Current Exercise Program

First off I like to workout at home because I'll always go there sometime during the day, it's convenient,  and it's free!!! Personally having to go all the way to the gym is an excuse for me not to workout so I focus on things I can definitely do at home on my own. If I decide to go to a class or to the gym it'll be a spur of the moment thing. Anyways, so far I'm doing a collaboration of Yoga, Pilates, and circuit training (incorporated) for my day to day exercising program.

First off I like to workout at home because I'll always go there sometime during the day, it's convenient,  and it's free!!! Personally having to go all the way to the gym is an excuse for me not to workout so I focus on things I can definitely do at home on my own. If I decide to go to a class or to the gym it'll be a spur of the moment thing. Anyways, so far I'm doing a collaboration of Yoga, Pilates, and circuit training (incorporated) for my day to day exercising program.

Yoga
The yoga I'm doing is 10 Minute Solution Yoga with Lara Hudson. The DVD costs about $12 dollars at Walmart, Amazon, ect. I either do the entire 50 minutes with added ab work on my own, split it 30/30 or 10/50-60(yoga first and something else) 

Pilates
Originally I was doing 10 Minute Solution Pilates with Lara Hudson. This DVD costs about 
$10-$12 as well at amazon.com or Walmart for the full 50minutes.....

However, now I've taken on the blogilates challenges. On their website they have food recipes as well as work out material. Each month they have a calendar you can follow along with new fun recipes and workouts once a week. This month is June on fire with the  "this girl is on fire" calendar. Each new month has a new calendar that is password locked. To get the password you just sign up with the site for the newsletter (which is worth it because they send you the weekly new video and recipe straight to your email). If you don't want to sign up or maybe want the freedom to do whatever videos you want for each day just search her youtube channel blogilates and pick the workout videos you want. I think you would benefit from joining the community but it's your choice :). They also have started a new beginners calendar so you can start slow and work up to the more challenging month specific workouts. It even has links to each day so you don't have to search for the videos. Her workouts really are killer and they have you in a wet sweaty sweat. Everyday I feel accomplished when I do them and I can't wait to do them again the next day.

(click here for full calendar and videos)

Circuit Training
The circuit training is actually incorporated into the blogilates that I do so it makes it a little easier to attain for me since I'm still wimpy.  So, if you haven't already noticed I absolutely love that site so you should check it out!!!

Well that's all for now. So secrets or magic just hard hard work and a lot of sweat. I hope this was both informational and helpful for you guys. Please please please stay away from all the gimmicks they don't work and they're not healthy. Healthy weight loss can only be done by healthy means. Just start now reforming the way you eat, the way you workout, the way you live. Happy healthy living everyone.

Before Pictures for Blogilates June calendar (after to come)

Jump on the bandwagon now or catch the next one but if you don't get on at all you'll never get where you want to go.

1st week over!!!!

It's been a full week now since I've started this blog!!!! So proud I've kept up with it and my lifestyle change this far. I admit I've made some not so great decisions but at least I'm taking accountability for them instead of saying whatever. No I haven't ate the healthiest everyday and no I haven't exercised everyday but I'm just looking to get better everyday and subsequently every week. Permanent changes are gradual so I know easing into the process this way is the way to go for me. I've tried before just diving right in and I always failed because I burned out. So bear with me and know it won't be an overnight fix or change. I'll get to the gym sometime tomorrow or Friday to have my first weigh in so until then progress will be a mystery. I almost don't want to go weigh in and I would rather have measuring tape but I'll get one eventually and just post both numbers :). Thanks for staying with me everyone and can't wait to get to week 2 and 3 and 4 and eventually 52 (1yr of healthy living!!!).

Day 7

Today was a little more chill. I got out of one of my classes so early I was able to go home, eat lunch, and get a nap in.  For breakfast I started out the same (see my current meal plan) for my weekly diet plan). For a snack number 1 I had a banana and for snack number 2 I had a mini cupcake that my roommate surprised me with for my birthday (only 44 calories thank you very much) and then a normal sized cupcake from by birthday (together only 273 calories). For my second meal I had a turkey burger on iceberg lettuce with pickles and balsamic vinegar with a serving of baked bbq chips. Then I was naughty and had 3 more mini cupcakes. After that I've just been drinking water.

Workout today was at a bit later time than usual. I did 10 minutes of yoga and 60minutes of ab workout per the june 4th calendar day on blogilates. It was kind of a struggle to get started on the workout today  but I stayed motivated and got up and did it. Worked up so much sweat I was sliding all over my yoga mat. Gross but that means I was doing it right. Definitely didn't kill my work out today, it was really challenging and I did the best I could. I'll get better and stronger and then move on to even more challenging stuff one day. That's what's been getting me through, working through the struggles of each day to see progress. If it's easy that means I'm no longer progressing.

Ok, now back to my train of thought. My total caloric intake was 1798 calories and after workout it was 1286 (512 calories under). My goal for tomorrow is to better manage what kinds of foods I'm eating and not just exclusively calories. Since I may have tomorrow as my off day due to heavy scheduling, and I'll be out all day, I know I need to be careful. Wish me luck.

day 7 post workout

Current Meal Plan

For my meals I loosely follow Kelsey Byers' Body Transformation: A Model Transformation meal plan. Eventually when I get around to buying the supplements I will start taking them as well.

Meal 1:
2 whole wheat tortillas

2-4 scrambled eggs (use non stick spray not butter or margarine)

2-4tbs of pico de gallo (just tomatoes, red or white onions, cilantro, pepper, and a few squeezes of lime juice)

1 half of a grapefruit (you can really have any fruit but grapefruit has so many good things and it's great for waking up since I don't drink coffee or anything)

Preparation: I usually make a simple breakfast burrito by putting the scrambled eggs and pico de gallo on the wheat tortillas and just eat the grapefruit on the side. I only add pepper and sometimes cayenne pepper to the scrambled eggs. Absolutely no salt, you in no way shape or form need more sodium than what you get from the natural foods. Sometimes if I grow tired of burritos I simply make an omelet with eggs, pepper, the pico, and some hot sauce or something. Every once in a while you can add cheese but try to stay away from the processed kind (i.e. packaged, get deli cheese instead)

Meal 2:

1 unseasoned turkey burger patty

a few Ice burg lettuce leaves

1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes 

Balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

1 small/medium sweet potato

Preparation: I broil the turkey burger in a skillet with water until it's cooked (I usually add mesquite or bbq seasoning). When it's done I lay it on a lettuce leaf, add the tomatoes, and drizzle it with the balsamic vinaigrette dressing. As far as the sweet potato I personally make fries out of them (healthy fries that is). I peel them, cut them into even french fries, and wash them to start. Once done with that sometimes I'll add 1tbs of olive oil (but I've started not to but not adding the oil does mean you have to watch them a little closer). I then season them with cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and paprika (go light on the spicier spices or you'll burn your tongue!!!) and lay them out on a cookie sheet. You cook them for 15 minutes on 350 degrees then flip them over and do another 10-15 mins (without the oil its usually 10mins per side). When they're done they'll be a little brown along the edges/tips and that's it. Try not to use sauces but they're usually so good you won't feel the need to have them. The good thing though is that if you're having a sweet tooth instead of eating sweets just add 1-2tbs to sugar and you've got a sweet healthy treat.

Meal 3: Pick 2 (one a and one b) 

(a)Pb&J sandwich on wheat bread

(a)4 hard boiled eggs (deviled or straight up)

(b)1 Banana 

(b)1 Banana smoothie (1 banana, 2-3tbs of greek yogurt, 1 handful of ice, 1/4 cup of water)

Preparation: Everything is pretty self explainable. With the deviled eggs I only add 3-4 tbs of mustard, 1/2tsp of pepper, 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1/2tsp of paprika) and the smoothie I make as mentioned above.

Meal 4

Skinless Chicken breast/quarter

Green beans/Mixed Vegetables

Preparation: I usually pick a Saturday or Sunday to prep my whole bag of chicken. First I wash the chicken, then I skin and clean it. After one more good rinse I add italian seasoning, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and meat seasoning. Then I bag them and freeze them till I'm ready to eat them (this way they're always readily available and they have time to marinate so each piece is tastey). As far as the vegetables I eat them straight up (I buy the frozen ones and just boil them).

Snacks
If I get hungry between meals I'll snack on carrot sticks (I cut them myself), another banana, or half a grapefruit. 

*Meals 2-4 vary every day so they are listed in no particular order.

Day 6 - Changing the Sticks

Not gonna lie today was a bit rough today. My food intake was right on track. I had my normal eggs, wheat tortillas, pico de gallo, Ortega sauce, and half a grapefruit.For my pre work out snack I had a banana and then for lunch I had a single unseasoned turkey burger on iceberg lettuce with balsamic vinaigrette.  For dinner I had fruit cocktail, 3 leftover coconut shrimp, and left over sweet potato fries from my birthday brunch. Then for an added treat I had a piece from my birthday cake and a small cupcake. My days total caloric intake was 1983 but with my work out it came to 1554 calories.

The workout is what really kicked my butt today. I felt myself adjusting last week so I decided to step it up today. I did my normal 30minutes of yoga and then I did the June 3rd day of blogilates. Now, seriously I was dying through every video and I only did a total of 30minutes. I literally wanted to quit and barely made it through till the end but I stuck with it. I definitely didn't do all the reps but I'll get there.

My goal for tomorrow is to simply keep up the momentum :)

Day 6 Pre and Post Workout pics

Right After Post Workout Pic

Blogilates Challenge Before

This one will be just a short blurb. Today I start on my blogilates calendar, here's my before picture!!!!! Wish me luck :)

Day 4 & 5

As promised I'm including both day 4 and 5 in this one.

Day 4 I had homemade pancakes with homemade syrup for breakfast with one scrambled egg. I didn't have lunch that day (I know naughty me) but I did have a snack (a cookie), healthy right :). For dinner we had a bbq So I had one beef burger patty, one hot dog, green beans, baked beans, and lays baked potato chips. At the end of the day I was at 1846 (413 calories over). Not too bad I think considering I did some house work and went walking around quite a bit.

Day 5 I had my normal 2 scrambled eggs, 2 wheat tortillas, Ortega sauce, and pico de gallo. For my birthday brunch we went to Outback Steak House and I had cocunut shrimp, sweet potato fries, and grilled chicken. I'll save you the math and say that plus the cake had my entire days calories at 2191. My calories this weekend were within my caloric intake for maintaining so I didn't gain any weight. But it also means that I probably won't lose any when combined with the rest of my week.

All in all I don't think I over ate too bad, I mean it was my birthday so I'm entitled to some treats. This week I'm stepping it up though. I'm starting on blogilates' june this girl is on fire calendar challenge along with 30 minutes of yoga!!! Wish me luck. back on track now.