other guys were stabbing Caesar a thousand times, Bovinus was throwing cow chips at his head? I don't recall Caesar saying "Et Tu Shit, Bovinus"? Anyway, if Amie Lou is doing half the things she's sharing, I'm gonna expect her to disappear when she turns sideways the next time I see her!
New Year's Resolution
So I was just reading DaveSoucy.com and he had a fantabolous idea. Do you realize that Jan 1, 2010 is just 13 weeks away? That's right, thirteen weeks from right now is the new year. Dave suggests, and I concur, that New Year's resolutions often get repeated over and over. This year why don't you think of it as a goal date instead of a start date. How would you like to start 2010 20 pounds lighter? That's less than 2 pounds a week. Very doable. Just imagine the elated feeling of being ahead of the pack on dreaded New Year's resolutions! I'm pumped!
"What you give today you have. What you don't give today you have lost forever."
Small Steps = Huge Bounds
I'm totally stoked with myself right now! I did both the lower and upper body workouts on the Jackie Warner "workout" workout DVD. I still couldn't keep up with 100% of the tape, but I definitely improved from last week. I only put the weights down for a little bit, and even then kept doing the routine with empty hands. I was in the living room barefoot so I didn't do the prescribed cardio - too much jumping :) So, I just walked in place or around the room. I think I will hold onto this DVD for a while and see how long it takes me to master it. I am nowhere near ready to do all the planks in the core workout so... I might just purchase this DVD and see what else Netflix has to offer. I have the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred coming by the end of October, I hope that is a good one. I have heard great reviews about it.
Surprisingly, I can already feel a different in my arms from the weightraining. It's ridiculous I know ;) I'm telling you - we were made for this! I hope you are finding new and interesting ways to keep at it. Each journey is a ton of tiny steps all in a row - keep moving in the right direction!
"Once, someone asked me what pleasure I took in riding so long. "Pleasure" I said. "I don't understand the question." I didn't do it for pleasure. I did it for pain."
- Lance Armstrong
Surprisingly, I can already feel a different in my arms from the weightraining. It's ridiculous I know ;) I'm telling you - we were made for this! I hope you are finding new and interesting ways to keep at it. Each journey is a ton of tiny steps all in a row - keep moving in the right direction!
"Once, someone asked me what pleasure I took in riding so long. "Pleasure" I said. "I don't understand the question." I didn't do it for pleasure. I did it for pain."
- Lance Armstrong
Sugar!
This is a great little video... watch it the next time you think of Mike's blog on how you should view soda :)
Where have I been?
I have had the hardest time getting back on a regular schedule. I was laying in bed last night just after midnight literally counting sheep. Then meditating, then other junk. I felt like when I was 8 and Dad told me to just not move and I would go to sleep. Urgh! Thankfully, amidst all that frustration I did fall asleep and got up around 8:30. Wow, I am almost like a normal adult... let's see if that lasts. Anywho, got Billie up and out the door right away. We went for a long stroll. And I do mean stroll, 2-3 miles an hour tops and no sweating. So what do you do when you go for such a long walk but don't know how long you went? Well, besides getting in your car and tracing your path - www.mapmyrun.com. I have used it a ton before and I just remembered what a great resource it is. So I am glad to say that we went just under 4 and a half miles today during our stroll.
Billie is a great metaphor for how not to run - first mile or so he is chomping at the bit, practically jumping as he digs his front paws out as if mushing the alaskan frontier. Then he foams at the mouth, panting like crazy and being constantly distracted by everything around him. In the middle of our walk he still pulls at the leash for the occasional squirrel, but mostly stays by my side. The last stretch I am dragging him along as he stops to sniff everything and walks very slowly behind me. Silly Billie Goat!!
Not really sore from my workout with Nikkie yesterday but, I am still going to hold myself back from doing any weights - don't want to strain myself ;) You should always have a rest day between weight training. If you want to do weight training every day just rotate from different muscle groups. I am going to do some supermans today though for my back ;)
Billie is a great metaphor for how not to run - first mile or so he is chomping at the bit, practically jumping as he digs his front paws out as if mushing the alaskan frontier. Then he foams at the mouth, panting like crazy and being constantly distracted by everything around him. In the middle of our walk he still pulls at the leash for the occasional squirrel, but mostly stays by my side. The last stretch I am dragging him along as he stops to sniff everything and walks very slowly behind me. Silly Billie Goat!!
Not really sore from my workout with Nikkie yesterday but, I am still going to hold myself back from doing any weights - don't want to strain myself ;) You should always have a rest day between weight training. If you want to do weight training every day just rotate from different muscle groups. I am going to do some supermans today though for my back ;)
"On the day of victory, no one is tired."
I did it....kinda
I woke up this morning and was laying in bed thinking about my day....and it dawned on me that my usual routine is to get on the computer, check email, surf the web for awhile and then play some games until I felt like getting ready for work. Usually more than an hour of stuff before I got really going.
so.....instead of picking up the computer, I got out of bed, put on some jeans, picked up my bathing suit and went to the Wellness Center for a swim.
Not a lot....I only did 10 laps, but that is 10 laps more than I did last week!
so.....instead of picking up the computer, I got out of bed, put on some jeans, picked up my bathing suit and went to the Wellness Center for a swim.
Not a lot....I only did 10 laps, but that is 10 laps more than I did last week!
A Baby Step
ok...I took a first step. I joined the Riverside Wellness Center close to me. It costs more than the Y, but it's more convenient so I'm hoping I'll go more often.
So far, I've been once...to sign up....I have my bag in the car, but I didn't make it to the gym or pool yet....maybe tomorrow? (I have 5 client meetings tomorrow and then a church dinner in the evening so I doubt I'll make it) Is it true that the first step is the hardest? I'm thinking that the second step may be the one.
I had planned to set up appointments with a personal trainer, but he hasn't called yet (it's been just over 24 hours)...how long should I wait before I contact another trainer? (and I thought I was the patient one!)
I guess I need to stop making excuses and just do something. I should think about what sort of advice I'd give me if I were my mom. Oh yeah...just do it!
and I should take Amie's advice and get some vitamins (besides, the doctor called today and told me to take them too). And maybe I should get one of those PUR thingys too. I don't mind tap water, but the sink is upstairs at work, so it would probably be easier if I got a pitcher and kept it on my desk...I didn't realize how much I was drinking until I looked at the box of empty water bottles to go to the recycle place....at least I don't drink a lot of soda!
So far, I've been once...to sign up....I have my bag in the car, but I didn't make it to the gym or pool yet....maybe tomorrow? (I have 5 client meetings tomorrow and then a church dinner in the evening so I doubt I'll make it) Is it true that the first step is the hardest? I'm thinking that the second step may be the one.
I had planned to set up appointments with a personal trainer, but he hasn't called yet (it's been just over 24 hours)...how long should I wait before I contact another trainer? (and I thought I was the patient one!)
I guess I need to stop making excuses and just do something. I should think about what sort of advice I'd give me if I were my mom. Oh yeah...just do it!
and I should take Amie's advice and get some vitamins (besides, the doctor called today and told me to take them too). And maybe I should get one of those PUR thingys too. I don't mind tap water, but the sink is upstairs at work, so it would probably be easier if I got a pitcher and kept it on my desk...I didn't realize how much I was drinking until I looked at the box of empty water bottles to go to the recycle place....at least I don't drink a lot of soda!
The Scoop
So my peeps at Fitness Plus gave me the scoop today. I asked Nikki and Sheila a ton of questions during my session. First, I have been mulling around this whole endo-, ecto- and mesomorph body types. You can look up a ton of stuff on these body types for your own enjoyment. The general consensus was that the descriptions themselves were scientific but the more people take those descriptions and add on other things like a particular diet and stuff the less scientific it becomes. For example, I (like most of you) am an endomorph. No matter how much weight I lose, as long as I am healthy (and not concentration camp skinny) I will have that shape. And yes, I have naturally strong legs and it is easier for me to gain muscle and fat. Does that mean I was destined to look like a linebacker? No, I look like a linebacker because for the majority of my life I ate like one. End of story. So, it was an interesting foray into body types, but I am not going to use it to figure out a different weight loss/excercise/weight training plan. You just can't get any better than calories in/calories out. Do you know that you need over 1800 calories a day to sustain 240? Did you know I use to think 1800 calories wasn't very much? I don't know about you, but I use to get in the rut of just thinking to eat at all I would be pushing 2000+ calories a day. That simply is not the case. My nutrisystem stuff (which is just the packaged items, not the prescribed add-ins) sticks around 700-850 calories a day. I will write a post later about how I use nutrisystem and why it seems to work for me....
Back to my training session with Nikki...I asked about my vitamins. I was reading this morning about how you shouldn't take vitamins right before bed, especially B Complex and E. Something about making you restless or not absorbing correctly. Not to worry, since vitamins contain no calories they also contain no energy (energy=calories, calories=energy) so happy me - I can keep doing the nighttime routine.
I'm sure I will have ample opportunity to gush about Nikki but today is just one reason that I love working with her. She truly is interested. I don't know about you but, I have been to a few places that when you ask any questions they stop you cold with, "oh we have a class for that. It's X amount of dollars..." Don't get me wrong, I am all about nutrition classes and I try not to take advantage of Nikki by constantly e-mailing or calling or bugging her about junk. I value the fact that she should be paid for her services. But there is a big difference between being genuinely interested in your clients and making a buck. That's the most important thing she does for me... oh and keeping count, lol!
Back to my training session with Nikki...I asked about my vitamins. I was reading this morning about how you shouldn't take vitamins right before bed, especially B Complex and E. Something about making you restless or not absorbing correctly. Not to worry, since vitamins contain no calories they also contain no energy (energy=calories, calories=energy) so happy me - I can keep doing the nighttime routine.
I'm sure I will have ample opportunity to gush about Nikki but today is just one reason that I love working with her. She truly is interested. I don't know about you but, I have been to a few places that when you ask any questions they stop you cold with, "oh we have a class for that. It's X amount of dollars..." Don't get me wrong, I am all about nutrition classes and I try not to take advantage of Nikki by constantly e-mailing or calling or bugging her about junk. I value the fact that she should be paid for her services. But there is a big difference between being genuinely interested in your clients and making a buck. That's the most important thing she does for me... oh and keeping count, lol!
"We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same."
My Strategies - The Psychology of Soda
Hey, this is Mike. So why does blogspot think my name is Bovinus? Well, I'm also a contributor on the blogspot blog The End of Journalism. In an homage to the
Federalist Papers, in which the authors took the anonymous name Publius, I decided it would be fun to take on the pseudonym Bovinus. No connection between the health theme and the giant grinning cow on my profile.
I think this blog is a great idea, and I'd love to participate. I'll share some more of my strategies, but I would like to start with something simple I posted a couple of weeks ago.
What is soda? In its simplest form, it is a mixture of syrup and carbonated water. What role does it take in your life?
If you view soda a water-replacement, you are most likely more tired than you need to be, you struggle being outside on hot days, and your body has trouble getting rid of toxins in your body.
If you view soda as a dessert, something to be experienced in moderation and always accompanying water, then you have very little to fear from soda.
I recently tried a bottle of Pepsi Natural, which is made using real sugar (not high fructose corn syrup) and Kola nut extract. It’s amazing. It’s also close to five dollars for a pack of 4 bottles. Worth it, but probably not something I’ll be able to buy every time.
Research (like this) suggests that high fructose corn syrup decreases your ability to feel “full” and leads to obesity, among other problems. Of course, some of the replacements for high fructose corn syrup in diet beverages are also controversial. When possible, we should be drinking things with natural sugars like fruit juices.
What is soda to you?
Federalist Papers, in which the authors took the anonymous name Publius, I decided it would be fun to take on the pseudonym Bovinus. No connection between the health theme and the giant grinning cow on my profile.
I think this blog is a great idea, and I'd love to participate. I'll share some more of my strategies, but I would like to start with something simple I posted a couple of weeks ago.
What is soda? In its simplest form, it is a mixture of syrup and carbonated water. What role does it take in your life?
If you view soda a water-replacement, you are most likely more tired than you need to be, you struggle being outside on hot days, and your body has trouble getting rid of toxins in your body.
If you view soda as a dessert, something to be experienced in moderation and always accompanying water, then you have very little to fear from soda.
I recently tried a bottle of Pepsi Natural, which is made using real sugar (not high fructose corn syrup) and Kola nut extract. It’s amazing. It’s also close to five dollars for a pack of 4 bottles. Worth it, but probably not something I’ll be able to buy every time.
Research (like this) suggests that high fructose corn syrup decreases your ability to feel “full” and leads to obesity, among other problems. Of course, some of the replacements for high fructose corn syrup in diet beverages are also controversial. When possible, we should be drinking things with natural sugars like fruit juices.
What is soda to you?
Vitamins...
I think we all know how important vitamins are. Like most health related things, I bet Daddie is the best at being consistent in this area. I would like to be more consistent. So I have dusted off the bottles and refilled my weekly medicine dispenser for daily vitamins. If you are looking to add vitamins to your routine I highly suggest you purchase a weekly dispenser. That way you don't have to sit and open each bottle every morning or evening. I use to take them in the morning, now I take my vitamins at night, right before I brush my teeth. I doubt this makes a difference - I just have been working on a nighttime routine to relax...somehow taking my vitamins mellows me out ;) When I filled the dispenser I noticed I only had a few fish oil tablets left so I got a new bottle tonight at Meijer. Here are the vitamins I am taking:
Fish Oil (with Omega 3 - Heart and Circulatory health - we all have heart disease in our background)
Calcium (with vitamin D - I am a girl and would love to stay strong like grandma marse!)
Super B-Complex
Vitamin C (who wants to get sick?)
Vitamin E
Multi Vitamin
*To each his own on this one but, I get the generic labels of vitamins. Sometimes they are on major sale. For example tonight at Meijer, I got 100 softgels of Fish Oil for 8 dollars instead of 150 softgels of NatureMade Fish Oil for 24.55
I use to take Glucosamine when I was running regularly, but I am not convinced it actually does anything. If my knees hurt more than usual I might add them back in.
Fish Oil (with Omega 3 - Heart and Circulatory health - we all have heart disease in our background)
Calcium (with vitamin D - I am a girl and would love to stay strong like grandma marse!)
Super B-Complex
Vitamin C (who wants to get sick?)
Vitamin E
Multi Vitamin
*To each his own on this one but, I get the generic labels of vitamins. Sometimes they are on major sale. For example tonight at Meijer, I got 100 softgels of Fish Oil for 8 dollars instead of 150 softgels of NatureMade Fish Oil for 24.55
I use to take Glucosamine when I was running regularly, but I am not convinced it actually does anything. If my knees hurt more than usual I might add them back in.
"Those who say it can't be done shouldn't interrupt those who are doing it" - Chinese Proverb
Week 2 of New Plan
Hey peoples ;)
So I started back with Nikki two weeks ago. Nikki was my personal trainer long ago and I have her back for one session a week. I love working out with her, I will surely gush later. For now however, I want to detail what I have been up to since our last session. I am on the ball, let's hope it keeps rolling.
I went to work out with Nikki last Tuesday at 2pm. As usual we did a full body workout with intermittent cardio. I especially loved this slanted fly move we did. Not really sure what it is actually called. I hold on to two ropes (one in each hand) as I lean back. Then as I spread the ropes apart I begin to stand up. Pretty awesome, I was definitely sore!
Tuesday night I went for a walk with Billie. Nothing too huge, maybe a couple miles at a moderate pace.
Wednesday was an off day. I was surprised how little sore I was. I honestly was only sore around my shoulders and that fleshy part between bra strap and shoulder.
Thursday I tried my new workout video. I get Netflix, so I orderd the Bravo TV show "Workout" workout video. It was a lot more tough then expected. I did the lower body section and I couldn't go on. Sweating like a boxer... I just turned in for the rest of the day :)
Friday I got up and was going to take Billie for a walk. We got less than half a mile before getting poured on. After getting home and dry I went back to the "Workout" workout video. I did both the upper body and core portions. Most of the core excercises were planks though, so I cheated on the majority of that!
Saturday I used the row machine I got from Dad this month and cleaned the house. I decided to clean the hallway bathroom - which is for my tennants and I don't know when it was last cleaned. So gross, lots of scrubbing. Actually brought me to sweating on a few occasions. I decided that was enough of that ;)
Sunday (today) I got up and did both the upper and lower body portions of the "Workout" workout video and did a little on the row machine.
My goal for this week is to find a good routine for daily core work. Tomorrow I just have the walk to and from my class. Roundtrip is 3 miles.
Smiles,
amie
I have tons of cool inspirational quotes, I will try to end my posts with them ;)
So I started back with Nikki two weeks ago. Nikki was my personal trainer long ago and I have her back for one session a week. I love working out with her, I will surely gush later. For now however, I want to detail what I have been up to since our last session. I am on the ball, let's hope it keeps rolling.
I went to work out with Nikki last Tuesday at 2pm. As usual we did a full body workout with intermittent cardio. I especially loved this slanted fly move we did. Not really sure what it is actually called. I hold on to two ropes (one in each hand) as I lean back. Then as I spread the ropes apart I begin to stand up. Pretty awesome, I was definitely sore!
Tuesday night I went for a walk with Billie. Nothing too huge, maybe a couple miles at a moderate pace.
Wednesday was an off day. I was surprised how little sore I was. I honestly was only sore around my shoulders and that fleshy part between bra strap and shoulder.
Thursday I tried my new workout video. I get Netflix, so I orderd the Bravo TV show "Workout" workout video. It was a lot more tough then expected. I did the lower body section and I couldn't go on. Sweating like a boxer... I just turned in for the rest of the day :)
Friday I got up and was going to take Billie for a walk. We got less than half a mile before getting poured on. After getting home and dry I went back to the "Workout" workout video. I did both the upper body and core portions. Most of the core excercises were planks though, so I cheated on the majority of that!
Saturday I used the row machine I got from Dad this month and cleaned the house. I decided to clean the hallway bathroom - which is for my tennants and I don't know when it was last cleaned. So gross, lots of scrubbing. Actually brought me to sweating on a few occasions. I decided that was enough of that ;)
Sunday (today) I got up and did both the upper and lower body portions of the "Workout" workout video and did a little on the row machine.
My goal for this week is to find a good routine for daily core work. Tomorrow I just have the walk to and from my class. Roundtrip is 3 miles.
Smiles,
amie
I have tons of cool inspirational quotes, I will try to end my posts with them ;)
"You can have excuses or results, not both"
What are we doing here?
So mom calls me today about personal training. Evidently she found a new place to work out and wanted info on what sort of certification a personal trainer should have. Surely she will tell you all about her new place to work out.
Then I thought, why not have a blog for us all to talk about our excercise routines. This is an easy way to encourage everybody to keep going. We all know that I love to get excited and usually lose steam somewhere along the lines....so this can help us all stay motivated!
So please use this blog to keep everybody updated on your routines, diets, etc and please be upbeat toward others. I know that our typical language of love isn't so motivating.... but everybody can change ;)
Good luck everybody! Let's keep this blog all about excercise, diet and health related goals.
Smiles,
amie
Then I thought, why not have a blog for us all to talk about our excercise routines. This is an easy way to encourage everybody to keep going. We all know that I love to get excited and usually lose steam somewhere along the lines....so this can help us all stay motivated!
So please use this blog to keep everybody updated on your routines, diets, etc and please be upbeat toward others. I know that our typical language of love isn't so motivating.... but everybody can change ;)
Good luck everybody! Let's keep this blog all about excercise, diet and health related goals.
Smiles,
amie
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