Happy Holidays

I copied this article straight from the Fitness Ridge Blog.

With Thanksgiving this week as well as Christmas right around the corner, some of you may be worried about how to fit it all in with your weight loss goals. The important thing to remember is PORTION SIZES. I really feel like holidays should be filled with yummy foods without guilt. If you want the pie, eat the pie. If you want the potatoes, eat the potatoes. Just be sure to watch the amount. Also, decide if it is worth it. Everyday goodies like store bought cookies or crackers may not be what you want to splurge on. Instead, save room for your Grandma's famous pumpkin pie that may only come once a year!


Here are the Facts:

Nutritional Facts for Traditional Holiday Foods


Turkey, 4 oz= 130 calories, 5 g fat

Glazed Baked Ham, 4 oz= 140 calories, 4 g fat

Gravy, 1/4 cup= 50 calories, 2 g fat

Potatoes, mashed, 1 cup= 250 calories, 9 g fat

Sweet potatoes, mashed, 1 cup= 258 calories, 1 g fat

Stuffing, 1/2 cup= 180 calories, 9 g fat

Green Bean Casserole, 3/4 cup= 160 calories, 10 g fat

Cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup= 110 calories, 0 g fat

Roll, 1 small= 120 calories, 1 g fat

Egg Nog, 1 cup= 360 calories, 20 g fat

Gingerbread cookie, 1 small= 190 calories, 3 g fat

Sugar cookie, 1 small= 165 calories, 9 g fat

Fudge, 1 oz= 140 calories, 4 g fat

Pecan pie, 1/8th of 9” pie= 508 calories, 29 g fat

Apple pie, 1/8th of 9” pie= 400 calories, 20 g fat

Pumpkin pie, 1/8th of 9” pie= 316 calories, 14 g fat

Fruit cake, 2 inch square = 140 calories, 4 g fat

Here is a sample meal for 800 calories. You can adjust if you would like to eat less but this is a reasonable amount for a holiday meal.

4 oz Turkey = 130 calories

1/2 cup Mashed Potatoes = 125 calories

2 tbsp Gravy = 25 calories

1/2 cup Stuffing = 180 calories

1 small Roll = 120 calories

2 tbsp Cranberry Sauce = 60 calories

1/2 slice pumpkin pie = 160 calories


While I don't believe in sacrificing on holidays, you should be aware that the average holiday dinner alone can have about 3,000 calories and most people will also munch away another 1,500 from appetizers and drinks before the meal even starts. Combined, that will be about 4,500 calories, which is more than 2 1/4 times the average daily calorie intake and almost 3 1/2 times the fat. In fact, the average person may eat enough fat in one holiday meal to equal three sticks of butter! Here are a few tips to help you stay a bit more on track.



1. Don’t skip meals! If you have learned nothing else from me, I hope you will at least do that. Starving yourself will result in a lower metabolic rate and will make you ravenous for food which will result in eating more than you may have planned. (Remember the hunger scale and don’t get below a “3”!)

2. Start meals with a salad, veggies or a broth based soup. Research shows when meals are started with high volume, low calorie foods such as these, people tend to eat 12% less calories than they otherwise would have.

3. Eat lower fat and reduced calorie foods for the days in advance of the holiday feast and for the days after.

4. Build your plate to be 1/2 fruits and vegetables, 1/4 lean proteins and 1/4 whole grains. Remember those balanced meals!

5. Avoid recreational eating. While some foods are more calorie-dense than others, no food will make you gain weight unless you eat too much of it. At parties and holiday dinners, people tend to eat (or keep eating) beyond their body’s physical hunger simply because food is there and eating is a “social thing.” (Remember the hunger scale!) To avoid recreational eating, consciously make one plate of the foods you really want. Eat it slowly and enjoy it. When you’re done, pop a mint or stick of gum in your mouth, get a tall glass of water and sip on it throughout the night. Position yourself away from the food as well.

6. Prepare for handling your worst temptations; if you want a piece of pumpkin pie, tell yourself you can have some and just watch the portion size. Remember, telling yourself you can’t or shouldn’t could lead to preoccupation and binges with that particular food.

7. If cooking, provide low-fat, low-calorie foods or ask if you can bring a side dish. You can cut back on fat by 1/2 and sugar by 1/3 and still get good results when cooking or baking. Roasting root vegetables can make a great healthy side dish. Make stuffing with wild rice or whole grain bread. Take the skin of the turkey breast. Mash cauliflower instead of potatoes. Provide a nice tray of fresh veggies and dip. Bring whole grain dinner rolls. Limit condiments, sauces and gravies. All of these will add up!

8. Make traditions with family and friends that have nothing to do with food. Take a walk, play games, or compete in a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl! Celebrate what the holidays are really about!

9. Remember that the holidays are truly only 3 days, Thanksgiving, Christmas (or Kwanzaa or Chanukah which is 8 days) and New Year’s. Three days of indulging a little is not enough to do too much damage. It is the vicious cycle of not enough exercise and too many calories for the 3 or 4 months during the holidays that causes weight gain during this time of year.

10. Sign up for a 5K or fitness walk to keep your mind focused on fitness goals. Keep up with your exercise during the holidays and try to be even more active to offset the extra calories.

11. Limit alcoholic, carbonated and sugary beverages. Have one if you must and then switch to water. Remember, it is easy to overdo on calories in liquid form.

12. Keep minimal snacks and goodies on hand. Only bake enough to give away or for a party. Out of sight, out of mind!

13. And finally, it may be more realistic to focus on weight maintenance rather than weight loss during the holidays. If you can continue to lose weight that is great but don’t give yourself unrealistic expectations.

What holiday tricks work for you?

...and above all, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Diet Update

So its been about 7 weeks since my husband and I started our diet and we're so excited about the results! The first 3 weeks is the losing period and then the next 6 weeks after that is the maintenance period. During the first 3 weeks it was very strict on the amounts of food, what we could eat, and when we could eat...No sugars and starches and even the types of vegetables we could have. The first 3 weeks of the maint. you still can't have any sugars or starches but you can eat more of a variety, and eat until your full....no more weighting everything. For desserts we were able to have sugar free pudding with sugar free cool whip or sugar free/fat free frozen yogurt with fruit. It was so nice to finally get a treat...If any of you know me, you know how I am with my sugar! :)I thought I would really miss my soda pop but I haven't at all...just missed the treats. During the first 3 weeks I lost 13 pounds (which is right where I wanted to be) and my husband lost 28!! WAHOO! I'm back to pre-baby weight and he is back to pre-wedding weight! He is loving all the attention he is getting about his weight loss (you'll never catch him admit it though). Everyone says he looks so much younger. The only place I thought I was losing was in my belly but my brothers tell me they see it in my face too. (that was new to me, I didn't think my face was chubby) That's the first place I saw a difference in my husband is his face. During the last 3 weeks of maint. you can start slowly adding sugars and starches back in. I had a turkey hoagie yesterday for lunch and since I haven't had bread in over 6 weeks it was by far the best sandwich I've ever eaten!!! The first week of all this was by far the hardest thing either of us chose to do. It was mentally, and physically draining! I will admit that on day 7 we broke down and cheated. We were both so weak we could barely get out of bed, and just couldn't focus and function. We went to Arctic Circle and I got chicken fingers (I only could get 2 down before I was too full)and he got a taco salad. Immediately upon eating, we felt completely normal again, and were able to go back to the diet. After that, it has flown by and was completly worth it. I would totally do it all over again. I am also happy to report that my sister in-law who did this diet before and lost 50 pounds, is back on it again and has lost another 20...so proud of her!

Any Takers?

Does anyone know of a personal trainer that would trade for massage?

Any Takers?

Does anyone know of a personal trainer that would trade for massage?

Brain!!!!!

Here is a great article about exercise and the brain- http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-fit-brain/#more-14427. I am a firm believer that regular exercise is beneficial to your brain.

Mmmm for a minute, but good bye sugar for a while.

I know this isn't an inspiring post, and I hope it isn't taking away your drive! I am enjoying some cinnamon swirl bread from Kneaders bakery, made into french toast with syrup, and strawberries!! I know it's so unhealthy and fattening, but my husband and I are starting up our new super strict diet on Monday, and I don't know how I will survive 6 weeks without any of the good food I'm so used to. So I am enjoying the last bit of sugar i can have for a while. I guess I must be the pickiest eater because there is hardly anything on the diet menu that I like. And there is absolutely no sugar allowed! For all of the torture I'm about to go through, I sure hope it works! LOL!! Although Working out has made me feel better, it hasn't changed my baby pouch at all, no matter how many crunches or how long I ran. So, I decided it's time for something a bit more drastic! And I've heard with this diet, that's the area you lose fat first. Good bye sugar, soda and watermelon, it was a fun summer! Hello to all of the veggies and fish I hate so much. (who would have thought that a diet wouldn't allow corn, peas, or green beans) I will be drinking some nasty herbal green tea, and water only! I will be eating chicken and steak (with very limited seasoning) so often that I hope I still like it by the time I'm done. The first 3 weeks will be the toughest. The last 3 weeks I can start adding some of the other foods back in so my menu won't be so limited. Since Alex is on board for the ride with me, hopefully it will make things easier. My sister-in law is the one person who is a bigger sugar junky than me, and if she can do this, then there are no excuses for me. She went on this diet in June and has lost 45 pounds. She's AWESOME!! Wish us luck!!

Sick!

Ok, so I've been on hold for 45 minutes and maybe my time would be better spent if I stood her and did lunges or something, but I'm not.  I'm surfing the web and  I've come across some very interesting information.  Check out  this site   (I must admit that the cookies look GOOD) and here is an article that goes with it form the Fitness Ridge Blog

Monday, August 16, 2010

Genes vs Environment
I made the mistake of looking at this article (click on the link) while eating lunch the other day. Warning, it might make you lose your lunch, or at least lose your appetite.
But it did get me thinking. Why is this OK? I really do feel that we are looking in the wrong places for the "cure" to obesity. And Marion Nestle agrees with me. Researchers are spending so much time looking for the "obesity gene", and while I think that research is important, I don't think we are going to find the answer there. In 1980 we saw a marked increased in overweight and obesity in this country. It has steadily increased since then, more so than any past three decades of our existence. Do we really think that there was a change in the gene pool? Suddenly we just don't have any self-discipline? I don't think so. I think it will always come back to the fact that there is cheap, unhealthy food everywhere you go. And A LOT of it. We are only going to be as successful as our environment allows us to be. And right now our environment is toxic. The portions, the quality, the locations...it is too much. The mother who's stroller is stocked for famine, drive through windows because heaven forbid you get out of the car to get your food, marketing campaigns that make food appear to be healthy and fast food restaurants in schools. Food has become too available and there is a constant draw to eat.
So what do you take from this? First, awareness that this isn't normal or healthy. Second, realizing that you need to take control of your immediate environment to ensure you can lead a healthy lifestyle. And third, quit blaming genes. I realize we come in all shapes and sizes which does depend on genetic makeup. But I am not asking anyone to be skinny. I want you to be healthy. Find your healthy weight by eating well and exercising.
My husband had wise words for me a few years ago: "If you can't control it, don't worry about it. If you can control it, do something about it."
Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Still in need of some motivation, any ideas besides signing up for races?

Pina Colada Protein Style

I get Bountiful Baskets and it’s the best thing ever, but sometimes we have more produce in our house than we can eat (like 3 pineapples or 4 coconuts) so I cut them up and throw them in my freezer. Then I just add them to fruit smoothies or protein shakes. I developed a Pina Colada recovery drink, here’s the recipe:

8oz of milk, soy milk or almond milk
½ banana
A few chunks of fresh or frozen pineapple
A few chunks of fresh or frozen coconut
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

Blend in a blender.

It’s actually better if the fruit is frozen, but fresh is fine. I also add things like 1/8 or ¼ cup of plain greek yogurt or cottage cheese sometimes. The Greek yogurt changes the flavor a little bit, but the cottage cheese (as gross as it sounds) just makes it creamier. I don’t want to add a ton of calories to a recovery drink so if I add cottage cheese I usually call it a meal. I have even added a little bit of spinach and it didn’t change the flavor either.

If you try it, let me know what you think.

Because I Complained

Ok... I'll post something.  So, I just got done reading this book and it totally inspired me to be a better eater. SO SO much of being healthy is based on what we put into our bodies.

SPUDMAN!

I just got done with the spudman. What a great race. It was an olympic distance triathlon which is 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, and a 6.2 mile run. We started off with the swim. Everything went well. I got out of the water not even feeling tired. Then the bike went well also. I think I needed to drink a little bit more water on the bike than I did. When I got off the bike it was 93 degrees. HOT!! The first 3 miles of the run went really well, in fact I was on a faster pace than I had anticipated, then heat exhaustion set in. I started seeing little stars. I may have been a little dehydrated as well. they only had 2 water tables on the run. I stopped at mile 5 and drank a bunch of water and dumped a bunch on my head, which really slowed me down, but I finished. My goal was to finish in 3 hours and my final time was 3 hours and 2 minutes. If you are thinking of doing a triathlon, do it. they are a blast.

Where did everyone go?

I'm just saying, this had turned into a not so motivational site.  Maybe we should change that.  I don't know about you guys, but I'm still in need of a little push.  So, how is everyone doing?

Low Cals

Anyone have or know of a good place to find low calorie recipes? I am looking for some that are 350 or less per serving. I am hoping to find some that are not too strange and that I can make and they will still be edible/filling for someone that is not trying to loose weight. :) Also if anyone has any suggestions on good snacks, quick lunches or anything else I am all ears! I am a bad snacker so I am going to try to bring more fruits and veggies to work so that when I get the munchies, I can eat those instead of cookies, candy or chips. I am going to try starting out to stick to about 1600 a day. Thanks!

Sprint Triathlon!

Hey there,
I just got done with a sprint triathlon last week. I had a blast. I got 163rd out of around 400. The swimming was the hardest by far! If anyone is contemplating doing a triathlon, I would highly recommend it. It feels great to finish. I hope to do another one in may and the Idaho Spudman in June. If anyone wants to come up to boise and do them with me, they are welcome!

Working Out Morning or Night?

I was wondering if anyone knows if it is better to work out in the morning or at night.  I prefer to work out late at night like around 8 or 9, but my sister in law says that it is better to work out in the morning.  I was wondering if this is true and if so why?  I didn't think it mattered just as long as you were getting in your daily calorie burn.  Also another question... What is the best way to use protein powder (with water, with milk, before a workout, after a workout?) and can it make you gain weight?  Thanks! :)
Jamey

It's National Nutrition Month

I LOVE nutrition! I love learning about it and I love putting things that are good for me into my body (I also like things that aren’t so good for me, but we won’t go into that) so you can imagine how excited I was when my fabulous neighbor knocked on my door the other morning with a spinach smoothie. Sounds gross, but it was actually really good. As long as you have banana or some form of fruit you can’t taste the spinach, but you are still getting all of the benefits from the spinach.  Try it, you might like it.

MS Tour 2010 Questions

If anyone has any questions about becoming a participant/rider in MS Tour 2010 PLEASE email me! (Darlene, I answered some of your questions in a comment to my original post! Thanks for your interest!) It would be fantastic to have more team members and friends to ride with!

If we register before 3/31/10 fees are only $35.00 and I have a discount code (SAVETEN) that allows registration fees to be reduced to $25.00.

My email is:

pattysnyder1@gmail.com

Please do email and consider riding! If riding does not interest you, please email me if you have questions about volunteering. The volunteers really do make this event wonderful! It is truly a great cause!

I have both family and friends who have MS and have taken care of many patients with it. That is just some of my inspiration to raise the money and ride!

Thanks!

MS Tour 2010

Hey everybody! My husband and I are riding in the MS Tour this year. The event is on June 26th and 27th. We are signed up for 75 miles. We rode a couple of years ago and it was a blast.

For those who don't know, it takes place right here in Cache Valley! You start at the fair grounds and ride the route that you have pre-selected. On Sunday (the 27th) the ride is up Blacksmith Fork Canyon.

We ride because we both have a friend and my sister-in-law who have been diagnosed with MS. In riding we need to raise money! If you possibly can, please donate. You can do this by clicking on the link below:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/UTUBikeEvents?px=5301258&pg=personal&fr_id=12531

If you would like to ride that would be even better! I am registered with Team Harmons. Upon clicking the link above you can either click to donate or click to join. Registration fee's right now are $35.00, but will go up to $45.00 after 3/31/10. If you are interested in riding, there is a minimal of $250.00 that must be accrued in donations. You can collect donations up until the very night before the ride.

I highly suggest riding. It is a blast, plus you raise money for a fantastic cause!

Need Help

So I am going to get a month pass to the rec center to do the classes at 5:45-6:45, and go running 3 nights a week. I anyone wants to do this with me, please feel free to do so. The more people that do it with me the better. It will help me also if I know there's someone I know to do it with me.

Les Bois 10K

About a month ago we signed up to do a 10K here in Boise with Stacey and Darlene. When we signed up all it told us was that it was a trail run and that it was an out and back meaning that you ran out - turned around - and then ran back on the same trail. We really didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. None of us had ever done a 10K before.

The night before the race we drove up to the course to see what we were facing in the morning. It was all uphill and in some spots it was pretty dang steep. After seeing that we were all pretty nervous!

Here is an elevation chart of the race just to prove how hard it was :)

Well we survived! The first half was a little rough in spots (well in a lot of spots), but the coming down was a lot of fun. Of all of the runs that I have done - this was by far my favorite. We are all going to do it again next year, and see if we can better our times! Plus we all got 2 shirts out of the deal as well, can't complain about that! This was only the second time that Darlene and Stacey had run all year...pretty impressive. We all thought it would take us about an hour and a half (except for Andy of course). So we were pretty happy with our times!

Times:

Andy - 50:20

Ashlee - 1:05:32

Darlene - 1:07:24

Stacey - 1:07:14

The after race group photo :)

There were about 160 racers and the mother of the man who ran it baked muffins for all of us after the race. They were delicious! And good for you at the same time - so we thought we'd share...

Les Bois Muffins:

2 C. chopped apples or applesauce

1 1/3 C. sugar

1 C. raisins or dried cranberries

1 C. shredded carrots

1 C. chopped nuts

2 eggs

1/2 C. oil

2 1/2 C. flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine apples, sugar, eggs and oil. Stir in carrots, nuts, raisins. Add dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes until muffins test done with toothpick. Cool and serve to hungry runners. Makes 28 to 30 muffins.

Lots of good information / recipes

I have a good friend who has been asking me for some healthy recipes, so I went to the Crossfit website trying to find some recipe ideas and clicked on a suggested link. It was for "Mark's Daily Apple" . I just spent a few minutes at the sight and WOW what a lot of information. I went to the archives and clicked on recipes and found lots of recipes that looked really good. I signed up to get daily tips sent to my email and the book looks very interesting too. Just a side note, Andy one of the top posts was "How to gain weight and build muscle." Hope this is something that will help!
www.marksdailyapple.com

EA Active

I was just wondering if any of you have tried EA Active for the Wii? I am thinking about buying it, but its $50-$60 so I was wanting to see what other people think about it before I spent the money. (its not that much I know, but when it comes to spending it on myself it seems like lots to me. Especially if I'm not sure how well it works !) Thanks!

A Very Inspirational Site

So here is a blog that I came across tonight about a girl who has lost 122 pounds. She is an avid runner and just an amazing inspiration. Here is her site:

http://enduranceisntonlyphysical.blogspot.com/

I also came across some very helpful information about how to better become a runner. Just google 'from couch to 5k' and you will find a site that sets you up on a program to get running a 5k in a small amount of time.

As for me, I used to hate running. I am going to get back into the groove and start running though. What is hard for me:

Everyday I say will start to run tomorrow. Any tips for how to not waste my motivation would be greatly appreciated!

New at this...

Thanks Shelley for suggesting that I join this blog.  I was writing about my weight loss goals for the year on my own personal blog and she suggested I join the group for some added support.  Thanks again Shell :) Just a little about me and my personal fitness struggles ...I have 3 kids and have always had a hard time shedding the last 15lbs after each pregnancy.  I eat healthy (most of the time), and try to exercise 1-2 days a week, but I feel that it isn't enough and I have to start stepping it up a bit to really get rid of those last 15 lbs.  My goal is to have lost at least 10 -15 by summer.  My trouble area is my upper body (stomach, arms, and back), but I don't carry much weight in my lower body.  So my question would be... does anyone have any suggestions on how to target the upper body?  What would be the best cardio workout I could get to help me shed these upper body lbs?

No more slacking for me!!!!

I've been the biggest slacker the past week...... ok, or two! I got a little busy and kept making up excuses for myself to delay my work out. Then it turned into I'll just make sure to do it tomorrow, and then I got busy doing something else and pushed it off to the day after that! I suddenly found myself having no energy at all during the day and trying to keep myself awake! I was waking in the middle of the night feeling kind of sick and then not being able to get out of bed in the morning. (NO, I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant) My kids even sleep til 9 or 10 and I still couldn't get up very easily. I started back up on my exercise routine a couple of days ago and it makes all the difference!! I'm not waking up feeling sick anymore. I'm able to get out of bed easily and before Al goes to work. And I have energy to get everything done during the day. Probably the best part is....I'm not so grouchy with my girls!! Love them bunches. ITS SO MUCH BETTER!!

Day 3

So today will be day 3 of my "30 day Shred" with Jillian Michaels. I know that is not a huge accomplishment but I am excited. ha ha Thanks Ashlee! This DVD is perfect for me. A 20 minute workout that is intense enough to know it is doing me some good! There are 3 levels so I am of course starting out level 1. Yesterday I did it right when I got home and Deegan stayed asleep in is car seat. Perfect! I highly recommend this to anyone in a time crunch like me. I picked this DVD up for $9 at walmart! Cheap! Jillian also has an online program where you can track your weight and she gives you meals and shopping lists and tons of other good stuff. You can even pay a little extra to have a personal trainer online if you want. It is free for 30 days and then just 4$ a week after that. I am excited and can already feel the burn! :) My little brother comes home from his mission in 27 days (but whos counting!:) and my goal is to have lost at least 5 lbs if not more like 10. Wish me luck!

10K!!!

my mom, ashlee and I are all running a 10k on march 6th up here in boise. I have never run a 10 k before so i thought I had better map out 6.2 miles and see where I am at. I went out today and ran it in 51 minutes and I didn't even puke. The first 5k I ever ran, I puked near the end. I am hoping to run it in 49 on race day. Thank goodness for the ipod because running for that long gets old when you are staring at traffic. So get out and run, it makes you feel so good. Later!

NEW RUNNING SHOES!!!!!!

Yeah, I got some new running shoes! I have been running in my nike shox, not the best running shoe, and they were starting to wear out so I went and got some new asics gel nimbus II shoes. I really like them, they are light, and fit my foot really well. If anyone is looking for some shoes, I would recommend going to a running store like striders, if your in utah, and getting a recommendation for you type of foot. The right shoe makes a big difference!

Slacking.....

Okay everyone, this is going to sound like one big fat excuse and I guess it is a little bit. I am having a very hard time having time to work out. By the time I pick Deegan up from the sitter and get home it is usually 5:15. My nights are pretty crazy with feeding him (2-3 times before bed), pumping, bathing him, getting us both ready for the next day, showering and so on and so on. Plus I need to have time to actually snuggle and love him and to spend a little time with Eric too. :) I really do not have time to relax let alone workout before it is time to get to bed so we can get up and start all over. I rarely cook dinner anymore either. I know this will get easier as he gets a little older. I think I am still getting used to being a full-time working mom. So I have decided to just take little (really) baby steps. So you are probably wondering the reason for this post.........

I need your help with some simple exercises that I can do in the few minutes I have here and there. Mainly for my tummy and thighs but any would be appreciated. I am entirely disgusted with my body and really want to change it but I am having a very hard time trying to juggle everything. Like, I said, I am sure I am still just getting used to this new normal and in time I will have things more figured out. And hopefully my child will cooperate more soon. :)

Let the healthy lifestyle begin

Jared and I are trying to make time in our busy schedule for exercise at a greater level than running something down to the basement or vacuuming aggressively. I have started running again and am loving it I ran 3 miles flat in 26 min 18 seconds I was really excited. Jared is Playing basketball three times a week and really enjoying the opportunity. We want to be healthy and like the lifestyle it provides but are a little old fashioned and want to do it as cheap as possible. Stay happy and healthy until another update.

Answer to the sore muscles question

Q. I stretch before running but my hamstrings are always so sore the next day. Any tips for that?

A. I’m not a professional, but here is what I have learned… First of all, sore muscles are actually good (as long as they aren’t too sore, in that case you obviously overdid it). When you work out you cause stress to your muscles causing little tiny tears in the muscle fibers. After 2 days your muscles have repaired themselves and are now stronger  Now if what you are feeling is a pain or swelling rather than soreness, you have injured yourself and that is NOT good. That being said, NEVER stretch before you workout. Your workout should be: warm up, workout, cool down (let your heart rate drop), THEN stretch. If you warm up for about 5 minutes before you workout you have allowed your body temperature to rise (obviously your muscle temperature will rise also) and your muscles are now, for lack of a better word, pliable. They are able to stretch now. Don’t ever forget that are bodies are designed to protect us. When we try to stretch a COLD muscle the opposite happens and our muscles (trying to protect themselves) retract making the muscle shorter. We want long, lean muscles right? Stretching before a workout dramatically increases the risk of an injury. If I ever go to a class or an event and they are stretching before the workout I DON’T do it. I always do my own thing (unless my muscles are already warm). A good warm up is anything light cardio, but not aerobic, examples would be: jogging, jump rope, marching in place, a few jumping jacks, you get the idea. When you do stretch, after your workout try to hold the stretch for about 30 seconds.



Is there a better way to view comments? If I’m following the blog is there a way that I can have the comments sent to my email? I don’t always go back and read all of the comments and I feel like I’m probably missing out on lots of good info. I think blogger has an option to show the most recent comments on the side bar or you can have them emailed to us. Just a suggestion. I didn’t remember your question and it took me a wile to go back and find the comment.

Hey there!

Just wondering how everyone is doing. I am just waiting for ash to get home from work so I can go on a run. I am doing a cycling class that is pretty sweet. I love to ride bikes and I am planning on some triathlons this year so I thought I would start to get in "biking" shape. Anyway, just wondering what you are all up to.

Yogurt and Sweetner and Recipes

The Greek yogurt I eat is made by Stonyfield I started eating the flavored kind, I am now on my 4th tub of plain non-fat. I eat 40z every morning and I actually like it, it took some persistence to acquire a taste for it but I really look forward to it every morning. My biggest eating goal was to reduce the amount of sugar I eat every day, it was a lot before the challenge. 3 weeks into the challenge the only sugar I eat is in the recovery drink (17 grams) I use after a workout and 1 serving of fruit a day. I do have a recipe for an energy bar that is sweetened with 1/2 tea of raw honey and coconut and craisins. And a protein pancake that is really good , I eat it almost every day. Shelly aked about sweeteners Splenda is not so good , it is chemically based and hard for your body to metabolize. Stevia is the best sugar alternative you can use. There is a brand called Sun Crystals in a green box in the sugar section. It is half cane sugar and half Setvia. only 1 gram of sugar per packet and tastes really good. Now for the promised recipes.

Protein Pancakes.

8 egg whites
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 scoop protein powder
1 small banana mashed up
cinnamon to taste

Blend all ingredients in the blender. The batter will be very thin, using about 1/3 of a cup, cook like a pancake. they will be kind of like a crepe. Spread with 1 tab of unsweetened almond butter and roll up. I usually make a double batch an freeze. great to grab and go. I like to warm mine up (in the microwave) just a little.


Primal Energy Bar.

ngredients:

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup almond or sesame seed meal
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil (check your local health food store)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of raw honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries or blueberries

Method:

On a cookie sheet, toast nuts and shredded coconut until golden brown (you may need to shake the tray once or twice to make sure they cook evenly).
Once toasted, pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until nuts are chopped and the mixture becomes coarsely ground.
In a mixing bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter (about 20 seconds). Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.
Add vanilla extract, honey and sea salt. Mix thoroughly.
Fold in nut mixture and almond (or sesame seed) meal until mixed thoroughly.
Fold in blueberries/cranberries.
Press mixture into an 8 by 4 loaf pan.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
Cut “loaf” width wise. Should make 6 good-sized bars.
Enjoy! (or, if you don’t plan to eat immediately, you can store the bars in the refrigerator, covered loosely with a paper towel and plastic wrap.



By: Mark Sisson

Great healthy soup recipe with tonz of veggies!

I know that not everyone will like the sound of this recipe, but it is great. I ate a lot of it in russia. It is really good. Give it a try! Healthy too!

Borscht Recipe
INGREDIENTS
8 cups beef broth, fat free, low sodium.
1 pound of beef, sliced into bit size pieces, (optional).
1 large onion, peeled, diced.
4 large beets, peeled, chopped
4 carrots, peeled, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup low fat sour cream.
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1 Bring 4 cups of the beef broth, the beef, and onion to boil in large pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
2 Transfer meat to work surface; trim fat.
3 Add remaining 4 cups broth, beets, carrots, and potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
4 Stir in meat, cabbage and 1/2 cup dill; cook until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup dill.
Serves 6.

Body Fat and the Dreaded Bathroom Scale

Knowing your body fat is important. So many people think they are healthy because their weight is “in the charts”, but their body fat % is surprisingly high.

I have NEVER owned a bathroom scale and never WANTED a bathroom scale. I tend to be a little obsessive about weighing myself or I bag it all together because weighting myself frustrates the crap out of me. I’ve been thinking for a while though that I should probably get one (knowledge and accountability). So, at the beginning of the week I purchased a Health-O-Meter scale. There was a coupon in the Sunday paper for $10 off. I paid about $20 for the scale (not bad) and was surprised to see that the body fat estimate was off by exactly 1% (that’s only 1-2 pound for an average healthy adult) so the scale was actually pretty accurate.

The most accurate way to test your body fat % is by the hydrostatic weighting, second is by using body fat skin fold calipers and third is the estimated hand held devices or digital scales.

Thanks for the tip on Greek Yogurt. I bought some, but I’m not sure if I bought the right kind. Darlene, where do you get yours and what is the brand name? I’m excited to have a new option for adding protein to my diet.

For now my main goal is just to work on my abs. I have some pretty strong abs. I can do crunches and sit ups all day long. The problem is… You can’t see them through the layers of fat (the kind of fat that only a mom can understand) I’ve given myself 3 months to see some major definition in my abs. Tips welcome.

What do you guys know about sweeteners? Particularly Splenda? I have heard so much good and so much bad about them and I just don’t know. Darlene, I’m thinking maybe you can help me with this. That reminds me… I have a great healthy protein carrot cake recipe (maybe I’ll post it later).

How are you guys doing on your goals? Britt? Stacey? Darlene? Andy? Ashley? Your success stories are so inspiring.

Things that I have done :)

About 2 years ago, my husband bought me a road bike. I have ridden many rides (one with Stacey), and plan to ride many more.

1) June 2008, Little Red Riding Hood, 38 miles (if I remember right).

2) June 2008, MS Tour, 40 miles

3) August 2008, ULCER (Utah Lake Epic Century Ride), 30 miles.

4) June 2009, Little Red Riding Hood, 46 miles

5) August 2009, ULCER, 95 miles

These are just some of the registered rides (that I can remember). All throughout the nice weather Stacey and I have (and will) cycle up (and down) Smithfield Canyon and many other places. I also started mountain biking last summer. I am not great at that one, but each bike ride (registered or not) have been so much fun. The registered rides usually make monetary donations to different charities. Every registered ride have also been fantastic and are well supported.

This season we plan on riding all of these rides above and a few more. In August, Cache Valley usually hosts a century ride. You don't need to go 100 miles but we are adding this ride to our list of rides. There are also some fun rides in Southern Utah that we plan on trying to do.

I had a doctor tell me once that cycling wasn't a good workout activity. She was right. It's a great workout activity.

Okay, I am done now!

:)

Blog Followers

We have some blog followers.  Diane lots a lot of weight and Chelsea ran a marathon.  Would you mind telling us how you accomplished such big goals?

Veggies

Ok I'm a reasonably healthy eater, I love whole grain foods and fruits especially but I have the hardest time eating vegetables. I will only eat them raw if I have some kind of dip to dip them in, and I don't really love cooked veggies but I will eat them if they are there. I do eat salads quite a bit but I can't eat them without my addiction...RANCH! So that makes my salad kind of not worth eating it because the dressing is full of fat. I LOVE eating soup that are made with veggies but my hubby doesn't like soup much so I don't get to make it all that often! Does anyone have any ideas for helping me like veggies more? Any good recipes? Any tips? I would LOVE for some help because I know my body is lacking them MAJORLY! On a side note, there is the first 5k of the year this Saturday at Logan High. Everyone should make it if they can!

Bountiful Baskets

Not sure if any of you already know about this but if you go to bountifulbaskets.org This is a co-op and a great way to get fruits and veggies for cheap. I am doing it for the first time this week. You pay $15 and get lots of fruits and veggies. You pick up your stuff on Saturday mornings and there are several locations.I believe they are available in Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Washington for now. I am excited to try this! Just thought I would share with you all in case you didn't know about it. What great way to get a variety of fruits and veggies. They also offer honey wheat bread and other specials each week. I will let you know how it is.

Running

I ran 4 miles last night on the tredmill. Yeah!! But my body isn't liking me since it's been a week since I ran last, mostly because I've been lazy the last week. Anyway, does anyone have any tips on staying motivated to keep running? I think the weather is the biggest thing for me. I'm just antsy to get outside and do more.

Protein

I don’t love meat or eggs so it’s hard for me to get enough protein in my diet. I do supplement protein, but I believe the healthiest way to eat is by eating whole and trying to supplement as little as possible. That being said, I absolutely hate fish (ok, I guess I don’t hate it, but strongly dislike it). I am determined to find a fish recipe that I like because it is SO GOOD FOR YOU! Any good recipes? Something that doesn’t taste too fishy!!

(Brook and Britt, come to class with us tonight! And anyone else that wants to come)

Don't go too nuts

I'm so not the blogger so we'll see how this goes. Just a little piece of advice I recently learned the hard way..... Don't go balls to the wall the first day you start your exercise routine! I've started doing sit-ups after each time I use my eliptical. The first day I started out doing reps. of 20 and decided to do as many as I could. I did ok until I hit sixty. I told myself I wasn't tired yet and I had more in me....so I kept going. The next forty were torture! But when I was done I was proud that I had made it to 100. I paid for my mistake for the next week! I had to beg my husband not to make me laugh because I couldn't handle the pain. Because I was so sore, I didn't feel like using my eliptical either. Now that the pain is gone and I can stand to work out again I decided to cut them in half for now and work my way up.

I wish I could get myself back to my eating habits from high school! I know I didn't eat the healthiest then, but I only ate when I was hungry and I didn't just snack all day. Now that I have 2 kids and I stay at home with them, its so hard because they are always asking for snacks throughout the day, and without even paying attention, I snack with them even though i'm not hungry.

How do I get my ideal weight out of my head even though I know its smaller than all of the weight charts suggest? All through high school I never weighed more than 110 and to me, that then was my perfect weight. I felt ok about myself then. I just looked at a weight chart. My height is 5'8" and I weight 126. The weight chart said for my age and height it should be about 128. I know seeing these #'s I should feel good and that I'm at a good place now and I don't need to lose anymore, but my muffin toppin and kangaroo pouch suggests otherwise!! Any suggestions on how I mentally get over it and just accept what my weight really should be? All I see is that I've never been able to get rid of my baby fat. I didn't gain any weight for 3 years after high school. Right before I got pregnant with my first baby, my husband and I started going to the gym and I gained muscle weight and was at 115. I thought since I didn't really gain weight easily that I would gain 15-20 pds max. throughout the pregnancy. I was BLOWN AWAY because by the end of it I had gained 50 pds. It was so slow to come off. My kids are 2 1/2 yrs apart and by the time I got pregnant with the second I was down to 122. So to me I just see it as lingering baby weight....maybe I just need a good Pshychologist to talk me into different HAHAHA LOL! Any advice is welcomed.

Some goals!

Hey there, just posting a few of my goals quick. I just started a biggest winner contest at work. I am the only one that is trying to gain weight but that is O.K.Here are a few of my goals:

-I got my body fat tested and I am at 9% right now, I want to get down to 6%.

-Run a 5K in 20 minutes! and a 10K in 41minutes.

-be able to do 75 push-ups all at once.

By the way, LOVING all the posts!

Here goes nothin'....

I've never been one to talk about my weight loss goals/fitness etc. But I need advice and maybe a little pushing :)
The summer between my Sophomore and Junior year I lost a lot of weight, it took most people a few minutes to even recognize me! I felt great and had confidence I have NEVER had in my life!! The thing about it is that I did nothing different with my diet, I walked every night with my mom but that was it. So its almost like I lost all my baby fat haha and were it happened so fast with little to no effort it seems like now it's taking FOREVER to lose anything, I get extremely discouraged!! Anyway, after high school (June '08) I gained a good twenty pounds over that following winter (horrible I know) I knew that I had gained, but I refused to get on a scale!

I finally had reality smack me in the face by my sweet little four year old cousin! I went back to New Jersey this summer to stay with Jamie and Matt. I had no shorts that fit me from the summer before...blah, so while I was there I bought a few pair. Well, I was getting ready for the day and little Mauree was in with me and the shorts were laying on her bed and she said "Wow those are really big!" Then it kinda hurt a little, but now I think it is hilarious!! :) Yes, I know kids just speak their mind and have no intention of hurting feelings. Who knew the words of four year old could get my butt in gear to do something about my weight!! Thank you Mauree!! (I have never told anyone that story before either)

When I got back home I decided that I was going to do something about it! (FINALLY) I had my fair shares of "Ok, I'll start Monday!" or "I'll start again next week" After three months of that I finally just told myself that's enough! I had horrible self confidence which made me depressed. Which made my everyday life a drag! (all I think now is how did Bryce even put up with me!) I want so bad to be back to the "skinny" person I was before!

So since September I have been eating healthier
*Cut out all fast food
*Stopped my IV of Mt. Dew ;) LOL (I still do have a few sips of Bryce's now and then)
*I limit my candy/sweets to just a couple M&M's or Sour Patch Kids a week (This one was hardest for me to do, I love candy!!)
*I eat more fruits and veggies
*I cook with fresh ingredients and don't cook very many prepackaged meals anymore
*I drink at least 6 cups of water a day. I have a water bottle with me at all times, that way I have no excuse to get a pop if I'm thirsty
*I watch my calorie intake

The weight sure doesn't come off as fast as I would like but so far I have lost 17 lbs. And that is with out exercise. I really must have had a HORRIBLE diet! I have stopped losing for about three weeks now, I haven't gained any but I haven't lost either. I can say that it is nice to have people notice that I have been losing, HUGE confidence booster! So I'm gradually getting to feel good about myself again! Off track here but I did pull a pair of shorts out of my summer tote just to see if I could even get them on...when I tried a few months ago i couldn't get them much passed my knees :-/ but I actually got them up AND done up! I still have some bulging, but we're getting closer!!

I do walk/run on my treadmill for 20 min. About every other day. I just hate trying to run on it in our apartment because its right next to a wall we share with the neighbors. I don't want them to think there is an earthquake :) Ok that's no excuse but I hate how loud it is. I can't ever get anyone to go to the gym with me; yes, I know your saying 'you big pansy just go by yourself!' But I just hate going places alone!

So now I need you all to push me so that I can can lose at LEAST 15 more, I would LOVE to go more, but that is my goal for now!!

Whew...sorry if your still reading this long rant haha If you are thanks and I will appreciate ANY advice you have for me!

(*I'm not going to proof read this sorry, but it's five and I want to go home ;) *)

Protein Pudding

We just booked a trip to California at the end of April so I have got

3 months to get ready for the beach ;)

Last week Andy and I both started a fitness program: he is doing P90X, and I started Body For Life. (This is one of the books that Shelley just posted about) It is a 12 week fitness program that involves eating healthy - not dieting - and daily exercise. When I go to the gym if I'm not doing cardio I tend to wander around lost, so this program gives me the guidance I need.

We just got a new scale and it can tell you your body fat percentage. I about passed out when I saw what my percentage was....I can't bring myself to post it though :) Anyway, my main goal is to get to a healthier percentage. I am shooting for 23% for now.

For the program I have to give up sweets....a hard job for me :) So I have found a substitute. I pretty much have it every night! Protein Pudding, so I am going to share with all of you.

Protein Pudding

1 box sugar free - fat free instant pudding (I like the chocolate, but there are lots to choose from)

3 1/4 cups skim milk

3 scoops protein powder (I use vanilla)

Put it all together in the blender and blend for a couple of minutes. Pour it into 4 individual containers and put in the fridge. Then you have 4 protein packed snacks ready to go when you need them! I put a little spoonful of Cool Whip Free on top too :)

Buddy System :)

Hey everyone! I have never been good at dieting and exercising. I never needed to until the last few years and since I was not in the habit, it has been very hard for me to stick to anything I try. And with Eric for a husband who probably has .007 % body fat and eats tons of bread and pop, and doesn't necessarily care for the healthy meals I attempted to make, it has made it hard. I am not making excuses, just explaining myself. haha I need to get more motivated and really make a new lifestyle for myself. So I think I might be a lot different than most of you. I don't have much to contribute at this point but desperately need all the help I can get! I am going to tell you my goals in hopes that it will motivate me.

My current weight is 132. My pre-pregnancy weight was 127 so I am not too far from that but even the 127 was too high. Ideally I would like to get to and maintain a weight of 115. When I reach this point if there is still more that I can loose and still be healthy, I will keep going! So here we go. I am starting at the very bottom with not much knowledge or anything so I will greatly appreciate your posts! Feel free to check in on me, please do! I fail miserably when I go at it alone. :) Also, if anyone ever wants a workout buddy on the weekends or in the evenings, let me know. For now, it will be me and my treadmill. I can't wait for nicer weather so I can take Deegan out in the stroller!

Also, if anyone has any good tips on where to start or things like that, please share. I know if I try too much all at once, I will once again fail. Thanks and I am excited to get going!

Oh yeah, I am still nursing so I don't wanna do anything that will affect that. Suggestions??

This is it, I promise

I think I got it.
We hiked up to the grove of trees in the middle of the picture, had a snack, and hiked back. Stacey, Gentry and Koda, Fun, Fun, Fun.

Big Surprise!

Anyone who knows me will not be surprised to learn that while trying to post some snowshoeing pictures, I accidentally posted my post before it was finished. (I still can't get the picture thing to work) So to add to the my first posting. ........... Attitude, I loved the "Tomorrow" comment Andy posted last week. It is so easy to put off taking care of yourself. Every once in a while Brad puts up inspirational thoughts on the board at Crossfit. so here are my three favorite.

1. "You can't out-work a crappy diet"

2. " If you want to do anything, you'll find a way. If you don't want to do anything you'll find and
excuse.

3. "Don't expect immediate results. There is not short cut to being strong and getting fit.
Relish the work, enjoy the sweat and welcome the pain."

There I think I'm done for now !

Big Surprise!

HERE I GO!

Hey everyone, welcome to my very first posting to anything ever. Please bear with me!
Three of the things that I have found I need to stay on track are accountability, someone to work out/play with and a positive attitude. That being said here goes....... If everyone I know is aware of my goals and progress it will help me to stay on track. We are two weeks into the "Beauty and Strength" challenge at Crossfit. Starting the challenge my weight was 160 lbs and my body fat percentage was 29.48% (Stacey and I went up to USU last week and did the Hydrostatic body fat testing, it is suppose to be the most accurate test for your BMI.) I had to set two performance goals for the challenge, mine are 10 "proper" toe push-ups (I can do 4 right now) and 5 thrusters with a 55lb bar ( I currently use a 45 lb bar for thruster.) you can go to the Crossfit web sit and see how the skills are suppose to look. We also have to keep and turn a daily food log (another great tool for accountability.) I have done really well cutting out a lot of the sugar in my diet, so far I have cut my 5 to 6 servings of fruit a day down to 1 and have switched to non-fat plain Greek yogurt. March 17 is the end of the challenge so I will keep you posted on my progress.
I am so very, very lucky to to have such good family and friends that are willing to put up with me, and make staying active so much fun. Stacey is my partner at Crossfit and always pushing me to do better. Andy and Ash are always inviting my to participate in what ever events they are doing, and are constantly sharing information and tips with me. And my friends are so great to go swimming, snowshoeing, and biking with me. Just yesterday Stacey and I went snowshoeing with Carol and Gentry. It not only was a great work out but was so much fun! Thanks Guys!

Knowledge is Key

I’m so fascinated with the human body. It’s so amazing what your body can do for you. We spend our entire life in the same body so lets be good to it. I am absolutely shocked at how little people know about a nutrition and what they are putting into their bodies. I am ALWAYS reading either a book on nutrition or exercise. Here are some books I have read recently and would recommend reading:

Get Stronger, Feel younger

By Wayne Westcott

The P90X Nutrition Plan

Body For Life

By Bill Phillips

The Best Life Diet

By Bob Greene

The Biggest Loser Fitness Program

Making the Cut

By Jillian Michaels

Are you Ready!

By Bob Harper

All of these books have a ton of good information in them!

I am currently reading :

Master Your Metabolism

By Jillian Michaels

A friend of mine recently gave me a copy of Nutrition for Dummies and if I had to pick one book that I think all of you should read THIS would be it.  Seriously, I can't put this thing down.  I have learned so much from just this one book.  I love this book because it is based on facts.  They aren't trying to promote a diet or exercise program.  This book goes into so much detail and I think of it as a manual for my body.

2010 Races

Hey everyone! I just wanted to give you all a list of the runs in Cache Valley this year...there are a ton!! Running is so great for your body and a really good stress reliever! I encourage everyone to try at least one race this year. Get a group of friends together and go have a good time; you usually get a really nice shirt for doing the races too!

Here is the list:
Freeze your Buns 2/6/10
Shamrock Shuffle 3/13/10
Run for your Life 4/10/10
Providence Family Fun run 4/17/10
CAPSA "Run From Violence" 4/17/10
Race Against Abuse 5/1/10
Pleasant View Family Run 5/8/10
Smithfield Health Days 5/8/10
Race for Ability 5/15/10
Duathlon 5/22/10
Cache Valley Biathlon 6/12/10
Olympic & Spirit Triathlon 6/12/10
Gunsight Gallop 6/19/10
Logan Peak Trail Run 6/28/10
CV Super Sprint Triathlon 7/1/10
Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run 7/3/10
This is the Race 7/24/10
Last Chance Sprint Triathlon 8/7/10
Race for Life 8/7/10
TOU Half Marathon 8/28/10
Wellsville Founders Day 9/6/10
TOU Marathon 9/18/10
Bear 100 Ultra 9/24/10
Duathlon 9/25/10
First Dam Run 11/6/10
Turkey Trot 11/20/10

If you want more information on these races you can go to http://todaix.lib.usu.edu/run/races.pdf

Tomorrow???????????

Hey there, I just wanted to post about my experience I had today. Everybody knows how hard it is to start and stay on a exercise/diet plan. Well, today after work, I went and picked my kids up, got pulled over by a cop on the way home, (no ticket thanks heavens), helped my wife clean and feed the kids, then we watched our little niece for a couple hours and I was TIRED! I had not done my workout yet today either. Today is my running day. As I sat on the couch, I just kept telling myself, "your way too tired to workout, just start it up again hardcore on monday. Relax tonight." I got up and looked outside and it was snowing and cold. I said to myself, "good heck, I am not running in that!" I would have been so easy just sit home and relax. But I decided to go on my run anyway.

As I was running on the cold, wet, dark running trail I usually run on I thought, "why did I almost skip my run tonight?" And I got to thinking about how easy it is to start a new workout plan, set new goals, and then slowly get out of the habit of doing the workouts everyday. Because whenever you skip a workout or cheat on your diet, you are forming a habit of skipping workouts and cheating on your diet. It seems to get worse and worse until your back to where you were when you started. It is so easy to tell yourself, "I'll start exercising next week" or "I don't have time today to do it" or my favorite, "I just have too much going on to exercise, i'll start when things are not so hectic." As I was running, I thought about on of my favorite movie quotes of all time from Rocky 3. Apollo Creed is trying to get rocky to train for his big fight coming up and Rocky's head is somewhere else and Rocky tells Apollo, "I'll do it tomorrow. Apollo says to Rocky, "There is no tomorrow!!"

That quote is so true. The only thing we can control is today. The past is already gone and we don't know what the future will hold. I thought about that quote while I was running and it inspired me. Instead of running my usual 3 miles, I ran about 5. So the next time you are tired from you day and you tell yourself that you will do your workout tomorrow, or start a new workout plan next week, think about apollo creed and get up from whatever you are doing and go do it TODAY! We can only control what we will do today. I Promise that you will feel so much better if you just go do it!

All you new people that I sent invites out to, feel free to post whatever you would like, goals, recipes, workouts, events, or anything else you would like. How about some before and after pics too!!!!!!!

PLAIN YOGURT?

My mother and the p90x guide has suggested eating plain, non-fat yogurt. When I started p90x again I thought I would give it a shot. It tastes about like watered down sour cream. I thought, how in the heck am I going to eat this stuff every day. Well I found the answer. I put it in a breakfast shake. Here is the delicious recipe;

Breakfast Protein Shake:

3/4 cup skim milk

1 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder

1 cup non-fat plain yogurt

1 cup raspberries

1/2 of a banana

Then you just blend them all in a blender and drink. It is great! Give it a try. Here are some of the nutrition facts about it.
about 450 calories
2 g total fat
48 g protein
65 g Carbohydrates

I also wanted to post about running. It is great for you. When I started p90x back in michigan my heart rate would hit 190 sometimes when I was plyometrics. I was not running very much back then. Then when I got to boise, me and Ash started running more and more. I did plyometrics last night as hard as I could go and my heart rate hit 180 once for about 2 seconds. for the most part it stayed in my target area, around 173. I still think good old running is the very best thing you can do for weight loss, heart rate, health, ect.........
RUN BABY RUN!!!!!!!

After workout drinks!!!

I have read and heard that after a workout, your body is ready to receive nutrition. If you put the right things in your body within 1/2 hour after your workout, it will help you recover faster and see better results. My favorite is the p90x recovery drink. It is delicious but it has a lot of sugar in it. I have also heard that chocolate milk is another great thing you can drink right after a work-out that will help your body recover better. You can get p90x recovery drink online. Just a little tip! If any of you have any other suggestions, Let me know. Heading out to do my work-out, later!

P.S. Ashlee and I are signed up to run a 10K the weekend of March 6 up here in boise. All are invited to come and run with us! Entry fee is $28 and you get a T-shirt if you run. If you want more info, just let me know.

Lifestyle Change!

I am way excited that Andy decided to start this blog. I think it is a fantastic idea for all of us to share our progress, and keep each other motivated. I have started a few new things this year, and hopefully this will help me stick to them.

First off, Brett and I have started P90X again. We started it back in August, but we didn't make it through the entire program. We only made it through about the first month and a half, but we did see some very GREAT results. We kind of slacked off (especially around the holidays), but we have started faithfully again in January. We have almost finished our 3rd week, and both of us are starting to see the results again.

Along with P90X, my mom and I go to CrossFit regularly. At CrossFit we just started this competition called Beauty in Strength Challenge. This challenge is not just a weight loss challenge, but an overall fitness and nutrition challenge. We started this last Sunday, so it has almost been 1 week. The challenge will end on March 17th. Everyday we have to keep a food log of everything we eat and all our activity. After two weeks, our trainer will sit down with us and go over our logs. From there he will give us advise on what we can do to improve. We also had to pick some CrossFit performance-related goals that we need to work on throughout the challenge. They also took before pictures of us so we can compare pictures at the end. I have an AWESOME partner, my mom, so I know we will do great.

I think one of the most important things I have to remember is that this just isn't something I am going to do for a couple months, this is a lifestyle change. Of course I won't be doing P90X and CrossFit together for the rest of my life, but I will definitely learn what I need to do to live a healthier life.

Welcome to the Exercise Blog.

HI there,

WEll, this is the start of the exercise blog. I made this blog in hopes to help people keep track of what they are doing each week so they can improve. I invite everyone that wants to post what they are doing exercise wise and what they are eating. Also if anyone has any suggestions or hints for the rest of us, feel free to let everyone else know. My goal is to post weekly what I have done the past week exercise wise and what I have ate. Feel free to post daily if you would like to. I hope we can encourage each other and motivate each other to get into better shape and live a healthier, happier life.

Now, I am starting P90X again. I love that program but I have never completed it. It is pretty hard core, but I saw and felt instant results. I really recommend this program. I know stacey and Brett are doing it again also. Good luck guys.

My mom, Darlene loves crossfit and she eats like a world class athlete so I am sure she can help anyone out who has questions about dieting right.

This is just a starting post so if anyone knows anyone that you think would like to follow this blog, please tell them about it. This blog is not private and if anyone wants to be able to post, just let me know. Leave a message on the blog. Anyway, good luck to all and to all a happy healthy life.