Day 4.2: Weight Bearing Exercises

How was day 1?  I hope it was grand!  Today I had some delicious Zucchini Pancakes, from Smitten Kitchen, and they were delicious, with really minimal sugar per serving.  And I subbed 1/2 wheat flour.  Win-win.

Today I am going to share some easy ways to get strength training into your workout.  Remember, this 10 days your goal is to do strength training 3 times this 10 days.  

I found this "Seven Minute Workout" and I really liked the exercises and reps.  These are "Body Weight" exercises, meaning the resistance you use is your own weight.  More for some of us, to be sure :)  Push yourself and do it 3 times.  You know you can.

The seven-minute workout

The 12 station regime should see each exercise conducted 15 to 20 times, in 30 seconds, with only five to 10 seconds “rest” between each one. The whole circuit (which can be repeated two to three times) should take about seven minutes and Jordan says to do it no more than three or four times a week.

If you have dumbbells at home, and I don't mean people that really annoy you, try some of this group of exercises.  10-12 reps, 3 sets.  Try to choose a variety and work your whole body.

The last suggestion I have for body weight exercises is my personal favorite, the Nike Training Club app for iphone or ipad.  Seriously love this app.  Exercises range from beginner to advanced, 30 min to 45 min, and you can mix the workouts with cardio for extra fat burn, and the body-weight exercises work your entire body.  There's a voice coach and you can set your favorite jams to play while you rock your muscles.  I find that I like to add more arms after, like plain old bicep curls, but the app is full of push ups and rows, great for chest and back.

Take time to build your muscles.  You will burn more calories, feel sleeker and stronger, and be less injury prone.

Day 3.8: Hard Facts About Exercise

The other morning I pulled on my compression tights and thought "I really like these.  Maybe if I wear a long sweater no one will know they are workout pants."  I'm avoiding jeans and wearing stretchy pants.  It's gone a little too far, don't ya think?

Alrighty, back to what I do best: information.

I read this a month ago and really really loved it.  It is called "8 Cold, Hard Facts About Exercise"

It is worth reading.  I really liked the 5th fact: "I won't allow you to eat whatever you want".

Whenever I start exercising a lot my appetite increases.  But more than my appetite is my "perceived food budget".  Yeah, I can totally eat a dessert after each of my 5 meals.  I worked out.

As you can see, this is not working for me.

When you start truly calculating how many calories you burn during exercise (as the article points out) it's really not as many as you think.  I have a cycle computer that tells me I burn 900 calories on a 90 minute ride.  I appreciate that calculation because it gives me permission to eat everything in sight.  But I'm preeeettttyyyy sure that it's off by about 300 calories.  Truly.  And while 600 calories is a lot, it ain't 900.

I am always jealous of professional cyclists.  They are always saying in interviews how they have to force themselves to eat enough calories during the day so they don't bonk.  This is during a grand tour, like the Tour de France.  Those poor cyclists.  Wouldn't that be an interesting problem to have?  Forced to eat enough calories?  Wouldn't I love to be them.  Riding 150 miles each day.  For 3 weeks straight.  Never mind.

Other facts I liked:

"Exercise alone won't change you."  Enter my personal diet challenges.  This will be a hard one for me to get through.

"Exercise will always feel hard."  Each time I ride my bike I dream of a day when I can ride 17 mph for hours without it hurting.  Unfortunately, it will always hurt.  My mind just has to quit telling me that I can't go any more.  Because in reality, I can.  Our ability to push through the hard will increase as we exercise more.

I am ready for some results that I can see.  This article helped me see some things I can change that will hopefully help me get off my plateau.  Did you find anything interesting or new?

Day 3.3: Body Image: What is your ideal?

Happy Late Day 3.

Saw this in November and thought it was post-worthy.  These are photos taken by Howard Schatz of women athletes in their prime and at the top of their individual sports.  Read the full article here.  It is fascinating to me how many differences there are.  When we think about our goals and what we want to be or look like it is important to remember two things:  what are we trying to accomplish and where are we starting from.  As we analyze our individual strengths and weaknesses we can use those to become our individual best.  With my personal physique it would be crazy of me to try to be a rhythmic gymnast.  With my personal strengths I am more suited for long distance and endurance activities.  

And, while my dreamy-dream is to be a super-athlete, the main thing I have always tried to accomplish is being a healthy child-bearer, child-raiser, wife, and church-member.  And these are the hardest and most challenging pursuits of all.  Which is all the more reason to step it up.  Be realistic: we don't have a personal trainer, dietitian, team, and host of medical advisers, and all the fitness equipment and gear we could possibly need.  But we do have the internet.  And friends & family and plenty of resources.  And me.  So no excuses, either.

So take a gander, oooh & aaahhhh, & think about what's possible, don't get discouraged, dream, set goals, and keep on working at it.  We'll get there...eventually! 

Always remember:

Be your fabulous self!

Just a healthier version!

Day 3.1: A Fresh 10 Days (remember 3 is the number of times we've done a cycle, 1 is the day of 10)

I am so excited for the New Year!  I was thoroughly ready to say good-bye to 2013...it was not awesome in so many ways...I'm ready to commit to a better me and a healthy and happy new year.

So, I am making a push until Easter. Tess once said that the best time to make a diet and exercise push is from New Years to Easter.  I wholeheartedly agree.  There's not much on the calendar that is celebratory in nature that comes with a lot of social eating.  Let's use that to our advantage and make some positive and lasting changes. I am going to run consecutive 10-day phases, even if they don't start on Monday :) Easter is on April 20th.  In 14 weeks and 4 days, or 101 days.  That means we will be going through 10  10-day cycles.  Brace yourself.  

Today is Day 1 of a Fresh 10 Days.

I have been getting health-related emails since December, most about what to watch for and what will be big in 2014.  Some of these things caught my eye.  I will share them with you over the next couple months, but this 10 days I wanted to focus on this little gem:

"Adopting a plant-based diet could help tip the scales in your favor. A five-year study of 71,751 adults published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that vegetarians tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters even though both groups eat about the same number of calories daily. Researchers say it may be because carnivores consume more fatty acids and fewer weight-loss promoting nutrients, like fiber, than herbivores do."

I am not going to be a vegetarian.  I like meat and I like what it does for my body and my appetite.  But I can see the advantages of eating more plants.

The first challenge this 10 Days will be to eat 3 servings of veggies & 2 servings of fruit each day.

That makes even me feel a little panicked.  My diet is bread-centric.  And I dislike cold foods in the cold weather.  But I'll manage.  Here's some ideas of how to do it:

• make a green smoothie with one cup of spinach - 1 serving
• eat a cup of carrot & celery sticks (sans ranch, please) - 1 serving
• eat a cereal bowl of salad with veggies on top (1 tbps or less of olive oil for dressing) - 2 servings plus a bonus of 1 healthy fat serving
• top your morning oatmeal with 1/2 cup berries - 1 serving
• eat a banana, apple, or orange - 1 serving
• any 1/2 cup serving FRESH fruit - 1 serving
• fruit juice or concentrate - 1/2 cup (we've been over this, but juice is so concentrated and sugary and lacks all the fibrous benefits of fresh fruit)
• drink exception: 8 oz of V8 tomato or fruit blend - 1 serving

See, not so bad.

The second challenge is to eat 1400 calories per day.  We have done this before.  We can do it again.  Remember that fruits and veggies and protein are energy-dense foods, while breads, sugars and processed foods are calorie-dense.  Energy-dense foods help you feel full, lose fat, and provide nutrients.

The third challenge is to exercise every day for a minimum of 30 minutes.  We are going to increase the minimum exercise time next challenge, but for this 10 Days 30 minutes is the bare minimum.  Do more if you are feeling like a rock star.  If you are like me and took a huge portion of December off, and you worked out hard yesterday to kick your rear into gear, and are paying for it in soreness today...30 minutes is PLENTY.  Use the things we've already learned: mix cardio up with weights, get outside, and do something with a group or partner occasionally.

The fourth and last challenge is to eat no sugar.  The giant tin of almond roca is not helping my situation any, but I did have the gumption to chuck all the other Christmas candy and treats.  All I have left is a big bowl full of nuts, in the shell, which will end up being a great snack.  It will take time to pry them out of their stubborn shells, and they are full of healthy fat and proteins.  It will become my new afternoon ritual.  I personally am going to commit to indulging in sugar only once in 10 days.



The last thing about losing weight that I want to discuss today is your personal incentive, goals, or base reasons to lose weight.  Some ideas are:

• Put your money where your mouth is.  Websites like dietbet or healthywage let you make a goal, pay monthly, and pay you when you meet your goal.  I like that!  People on healthywage have won $1000 for meeting their goal weight over a 6 month period.  The more lbs the more money you get.  WOW!
• Don't obsess about a number on the scale.  Focus instead on how you feel, how fast you run, a specific area of your body, or an item of clothing you would like to (realistically, of course) fit.  Not the 1-size-smaller-than-you-have-ever-worn-in-your-life jeans that you bought on sale and hung up to remind you of how skinny you'll never be.  I've never done that.  Nope, not me.
• Make a goal and visualize yourself there. The more you visualize yourself exercising and being fit the more likely you will be to get out and exercise.  Make a notebook with magazine pictures and positive reinforcement statements about your ability to be where you want to be.  Research shows this is a powerful tool in achieving goals and people who do this are successful in their ambitions.  I like to look at the Athleta catalog.  It makes me want to look like that: strong and healthy, not skinny and underfed.  I also want to be able to stand on my hands with my feet almost touching the ground behind me.  Unrealistic?  Maybe a little.
• Divide your goal in to smaller short-term goals.  Want to lose 10 lbs?  Set a goal to lose 1 lb per week, 4% of your total body weight in 30 days, or 1% of your body fat in 2 weeks.  These are all realistic and healthy goals that help you focus on the smaller less overwhelming task to get to your overall goal.  I am terrible at this: I set my weight loss goal and put it off, convincing myself that I can do it all in the last 10 weeks of my time period.  Classic fail technique.  Works every time.
• Reward yourself.  If you work out all 10 Days this time, buy a new piece of exercise clothing or other clothing item.  If you're like me, new exercise clothes always make me excited to work out.
• Set activity-based goals.  Run a half-marathon, ride 100 miles, hike to the top of Mt. Timpanogos, do a triathlon, go to Hawaii (jealous).  Having an activity with a set date will encourage you to get fit enough to accomplish this activity in an enjoyable manner: no walking the marathon, or taking 20 hours to summit, or wearing a mu-mu on the beach.  Know it's coming and OWN IT!  I entered a lottery for the Little Red 100 mile bike event on June 7.  I hope I get chosen...and if I do, I'll be ready!  If I don't, I'll need someone to be support while I ride 100 miles on my own...somewhere.  This also means I need to start riding my bike downstairs.  Ugh.
• Do it for your right reasons.  We've discussed this before in this post, but make sure you are making this journey for a good reason, one you and your family can all support, and that mentally will help you become a better person for you.  Doing this for the right reasons will help you stick to your goals.  My reasons are that I want to reach my personal best.  I have always wanted to reach that best and stay there.  My goal is to be lighter so everything in my life is easier: hiking, walking, running, and playing.  I want to be healthy so I can keep pace with my teen-aged daughters, my amazing Mom (who did a ninja course at a trampoline park at 60...NINJA!) and, eventually (heaven help us all) my grandchildren.  Also to set a good example for my daughters of a healthy lifestyle and eating habits, so they can avoid problems such as anorexia or bulimia which affect so many young girls and women today.

Are you ready?  I am!  So I'll end this ridiculously long and blathering post with this inspirational and thought-provoking quote...and then I'm going to work out.  I'm already in my workout clothes.  Half the battle is already won.

Be Committed!

And Kathryn, we love you.  Your dad was, and is, a great and kind person.  Having seven daughters, he had the patience of Job, and he passed on his best qualities to you.  You and your family are in our prayers.

Day 2.8: Uncle & Goals

UNCLE!

Not the relative, but begging for mercy.  I feel so much better.  Last week was rough for me.  Of course, I was sick, but still.  I did eat my super foods and I did have a cheat meal.  Isn't that part of the plan?

Monday.  A fresh start.  I hope you have done way better than me, exercising and snubbing sugar in all forms.  If not, start again today with a will.

It is also official:  I have set a new December record for days I've worked out.  3.  That is 300% improvement over past Decembers, so you can see why I'm so very proud.  

My December "Hail Mary" in the fitness and dramatic weight loss department has bit the dust, so I've come up with my new game plan.  My new focus goal is to work out 6 days a week.  And all I'm going to do is walk.  Yep.  Walk.  Here's why this works for me:

1.  It gets me outside.  The outdoors calls to me in a very instinctual way, and I have a burning desire to be out there.  Housework and other responsibilities can drown out this call if I let them, but I'll keep that from happening by going first thing in the morning.  Sometimes the thought of an hour sweating in the basement fills me with dread, particularly if I'm feeling stressed.  If you want to do something, you usually do it.  I want to go outside.  So I will.

2.  It clears my brain.  Instead of stewing over Christmas gifts, making phone calls, and being the secretary and last minute go-fer for 24 hours a day, I will only do that for 23 hours per day and take one hour to walk in silence (relative) and enjoy how it makes me feel.

3.  I helps me achieve a goal.  Just doing something I love will help me reach my 6 days/week goal.  And that is huge for my self-worth and sanity.  While I can't control many, many things about December, I can control this.  By making it simple, I can accomplish it.

4.  I helps me be grateful.  I am grateful for warm winter clothing.  I'm grateful for a body that functions.  I'm amazed that our bodies can create warmth as we move, and not freeze in 7 degree weather.  I love Utah's wintry, blue-sky days.  I am grateful for snow plows.  And I'm grateful that Tess has a nice warm garage, so she doesn't have to back out into the street to brush off her car, just so she doesn't have to shovel the driveway twice. :)  See?  So much to be grateful for.

So while walking uphill isn't my usual caliber of exercise and, frankly, makes me feel like a granny, it also boots my mood, accomplishes my goals, centers my thoughts, and fills my heart with gratitude.  Can't complain about that!

Today, be thankful!

Day 2.6: Stretch Yourself

Does anyone have a Christmas party today?  Did you have one yesterday?  Our first one is tonight.  This side of my family hasn't gotten together in a few years.  It should be fun!

Stretch yourself.  Literally.  I mean it.  Stretch.  With the discussion about age yesterday, I remembered that stretching and being flexible reduces your "true age".  In other words, it keeps you young.  Yay for youth!

First thing about stretching: never stretch cold.  Do not static (stationary) stretch before you run or do other aerobic activity, but warm up with dynamic (moving/swinging) stretching.  Only stretch warm muscles.  A study I read showed that static stretching prior to running increased injury risk and provided no benefits to the overall run. Dynamic warm up stretching was beneficial.

See this article: http://www.livestrong.com/article/462832-should-stretch-cold-muscles/, and this one: http://www.runnersworld.com/the-starting-line/should-i-stretch-before-or-after-my-runs

A good place to start is to stretch for 10 minutes after you work out, holding each stretch for 30-60 seconds.

Here's a chart of basic stretches:

This fall when I started running more, I was getting really tight in my hips, and my IT band started giving me trouble.  I did some research and found this stretch routine, called the "Cannon Ball".  Doing this immediately after my run really loosened me up and felt great, even improving how my foot felt (plantar fasciitis).  Here's the link:  http://vimeo.com/4498054.

Second, practice some yoga.  I love p90x yoga x.  It is 90 minutes: 45 minutes of yoga & 45 minutes of comprehensive stretching, and it feels sooooo good.  I don't often have 90 minutes of attention span for indoor workouts, but when I do, my body is happy.  In the p90x program you do this once per week.  It's a doozie.

Here is a chart for a good short, beginners yoga routine:

Third is a You Tube channel that I found: Tara Stiles Yoga on You Tube.  Once you get over the sheer spectacle of her spidery spaghetti noodle-like body, admire her strength and flexibility.  A former model and ballerina (of course), she has been practicing yoga since high school, which means she's fully gumbi.   Her goal is to make yoga and its benefits more accessible to everyone.  She has short videos to teach you sequences, in varying difficulties.  She's very pleasant to listen to, and I don't find her weirdly zen, just normal.  Check out her channel and do some wandering to find something you might like to try on these snowy cold days:  https://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga.

Yoga can help you in many ways.  This article (http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1634) give us 38.  Yes, 38 benefits to doing yoga.  Don't snore, just read the highlights, then read details if you're interested.  When you are sick, as we are all bound to be sometime this winter, yoga is a great exercise to do.  Yoga is also great for pregnant women, and there are many yoga routines that are low impact and beneficial for you and baby.

Watch the snow fall, find peace and center yourself today by doing some satisfying yoga.

Stretch Yourself!

Day 2.5: You're Not Old Yet

Friday, Friday, Friday, yeah!  Kathryn was an inspiration: 3 batches of cookies and no tasting...amazing willpower!

Today's usually my fail day, so last night I prepped a lot of veggies to snack on.  I'm still sick but that first night of long sleep at the onset really made me feel better sooner.  So I'm resting again today, but I'm doin' some yoga.

After our messaging discussion about the blogging photos and posts, and Kathryn's comment about age, I decided to do some homework.  About four aritcles, 45 minutes, and a lot of scientific studies later, here's the conclusion:

"A decline in aerobic fitness was noted after age 40, which accelerates as individuals enter their sixth and seventh decades. This decline is independent of muscle mass and physical activity levels. Thus, the bad news is that your aerobic fitness will decline with age no matter what you do. The good news is that individuals who start with higher aerobic capacity and continue their activity habits throughout life maintain a greater fitness level at all points in the aging spectrum. In light of the relationship between aerobic fitness and mortality, this suggests that performance of regular exercise throughout the lifespan will both lengthen life and postpone and compact end-of-life disability."
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/112/5/624.full

So, basically, being healthy now is important because it will carry you into old age, like savings in a bank account (I know I got Kathryn's attention).  The first biggest drop for women happens AFTER 45.  And that drop is only 20% of overall aerobic fitness, gradually happening in our 40s and 50s.  The steepest drop will happen during our 60s and 70s, more than 20% per decade.

In addition, our metabolism slows, BUT only 2-8% per decade, a number that can easily be offset by exercise.  Based on our TDEE calculations from November, the number is only (4.7 x your age) x your activity level factor, which adds up to about a 50-150 calorie reduction in our daily needs every decade, or 2-8%.  This happens gradually over each 10 years.  We can all burn 50-100 calories extra per day, can't we?

So keep running ladies, we have years & years & years to go!  

Age is all in your attitude!  

Day 2.4: The Law of Inertia...and ZUMBA!!

Wait. What?

Well, I did much better yesterday.  Did you?  I haven't heard.  From anyone.  I did see that someone ran this week.  Great job!  I did strength training yesterday and it felt great.

This is where Newton's First Law of Motion comes into play: an object in motion tends to stay in motion; an object at rest tends to stay at rest.  See?  Not just for geeks.

I took a week off from specific "workouts".  I stayed active, but didn't do focused exercise.  It took some serious external/inernal force to get me moving yesterday, and now that I'm moving, I'm excited about doing it again today.  Except that yesterday at 4 pm I got a cold: sneezing, itchy eyes, etc.  So I went to bed at 8 pm.  I am still going to exercise today because there are health benefits to moving when ill.  But I am also going to nap, and go to bed early again.  My poor family.

See this article about the best and worst exercises to do when sick, since we're all susceptible:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/10/health/exercising-with-cold-flu/

ZUMBA TONIGHT, ANYONE??!!

I found (and verified) two classes tonight:

Lady Fitness Layton 8pm - Free with 3-day free trial membership

Bountiful Rec Center 9 pm - $5

I still can't find the church in Layton - and the co-worker isn't sharing :)

Keep moving through it!

Day 2.3: Health Is A Journey - Why take It?

Ok.  I'm sure myfitnesspal is telling you that I haven't logged in for at least 5 days...I definitely need some encouragement, girls! Where's my encouragement?!

I love this quote.  It makes me feel inspired to achieve.  You may be asking why being fit is important.  Why does it matter?  Do I really need to?  Is the time I'm spending planning meals, cleaning up recipes, and exercising the best way to spend my time?  Isn't the slight increase in food budget to eat healthier better used elsewhere?

Here's my answer:

• We have been given one life.  One time to do things right.  We have been taught what we need to know to make the best of our life on Earth, and the principles that will bring us joy and make us happy.  Taking care of our bodies is definitely included in these teachings.

• The Word of Wisdom is not just about what not to eat.  It is also about what to eat.  Moderation in all things is the principle of health and a dietary guideline.  It is also a guideline for how much we are at rest and how much we are moving.  You can not overeat and be sedentary and be following the WoW.

• Our bodies are temples.  We know what not to do to them to deface them or injure them.  Leading an unhealthy lifestyle is a way that we can harm our bodies and leave them susceptible to disease and injury.

• We are taught to give all we have in service to our families and others around us.  When we are healthy and strong we are able to give and serve more.  We will be better wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts and friends.  We cannot give unless our lamps are full of oil, and being healthy is part of the oil we need.

Being fit is not an end; it is a vehicle to live a better more full life.  Being fit is not so we can look hot in our LBDs or swimsuits.  It's not about looking awesome to make others jealous.  Being fit is a quality of life issue.  My sister sent me this link to an article that goes right along with this topic.  Read this:  http://wellfesto.com/2013/11/19/10-things-i-want-my-daughter-to-know-about-working-out/

While most of us are not in the board room or on the golf course, we are living a more complicated and more challenging job: that of being a mother.  I know that being healthy makes us better moms.  Exercise helps us have more stamina, more joy, more patience, more self-control, more inner satisfaction that we can then share with our husbands & children. Think radiating & infectious happiness.  Eating healthy give us better fuel for this most difficult and most rewarding of all jobs.  You will get more accomplished in every aspect of your job as a mother & wife if you are strong and healthy.

Those of us whose kids are closer to (or in) teenage-hood realize that so quickly they are going to outstrip us in strength, height, weight, and endurance.  If you have boys, this is even more dauntingly apparent.  Do you want to do activities with your growing children, or do you want to be the mom that stays home and hears about the adventure later?  I agree wholeheartedly with the author of the article that the world is better when seen from the outdoors.  I also firmly believe that relationships are built and deepened when we do physically active things together (wholesome recreational activities.  it's in the program). It strips away barriers and makes us more receptive and happy.  (Zumba, am I right?!)  Winter is more enjoyable if you take time to get out in it.  Every season is.

Exercise helps us feel more emotionally even-keeled.  You may not know this about me, but I'm a highly emotional person.  (Don't say you knew it all along. Rude.)  Exercise helps us stay in better control of our emotional highs and lows, and aids during the week before aunt flo visits.  (yeah, yeah, I'm sure it doesn't happen to you.)  I keep saying that your family will thank you for sticking to your exercise routine.  I am dead serious.

I am not getting any younger.  None of us is.  My 40s are rapidly approaching, as my favorite person continually reminds me.  Many of the aches and pains and problems of age can be mitigated by being strong, having muscle mass & tone, and having cardiovascular fitness.  For us women, weight bearing exercise now can significantly increase our quality of life in our 50s and on.  With muscle mass your body is more able to control and stabilize itself, and injuries to places like knees and hips can be avoided; if not avoided, then recovery will be significantly easier.  It's called being durable.

I am not a languisher.  I once said, with a sigh, that no one would ever call me "willowy".  Being strong is a huge part of my identity and I find joy and fulfillment in finding out how hard I can push myself, and being out in God's beautiful world.  I also feel more beautiful and glowing when I exercise and am strong.  I want my daughters to find that same joy in their lives, and this starts by example.  Making exercise a joy will teach them to also enjoy it.  I want you all to find out how far, how great, how powerful, how in control, and how happy you can be.  It's a journey, and I know I still have far, far to go, but I'm enjoying it.  Spiritual and Physical well being go hand in hand, inseparable from each other.

You will never spend a better hour or two each day than taking that time to spiritually and physically improve yourself.  Focus on your own growth.  Meet your own needs.  Love your unique talents and strengths and features.  You will  have more to give to everyone you love.

I found this great slideshow today, 20 great quotes about just this topic.  Give them a read.  Then read them again when you're feeling like you just can't do it.  Like I have felt for two days. I really needed this:   http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/smartest-things-ever-said-about-fitness

So, today

DO IT FOR THE LOVE, LADIES!!

WE MADE IT!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Our First 10 Days is over!

We did it.  We are awesome.

Things to today:
1. Weigh yourself
2. Measure yourself
3.  Write it down

Did it work?  A little?  Then let's do it again Monday!!  I'm ready, are you?

My pies are lined up, calling to me.  My turkey is in the oven, and I'm drooling just thinking about my mom's rolls.  The girls helped me cook this year, and I must say, it was super fun!  I'd like to think they will carry on  something about our Thanksgiving when they are married, but considering my penchant for new recipes and winging it, I feel bad for them if they even try.

Anyhoo, enjoy today, a cheat day since it's a holiday after all!  But I think I'm still going to practice a modicum of restraint.  Nothing is worse than stuffing yourself just for the sake of it.  Not.  Even. Worth. It.  Yuck.

Since we have begun establishing a new relationship with food as clean burning fuel, try to enjoy flavors and textures, and feeling slightly more full than our 1400 calorie days.  Just remember:  food will always be there.  There is nothing you are going to eat today that you can't have in the coming year.  You can make it any time you want if you really are craving it that badly.  Food will not disappear from the planet, requiring you to eat everything in sight until your family must roll you out of the house. (personal experience)  Still drink plenty of water through the day.

Try to get outside today, between rotating turkey, sides, and desserts through the oven.  Here's a clever little workout I found yesterday that looks like a fun mix-up.  The boys get to play basketball, so take 30 minutes and move your body!  Away from the kitchen.

Won't take long, and I guarantee it will make you feel great!

Check in tomorrow for some ideas to get you through the weekend.

Have an awesome holiday.  I am so thankful for all of you.  I'm thankful that you are supportive, and thank you for joining me in this journey to get fit.  I hope I'll see you all tonight, so we can all enjoy a piece of well-deserved pie together.

Day 1.10: Wait...Last Day?! You'd better believe it!

We made it to the LAST DAY of our 10-day challenge!

Don't quit today, the finish line is just 24 hours away!

Think about what you've accomplished: consistency in working out, no (or less) sugar intake, eating more veggies.  That's something to be proud of!

Let's face it, today will be a challenge.  The kids are out of school so more people will need you every minute, Thanksgiving cooking starts (yum) and I don't know about you, but I really wanted to sleep in.

But you can take 30-60 minutes for yourself sometime today.  Put a movie on, send them outside, or better yet, go outside with them!  It is going to be a gorgeous day!  My friend Casey is a huge proponent of "play exercising".  We don't always have to make it a slog on the treadmill, class at the gym, or a video.  We can get exercise by doing fun things too!  I think my kids might die of surprise if I got out on the play toy with them at the park and played around!  You'd use a bunch of different muscles and give yourself a much needed mental break.  So try it!

Eat healthy and stay in your calorie goal. Cut up some of that stuffing celery to munch on instead of crackers when the kids snack later today.  Choose fruit and drink lots and lots of water.  We've made healthy choices this week, and I'm prreeetttty sure we can manage it for one more measly day.

The Finish Line is in sight!  Be strong today! 

Stress!!!

I am stressed, okay. I admit it.  I have a to-do list for Thanksgiving as long as my arm, dinner schedule coordination that is NOT going as planned, and a filthy house from being away for two days, and the first brilliant thing I did today is shelf my exercise hour.  Somehow, I felt this would help.

Which is exactly the OPPOSITE of how it works!

Exercise relieves stress, and so I am going to keep up my routine.  I'm really going to try.  

The extra 30 minutes is not going to shorten your list, just your fuse.  Don't skip it.

Your family will thank you for it :)  I know mine will.

Day 1.4: Truth In Numbers - Daily Caloric Needs

Happy Thursday!  Are you spending as much time in the little girls' room as I am?  Whew.  Every time I increase my water intake, I feel like  the "gotta go right now" commercial.  Your skin is thanking you for all the clean, hydrating water you're drinking.  Just don't drink after dinner if you don't wanna be up all night.  Ugh.  Fear not, keep drinking and your body will adjust to all the extra fluids.  Drinking water also burns fat, ta-da!  I worked my abs, thanks to Kathryn, and I'm pretty much sore all over. Sweet!

I love fitness data.  I love seeing what my BMI is.  I love putting in my goal weight and seeing what my BMI would be, if only I had some self control.  Sigh.  I love scales that read body fat percentage.  I love heart rate monitors and GPS distance devices that tell me mileage and speed.  I pretty much love any form of fitness data.  I'm a junkie.  Why?  Because numbers don't lie.  It's not for everyone, but it can be very useful in your journey.



Information is power.

Here are some terms you should know:

BMR: Basal Metabolic Rate is how many calories you burn just living.

BMI: Body Mass Index is your weight to height ratio.

TDEE: Daily calorie needs, based on BMR, age, current weight, and activity levels.  This is where you start, then reduce calories to a weight loss level.  Another method is based on body weight alone.

We've started with a basic 1400 calorie diet in the First 10 Days.  As our eating habits improve and our activity levels increase, we can adjust to find the right caloric intake to lose weight but feel energized enough to keep moving, and work harder.

BMR:  Follow this link to find out how many calories you burn just living.  http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

BMI: Follow this link to find out what your BMI is.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (gross) has set up a weight range that is healthy for your height.  Play with it enterting different higher and lower weights and notice the broad range for your height.  Somewhere in that range you will find your happy weight, or personally sustainable weight.  You know when you are too heavy, even if it falls into the acceptable healthy weight category on NHLBI.  The reason for the broad weight ranges is to account for the fact that muscle weighs more than fat.  My healthy weight range is 115-154 lbs. (what the?!)  NOT HEALTHY on either side of the range if I am 40% body fat.  I wouldn't worry about being at the high end if I'm muscular and under 20% body fat.

Ok.

Daily Caloric Needs:  Get ready for some serious math, girls. There are six components that determine how many calories you need each day: BMR, activity level, weight, lean body mass (muscle, or LBM), age and gender.

Math 101 version:
to achieve Fat loss = 12-13 calories per pound of body weight (140 lbs x 12=1680 cal per day)
to Maintain (TDEE) = 15-16 calories per pound of body weight (140 lbs x 15 = 2100 cal per day)
to Gain Weight  = 18-20+ calories per pound of body weight (140 lbs x 18 = 2520 cal per day)

Math 401 version: (get a pencil and paper, a TI-84 calculator, and your junior high student)
Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in KG) + (1.8 x height in CM) - (4.7 x age in years)
This is a link to a metric conversion calculator: http://www.metric-conversions.org/

1. Convert your height in inches to centimeters, and your weight in pounds to kilograms.  Write these two numbers down.
2.  Write out the above equation filling in the two metric numbers you converted, IN THE CORRECT PLACE.
3.  Remember the order of operations and do the math inside the parentheses first.
4.  Now do the whole equation.
5.  Congratulations!  You now know your BMR, the basic number of calories you need to live.

Deep breath, and no weeping.  If you're arguing with your junior high student over methods, separate, please.  One more step.

TDEE:

Take your BMR that you just figured out.  Then use the following table to adjust for your activity level to find your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure):

Activity Factor:
Sedentery = BMR x 1.2
Lightly Active = BMR x 1.375
Moderately Active = BMR x 1.55
Very Active = BMR x 1.725
Extremety Active = BMR x 1.9

Be honest.  Walking up and down the stairs 20 times per day does not make you Very Active.  Neither does cleaning house, chasing kids (unless you are sprinting), or standing at the sink doing dishes.  I'm always looking for an excuse to eat more calories, because I need to stay alive, right?  Overestimating your activity level will just sabotage your fat loss efforts.

For me, it ended up like this:

BMR = 655 + (9.6 x 62kg)   + (1.8 x 167.64cm) - (4.7 x 37 years)
BMR = 655 + 595.2 + 301.75 - 173.9
BMR = 1378 calories per day to be a functioning body

Now I multiply by my activity factor, which I would say is Moderately Active 9 (yesterday, if I'm honest, sedentary) , and I get to eat 2136 calories per day to maintain my current weight.  If I see the scale stubbornly staying at 138 I KNOW I am eating this many calories.  Fact.

Notice how the age portion of the equation indicates that the older we are the more calories we are subtracting from our daily total needs.  The older you are the less you burn so the less you need.  Boohoo.

Another Fact: if you want to lose weight you have to eat less than your TDEE.   Eat 500 calories or 15-20% less calories than TDEE to lose weight and not move into starvation mode.  Myfitnesspal suggests that the minimum daily caloric intake for a woman is 1200 calories.  Lower than that and you are not doing yourself any favors: you'll be hungry, your body will store fat, you won't be able to exercise effectively or efficiently,  you will lose muscle instead of build it.

And forgive me; you know how I adore math.


Information is power, ladies.  Use it to kill it today!

Day 1.3: Torch That Fat!

I almost missed working out yesterday.  I left it until the very last possible minute.  I just wasn't motivated and found lots of other things to do instead. But I really couldn't skip, now could I?  So I didn't.  I think I've officially created a new habit.  Yes! 

Working out. I hope you haven't hit boredom already, but if you've been treadmilling it for months and feel like you are just going through the motions, this post is for you. Kathryn ;).

So here's your challenge.  

Mix it up.  

Why? How? What?  Help!

Fact: Bodies at rest burn calories.  Doing your everyday routine: staying alive, chasing toddlers, and keeping the house looking respectable burns calories. This is called your Basal Metabolic Rate.  

(or BMR - more on this important number later.)

Muscle burns calories.  Fat does not.  SO the more muscle you have the more calories you are going to burn just doing the daily grind.  This is the miracle of exercise miracles.  The holy grail.  The truth you've been waiting to hear. The parting of the clouds and the feel of the sun on your face.  Overstated?  Maybe a tad.

Incorporating resistance training into your workouts 3 times per week increases your muscle mass, increases your metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories), and decreases your body fat percentage. What did I tell you? holy. grail.

I saw two articles in Shape Magazine just Monday that explain how make this interesting fact a reality in our exercise regime.  They both tell us to workout like a man.  Pffft, whatever.  No really.  Pay attention.

1.  Keep exercises simple by doing multi-muscle group exercises with weights, like squats with an overhead press.

2.  Do less cardio.  No, you didn't misread anything.  LESS cardio.  Muscle burns fat more efficiently, even at rest, and as the queen of efficiency, I like that.  You can accomplish more in less time lifting weights than running/riding/aerobicizing moderately for an hour.  Sweet.

3.  Up the intensity.  That means WORK HARDER!  Be out of breath, huffing and puffing; say the Pledge of Alleigance: if you can barely say it comfortably then you are working out hard enough.  (this is called the Talk Test.  More on RPE later.) Longer workouts are not always better.  It all comes down to how HARD you are working.

Short and intense > long and moderate/mild.  

(you recognize the "greater than" symbol, right?) 

Long and intense > short and intense

So try this Countdown Workout today, give it some concentrated effort, with a 2-5 lb weight.  Use a jug of milk, a can of spaghetti sauce, or your smallest child.  See how you feel.  See how strong you are!  And have fun!

Countdown Workout

Perform 10 reps of a kettlebell (or dumbell) swing

Without rest, do 10 reps of burpees

Still without resting, do 9 reps of the swings

Now do 9 reps of burpees

Continue this pattern until you do just 1 rep of each exercise, trying to rest as little as possible (or not at all) between moves.

What is a kettlebell swing, you ask?  Here's a photo.  Just swing.  Keep back straight through the exercise, eyes in front, head up.  Swing and stand using your legs, NOT your back.

And here is a burpee:

See the full article here: http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/3-reasons-you-dont-lose-fat?utm_source=FitnessNewsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=AllNLsubscribers&utm_campaign=FitnessNewsletter111813&utm_content=Final

If you're interested and more advanced in the weight lifting category, look at the link below called "22 Men's Exercises that Women Should Do", and you should totally laugh at what the photo models are wearing.  Oh my!

Sore today, stronger tomorrow!

Fuel for Exercise and Recovery

Here at your request.  The girls are doing homework and it's not time for dinner yet.  I am also having a fruit fly invasion that is driving me bonkers.  That's what you get for having more fresh fruit around.  humpfh.

Food is fuel.  It matters what we eat before and after a workout, as well as when we eat before and after.

We exercise for three reasons: 1) to burn fat and lose weight, 2) to increase fitness and endurance, and 3) to maintain our hard-earned goal weight and fitness level.

These three reasons we exercise require different types of fuel or nutrient timing.

Weight Loss:

Your body will burn fat more rapidly if you exercise fasting, ideally first thing in the morning.  Not a 24 hour fast, just after the longest period that your body has gone without food.  This technique helps your body burn fat for exercise, saving glycogen (or sugar stores) for use when they are more needed.  Bonus!

After your workout you should eat your breakfast and make sure it is high in protein: tuna, turkey bacon, turkey sausage, Canadian bacon boiled eggs, protein shake, green smoothie with protein powder added, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt cup, deli ham, etc.  Make an omelette or crust-less quiche, or breakfast burrito on a whole wheat tortilla.  Don't forget your whole-grain cereal and 1/2 cup of fruit!  This helps your body refuel and repair and build muscle.  Exercise doesn't mean free-for-all: count your calories, and stick to our plan.

If you do not exercise fasting, just fit in exercise in the three hours between one of your main meals and one of your snacks.  Calorie counting is the most vital aspect of weight loss, so timing your workout this way will keep you energized enough to exercise hard, and utilize your calories at the right time to beat the post-workout grumbles, without over eating.

Increasing Fitness & Endurance:

This goal requires constant fueling, before, during, and after exercise.  Think body builders.  Think endurance athletes.  By endurance I mean any exercise of more than two hours.  I don't eat on my bike unless I am gone for longer than 90 minutes.  Complex carbohydrates mingled with protein are best for a pre-workout meal one hour before you exercise.

Eating during a long endurance workout ensures that your muscles won't run out of gas, so your heart and lungs can practice functioning at high rates for long periods of time.  This is where Clif bars and energy gels and blocks come into play.

Eating a meal high in protein 30 minutes afterward will aid in muscle building and recovery, and adding complex carbs aids in refueling your glucose levels.

Maintenance:

Wouldn't we all love to be here!  This goal requires a normal eating schedule, still mostly complex carbs like veggies, whole grains, fiber from fruit, and protein.

Eating before is not something to worry about unless you feel hungry, but you should eat something high in protein within 30 minutes after your workout to help your muscles recover and build.  Protein shakes are ideal, as are green smoothies with protein powder added.  Some brands market a "recovery drink", like Gatorade.  Unless you like gross drinks, a smoothie or shake will do fine.

Just to clarify, your schedule should look something like this:

Breakfast
Workout
High-protein Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner

OR

Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Workout
High Protein Snack
Dinner

You get the idea!

Remember: 

"Muscles are made in the gym 

& 

revealed in the kitchen"

30% Exercise - 70% Diet