fitness
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts

Down 5 Pounds

The month of January was a success for me. I went into the month without a strict fitness plan to follow and somehow managed to lose 5 pounds. This is not a HUGE loss but one of many baby steps I'm taking to improve my overall health. How did I do it? Let me tell you...

Exercise
I kicked the month of with a 21 day Shut Up and Train cardio challenge with my friend Moniek of Fit While Brown. Check her out when you get some time. About halfway through the month, I hurt my ankle. I'm not sure how that happened but it put me out of commission for almost a week. Prior to, my fitness routine would include 20-30 minutes of some type of cardio. Some nights I would do kickboxing videos by Fitness Blender on YouTube, other nights I would play Dance Central 2 for 30 minutes with my son. My goal was to move by any means necessary. On really cold nights, I would opt for running in place or around the house for about a mile or two.

Food
I cut back on my carb intake and snacking. I have a weakness for strawberry sundaes from Sonic so I limited myself to one for the month of January. When a sweets craving would hit, I would make a smoothie as a supplement; it wasn't quite a sundae but helped...a little. I also watched my portions and cut out fried foods. It's amazing what can happen when you don't go back for seconds or pile your plate. I'm not a big soda drinker so I didn't have to worry much about that.

Sleep
I am a horrible sleeper. Combine that with a 5 year old who loves to climb in bed with us in the middle of the night, I rarely get uninterrupted sleep. I made it a point to get at least 9-10 hours of sleep each night, sometimes going to bed as early as 8:30 pm.

Stress Control
I ALWAYS have a lot of different things going on and can often cause unnecessary stress on myself. To kick off the new year, I promised myself I would do better about controlling my stres levels and just going with the flow more.

Water
Thank goodness for my husband. He texted me every day at Noon to check on my water intake. I have  to admit that I can go my entire workday without a drop of water. I made sure to drink some water every hour on the hour for the month of January.

Avoid the Scale
I am obssessed with the scale. I used to weigh myself every single day and would get upset with every single ounce I would lose and then come back. For the month of January, I threw the scale away. I refused to get on it and subject myself to any disappointment I may feel. Instead, I waited and when I got on it for the first time in 31 days, I saw the fruits of my labor.

That's it. Just a few simple steps resulted in a 5 pound weight loss. I personally can't see any physical changes but I was able to simple on a pair of jeans I could not previously fit with ease and room to spare. My goal for February is to incorproate more weight training (I'm listening, Moniek!) and press for another 5 pound weight loss.

What are your fitness goals for February?
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New Year, New Fitness Goals

Did 2013 go by fast or what? So much happened to me both personally and professionally in 2013 that I can't wait to see what happens in 2014.

While some people believe that new year resolutions are a waste of time, I believe differently. I love the idea of setting new goals at the start of a new year and working towards them. It's like, you finally get to try-try again in a brand new year - the slate is wiped clean and you& nbsp;. Personally I find it super motivating and thought I would share a few of mine with you as it relates to my health....


1. EXERCISE! I feel like I started the year off strong with this and then completely slacked the closer it got to my wedding. Before I knew it, the summer was over and my weight loss was shot. This year, I want to be more dedicated to exercising more frequently.

2. EAT BETTER. I've always opted for more healthy foods, but towards the end of the year, I began to stray from that path. I took a health scare to remind me that food is not pacifier, but rather fuel for our bodies...but it's still ok to indulge from time to time.

3. TAKE BETTER CARE OF MY HEALTH. See the previous post.

4. REST MORE. 2013 was non-stop for me but rightfully so. I mean, I did get engaged, plan a wedding, watched both my brothers graduate and I get married (all in the same weekend!), add extra duties at work and start some new hobbies all within a 6 month window at times. I think I have earned my rest.

5. RUN WITH BLACK GIRLS! RUN MORE. I didn't get a chance to spend as much time with BGR as I wanted but I plan to start the new year off right but doing more Saturday sessions with them. I don't know about those 5am runs but I got you for 7am on Saturdays :).

6. INVEST IN MORE WORKOUT GEAR. Call me vain but when I'm wearing a cute and comfort workout outfit, I feel more inclined to workout. Plus I need to start buying wicking socks, compression tights (or socks) and tutus for races.

Do you set new year resolutions? What are some that you are setting for yourself?
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Watch Mo...Power walk?

So I haven't necessarily been pounding the pavement in a running sense but I have power walking like a mad woman these days. Per my doctor's advice, I have pulled back on my running a bit and opted for a more gentle-on-the-knees cardio in power walking.

I will be the first to admit that I need to lose a couple more pounds before I start running again but
SOURCE
I'm getting there. Power walking, and walking in general, is just as effective of running. Not only is to gentlier on your joints and bones but therapeutic. I use that time to focus on my breathing and form while still getting a workout in.

If you're a mom like me and you have the kiddies with you, don't fret; power walking is still a get choice. You can push the stroller without fear of stumbling and get your workout on. Thinking of going to park with the kiddies? Let them play on the playground as you walk laps around it.< br />
I've never been a runner who focused solely on pace or speed; I'm a runner who focuses on being healthy all-around.
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Busting excuses to avoid exercise, no matter your size (Repost)

I love this article I saw on Sparkpeople.com

By Beth Donovan aka ~Indygirl

I used to think I had to have a goal of running a 5K or working out for at least a half hour a day to get any benefits from exercise. I was dead wrong. Every little bit of moving we do adds up and studies have shown that even daily broken up exercise routines work to reduce health concerns. SparkGuy himself sets a modest goal of 10 minutes a day, which he usually surpasses. I followed his lead and although at first I wasn’t able to do a full 10 minutes, I broke it up into a few minutes a few times a day. Something happens after 10 minutes though, and I find myself reaching for that 11th minute, the 12th minute and more.

If you haven’t moved in awhile, start slowly and ask your doctor what exercises might be right for you, especially if you have chronic pain or a disability. I started my exercise routine with sessions of in-home physical therapy because I was bedridden at the time. Wherever you are at with your fitness level, accept it and find the best workout for YOU, not for your friend or favorite celebrity. Just moving at all for some people is a workout, while others might need more vigorous training. You need to find your personal fitness level and build on it. When looking for a workout routine, remember it needs to be something you will enjoy. Try different things until you find what suits your tastes. Here's what works for me:

  1. Set modest goals. Don’t burn yourself out before you even get started. If you haven’t worked out in a year, starting with an hourlong walk a day might not be practical and might burn you out or leave you injured. You might start with a 10-minute walk for a week, then go to 15 minutes the next week depending on your fitness level. My goals usually change each month. I’m very slow to progress, but I do progress. If I progress too quickly, I suffer from too much pain and start to dread working out. When that happens, I slowly find reasons not to exercise. The trick is to not let that happen in the first place. To avoid the problem, I make my goals as easy to reach as possible. I want to succeed, so I make them attainable. Making them impossible or too challenging would serve no purpose for me.
  2. Music can be extremely motivating. My playlist is something I try not to listen to unless I’m working out. Why? It’s my reward for working out. I get to hear music I like when I exercise and I make sure the music is downright addictive to me so that I want to hear the next song. That way I will keep working out so I can listen to the music.

    I get motivated to go to the gym by people I meet there. I’m very social most of the time. If you are like me, a gym might be a great place to make friends by taking a class or showing up at the same time each day/night. If you like exercising at home or alone, having an accountability buddy might work. My friend Tina and I call each other and brag on our exercise or good choices throughout the day. It keeps me motivated and wanting to make more good choices.
  3. Workout clothing makes me feel motivated, too. I never thought I would say that, as I always considered myself inactive. When I dress in workout clothes, they make me feel like moving. The problem with being large is that finding cute workout clothes isn’t easy. Lately I’ve had a lot of fun shopping at Goodwill for my workout clothes, something I was never able to do before. (For more tips on workout clothes, equipment and more, check out: Solutions to the Challenges of Living Large or Less Mobile)
  4. If you just aren’t the indoor exercise type, take it outside. Enjoy the scenery, no matter what season; there is something to do, even if it is just to march in place or shovel snow. Walk to the mailbox to get your mail if that’s all you can do or make a few trips up and down the driveway. Look into dog-walking programs at the local pound if you enjoy animals. Some nursing homes have buddy programs, too, or you might be able to befriend a senior and exercise at a slower pace together.
  5. Make a dream list of activities you would like to do in your “fit life.” Using that dream list to motivate yourself to train for those activities might be another way to get excited about exercise. Personally, I would like to walk through a water park again and swim in the wave pool. I would also like to walk through Disney World and Epcot Center again and along the beach in Florida with my husband. To do this, I am strengthening my legs as much as I can via use of my walker and cane. I also do cardio on my arm bike, pushing the resistance as far as I can to get resistance training at the same time.
These are the ways that I stay on track when exercise seems tedious or too difficult. I hope these tips help you as well. Remember that before you start or change an exercise plan, you should discuss it with your doctor.
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