Sunday Summary: The Bib Collection begins

Hello peeps! Happy Sunday… I hope you’ve had a good week. Here’s a quick overview of mine:

I spent MLK day at home feeling kind of BLAH! while Aunt Flo did her thing. My treat was a Mocha at Books a Million (BAM) that I enjoyed while I tried to decide what to recommend for Book Club… I chose The Rosie Project by Graeme C. Simsion. I’m looking forward to it.

On Tuesday, I had a fun but brief discussion about 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. This over 1000-page book is insane. Only two people in my club finished it and I was 3/4 done so I was able to contribute some but not a lot. It is a really bizarre book but I have enjoyed it… mostly. I hope to finish tonight. Here’s my favorite quote… so far:

“Most people in the world don’t really use their brains to think. And people who don’t think are the ones who don’t listen to others.”

On Wednesday I finally made it back to the gym. I have been working my biceps with 15 lbs. dumbbells and it finally felt manageable. But then on Thursday I was really sore and took another rest day.

Friday was really really busy which are my favorite and I finished the day at the gym with a fantastic Blacklight Zumba class. I also tried a new recipe. Check out these super yummy Pistachio Pesto Chicken Terderloins. Erin uses nutritional yeast instead of parmesan but I decided to stick with parmesan. That’s the only thing I changed. Delish.

On Saturday I woke up early and did my first official 5K of the year. YAY! My #3 Resolution this year is to run 150 miles and start a bib collection. Here’s my first one:

Today I took it easy. I made another oatmeal-banana bread… with strawberries this time, did an hour of zumba at the gym, had a yummy cup of lentil soup for lunch, and ended the week the same way I started it: with another Mocha at BAM. 😀

Weekly Words of Wisdom

Be good and be kind… and thanks for stopping by.

Meatless Monday: Detox Menu

Sorry for the late post peeps but I really wanted to leave proof of today’s progress.

OK… so last weekend (starting Thursday) was really bad… like… really really bad. I woke up today and weighed-in at 167.8 lbs. I need to weight 163 to win this month’s dietbet (weigh-in on Thursday). I’m pretty sure that ship has sailed but I’m gonna try to swim out to it and who knows, maybe I’ll make it. Could happen, right?

Inspired by POPSUGAR’s Fall Detox Menu, today went like this:

• Green tea and lemon
• Protein Granola, Almond Milk, Banana
• Vegetable soup and grilled cheese sandwich
• Apple and Almond Butter
• Green tea

I did an hour of zumba and an hour of barre and kept somewhat active all day. I’m pretty happy with today. Let’s rinse and repeat. Hope you enjoyed this Meatless Monday and Columbus Day (for those of you in the world that celebrate it). Actually, I am not sure we should celebrate but I always like to think about the road not taken and as much as the Spanish intervention brought perhaps more bad than good to the region, I can’t help but wonder where we would be if Columbus had never made it here. It could certainly be worst (I’m an eternal optimist). Anyhow… something to think about.

Sunday Summary: Improving Lung Capacity

Hello peeps! This week I finished Week 5 of my Couch to 5K program and I ran for 8 minutes straight twice (with 5-minute walking break in between). Running may be pushing it though… perhaps I should say I jogged as fast as I could for 8 minutes straight! That’s more like it, but still, I am so happy with my progress. I have noticed that the first five minutes are indeed the hardest but after that I find myself actually enjoying it. I start with a 5-minute brisk walk, then do a 1-2 minute stretch and then start to run and it goes fine, no cramps, no pain, no fatigue. I am still unsure about being able to actually complete the program (I am supposed to be able to run continuously for 35 minutes) but I am not so afraid of running jogging fast as I once was and that is a win in my book. For more on the lessons I have learned on the Couch25K program, check this previous post.

Another thing that I have noticed since I started the program is my increased lung capacity. I have recently noticed that I don’t find myself huffing and puffing as bad as I used to and I have noticed this mostly in my Zumba classes. I can tell that I am working hard but I can breathe more efficiently. Check out this article to better understand how running increases your lung capacity.  For all you “I hate running” types I encourage you to give the program a try. You may surprise yourself in the most amazing ways.

Weekly Success: As promised I did CarrotFIT every day this week. #soproud For those of you who don’t know, this app has gotten a lot of hate as a “fat shamer” because its robotic trainer calls you a meatbag and pretty much insults you throughout its “7 minutes in hell” workout. However, I have to disagree with the haters. For one, I find it hilarious and while she can be pretty brutal when you gain weight, she’s also pretty encouraging. Check out all the nice things she’s said to me this week after completing the routine. I even got permission to eat a battery 😆

It’s been my personal experience with the app that the insults are a reminder of the negative inner monologue that contributed to me packing on the pounds. I now find myself laughing at her comments while I exercise and reflecting and recoding the way I think about my weight and myself. However, I still think that it is an app for adults and would not recommend it for teenagers whose self-concepts are much more delicate although I believe that parents and teenagers may be able to use it as a conversation starter. In any case, don’t say no to a program that you haven’t used. I believe that all programs work but not all programs work for everybody. You may have to kiss a few frogs to find your prince; same goes to finding your ideal workout. In case you are wondering, CarrotFit’s  7-minutes-in-Hell workout is no other than the “Scientific 7-minute workout” (just google it).

Wishing everyone a great week and thanks for stopping by
Weekly Words of Wisdom

#WorkoutWednesday Mid-week Update

Hello peeps! Workouts have been going as scheduled. I am pretty happy with the progress. I’ve been doing CarrotFit every day and I ran 8 minutes straight on my Couch to 5K program WHAT! 8 MINUTES! I’ve also taken two zumba classes and one weight’s class. All in all, 3 1/2 hours of exercise #inthebag 

I hope you’re enjoying your week!
Cheers!

Sunday Summary: A week of better choices

Hello peeps! I made it! One week of better choices. #soproud

For starters I took all my supplements, had a cup of warm water and lemon every morning, and slept at least 6 hours. YAY! Overall, I clocked about nine hours of exercise. I only made two poor, not bad, choices when it came to food: on Thursday I had a small serving of goldfish crackers and on Saturday I had a bag of nacho cheese Doritos. #ithappens The important thing is that I ate all my meals at home where I could better control, sugar, fat, and sodium levels. I tried some really cool recipes and reminded myself that I do love cooking and that I am not half-bad at it. And the scale collaborated too. I lost 3.4 lbs #forthewin 

However, I love that I lost weight but my biggest accomplishment this week was sticking to the Couch to 5K schedule and doing really great. Today, I started week 5 which had me running six minutes straight and I just let my mind wander and didn’t even look at the timer. Things are about to get real though. By the end of next week I should be running 10 minutes straight. We’ll see.

How did I end my 7-day Pledge? I woke up around 9 am, had a cup of warm water and lemon. For breakfast I had a tuna, tomato, and avocado sandwich (my bread came out great; here‘s the recipe). I went to the gym, did my run, then had a chia bar, and then took a Zumba toning class. It was awesome. I got home and had spinach pesto (recipe here) pasta with a quick salad… I was starving. That was around 4 pm so I don’t see having any dinner tonight. I am stuffed! I already had a cup of tea but I’ll have another one before bed.

What’s next? Although my pledge has ended, the behaviors will not. I will continue with the water and lemon in the morning, strive to complete the Couch to 5K program as scheduled, make better food choices and clock at least 8 hours of exercise a week. I am making one new commitment though, just for kicks, to do CarrotFIT everyday. I only did it 4/7 days this week. Tomorrow is the first official weigh-in day on Dietbet and I’ll share all the details then. Click here to learn more about the upcoming game.

What else is happening next week? As a reward for finishing my pledge I am taking myself to the movies tomorrow. Not sure what I will watch though, I am considering Dawn of Planet of the Apes, Transformers: Age of Extinction, or Maleficent. Any recommendations? I have a book club meeting coming up to discuss Reconstructing Amelia which I am almost done with and it has turned out to be pretty good (I hope the ending doesn’t disappoint). And I have to pick up my mom at the airport so I see some mother-daughter bonding time in the near future.

Weekly Words of Wisdom

 

 

How one little setback does not a failure make

Today was a crazy busy day with lots of projects to finish and errands to run so I was not surprised when I found myself falling into the supermarket checkout trap and purchasing a small Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers (280 cal). When it comes to snacks, this was not the worst choice but I’ve been trying to avoid highly processed foods such as these so it is still a setback. Oh well… it’s done. Moving on.

I woke up late considering everything I had on my to-do list so I had my warm water and lemon while I made my bed and decided what to wear. For breakfast I had Our Skinny Cappuccino Shake (thank you Fitbloggin sponsor), at mid-morning I reached for a Chocolate Chip ClifBar which tastes nothing like chocolate but it does give you a boost of energy to keep you going. At noon, I did my 7-min workout with CarrotFIT and for lunch I had some black bean soup with cilantro a some mexican blend cheese sprinkled on top. As I mentioned above, I crashed around 3 pm and fell for some Goldfish Crackers. Not my finest hour but when it comes to cheating my diet, not my worst… by a long shot. I took a 55-min Zumba Toning class which is a lot harder than one would think and for dinner I had 2 sunny-side-up eggs, fulfilling my egg quota for the week, with salsa and 1/2 an avocado. Not my best day but certainly not my worst. Tomorrow will be better.

Next? green tea and bedtime #nightnight 

#WORKOUTWEDNESDAY Halfway through #couch25K

OK… so technically I am one day short of being halfway through but it’s #workoutwednesday so I went with it. 😛 Here’s what I have learned:

• Warm-up after 5 minute walk – Since I started I would get this weird pain around the 15 minute mark. It would feel like my calves could not hold me up anymore and that I would fall any minute. I talked to one of my instructors at the gym who recommended I pause the workout and stretch after the “5-minute brisk walk” and then start running. That did the trick.
• Stretch right after run and again about an hour later – This was an interesting find. I usually stretch after exercising but after interval running I would be stiff about two hours later and in serious need of a yoga class. I now stretch only a little right after and then some more about an hour later. It helps.
• Running outdoors is liberating but indoor tracks are way easier – I live in the south peeps (that is Southeastern US) and #thestruggleisreal when it comes to heat and humidity. Indoor tracks can seem boring or at least that’s what I thought initially but I have learned to enjoy it and honestly, you can’t beat a temperature control environment.
• I need to get fit for running shoes – I have two pairs of running shoes and they are pretty great but I have come to realize and accept that if this is really to become a thing, I need new shoes. It’s on the to-do list for next week.

Continuing with my one-week pledge and 7-Daily-Habits
😀 Day 3 was a breeze 😀

Well… a breeze may be overselling it. I did feel hungry several times but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t hungry, just craving complex carbs. I didn’t give in though. That was good.

The Grub: Started my day with lemon and warm water as always. For breakfast I had a blackberry smoothie made with coconut milk. Mid-morning I made edamame with lime-honey-tamari sauce. For lunch I had about 1 cup of ground turkey that was leftover from Monday, and black bean, edamame, corn salad (inspired from this recipe). I had a chocolate-peanut butter chia bar at the gym and for dinner I needed to refuel badly, I had 1/2 avocado with garlic fried egg and salsa, and an apple. I’ll end the day with a cup of green tea before bed.

Workouts today included 7-min in hell brought to you by Carrot FIT, my judgmental fitness overlord :twisted:, 36-min of interval running (week 4 day 2 #couch25K), 55-min group weights class (Rep Reebok), and 55 minutes insane Zumba. That’s nearly three hours of exercise. #forthewin

I am stoked about how well I ran today… 5 minutes straight in the bag!

A day of good choices

I did it!

I’m not going to lie. It wasn’t easy but it wasn’t too hard either. It helped a lot to a get a good night sleep (thanks melatonin). Something amazing happens when I lower my carb intake and up my fruits and vegetables. I get this crazy burst of energy. I got so much done today and I was motivated to get it done. Good food = happy brain; and happy brain = GETTING SHIT DONE! (excuse my french)

I have to do a special mention about Quest Bar. I have never really been one to eat protein bars of any kind. Mainly because It usually ended up being just more calories in and none out. But at Fitbloggin I got many samples of different protein bars and I got to admit that when I opened these they didn’t look appetizing although they smelled delish and they pack a punch. I only had half mid-morning because I really couldn’t eat it all and then another bite (that’s all I needed) after my interval run/walk. Anyone use protein bars? If so, which one? 

Dinner was good and now I am gonna watch some TV and then have a cup of green tea and another melatonin and sleep like a baby and do it all over again tomorrow… hopefully. Here’s hoping your Monday was a good one! Cheers!

#workoutwednesday The top 5 reasons I love group exercise

Today I did my triple threat exercise routine: 1. Couch to 5K, 2. 55 minutes weights (Rep Reebok), and 3. 50 minutes insane Zumba. I can’t believe this is a common Wednesday for me now. A year ago I would have called it crazy. Today, I love it. I have yet to learn whether I will get to finish the couch to 5K program but my group classes? those I love. Here are the top 5 reasons I enjoy group exercises so much:

1. It’s social: Although I am introvert (something that developed later in life and that I need to talk about) I do like to see familiar faces, I love the encouragement I get from and give to my fellow workout mates. We laugh and whine together and we cheer each other on. It’s a little family with all its functions and dysfunctions and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
2. It’s cheap: All my instructors are super careful and make sure that we have proper form. I get the benefits of having personal trainer but I don’t have to pay for one.
3. It’s a full-body workout: Working alone you may be tempted and sometimes advised to work 2-3 muscles at a time. You also find it easier to quit half-way. Most group classes work all the muscles and you may feel deterred to quit halfway unless you are truly burnt out.
4. It pushes me to work harder: In my weights class I keep record of the weights I use for each muscle group and try a little more every month. In my yoga and zumba classes there usually modified versions of most movements. It is great to know what to look forward and to celebrate what I have been able to accomplish.
5. It’s structured: It works for me to know what time each class will be. I know I am at the gym everyday around 6 pm. If I didn’t have this it would be easier for me to postpone or skip but knowing that a class will be taking place helps.

All these reasons work together: I know what I am doing and when, I have friends that will notice when I don’t show (and call me out), and cheer me on when I do, my instructors make sure I have good form, that I work my whole body, and challenge myself, and it’s affordable. What’s not to love?

Progress report on new year resolutions

WOW! Today is July 1st and so begins the second half of the year… time sure flies. On this day, I decided to take a look back at my new year resolutions and see how I am doing. Here are the resolutions I wrote down on January 1st:

1. Start a New Adventure: I’m going to say that starting this blog was this year’s adventure. It came to life on March 3rd, 2014 and I have found so much love and understanding from you. Thank you!
2. Arrive at Goal Weight: At the beginning of the year I had high hopes that I could arrive at goal weight in 2014. Although it is possible, I no longer see “goal weight” as a destination I care too much for. I am enjoying the journey. I am learning to live a healthier life, to love myself and show that love by caring for myself inside and out. If I make it to goal weight, great; if I don’t, that’s OK too.
3. ZUMBA everyday: I am counting this as an accomplished goal because there actually was a week when I did zumba every day adding up to 12 days straight of Zumba. I don’t currently do Zumba everyday because I have added other exercises to my routine. That is a great reason to not do the same exercise.
4. Eat with a Purpose: I’m going to give myself a half-pass on this (sort of like a B-). I rarely mindlessly eat anymore. Even when I eat something that is not the healthiest choice I do it on purpose; even if I regret it afterwards. On the other hand, I find myself much more aware of what I eat and that is a huge step forward from before. I listen to my body more and I feel that we are finally understanding each other.
5. Run a Half-Marathon: OK… this is my “crazy goal for the year.” I am currently doing the Couch to 5K program and not feeling 100% confident I will finish but I keep going. I really don’t enjoy running and don’t know if I will ever enjoy it but I am committed to giving it a try. I expect to do a few 5Ks in the Fall when the weather cools and maybe, just maybe, I’ll grow to like it.
6. Read More: 1 Book/Week: I am certainly reading a lot more this year but not the equivalent to one a week. To reach this goal, I must read 52 books by the end of the year and should have read 25-26 by now. I have read seven; I should have nine by the end of this week since I am simultaneously reading two and I am over 2/3 done on both. I could still make it if I read a lot of short stories 😀 we’ll see.
7. Pay-off Credit Cards: I am happily half-way there. I only had two credit cards and not a lot of debt on either. I have completely paid one off and destroyed one card and I only have one left to pay-off so I am feeling confident.
8. Travel More: I wish I had done more in this first half of the year but it hasn’t been bad. I have gone to Washington, DC; Richmond & Williamsburg, VA; Aiken, SC (day trip), and Savannah, GA. Not bad for a girl on a very limited budget.
9. Make New Friends: I have made a bit of new friendships. Since moving last August, my book club meetup group has introduced me to a great group of women, I have made a few new friends at the gym, through other meetups, at my recent attendance to Fitbloggin, and here… online, through twitter and instagram (virtual friends count too and I am counting the ones I really interact with). I am so grateful for these new friendships.
10. Volunteer: I really have to work on this. I know I have the time, I just haven’t really found a group that I can both commit and identify with. I need to look harder.

OK… so 3/10 have been accomplished and the others are either half-way or underway… not bad. I am ecstatic to see how well I am doing on my resolutions. Happy Second Half of the Year Day!

 

so…