Workouts

I've really been enjoying my old Taebo Advanced Live workouts - each are 60 minutes of cardio, kickboxing, some have floorwork, all have super sing along music. And I sing along ( sorry, family! lol!).

These are OOP and I only have a few but am always looking out for more, secondhand. I just love them!

But today, I decided on something different - did Turbo Jam Punch Kick Jam. About 50 minutes of kickbox and dance to old school music. Also fun! This particular workout includes a capoeria section and also muscle work with a resistance band. Stretches are all yoga and tai chi.

However, I didn't feel fully worked at the end - I enjoyed myself but felt I could "give some more". You know?

I dragged out a new workout DVD - Prevention's 3-2-1 Circuit Routine, with Chris Freytag. I did three of the circuits - each circuit is 6 minutes, with 3 minutes of cardio, 2 minutes of focused strength training and 1 minute of abs.

Loved the whole caboodle - both workouts put together. All of one, part of the other. Mix and match!

You can read a review of the Prevention workout here.

How are you all fitting in workouts? I know it can be challenging with a family and littlies, or while pregnant. :-) Maria, how is it going without the pool? How are you feeling Rachel? Anne? Others?

What We Eat...

Hi Leonie and all-

I really appreciate your comment on my goal entry about what you eat, your cal goals, etc. I thought maybe a new entry would be a good place to discuss more...

I am curious about what you all eat. Leonie, you mentioned you eat fruits, vegs, whole grains and some meat and dairy but are mostly vegetarian. I wonder if you could share where you get your protein? The only soy I like is my coffee creamer and one brand of patties I make a burger from. :0

I find that protein is important for me, as it helps me rebuild when I strength train and also it satisfies me. It tastes good and helps me not be hungry soon, as carbs can.

Right now what I do is buy a big value pack of boneless chicken breats each weekend and bake them, then cut into sandwich slices and the guys make sandwiches during the week and I eat a few ounnces as meals or with snacks.

I like it, but also like the idea of being more veg... what sources of protien do you like?

Also, I know what you mean about hunger... it is good and if my mind is right I know that it is making me lean and that I will satify it soon and don't HAVE to binge. I think when I tried to "diet" I would feel so deprived that when I got a shot at it I would binge like I was never going to be able to eat again. When we give ourselves permission to eat good and healthy food with a treat now and again, then it stops the dysfucntional binging from happening so much..

What else does everyone like to eat that is healthy and satisying?

some of my favorites are:

South Beach Diet Bar (chocolate) for breakfast with coffee
Yoplait light vanilla yogurts
Salad (with Ken's light rance and plain yogurt as dressing)
Tomatoes (I splurge and get the 'vine ripe')
Small red potatos (baked in oven, not mircowave.. cruchy skin that way!)
Silk Soy creamer in coffee (tastes like half and half)
Whole wheat bagels with chicken salad (made with canola mayo and yogurt, etc)

Any favorites in your diets? Any and everyone?? :)

Another good book...

...on healthy eating, on body image, on emotional eating, on the mind stuff.

I wrote about "Joining the Thin Club" on my blog.

Anyone else have favourite fitness books? Or am I the only fitness/health/diet book junkie? lol!

Goal Check In

Hi all-

I thought I would post on how I am coming with my goals...

You may remember that my long distance friend in VA and I are doing this together? We started in mid-July. She has a personal trainer, and I have copied her plan bascially (well with some alterations..) and we keep track together. That part has been fun as we email each other at least once a day and it has rekindled our friendship!
Gosh, I kind of hope this lasts longer as it has been fun connecting with her and dicussing our successes, failures, ideas, etc.

(We knew each other 10 years ago in Ohio, and she moved to VA just before I moved to TX)

What got her started was her oldest son's wedding Oct 6. Her weight had been creeping up over the years (like mine did) so she set getting back in shape with a goal of the wedding. She did great and I can't wait to see the wedding pics! With her permssion I'll post one here. She still wants to finish to get to her goal so we are still working together.

I am a little over halfway to my goal. Goal setting is difficult because numbers can be decieving, so I know generally I want to be the weight I was before I moved to Houston because I was comfortable and active there.

I have lost about 17 pounds, somewhere areond there, and want to keep going. It has been hard work, but I feel so much stronger and I have been doing weight training along with aerobics.

I am conviced the goal setting and friend support is what made it stick this time.

I am back into clothes in my closet.. thank goodness as at my highest I was down to one pair of pants that fit for Mass! And dreaded once again buying bigger clothes!

I am working out each morning and eating healthy (with a few exceptions)- about 1400 cal a day. Lots of lean protein and good carbs.

Ok.. that is it for my check in... I love setting goals and hearing others' goals, too. Even if it is smaller ones, such as drinking more water, getting outside every day.. it is about LIFE and living a healthy lifestyle. With little OR big changes. :)

With love,
Cindy

Sugar Sense

While surfing the 'net I found this very sensible article on sugar. It busted some myths for me.. overconsuption of sugar does NOT cause diabetes (but it can aggrivate it once you have it), sugar is NOT linked to hyperactivity in children and it is NOT our enemy, but we need to keep it in moderation to make room for better foods.

I think, too, it can be addictive.. so once one begins to eat it, one wants more! (Just speaking for 'one' here.. lol)

Sugar
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate. There are two types of sugars - monosaccharides, which include glucose, fructose and galactose, are made of one sugar molecule, and disaccharides are made of two sugar molecules linked together. Disaccharides are formed when monosaccharides combine - for example, when glucose and fructose are combined, they form sucrose, also known as table sugar. Other disaccharides include maltose, dextrose and lactose. When many sugar molecules are linked together, they form a complex carbohydrate, also known as a starch.
Other Nutrients:
Carbohydrates
Fat
Protein
Sugar
Sugar provides the sweet flavor to foods to which it has been added, and it may also act as a preservative and flavor enhancer. Sugar is used in a variety of foods, including cookies, cakes, pickles, ice cream, alcohol and jams and jellies. Types of sugar include raw sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple sugar and corn syrup.
Sugar, which provides 16 calories per teaspoon, provides no vitamins and minerals, so it's a good idea to use it in moderation. Overconsumption of sugar, like other carbohydrates, has been linked to the development of cavities. However, sugar consumption has not been linked to hyperactivity in children. A high intake of sugar does not cause diabetes, but if a person is diagnosed with diabetes the amount of simple sugar eaten daily often needs to be reduced.
Top
Artificial SweetenersTwo types of sweeteners—sugar alcohols and no-calorie sweeteners—are used to replace sugars in foods. It's not necessary to use artificial sweeteners to eat less sugar because foods taste just fine made with less sugar. Still, artificially sweetened beverages, yogurt and desserts are a popular alternative to sugary treats.
No-calorie sweeteners currently used in foods include saccharin, aspartame and acesulfame-K. Saccharin is about 300 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose). It's used in several brands of table-top sweeteners, in canned foods and in low-calorie soft drinks.
Aspartame is 160 to 220 times sweeter than table sugar. Aspartame loses flavor in foods when heated. Although aspartame contains 4 calories per gram, the amount used is minute, so aspartame generally adds less than 1 calorie to a product per serving. Products that may contain aspartame include low-calorie beverages, sugar-free gelatins, yogurt, puddings, frozen desserts and cereals, as well as table-top sweeteners. Table-top sweeteners may contain an ingredient used as a filler that provides some calories. People with the condition phenylketonuria should not consume aspartame because their bodies are unable to metabolize it.
Acesulfame-K is 200 times sweeter than sugar. This newest of artificial sweeteners is being used in dry mixes for beverages, gelatin desserts, and puddings.

Curently reading....

Secrets of a Former Fat Girl.

The title of a new book that I am reading.

Very helpful, if you have food and body issues to work through. As I do.

I wrote about the book on my blog ( click on the title above for the link...).

The "soup" diet

Yes, ladies, I am still around. We have been playing Motel 6 for a few weeks and then I was sick and now I am coming back to life. Not the "best life" yet, but trying. :)
Before things got crazy, I was doing the awesome Pilates 10 minute workouts Leonie mentioned to me many moons ago when I first joined up here. They were fun and efficient. I would do ab's and flexibility each day. Well, until we were inundated with guests and family and more guests. I am hoping to get back into them next week. And on the treadmill, too.
Meanwhile, I have been cooking up major batches of soup since the beautiful fall weather is upon us. So, since the kiddos aren't that thrilled about soup, and dh can only eat the same thing once or twice a week, I will be eating pea soup, chicken vegetable soup and tomato soup for the next 2 weeks at least :)
I'll let you know how it affects my waistline :)
Off to bed,
Anne

Prenatal Yoga

I love this yoga DVD and finally pulled it out again yesterday. I only got through the warmup before small people woke up and started fighting for space on my mat, but that was fine with me as the squats were already making me huff and puff! The beauty of this workout is that it is designed to be used all through your pregnancy. There are 3 women doing the workout together, each one in a different trimester and adapting the poses appropriately. My kids love to say, "Are you the red or the blue lady, Mommy?"

Shiva Rea also has a workout for after delivery, but I do not care for it as much. For as much as I do yoga, I could probably stick with the first trimester workout from this DVD and be just as happy.

I also made it to the pool on Sunday and did a half hour of freestyle with 2 sidestroke laps (one lap on each side) thrown in for a change of pace. All I can say is...OUCH! If you are looking to whittle your waist, sidestroke is the stroke for you.

Feeling Fat.

I just posted some thoughts on my blog. I'm going through a "feeling fat" stage. I'm trying to fight these feelings, I'm trying not to pass self image problems onto my children. And I needed to write out my thoughts, to help me deal with them

Anyone else suffer these "fat feelings"? How do you overcome them?

Video-Susan Powter

I found this old 1993 video at my library and did it this morning- liked it more than I thought I would! I liked Susan Powter's personality and she had 'real' people of all shapes and sizes working out with her.

I think it is so cool she lost 163 pounds. Says she started at 260... wow, what an achievement!

I particularly thought that the upper body was challenging. She said you needed a bench but I did those exercises on the mat just fine. You also need handweights.

Good workout.. my biceps and triceps are tingling as I type this~ :)

She also went slow enough that you could really use the weight and not momentum. I have the trouble in some videos and classes, that they go too fast and I end up swinging the weights and not getting the best workout.

The first review on the Amazon website could have been written by me! I agree totally.. I used weights on the lower body and did lunges instead of some of the hamstring exercises to challenge myself more. I also upped the weights on the upper body. I like when workouts do 3 reps of each muscle, that is when I begin to really feel it, and she did that. Great review on the site below if you want more info...

click here for Amazon link

Skipping!

Today I went for an execise walk and had trouble getting my heartrate up very high.. so I remembered reading how good skipping is for you.

So I skipped! I told myself I didn't care how silly I looked. I kept thinking of the Monty Python skit on the Institue of Silly Walks.. lol

Boy, it got my heartrate up! So I would skip about 30 seconds, then walk, then a bit of a jog, then I did this thing where I stepped up on the curb with one foot, and the gutter with another, and it really got my rear and thigh muscles.

Then I stopped at the park pavillion and stepped up and back down on the benches which were high. Boy, my hr went up! Then I lunge walked through the parking lot. That is tough.

I know I looked silly, but got a great workout. Then at the end it rained lightly and my neighbors came out to their car. He asked if I planned to get wet...

No, I said, but it sure felt good.

Try skipping.. you can't help but feel lighthearted! :)

Back in the Swim

It's been in the high 80s (31C) this week! Thirty minutes in the pool today provided a great mental health break. I had forgotten about the lap pool since the outdoor pools closed on Labor Day, but this week I realized that I CAN find 1 hour to swim on Sats and Suns. :)

Positive thought for the day: Perhaps in non-American countries there is no stupid rule about closing pools based on a holiday but rather based on the weather!

The Firm Body Sculpt

I tried a video for some strength training and really liked it! It only took 45 min but I am really sore today.

They suggest you use their 'fanny lifter' which is a two part stool, but I just used my step stool. There are some good reviews of this on the Amazon link below. I didn't think it was doing much, but I was tired and like I said.. sore today!

Our library had it--- worth checking out!

I am going to see if they have a good one for abs...


Body Sculpt

Tennis

Hi all-

Thought I would check in and let you know how much my neighbor and I are enjoying tennis. It is one of those things that just kind of happened. She lives right across the street (and is a new homeschooler, too) -- and we found out we both wanted to play more so tried it and were the same level.

So, we are playing 3-4 times a week now. It works out well as she has two little boys (3 and 5) and is in that stage where she really enjoys time away - some Mother Culture time) and her dh is all for it. He happily stays with the boys in the evening. I remember how precious that time is when you kids are little. And since we are so close to each other we can make last minute plans or cancel last minute if our family needs us.

We feel we are progressing, too, and had a couple of lessons. She plans to join a local team next January and I might, too, depending on my schedule.

Just wanted to check in. Am enjoying your posts.

Cindy

Eat Mindfully All Day Long

This is the title of a chapter in the book "Eat, Drink and Weigh Less".

Now, I have come to realize that learning to eat mindfully is something I have worked on in the past, am still working on, and will probably always need to work on. It's a life long journey for me. I am never there but always learning and living.

So, reading this chapter should prove helpful. And I wanted to share a quote ~

"It comes down to two basic ideas: pace and mindfulness. Pace means deliberately eating enough at regular intervals so that you have the fuel you need to function well and keep your blood sugar at a relatively consistent level. Mindfulness means paying attention to your food choices - and savouring every bite, instead of nibbling, inhaling your food without chewing enough, or just plain eating without thought. What we want you to avoid is 'mindless sleep-eating'."

Very true.

Progress Report

Well, I've improved a little with my eating habits. I now eat chocolate yogurt as a treat instead of eating a chocolate bar! I'm also combating sloth so I have gone running once--with the kids--and have forced myself to do a little more housework (as I am now actually cleaning some things). My weight hasn't increased yet. My biggest challenge has been keeping to portion control and not feeding my mouth when my stomach is full. Unfortunately, indiscretion in this area makes me nauseated for hours, so you'd think I'd be more motivated to eat appropriately. I'm still striving to find a balance between what I need and what I want. What's everyone else up to?

Today's Food for Thought

I've been reading Happy Are You Poor by Thomas Dubay lately, and this (quoted from John Kenneth Galbraith's The Affluent Society) keeps jumping out at me.

"[W]hat is called a high standard of living consists, in considerable measure, in arrangements for avoiding muscular energy, for increasing sensual pleasure and enhancing caloric intake above any conceivable nutritional requirement."

Now I have to admit that even pregnant I do try to avoid exercise or difficult work that I could do, I eat more than I should or things that are not good for me, and generally subscribe to the idea that, as a pregnant lady, I should "treat" myself to good things whenever I feel like it.

And so I've been thinking again and again about balance, especially in the realm of food. One thing that Dubay mentions is how often we feed our mouths instead of our bodies, eating either more than we need or things that are not healthful for us. Thinking over my cravings...chocolate, pumpkin spice lattes, ice cream, 3rd helpings...I realize that I'm getting out of balance again.

So this week I've decided to work on my self control. Instead of giving in to cravings, I'm going to resist temptation to constantly buy myself treats, and instead treat my body and the new baby better.

My goals are to then--for once!--have a healthy weight gain across my pregnancy (so far only about 5 pounds at 3 months) and come out of this pregnancy with a new stronger muscle on my self control bone. :)

Even more variety.. lol

Well, the humidity is down under 80% and there is a slight tinge of, can you believe, COOL in the air! So I tried jogging today.

I did ok, much better than I thought since I really have not jogged in years. I went about 40 minutes around the neighborhood. I would jog until I was out of gas, then power walk, then I did some spints between mailboxes, and on a couple of culdesacs I did lunge walks. I know, I must have looked silly, but who cares!

I felt really 'sweated out' - cleaned out from the inside.. you know that feeling after a good workout? I hope these new shoes I got a couple of months ago will allow me to keep this as an alternative. I love being outdoor when the weather is nice.

Today I am going a Mat Pilates class for some strength training.

I am thinking if I can keep up the walk/jog I may try a 3 mile run or 5K or something. We will see..

Joyce Vedral

Today was a weight training day - and I have had little time, with Thomas being in the hospital for his surgery.

So, the kids put on groovy music, I grabbed weights and dug out an old book -
Definition by Joyce Vedral. I did the 30 minute total body workout - and had fun!

Vedral's books are very good at explaining weight training and they sure have some effective routines - I did a Joyce only rotation for nearly three months, about four years ago, and while I didn't lose weight I *did* drop a dress size!

The workouts require little equipment ( there are modifications for those who only have one set of dumb bells or who can only afford one set), they require little space and time and are easy to follow! With suggestions for beginners and advanced.

I've found several of Vedral's books at libraries, too.

More Variety here, too....

Well, I guess more variety is what I am up to, too.

I find I love something for a while, but then need a change to refresh things. My neighbor and I have started playing tennis when we found we were about the same level and that has been fun. We even took a couple of lessons as she wants to play league, so we have learned a lot, especially me who never got beyond the goal of just hitting it back over the net. :)

I have also done some step instead of spinning, but I find a little step goes a long way... some of the classes insist you know these complicated (for me) moves and I jsut can't/won't do them as I sprained my foot trying to keep up on a step a few years back!

I have been doing Pilates at a group class. Man, it is hard. You barely move, but it feels like.. well, like when you are on teh floor with your little kids and they sit on you and then you have to reach to grab something on a coffee table. Akward, weird muscles used... but I think that is the theory.. use those 'core' muscles we never use.

I also have taken over the lawn mowing- my boys were glad to give it up and I gave them all the inside chores I could as a swap. I burn lots of calories doing that once a week and feel pleased as punch when I see the good job I did. :)

Rachel, how are you feeling?

Leonie- glad your flu is almost gone.

Nimah- I look forward to hearing what videos you like. One I loved which is good for beginners (and she has a wonderful, sweet personality) is the Leslie Sammons walking videos (you do them at home)

Cindy

I lost ( almost) Two Kilograms!

I Lost 2 kg! Well , nearly 2 kg - about 4 lbs. Very excited as my health conditions mean I am a slow loser.

Perhaps it is because I've been eating healthier - less processed food, more nuts and legumes.

Or maybe it was adding in some long, tough Taebo workouts again.

Or the combo of the above?

Who knows? But it sure makes my BMI a bit lower!!

Back to More Variety in Workouts!

My flu has finally gone, only a lingering cough gives a hint that I was sick. So, the last few days I have been able to add cardio back into my workouts.

While I had the flu, I did weights - specifically, the Cindy Crawford workouts. They are fun and effective but don't leave a sick exerciser gasping for breath!

The last few days, I've done Taebo - Bootcamp 2, Bootcamp Cardio Liev, Billy's Favourite Moves, Taebo Blaster Ball workout.

Feels good to add in more variety. To be well! lol!

I also picked up a neat book - Walk Off Weight. I am not going to do walking for my cardio, I like more intensity than that. But I do like the crosstraining tips, the nutrition ideas, the 8 week food and activity journal. So, I'm off to do this 8 week plan for fitness, starting on Monday.

I also found my copy of The Best Life Diet by Bob Green. Thanks Anne for reminding me of this book! I think I'll pick it up where I left it off last tme.

Finally, I found an interesting book on, yes, weight loss but also on nutrition and fitness for the whole family. Eat, Drink and Weigh Less by Mollie Katzen ( the Moosewood Cookbook) and Walter Willet ( the Harvard Health Project). Many good ideas, supported by research.

All these books focus on a way of eating and working out for life, not on a more short term diet or workout plan. This has been the way I've lost ( 30kg) 66lbs , over the last five years, after a serious bout of medical/health problems and depression - both of which caused weight gain. Once I and doctors managed these, I had to set out to lose the weight that had been gained - hard for me, as I had always enjoyed working out and had to start again at the beginning. But I'm almost there! lol!

Reading on health, fitness and nutrition always motivates me!

Hi Jennifer..

I have added you as a contributor.. let me know if you have any problems getting on board!

BMI News

Thanks to Leonie for bringing up BMI as a health measure.. I am happy to report that as of now I am back into the "normal" range and out of the "overweight" range.

Woo Hoo!

Now just to keep it up and then maintain this...

Tired.....

Just checking in:
It has been a whirlwind summer. I am so, so tired. I hope to rest up and eat right over the next week or so and get back into some exercise. I also hope to bring out the Best Life book and join the website for ideas. And I hope that brings a little of my energy back--because I am just so depleted! I just need a little time and with school starting next week.....whew!!
So, know you all have been in my thoughts and I am proud of the goals you have met :)
Leonie, I hope you feel better soon! Cindy, I enjoyed your photo there as the first post when I came to visit here. It inspired me!!
Off to get some work done. Keep up the good work ladies!
Anne
PS-I did need to share that my dd, who is 4, is my new coach. She MADE me run down our street and home the other day when we took the pup for her walk. It has been a long time since I have run that far. The next day, she MADE me play soccer with her. She is determined I will get into shape. For that I am thankful and hoping I can keep this up...I really am tired :)

Here's a new post - an update!

I've been unwell this last week - turns out I was getting the flu. I now have it! :-(

Haven't felt like cardio, probably cos of the flu, so have kept up just my weight workouts this week. Been doing the two Cindy Crawford workouts - Shape Your Body and The Next Challenge, simply because they have a little bit of cardio, lots of weight work, high reps/low weight, great scenery and cool music.

Trying to be more strict with food and reach a personal goal by Christmas.

Potion control is key for me. And weekly weigh ins....

How is everyone ? Rachel , how are you feeling?

Ok we need a new post!

Need to get my picture off!

How are all of you?

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Hit another goal...:)

This weekend I hit one of my mini-goals.. got into some white capris I bought two years ago, never wore and soon 'outgrew'... Only took 6 weeks! :0

Pink Running Shoes!

Since the boys and I started running this Spring, Little Miss 3 year old has been asking for pink running shoes. Today she and Daddy bought some with her birthday money (her idea), and then she took me for a run. Her knowledge of neighborhood routes was impressive. She took me to a park that we usually don't go to and brought me home by a different route. It was a short run--less than 1/4 mile--but a good first effort for my maternity workouts. :)

Nice comment..

I posted some pics on my blog, of son Anthony and his birthday. One of my older sons, in Adelaide, saw the pics and he ( Greg) sent me an email.

Greg said "Mum, you look like an advertisement for Taebo!!".

Gotta love that kid! lol!

A Goal Met...!

Someone sweet gave me those flowers for making a goal... I lost 5+ pounds!
Well, actually as of today I lost 6.5+ since I started weighing. I would not weigh until I got under this certain number, so I have actually lost a bit more than I record. But officially, 6.5+ are gone I hope never returning. And I have gained a lot of muscle, too, which I know is heavier that fat. hooray!

I am trying not to get caught up in numbers, but decided to try weighing each day to see if it motivated me. But, I am back to wearing some clothes I 'outgrew' over the past year... so that is making me happier.

And it we me who bought the flowers for me.. ;) Cheapies from the grocery store. Actually I just stuck them on a table to get a picture against the wall and didn't realize the boys' old photo would show up so clearly.. aren't they cute?

Anyway, I plan to get myself another gift at my 10 pound mark. That is set for the end of August, but who knows maybe I will beat it?

My friend Roxanne who is in VA doing this with me met her July goal, too! Goals are fun, especially to do with friends.

Oh.. and I saw my AB MUSCLES for the first time yesterday in years! I still have a layer of fat over them, but they are getting firmer and I saw some definition! Yes, you CAN have a waistline if you are over 45! lol

Something to share!

I lost 3 cm off my waist! Woo hoo! Nothing big I know , about an inch and a half, but cool. I tend to be an apple and waist measurement can be a good indicator of health.

And it sometimes helps to look at measurements and clothes instead of those scales....

Waist Girth Better Than BMI?

BMI info

Using Measurements Besides the Scales

Measure Progress Without the Scale

Some quotes

These quotes have currently been on my mind and on my fridge...

"Never, never, never, never, never give up!"

-Winston Churchill

"Enough is a good as a feast."

-George Chapman

"Nobody ever said it would be easy."

-A friend's grandmother

"When you pray, pray, but when you pheasant, pheasant!"

-St. Teresa of Avilla (when asked how she could eat so enthusiasticly at a feast)

What Works for You?

In the last entry, Leonie and I got to talking in the comments about little things that keep us on track, such as when we get home tired and hungry (and mean, in my case), what keeps us from hitting the junk food?

Leonie mentioned pre-planning a snack. Are there other hints you all have to keep yourself eating healthy, not binging, getting to your workout, etc?

One I can think of is lately I have been pre-cooking chicken breasts up for myself on the weekend and putting them in little bags in nice small portions. This way when I am ready for my salad or fajita (and usually very hungry) I just take a packet and make up the meal. This is very helpful for me as I am a chronic snacker (while preparing AND cleaning up food!) I find I eat less and focus on and enjoy the meal more.

Also, I keep 60 cal pudding cups and Teddy Grahams around for me (hands off, boys! lol)- . I allow myself to have them at night or mid-aftenoon with a nice cup of decaf tea or coffee. A real treat and less calories than stadning at the freezer eating cookies and cream ice cream out of the carton! lol

For workouts, I preplan my week each Sunday night. I used my aerobic schedule and write it on my calendar and treat it like an appointment. After doing this for a while now workouts happen automatically- they didn't used to!

Any hints from anyone else?

Turbo Jam and Taebo

These have been my two fave workouts this week. Today I did Turbo Jam Kickin' Core - love the music, moves and the Turbo in this workout. Yesterday was Taebo Celebrity Fit Sculpt, with some nice combos and calisthenics.

I think I'll aim for more FIRM workouts next week - probably need to do more weighted work, as the rotations below state. But I love the endorphin high of cardio!

What workouts are you doing?

How are your diet plans, diet journals?

More Rotation Ideas

From the Video Fitness site ~

30 Day Rotation
1-hour AWT(aerobic weight training) OR 30 minsculpting(or 40 minute sculpt if you don't have 30minute sculpt tapes)/ 30min. cardio
2-45 minute cardio/30 min ab workout(can be one DVD ortwo segments combined)
3-hour AWT OR 30min. sculpt tape & 30 min cardio(forexample plug in Get Ripped by Jari love for sculpt andplug in a Leslie cardio workout)
4-REST OR light stretching such as your candle lightyoga
5-60 min hour sculpting workout or more(Just reallyfocus on hitting the weights today)
6-60 min cardio workout(you could do one toughie ortwo 1/2 cardios back to back!)
7-REST OR yoga
8-40 min sculpting+ 1/2 hr. cardio
9-45 min cardio + 1/2 hr. of ab work(I find it easierto do abs before cardio cause I can really focus onform)
10-Hour AWT(like Burn it up) OR 1/2 hour sculpting +1/2 hour cardio
11-REST
12-Short sculpt 30-40 minutes & 1/2 hour abworkout(focus on hitting those weights)
13-60 min. of cardio
14-REST15-40 min of sculpt & 1/2 hour of cardio16-hour of cardio
17-1 hour AWT or 1/2 hour sculpt & 1/2 hour cardio
18-REST
19-40 min sculpt & 1/2 hour ab/core workout(reallyfocus on strength)
20-45 min. cardio
21-REST
22-60 min. AWT OR 30 min sculpt +30 min cardio
23-hour of cardio
24- 45 min AWT or 1/2 hour sculpting and 1/2 hourcardio
25-hour of strength training or 2 shorter strengthworkouts back to back
26-hour of Cardio
27-REST
28- hour of AWT or 1/2 hour cardio+ 1/2 hour strength
29-45 min cardio + 1/2 hour of abs and core
30-40 min strength + 1/2 hour cardio

And another:F
or example, assume that building strength is your
goal and you want to exercise six days a week. Youmight come up with something like this:
M - Full-body strength
T - Cardio
W - Upper body strength
Th - Lower body strength
F - Cardio
S - Circuit or full-body strength

Or, let's say you just want to stress cardio because it helps you lose weight:
M - Long cardio
T - Weighted strength
W - Cardio and Bar Method
Th - Upper body strength
F - Long cardio
S - Lower body strength and yoga

Rotations

I put a rotations link in the comments for Cindy ~ but it wasn't very clear. Here it is again.

How To Plan A Workout Rotation

OK. now I need a new goal...

I finished my Tour De France. :)
here

Now i need a new mission in life.. lol

Any ideas?

This Sounds Like My Diet..

Stress Diet for Women
This is a specially formulated diet designed to help women cope with the
stress
that builds during the day.

Breakfast
1 grapefruit
1 slice whole wheat toast
1 cup skim milk

Lunch
1 small portion lean, steamed chicken
1 cup spinach
1 cup herbal tea
1 Hershey's kiss

Afternoon Tea
The rest of the Hershey Kisses in the bag
1 tub of Hagen-Daaz ice cream with chocolate chips

Dinner
4 glasses of wine (red or white)
2 loaves garlic bread
1 family size supreme pizza
3 Snickers Bars

Late Night Snack
1 whole Sarah Lee cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer)

Some interesting articles on health and fitness...

...from the Weight Watchers Australia site.

Oh, and on Sunday I did a Basic Taebo Live Workout ( 30 minutes) with son Jonathon and his friend Meg.

A cool song on this - Shake Your Booty!! Is it KC and the Sunshine Band??

Anyway, I kicked butts - in a nice way, of course. Jonathon and Meg might be younger than me but I wasn't the one who was dead after the workout! lol!

Heart rate tracking

For those that like to track heartrates, here is a site that calculates what your training zones are.
Click Here.

Going on Vacation!

After 1 1/2 weeks of Weight Watchers, I am officially challenged by a 1 week vacation to a local Oregon resort (my sister and family are joining us, and my MIL too--should be fabulous! :-)). So here's my plan-I am bringing a notebook and counting my points while I am gone. I am going to do LOTS of exercise (very easy to do at this particular destination--it is ALL about walks, bikerides, swimming, etc.). AND (and this part is crucial to the success of the earlier parts) I am going to a WW meeting on Tuesday night (with my sis, who is also doing WW, but has been doing it longer and a whole lot more successfully than me!). So I will report back in when we return! (oh, and WW is going great--I lost 5 lbs the first week--water weight, at least partiallly, I know, but still, INSPIRING! :-). Have a great week everyone!

Balanced 4 week plan

This morning Maria told me that I must be having another baby since my tummy is "getting big and sticking out." (I'm not pregnant.) Well, that is just added incentive to stick to the plan Bill and I worked on Sunday. He's such a gem. Always ready to help me with a new exercise plan. I picked 4 weeks because it seems doable, and it will carry me through the conference.

Here's what I came up with:

Snooze button meditation: I put my yoga mat next to my bed so that when the alarm goes off, I can take my temp, hit the snooze and then roll to the floor for a 7 minute quieting exercise. If you think I don't need a quieting exercise after 8.5 hours of sleep, you are wrong! I've never been great with morning prayer, so I decided to start with meditation which for me is really a listening prayer.

Sat and Sun aerobic exercise either running or swimming. Since they are whole body workouts, I don't need anything else.

Tues and Thurs aerobic exercise on the bike for 30 min. I'm embarrassed that I couldn't figure out the itunes store, so I have to have Bill help me the first time. My playlist is 30 minutes right now, so I just ride until it's done. The problem with the bike is that it doesn't work my abs (hence the poochie belly) or upper body. On days I ride the bike I'll also do upper body workout like 10 pushups every time I wash my hands.

Food and water: We've acquired some bad food habits this summer. :( Now I'm back to drinking tons of water all day long instead of soda or koolaid or coffee... Also, I find that if I only let myself snack on fruit after breakfast, I do much better with food overall. This week we have melons and peaches. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

10 Minute Solution

Today I did 4 segments from the 10 Minute Solution Kickbox Bootcamp workout, with Kelli Roberts. I did the Basic Training ( kickbox), Lower Body ( kickboxing moves and weights), Arms and Shoulders ( upper body with weights) and Blast ( bootcamp - aerobic and anerobic drills with strength, very challenging and fun!).

If you can ever get your hands on the 10 Minute Solution Workouts - grab them They are versatile - I have a few of the intermediate level ones and you can do all 5 segments or mix n match segments.

My eating last night was erratic - I was very tired after a busy day and a late night at work so ate a little bit of this and a little bit of that after a late dnner. :-( I need to plan ahead and stop this mindless eating , if I want to lower my BMI and look better! lol!

Something new- training diet

Hi all- thought I would share here...

I have gotton away from dieting and try to eat healthy as we have discussed here. I have used WW in the past and it was just the thing.. esp to make me aware of portion size, etc.

Well, an old friend who lives in VA is about my age and has felt her weight creep up over the years and wants to go after it once and for all. And try to get back to some habits that will stick for life.

She went to a professional trainer and is on a vigerous excerise schedule. I am doing about 80% of what she is on my own, so am stepping up my exersie to match her program.

He also gave her an eating plan. Very specific. Measure those portions. I wrote it down and am going to do it with her. In a way it is a relief as I *know* it is all the BLTs (Bites, Licks and Tastes!) that are keeping my weight up!

Yesterday I cooked up my main protien source (chicken) and weighed and put it in packets I can pull out at mealtimes. It is all pre-planned, I don't have to think!

So, I have challenged myself to do this for a month... and see how I feel. Maybe I will get used to eating less and quit my maniac snacking habit.. we will see.

Wish me luck!

(btw, yesterday I followed it and really enjoyed it.. but of course that is Day One...)lol

Fitness for those over 40?

This is an interesting article with three "over age 40" fitness leaders - Judi Sheppard Missett, Kathy Smiith and Tamilee Webb.

A new book on walking and on faith.

For those of you who are walkers. It sounds good.

Walking the Walk: Get Fit With Faith by Leslie Sansone.

MIA
I've been missing in action here, ladies ~ sorry! Too much going on in real life. :-)

I have, however, been working out - a day without a workout would be a very sad day indeed for me!

Got the final all clear from my doctor on Monday - back to normal, no cancer, just some minor stuff they can treat. Yay!

Workouts recently ~
Saturday - Turbo Jam Cardio Dance Party 3 - oh, my gosh, the hip hop and old school music in this is cool! So is the anerobic drill - the turbo!
Sunday - Taebo Advanced Live 6. Loved the cardio and standing ab work!
Monday - The FIRM Ultimate Calorie Blaster - step aerobics and light weights and tall box work for those glutes. :-)
Tuesday - Taebo Advanced Live 7 - enjoyed the floorwork and kickboxing cardio, sang along with Berlin "Riding on the Metro", the Sylvers' "Boogie Fever", and "Be What You Wanna Be" and "Pina Colada." :-)
Wednesday - today - did the cardio section from Taebo Advanced live 7, as I didn't have a full hour to work out - the kids and I were out early for an all day work meeting ( and activities for the kids...).

Eating is going well. I am finding inspiration in the book "The Best Life Diet" by Bob Greene - yes, it's the same old stuff but helpful for me to renew. Remembering the WHYS, WHATS, WHENS and HOWs ( how much) of a healthy eating lifstyle, coupled with an appropriate activity level.

Waving hi to everyone - how are ya doin'?

How Is Everyone?

I wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing. It has been quiet here lately, I hope I have not been monopolizing the blog!

Anne- How are the exercise tapes coming? Are you still walking the neighborhood?

Rachel- Did you ever get your playlist together? I want to find a cheap way to download music. I wonder.. is $1/song the going rate?

Niamh- How is your son's foot? I was also wondering about the stress eating. You know the lady at the Y recommended I eat 5-6 meals a day at 300 cal each. She said, that won't seem like much but try. It seems to be working very well for me and has actually curbed my stress eating, because I am allowed to eat (mentally) and then I will stop, knowing I can eat again. Just wanted to share that tip.

Night is still the hardest for me b/c I am tired and let my guard down. But also since I am recording at http://www.fitday.com/, I tend to stop so I can record a 'good' day!

Maria- Have you been pool jogging lately? Any more bike rides?

Leonie- What have you been up to- any new videos?

Faith- I miss hearing from you... have you been able to exercise lately?

Would love to hear what is up with everyone when you have a chance.

Calcium Tip

Just something that is working really well for me!
I got some of the calcium chews. I understand we ladies are supposed to get 1000mg a day. The chews have 500mg each, so I have two.

They are SO yummy! I have caramel and chocolate flavor. They taste *just* like candy to me. So I save them for when I am really in the mood for that sweet treat, sometimes with decaf in the evening.

Just wanted to share!

Another neat site

If anyone is interested in tracking calories, nutrition, exercise etc with neat reports that show percentages, how you are doing, etc. check this out-


Fitday
It is free!

Virtual Tour De France

Hi yall..

Just for fun, I made up a new blog, not to replace anything here, but to track my Tour De France challenge.

I decided since I was going to try and make the 20 workouts this month, I would set a few other goals (eating, water, etc) and make a run for the roses!

Please visit and if you want to post, too, I will happily alter it a bit to share and you can do your own Tour De France with whatever daily goals you set!

Let me know if you want to join, or if not, I hope you will drop in and cheer me on!
My Virtual Tour de France

What is Spinning?

Tour de France 2007

I signed up for the Tour De France!

Well, at least my local YMCA's version of it.
Remember I wrote how the instructor had us doing 'Stage 1', or 'Stage 2' of the Tour de France?

Well, it turns out there are really 20 stages (days) to the real race, which really starts in real France July 7.

The Y has the instructors doing a different stage each week day. And if you sign up (which I did) then you have a little stamp card and you get it stamped for each workout. The goal is to complete 20 workouts in the month of July. They can be any type of aerobic workout, but I am going to try and mostly spin so I can get better.

(I really have a long way to go.. can't really do a standing run or sprint and my seat really still hurts a lot even with the padding...)

But, it is fun to have incentive! If I do it, then I will be in a drawing for neat stuff, get invited to a celebration ride and breakfast and also get a cool T shirt.

Also this is fun for me because I am learning all about the Tour de France. I really only know it because of Lance Armstrong. But in our packet they gave us the map, etc. So every day I can see what the upcoming 'ride' will be. The instructor simulates it and tells us there is a hill coming at mile 130, (so we are supposed to increase resistance, but often I just don't because I am already at max!)--- or we are on the plains, but our group is trying to pass another.

Call me silly, but I love this imagry working out.. I close my eyes and really picture it!

Also today a new person joined and it helped put things in persective for me. She was about 5 ft tall and must have been more than 100 lbs overweight. She could not bend over to get her foot latched into the pedal. I was so happy the instructor came over to welcome her and I gave her a smile. I give her so much credit for working out- that must be so hard when you can barely bend, to get up and to the gym and try and get healthier. Ladies, we really have no weight struggles compared to this and it also made me realize how lucky I was.

I hope she keeps coming back.

Ok... off to shower and then dogsit, then dentist, then cat sit and clean the house... then read some to the boys... .then... busy day!

Thanks for letting me share.. I just love this kind of stuff (the virtual bike race)- just makes working out and life more fun. :)

"..keep the floor clear of any obstructions."

Here is my major obstruction, every morning I do my exercise tape. Isn't she cute though?
I found it funny when this was said during my workout this morning as I am pushing her away and grasping for her ball to toss, etc. I get double exercise points!! Especially on the ab part of the tape-she lies on my chest :)
(AND I am thrilled I figured out how to post a photo :)
Anne

Eat My Dust, Lance!

Today I did my second spinning workout at the Y. It was really hard, but I liked it. Like I mentioned before, it was kind of like running, in that the lights were low and I could veg out if I wanted.

(This is NOT me... but a stock Google photo -- lol -------------------------------->

Dave was our instructor. Nice guy. He has us doing what he called a "stage I" workout. What it was was the first stage of the Tour De France. Oui!

He told us the course layout. We would have a sprint, then a big hill to climb, 26 kilometers of plains, then another sprint and bigger hill, then down the backside of the hill.

What he would do is tell us to adjust the tension of the bike up and down to simulate hills. He told us how to adjust our cadence (pedal revolutions) to 'sprint' or maintain.

So Dave would say something like,

"A big hill is coming. Adjust your tension a full turn, stand up and put your hands in position 3 (further out on the handlebars) and keep up your cadence. Hill is beginning!"

We would and then he would tell us to adjust the tension tighter, the 'hill' was now very, very steep. then,

"Ok, now, don't loosen the tension, but increase your cadence... someone is trying to pass us, but we won't let them!!!"

Like the competitive fool I am, I pedaled my little heart out. My hr was racing. Then he told us we were at the top of the hill and had Lance Armstrong in our dust.

WOOO HOOO!!

I am so silly, I could actaully imagine the hills, the plains, the scenary as Dave spoke. After we climbed a hill, I thought we would get to coast down. But he hold us to release the tension all the way and pedal fast.

"Can you feel the ocean breezes in your face?" he grinned. I smiled back... I could! But it may have been the monster fans they have in that room. They are serious fans and I put my bike right in front of it. Hot flashes, you know.

He told us that we would burn about 500 cal in this class (mine was more like 350), but the guys who race will burn 9000 in a day. Can you imagine?

It was really interesting as he gave little tidbits about the racing they do and the strategy. I learned a lot. It was hard and made me work. I would never do that on a stationary bike alone.

Oh well, I ate back most of the calories with BBQ chips tonight. Gosh, too bad I can't burn 9000 like Lance.. lol

What's on Your On-the-Go Playlist?

I'm getting access to Bill's Ipod nowadays and am trying to create my workout playlist. So far I have Your Personal Penguin and Build Me Up Buttercup. I know Leonie sings through her workouts, and Maria, I believe opera singing is a workout, right? What should I add to my playlist? What makes you want to move?

Stress Eating...advice?

So since I've started blogging, I've been paying attention. How much exercise am I getting a day? Am I overeating? When and why? And exercise-wise, it's really helping! I've been walking/running 3 miles on most days, and just squeezing SOMETHING in on the days that I can't get to the gym or get on the treadmill. But the eating isn't improving. In fact, when life gets harder (as it did this past week when my 18-month old son broke his foot, went to the ER, got a cast, started sleeping poorly as a result, etc.) the eating gets worse. Mostly at night. I can be good all day, but at night it's like self-control goes out the window. The kids go to bed and I reward/relax myself with dessert. Or desserts. :-) Anyone have any advice? I still have 10lbs I'd really like to lose, but I have plateaued for months, and I know it is simply a matter of mindless stress/comfort eating. I plan to start keeping a real food journal (as compared to my "mental food journal" which very quickly gets set aside when dessert is on offer! :-)). Any other tips?

Need Motiviation

Well, I post about the good stuff, so here is the other side of reality.. :0

I have worked out some, but have not done as much as usual. I recently had a fun girls' weekend and ate and drank things that were not all that body-friendly and I am feeling it. My clothes are tight (and I am at the top range of sizes in my closet!) so that is getting me down.

I work out a lot, but still the weight hangs on. I have always exercised but the past year I do even MORE. Humm. I am working on finding the right balance/attitude to clean up my diet. The books I have read are great, but I do like to eat for comfort so will probably always deal with that! Also, I notice my age has a lot to do with it.

At age 47, I find my body is much more sensitive than it used to be, to food and what I put in it. I can *feel* bad eating the next day. Wine is metabolized pretty much like pure sugar on me. Also, I can't just drop the weight like I could even 10 years ago.

My BMI and body fat are a bit high and my chorlestoral is hanging at about 200. Good blood pressure an no other health issues. So I am lucky with my genes, but could really improve and better guard my health with better eating. That is good motivation. I have watched my boys clean up their diets and exercise just after talking about diabetes and other problems that can occur. So, that is good for all of us to do.


Well, God created our bodies and knew what he was doing! But I see my unhealthy habits very strongly reflected in my body, so maybe that is my watch word to keep working on better habits. It is a journey, yes it is.

Thanks for letting me vent! :)

(Umm.... just looking at that picture I posted on the top of the page.. wouldn't that spoon be just perfect for mixing up some brownies??? lol)

More pool activity

Today, I jogged for 45 minutes in the pool!

I feel great and I'm so excited...because when it comes to jogging...

I am NO landlubber....

Pool and Biking

Well, tonight, the kids and I and two of their friends rode a 3 mile bike ride and played at the park...then we came home. The kids then played hide and seek for 1/2 hour while I sat in a chair out front watching because I'm tired tonight - I took these rascals swimming this afternoon - I did 30 laps and played with the kids - the other day, I did 20 laps and the time before that I did 40 laps - on weekdays, the pool is very crowded so sometimes it can be challenging to do it, but I love that I feel this tired.

I really do.

Hope you ladies are all well!

Sharing some fitness sites...

Video Fitness ~ I mostly visit the Reader's Forum, lots of helpful ideas on video workouts and on general fitness.

Taebo fan's page ~ again, I usually hang out at the forum.

Calorie Queens ~ forum and info about their helpful book and way of life eating. Inspiring!

The US Navy Seal Workout

Free workout routines

Extra pounds dotcom ~ a fitness/weight loss blogging area

The 90/10 Weight Loss Plan ~ good info here, good book!

Old Fashioned Work out

I strapped on my polar heart rate monitor and mowed the lawn today..I burned 439 calories!
And yes, I did turn off the self propel feature, so I was really pushing!

Saved a trip to the gym, too. :)

Running and Spinning

This past week I saw an old college friend who is a physical therapist. She told me I CAN run again.

I quite 8 years ago because every time I ran, I got this really bad pain in my left shoulder. She gave me several sports massages and 'released' the muscles that were tight and then showed me how to do it. We went to a running store where they watched my gait (I pronate) and I bought some good shoes. I realized I have been running on cheapies the past years, so duh, no wonder I hurt.

Anyway, I have done two short runs.. and no pain! I am so excited, as I miss running. I will have to get up early to do it in Houston as it is so hot and humid this time of year, but plan to a few days a week.

And... today I tried a spinning class! I have done it *once * before about 3 years ago. This time was great!

I had my padded bike shorts (lovely, just want I DON'T need in that area.. more padding!), but it was so fun! Here is what it was like:

The room lights were dimmed and about 10 of us were on our spinning bikes.
Martha (the cute, young, blonde, thin, vivacious) instructor led us.
She put on some great rock and other music and led us through our paces. This was an 'endurance' class, so she would tell us to work on our form how hard to work, etc.

I liked it in that I could set my own resistance. It was like running in that you could veg out into your own world. I like group excersice, but I miss this.

I wish my polar watch had been working, cuz I bet I burned a lot! Then after I stuck around for a 30 min pilates stretch class.

Good day. I have been putting on some weight lately, so am trying to track a bit bettter what I eat. But it is really fun to have a couple more workout options.

Pain and Gain

Gain: I'm rediscovering how poorly I adjust to change. Bill's new job pretty much rules out spending time with him AND exercise out of the house. The net result of his being gone for long hours (decreased exercise) and not having the extra help plus a project I'm helping with (increased stress eating) has been that I've gained a little weight. Not much, but I'm cusping a place I don't want to be.

Pain: The project is mostly computer based and one frantic day last week, I worked until my hand was numb, ignored that, worked until my back and shoulder ached, lay down to stretch and...I'm not sure, but there's a lot of bearable shoulder and back pain which is pointing towards a doctor's appointment this week.

Pain: Has been an opportunity to offer it up and pray more for many special intentions including all of us here and the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Gain: I'm starting to focus on what I can do. This past week I did a quick exercise bike workout, a run walk that improved my shoulder, and a 2 hour walk/date with Bill. I've realized that instead of having a scheduled plan, I need to plan to be flexible. My goal needs to be "daily aerobic exercise", not "xyz" for "abc time" at "pdq hour" the way I like it to be. And I need to dress for success. After my morning shower I put on my workout clothes so I'm ready whenever I need to be.

New "Plan"

Isn't it amazing how life changes? I am finding this humorous--though really, about a week ago-I didn't :) I had my goals and plans all set and voila--my daughter now rises at 7am!! Yea! So. Regroup. Redo. Hmmmmm....new "plan."
I enjoy(ed) my exercise in quiet in the morning, alone, without interruption--for about 2 weeks. Now, it is a whole new experience :) It takes a long time to accomplish things physically and be a good and attentive momma.
I now do my 15 Minutes for Dummies workouts in the am-with interruption and little voice asking me to pretend something while I huff and puff and push and lift. Oh, and try to pay attention to my instructor on the TV--with a tracking problem. I have a lot of trouble doing the warm ups on this tape. I was never a good aerobics participant. Give me a softball or basketball or a pair of running shoes and I am fine. But having my left foot and right arm doing different things at the same time-NOPE!! Add in that adorable little voice of my dd--I get so lost. But, I am moving and trying to warm up. The exercises after the warm up have been wonderful and I try to get through the 4 workouts on the tape in one week. So, get that, only 4 days of exercise! Only 15 minutes! But, I notice a difference strength-wise so that is working, so far. I hope to get to a point where I can do 2 sections a day-30 minutes a day. Not sure dd will allow that though :)
Still walking and changing the neighborhood on the weekends. People are actually waving before me now! Love it!
My new plan also involves moving more through my day. I now run down the driveway to get the mail--and I run back. I also run down the driveway to get the empty trash and recycle bins-once a week. I just can't run with them yet. I try things at the playground--the bear-walk bars(parallel bars), the slides, the monkey bars. We play red light green light in the yard. The dog and dd love this game. I try to get 4 times back and forth in the yard every other day. We played hide and seek the other day-I could not get away from ds, who is 9. He is fast!
So, it is summer and I am moving. And it is good.
Until next time....
Anne

Taebo Elite

I did some of the Taebo Elite workouts these last few days - modified as I am still officially on"being careful" after surgery. :-). These workouts were a gift to myself, a post surgery gift. They were recently released in Australia ~ released in the US in January/February 2006...

Friday I did Mission Two - all toning, with a few things like squat thrusts and jumping jacks to keep your heart rate up. I can't do those right now, of course, but I did enjoy the workout. I used only the weights, not attached to the resistance bands, as I am still taking it easy. 45 minutes.

Saturday I did Mission One - this is an easier workout, I used the full weighted bands and feel this would be a good intro to Taebo tape for those new to Taebo. When I am totally back on my feet, I think I could triple wrap the bands and work on form and up the ante on this one.43 minutes.

I did the standing abs portion of Mission Three ( Rock Solid Abs), as I haven't got the okay to do floorwork yet. I liked the use of the bands on this one and can't wait to do it in its entirety. I think Mission One and Mission Three together would make a nice fit for a workout - about 73 minutes if both done together.

Each workout has an 8 minute bonus segment - one is an instructional segment, the next is 8 minutes of weight training with dumbells and the last is 8 minutes of abs ( standing and floorwork).

Ebbing at the moment

Well, I guess in sympahty of Leonie I am at an ebb wtih my working out.. I have not been feeling that well and thus taking the workouts easy. I think it is nice to kind of step back now and then. It also suddenly got very hot here. We had a mild and wet May, but now the temps and humdity is UP. And you even feel it in A/C. Kind of drains you.

I started to beat myself up about it, but then as I read Body Clutter I am trying to become a bit more relaxed about it. It will come.

I also went out and bought some more workout clothes. I had been wearing mostly sport pants but they are just TOO HOT. I also am having hot flashes or something-- my body is going haywire. So I am going all shorts now and only had one pair. I was afraid people at the Y would notice I was wearing the same shorts (but different tops) 5 days in a row! lol

So, I bought a couple more shorts and some of those short length tights to go under them. Those are so when you are on the floor doing leg lifts you do not shock your neighbors... lol

I have been getting used to all the classes at the Y, but still would like to have something at home to do when I don't want to leave or drive. Maybe I will try the treadmill again? Or some videos.

How are you all doing?

Can you all do me a favor?

Could you set your alarms for 5:45 am CST and send good thoughts my way tomorrow (Monday) morning?

I have a Rball game at 6:15 am!! The old Rball instructor we ran into at the Y gave me the name of a woman who is about my level as we were both looking for an additional partner. She works, so weekdays has to play in the early am or evening.

So... we are trying it early tomororow! I just hope I am awake and don't get a ball in the ear.. lol

Ok, you don't have to get up early, but think about me when you do. This may be my first and last time. I used to get up early to run with my buddy, but we just threw our clothes on and headed out, little coordination needed. This time the light will be bright, raqcuets will be swinging and that little blue ball is fast! lol

How are you all doing with workouts, moving, etc?

Wishes for a Speedy Recovery to Leonie

Everyone at Lean But Not Mean wishes Leonie a very speedy recovery after her surgery!

I think this is an important part of health, fitness and life... to take the ups and downs and keep ourselves focused on health.. take it slow, ease back into motion and movement. And I know Leonie will be great at this!

I know for me, Leonie, I would have to deal with frustration of wanting it 'now'- but it will come and I know you will be back on your old schedule soon.

It is like Flylady lectures me, (and she does lecture)-- 'BabySteps!' or we will crash and burn.

Visit Leonie's link here

Welcome home Leonie! What are your instructions from the doctor about exercise? And how are you feeling?

Hugs,
Cindy

"Body Clutter" Book Review

I am reading Body Clutter by Flylady. I am not sure if all of you know of the Flylady, but she has this whole wonderful philosophy of taking care of your home and your SELF- FLY stands for 'Finally Loving Yourself' and she helps you get free from the burden of clutter and cleaning your home with small BabySteps. I have found it a wonderful part of my life.

I really like the term- Body Clutter. To me, that says it all.

Anyway they have written a book on loving our bodies. I found the intro of the book very moving. A third person (Kelly) helped Flylady and her side kick write it and as she was talking with them, she realized things needed to get deep. For example FL and her cohort were saying how all the diets were out there and 'none worked'. Kelly said- "Yes they do, if you do what they say."

Flylady was speechless. Yes, they do. So it is deeper. Why can't we do' what they say'?

Well, I can't summarize the whole book, as FL got very deep into her life as she and her friend tried to discover 'why' they eat like they do. I found much of it very helpful. This is not a gloss-over book, but one that gets real.

Also, in keeping with her principles, FL talks about how to take BabySteps to get rid of our Body Clutter. Very small steps- do able steps, to help us eat better, move more, love ourselves.

I decided to follow it through (even though all of it didn't relate to me, much of it did) and did the journalling they ask etc. It was helpful as I have eating problems and know I eat when I don't need to. Why do I do this?

For my BabyStep this week, I am working on the habit of not grazing. Many small meals, but afternoon and evening are my worst. So my BabyStep is to plan a snack at 3:30. (don't skip!), then not eat except for dinner. This is a big step for me, as I graze, snack all the time, while cooking for others, etc. So, that is my goal for now.

I thought I would share some quotes as I read through.... and post them here. If this book sounds interesting to anyone I would be happy to lend it out. My library had 32 people waiting on it, so I bought it.

Make it Fun!
So how can we make moving fun for
us? First, by letting go of our perfectionism and that internal need to compete
with some imaginary foe. Moving is not a battle to the death; it is a habit we
are practicing to help us live long and healthy lives. If we start out tyring to
kill ourselves to get in 'shape' we will not stick with our moving routines. It
becomes too hard. We can't live up to our perfectionism. One way we can make
moving fun is to find something that we like to do: dancing, walking, swimming,
aerobics, yoga, tai chi, gardening, fly-fishing, hiking, etc. If you're not
sure, think back to when you were a child and the activities that you liked to do
then....

Bikes, Turtles, Blades and Burritos

What do they have in common? Read on and see!

It all began at 10:15am when we left the home for our journey...destination: breakfast at a local cafe.

So, here was the view from where I sat - on MY BIKE!

Chomping down breakfast...

Afterwards, we picked up a friend and rode to the park to play where we happened to meet this sweet creature in the grass at the field...

Watching this turtle, we were able to slow down a bit...at first we watched him - he was about 50 feet from his water source. Then, after we moved a significant distance away, he darted for that water source only to find that he couldn't get back under the fence.

So, I picked him up and put him in a place where he could go under the fence and get back to the water.

Once near the canal, he drove at break-neck speed...

Really.

And we rode leisurely home.

All in all, our ride was about 7 miles whereupon we returned the safety of our shell and ate lunch.

Unlike the turtle, we did not eat greens.

We had black bean burritos and corn.

(Photo credit top 2 pics: me/turtle pic - Kaya, age 10)

Elegant Simplicity

I've been thinking a lot about my workout style, the hows, whens and wheres, and how I got to what I do now. My conclusion has been that the driving factor for me has been that whatever I do, it must be elegantly simple (read "cheap").

I've tried a vatiety of workouts at a variety of times and have discovered that I'm uncoordinated (sprained my ankle at step aerobics), lazy (won't get up early regularly), and obsessed about the wrong things (tweaking my workout outfit so it matches just right). I need a schedule, need an incentive, and need someone to help push me along. I like things that involve my body but allow my mind to roam free. I want the majority of my workout time to be actual exercise (not driving). Mostly though I realized that I have to be willing to try anything.

I have done exercise a variety of ways, but I find that I always come back to running/walking which really only involves good shoes and a route and swimming which is only slightly more involved with a suit, cap, goggles and pool. They are both adaptable to time of day and company of children. They both can become complex (add ipods, water wicking clothes or towel, specific workouts for speed or endurance, special foods, magazines, events to register for.........) or stripped to bare essentials sort of like a classic outfit.

I'm grateful to have figured this stuff out since next week Bill goes to work at the Pentagon. His hours will be FULLY different from his student hours which means I'll have to change my workout routine again, but at least I know where to begin. :)

How do you journal?

I would love to hear what works and doesn't work for you all journalling.

Do you like to track every bite of food? Do you just track in general? Do you count calories? Do you add up exercise?

I have recently begun tracking (loosely) again and am using a homemade color-coded excel file. So far I like it in that it does not take up too much time and I can see at a glance if I am doing well or not in an area by color.

What has worked or not worked for you all?

What makes your heart sing?

Cindy asked this question on her blog. And do you know my answer?

Working out!

Yes, I love playing basketball or cricket or skateboarding with the kids. And I love going on family walks. But for my mental health and joy and fitness and weight, I also need my own workout. Where I push myself and use muscles I didn't know I had!

My heart sings after a good workout. I have been known to sing out loud, jump in the air with enthusiasm and to ask why others don't work out when it can make you feel this way. What way? Like a million bucks! lol!

My dh and kids tease me about this but I truly love my workouts. I love the endorphin high and the way I feel after a hard workout. I'm on a high and want to share that with others.

Like this morning. I did Taebo Celebrity Fit Cardio followed by the floorwork section of Taebo Ultimate Abs. I rocked, I had fun, I was smiling at the kids at the end.

My heart was singing. :-)

Introduction (at last!)

Hello, everyone! I have been viewing this blog for a few weeks now (and have been inspired, although not inspired enough to get off the computer and actually EXERCISE, so here's hoping that making myself accountable through posting will change all that :-)).

So here's my introduction: My name is Niamh (pronounced NEE-iv), I have two fabulous children (the youngest of whom is 18 months old, the elder is 3 3/4), a wonderful husband who just turned 40 this past week (and is thus inspired to have a lifestyle change himself) and a 2-year old english bulldog (genetically chubby, with no plans to change ;-)). I have about 10 pounds to lose to get back to my pre-baby weight. My goal, however, is less about weight loss (although lets not kid ourselves here, I'd have a small party for myself if I lost the last 10 pounds!) and more about getting strong and fit (I've only been really fit once before in my life, and it was only for about a year, and it involved going to the gym regularly but with a horribly cranky attitude towards the whole thing...lean but exceedingly mean ;-). Also, I want to work on my eating habits, because they have always trended heavily towards carbs and chocolate. :-)

My plan:

(1) I picked up Rachel's recommended book about running and was TOTALLY inspired, so I am going to sign up for a 5K (several months from now) and work towards that (I always need some sort of external motivation)!

(2) I am going to make myself accountable re: healthy eating. I will start a food journal and occasionally report in re: said food journal :-).

So I have a question for the group (Trying to develop a system. A girl needs her systems :-)). When does everyone find time to exercise? During the day? After the kids have gone to bed? Before they wake up? With them? Any tips for fitting it in?

I am looking forward to being part of the group. :-) Thanks for inviting me!

When do you exercise??

Hard week and I am feeling guilty. One weight workout and one walk with the dog. That is it!!
I usually exercise in the am. I like having my workouts undisturbed. But, I have been VERY tired. Dd has been sleeping poorly and life has been happening again. So, I have trouble rising out of my comfy bed before 8.
Diet-bah, tired and not wanting to cook. Lot's of eating out and chocolate.
I will try again next week as this week we are finishing up dd's gymnastics class(show today!) and ds's soccer season(they are 7-1). Hoping when life slows down a little I can develop the habit and it will be established for when chaos reigns again :)
Keep up your good work everyone. While I am lacking this week, you do inspire me!!

Race For the Cure

Weight: 132 lbs Water consumed: 50 oz (bad) Races run: 1 (v. good) Moments spent feeling like am doing something worthwhile and am a part of something greater: approx 1,267

12:07 am For second night in a row in bed after midnight, and today is race day. Last night could not put down Bridget Jones and tonight had typical Pre-Race Safety Pin Crisis. After having a lovely date with Bill, did pre-race prep: lay out shirts, socks, sneakers, grind coffee for quick am cup, do dirty laundry dive for running "foundation garments", etc. only to discover that there are 12 places to pin bibs and 5 pins. Bill drove around Alexandria attempting to find an open store at 11:30pm with no luck. Finally decided to sew bib to shirt. Sigh. At least this solution is better than Bill's First Marathon Diaper Pin on Race Bib Debacle.


5:45 am Ugh. Must get up to begin hour commute to Start line. Can barely open eyes.


6:30 am Brief panic when could not find lid to French Press, but all worked out. Wondering about benefits of drinking coffee and being able to drive safely vs real issue of not being near a bathroom for at least 2 hours.


8:00 am Last minute bathroom trip resulted in finding only 2 portajohns which were padlocked and nothing else in sight. Dash back to start finds us on wrong side of the fence. After horn blows, jump it and being running in the crush of people trying to actually win the race. First spiritual moment of the day as I look at the 69,000 runners all coming together to raise money to find a cure for breast cancer.

8:02 am Thomas asks to walk. Anthony says his feet are hot. It is quite hot and humidity is crushing. Begin to wish we could have found a bathroom. Bib falls off shirt.

Mile 1 Interminable (although was terminable, obviously). Note that, bizarrely, clocks are placed at mile markers although race is 5K. Time 14:25. Give the boys there head so the next mile is spent sprinting and weaving in and out of people running at a rational pace trying to keep up with boys. Only heard supportive and uplifting comments about boys.

Mile 2 Time 27:14. Passing Washington Monument. Race seems so long and really not feeling well due to race jitters, coffee, and lack of available bathrooms. Thomas also doing the potty dance. Leave race route to find relief.


Mile 3.2 Continue hunt on path parallel to runners but have no luck. Rejoin racers with Finish Line in view and find, mere steps from the line, bank of 80 empty portapotties. Hurrah!


Finish Line Moment of humility when I realize that after laughing up my sleeve all morning at people who have pinned their bibs to their backs making the time tag unreachable, I have handed our tags to the Channel 9 News Crew.

Post Race Starbucks Even notoriously frigid Starbucks is warm and damp with a crush of racers. Had a lovely and inspiring talk with a pink race-shirted survivor who has one treatment left. Thomas and Anthony ask if next year we can push James so all the April birthdays can celebrate together. :)

Summing it Up...

Bike riding

Walking

Baseball at the park

Playing at the park

and

Swimming...

That pretty much is what we've been doing these past days and today, the selected activity is....swimming!