Yippee! Only thing is that it doesn't feel like it's Christmas. I guess cause here in Texas it ain't cold and the fact that I work today and the day after Christmas makes it not feel like a holiday either. Oh well! As long as the kids have fun...right?!
Any who...so I've been feeling icky because I've been eating out a lot and really not paying attention to what I'm eating. SO with that said I'm taking the plunge and starting my No Grains, No Cheese, No Sugar challenge EARLY...I'm starting on Wednesday. Yep, that's right the day after Christmas. I might even throw in a couple of days of a Shakeology cleanse in there...not sure just yet.
Let me know if you're interested in joining me on the challenge. I got the idea from one of my friends, Healthy Hits the Spot. If you have any questions about the challenge just ask or you can even check out her site. She has a link titled 6-8 Challenge under Categories that discusses what she ate and bought at the store. I'm going to try to post my meals here as much as possible as well.
I'm also going to start hitting the gym again. I went with my hubby on Friday night for a "couples happy hour" and it felt good. There is just something about working out around other people that motivate you to do more.
This is what I plan on doing for my workouts:
Everyday possible...I'll jog with Bud first thing in the morning and do yoga or stretching afterwards
Strength training - 4 days / week (I'm going to follow Jamie Eason's workouts from her LiveFit trainer program for the first 4 - 5 weeks OR I'll workout with my hubby or son and follow what they do)
SO, are ya with me?!
Have a GREAT Christmas folks...
By the way...I'm starting a 30-Day Shakeology Challenge on January 7th. All you have to do is replace 1 meal a day with Shakeology and workout. Your workout is whatever you choose whether it is a Beachbody program or your own. Doesn't matter. This challenge is about improving our HEALTH! We'll focus on fitness in February - woop woop! Order your bag of ShakeO here.
So I'm listening to a conference call right now and it's really getting me to thinking....why not me?! Why haven't I reached my full potential in life? Why am I not the woman that God has created me to be? I have one answer for that...ME. I get in my own way of success. Does that sound familiar?!
I'm sure a lot of us do the same thing and we stay in the same situations that we are comfortable with. Why is it soooo hard to step out of our comfort zone? Why am I so scared of the unknown? God wants us to step out and be the woman or man he created us to be. We gotta drop that fear and move through it like a bulldozer. We gotta believe in ourselves!
I'm striving for 2013 to be the best year of my life and my family's life as well.
So this gets me thinking...well what the heck do you want to be when you grow up?!
I want to help people. I want to help people with their health and fitness, with their finances, with their spirituality, with EVERYTHING! But how do I get to that point where I can help others if I'm still on my own journey? I know I need to make a plan to conquer each area of my life and become "that person" who everyone asks when they have a question. I want to be that "guru" for people.
I, myself, need to build up my confidence. And all of my leaders say...this is only done with reading great books. That is what I have been focusing on at the end of this year.
How about you? Do you need to build confidence, get organized, find your way?! How about you join me and a lot of my friends for Chalene Johnson's 30-Day Challenge?! You won't regret it and you don't have ANYTHING to lose...it's totally FREE! It starts January 7th and if you are going to do it then sign up here! Also, let me know so I can add you to a private FB group only for those doing the challenge.
Also, starting in January I'll be doing the following:
Reading Gabrielle Bernstein's book May Cause Miracles. You can pre-order yours today...it releases on January 1, 2013! Gabrielle also has a great YouTube channel you should check out.
I'll also be doing a sort of cleanse starting January 1. I'll be doing a No Grains, No Cheese, No Sugar challenge for at least 6 weeks. Who knows I might eliminate one, two, or all of the items from my diet completely! Well, maybe not the grains cause I love me some oatmeal and bread...
And last but totally not least, I'll be hosting a 30-Day Shakeology Challenge that starts January 7. We'll be replacing 1 meal a day with Shakeology and doing a workout program of your choice whether it's a home program, at the gym, or elsewhere. Order your ShakeO here!
So if you're interested in ANY of the above...shoot me a comment or email and I'll be glad to chat with you about it!
Today started the challenge I told you about. And guess what...someone at work made my department a lemon cake. Boo! Me no touchy!
So I got up this morning to get my sweat on. I started with Turbo Fire's HIIT 15 and Stretch 10 then followed with Tone It Up's Holiday Hottie circuit and finished with Tara Stiles yoga.
Oh and I found a new workout...its called 30 Day Butt Lift fromBeFit on YouTube. I plan to start it tonight ;)
I'm super stoked y'all...my Beachbody Coach is hosting a challenge that I have been excepted to! Yippee! I so need this challenge to hold me accountable. My goal for the rest of the year was to simply "maintain"...I have failed to do that. I know...how hard can it be to "maintain"?! Well, ya can't do it if you are eating like a piglet and not working out.
So this challenge is called Eat Cleaner. Train Meaner. Get Leaner. And it starts.......NEXT TUESDAY! We have to post all our meals and workouts for the day on a private FB group page, incorporate a Beachbody program, drink Shakeology, and take our measurements and weight on Monday.
It's great because I'm starting Turbo Fire on Monday and have scheduled all my workouts for the morning along with some Tone It Up strength training and yoga in there. I know it sounds like a lot, but really the yoga part is what I consider my "stretching" and it's at the most 15 minutes. I'll be doing some Tara Stiles videos from You Tube.
Next up on the list is to go grocery shopping! My fav. I definitely want to make a stop at Whole Foods for some good veggies and free range meats.
Today is day 5 of CJ's Challenge - woop woop! Let's see what is in store for me today!
Chao baby!
Cheers to 2013...
BTW - if you're interested in joining me on this Eat Cleaner. Train Meaner. Get Leaner. challenge just let me know. We can do it together!
Life has been a little chaotic this past week due to a major medical scare with my son. I can't help but think what if he was alone when this happened...what if...what if. Any parent would have the same thoughts running through their mind.
So since his emergency, I keep picturing him laying on the floor unconscious. It constantly runs through my mind. And honestly, I don't want to remember. I don't want those feelings again. But I've realized something...GOD ONLY GIVES YOU WHAT YOU CAN HANDLE.
My morning jog was phenomenal today. Seriously. While I'm jogging Eric Thomas is pumping through my earbuds with messages of T.G.I.M., Bud is enjoying himself as well and all of a sudden flashes of my son run across my mind. I try to ignore them but I'm on the verge of tears. I repeatedly tell myself...GOD GIVES YOU WHAT YOU CAN HANDLE. I jogged longer than I had ever jogged since starting back up with ease. God was with me and he showed me I could do it. That I could push through whatever it is that gets in my way.
I don't know why certain things happen to certain people or why this happened to our family. Maybe its a lesson for my son, maybe its a lesson for me or all of us. What I do know is that it is time to move forward and conquer all obstacles in our lives cause GOD ONLY GIVES YOU WHAT YOU CAN HANDLE.
Till the next time....
Q.O.T.D. ~ "Make the rest of your life the best of your life!" Eric Thomas
It's only 1:15pm right now and I feel like I've had a full day already. Is it dinner time yet?!
Anyways, I started the day at 5am...yes sir I did. It's a new thing for me. If I'm going to get up early during the week, might as well continue on the weekends. Besides my daughter had a game at 9am and I know myself all too well...if I didn't get my sweat on before it wouldn't happen at all. Good intentions to actually workout don't always happen! So I did my daily jog with Bud and blasted the positivity of Eric Thomas (aka The Hip Hop Preacher) for 47 whole minutes - feed your mind folks! Came home and did my Insanity workout...made breakfast (migas & papas), drank me some Shakeology with added glutamine and put some ingredients in the crockpot for Tomato soup (hope it turns out yummy). All of that was done by 7:30am. Then we headed to the game.
Last night and this morning I've done a lot of thinking while watching videos that "speak" to me. On my jog with Bud I was listening to the new Eric Thomas download I bought last night. This is what I listened to on my jog...
Now this is only Episode 1...make sure you watch/listen to the others too. These are mind-changing messages. We can all achieve greatness and we can all achieve our dreams...but we have to put in the work. We can't just sit on the couch hoping it'll happen. We have to make it happen. We can't just wish or dream for it to happen...get it done.
If you're like me and didn't have a clue who Giavanni Ruffin is...this vid is my fav and my first exposure to him. He too, is an inspiration. Take No Days Off.....
This hottie gets up at 3am to get his grind on. Seriously?! The rest of the world is still sleeping, but not him. He is on the road to making his dreams come true. You gotta put in the time if you want the success you dream of! Don't forget to watch part 2 of this vid. Also check out his YT channel.
I've been getting up for the last 2 weeks at 4am during the week. Not until today did I decide to do the same on the weekend. It's Sunday, but my butt set the alarm for 5am and let me tell ya my body was ready for it. I was eager to get up that I got up before my alarm went off. And I'm happy to say that Bud and I got a full 45 minutes of jogging in. It was great! During the week I sometimes can get in a good 30 minutes, but if I snooze then I try to get him at least 20 minutes. The boy is knocked out now! I finally got my mojo back when it comes to jogging. I push myself a little each time, but I'm still enjoying it. The wind in our hair...Bud's tongue hanging out with a big smile as we stroll down the road.
I'm sorry...but I have to put a little PSA in here - IF YOU ARE A DOG OWNER, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GET YOUR BUTT UP AND TAKE YOUR DOG FOR A JOG. DOGS NEED AT LEAST 45 MINUTES OF EXERCISE DAILY. IF YOU CAN'T JOG OR AREN'T READY FOR IT...START WITH WALKING. YOUR DOG WILL THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE DOG (LIKE I DO) THEY NEED IT IN ORDER TO NOT GET ALL STRESSED OUT OR WILD. AND NO, LETTING YOUR DOG OUT IN THE BACK YARD TO RUN AROUND IS NOT SUFFICIENT. DOG OWNERS NEED TO PUT THEIR LAZINESS ASIDE AND GET THEIR DOG MOVING!
And now on to the rest....
Bud and I jogged for 45 minutes and had a nice little light show thanks to the Man above. We got back and popped in Insanity. I didn't work out yesterday so I did what was scheduled for that day - Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs. My total workout time was 100 minutes with a calorie burn of 996 calories! 4 calories away from 1000...
Oh and if you have a rough time getting some energy in the morning or just want more, I highly recommend Gaspari's Superpump Max. I've been using it for about 2 weeks now and love it! You're supposed to take it 30 - 40 minutes before you workout. I take it right before I go for my jog because I want the extra energy for Insanity. I hope I'm not hindering the effects of it cause I still feel really energetic when Insanity rolls around. I bet I wouldn't be as energetic if I didn't take it and still did the jog and followed it with Insanity. So I'm going to stick with it. BUT if you know for a fact that I could be hindering the effects...let me know!
And now on to RECOVERY! I made a shake with extra greens in it. Today's concoction was Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with 2 handfuls of baby spinach, 2 T PB2 (powdered peanut butter), 3 scoops of Glutamine, 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, 2 packs of stevia and ice. It was pretty tasty!
I started Insanity y'all! Today was the Fit Test and it still kicks my butt...
I followed my menu all day until I realized that after my 4th meal (@ 1:50pm) - I didn't have anything to hold me over until dinner. Good thing I had a Luna bar in my desk drawer. Dinner is the only meal that I'm not going hard core Insanity Diet, but the meals will still be healthy. OMG y'all...I found out some AMAZING news today (at least to me it is)! The Crockin' Girls are coming to the ATX this Wednesday. So, I had to rush out to get their cookbook, I can't have them sign nothing right?! I met my mom at Costco since I knew it would be the cheapest there than at Barnes & Noble. And I was right...$20 instead of $33 at B&N. The quality of the book is awesome too so I understand why it is a little more costly.
When I got home I MADE myself do my leg workout. I just wasn't feeling it, but I have to stay accountable to myself the most and to my friends who I'm working out with too. I'm so used to letting myself down and I'm just fed up with it. It's become so easy to do it and the outcome is me in the same spot as I was before. If I continue on this path, my life will never be the way I envision it. I want big things y'all!
Sexy legs are compliments of the Tone It Up girls!
Tomorrow's a new day guys! Let's werk it hard! Don't regret tomorrow...
So I've decided to start working a,specific body part each day...yesterday was LEGS! I did Tone It Up' s Love Your Legs followed by their Thighs workout. I also did Fire 55 EZ from Turbo Fire in the morning. My legs are killin' me...too much lactic acid build up ~ I guess! That's my story.....and I'm stickin' to it ;)
I'm super pumped for the upcoming weeks! I have a couple of things that are coming up that will make me a better me...
This coming Sunday is the start of the Unglued bible study - whoop whoop! Cause God knows that I come "unglued" VERY quickly to the people that mean the most to me. I need to get that in check REAL quick. You should join the bible study with all of us. It's online and super easy to maintain. I believe we'll be reading 2 chapters a week. That's totally do-able...if you want to change.
Is this you....
The next thing I'm SUPER DUPER pumped about is starting Insanity with my friend Sandra. Day 1 is Oct 1 which will be here sooner than I can even imagine. Not to worry though...I've already scheduled my time to go over the nutrition book and jot down some simple recipes that I can eat daily. I'll still be eating whatever I make for the family for dinner, but the rest of the day is going to be Insanity approved meals. Momma needs to do something before her birthday in November - I don't want to be the same as I currently am.
AND the last but definitely not the least thing I'm pumped about is this book I picked up the other day at B&N...Intuitive Eating. This book was recommended by one of the chicas whose blog I follow...Healthy Hits The Spot. Here's the book description from Amazon:
First published in 1995, Intuitive Eating has become the go-to book on rebuilding a healthy body image and making peace with food. We’ve all been there—angry with ourselves for overeating, for our lack of willpower, for failing at yet another diet. But the problem is not us; it’s that dieting, with its emphasis on rules and regulations, has stopped us from listening to our bodies. Written by two prominent nutritionists, Intuitive Eating will teach you: • How to reject diet mentality forever • How our three Eating Personalities define our eating difficulties • How to find satisfaction in your eating • How to feel your feelings without using food • How to honor hunger and feel fullness • How to follow the ten principles of ”Intuitive Eating”, • How to achieve a new and safe relationship with food and, ultimately, your body • How to raise an "intuitive eater"–NEW! • The incredible science behind intuitive eating–NEW! This revised edition includes updates and expansions throughout, as well as two brand new chapters that will help readers integrate intuitive eating even more fully into their daily lives.
Check it out cause we need to get rid of this "diet" mentality. I know I'm truly screwed up by it and my major focus is that I don't want my kids, especially my daughter to grow up with the mentality that I have. It's a freakin' vicious cycle that has no winners in the end.
And last but definitely not least AGAIN...I'm on day 12 of PUSH! Whoop Whoop! I've stuck with it. I must admit that during the weekend I was lazy, excuse me...I didn't take the initiative to read. BOO on me - I know! But I did catch up...I only had 2 chapters that I got behind on. I'm almost half way done with it which will be an accomplishment in and of itself since I've never finished the book.
When I first heard of Shakeology, it was pitched to me as a meal replacment - that's it. So can you imagine my surprise when I went online to the lady's website who gave me the sample to see how much a bag...a 30 day supply cost. My immediate reaction was "Hell No!" So pretty much I never tried the sample she gave me. It just sat in my pantry for months. Until...until the day that I was approached by another lady who was also a Beachbody coach but who lived all the way in Michigan. Suprisingly, she sent me a full page email explaining what exactly Shakeology was. It wasn't just a silly 'ol meal replacement like the ones you can buy at your local grocery store. HECK NO...this "meal replacement" is filled to the brim with all sorts of GREATNESS! Greatness that I can't even pronounce to say the least. It has your vitamins, your aminos, your minerals, your protein and carbs AND so much more. There are 70 ingredients in each serving of Shakeology. So you may be asking...well what convinced you to spend your money on this stuff?! Well, plan and simple - I love the way it makes me feel. I feel so much better physically when I drink it and I also mentally feel much better about myself. I know that what is going in my body is the best of the best. For sure, when I first started drinking it I only looked at it for a weightloss solution but not anymore...it's more to me than that now. It's my secret to not ever being diagnosed with a lifelong disease that I'll have to take medications for (which is one of my worst fears). It's my way of knowing that when I drink it, I am getting my veggies in (and that can be hard for all of us). Now the plan is to get the family drinking it! My hubby drinks and loves it - especially if I make it for him. But my kids don't drink it and I'd love for them to, but they just look at it like it's some crazy, nasty drink they aren't interested in. So I've got to come up with a plan... My whole point in writing this post is to tell you that I'm willing to pay for the price of my health NOW. When are you going to be willing to do it?! Why does our health carry a price tag with it? Why are we willing to spend money on things that do not make us healthy but given the opportunity to make a better choice we do not. And don't get me wrong...I struggle daily with making poor choices and I feel upset with myself about it. But every choice I make and that you make doesn't have to be a poor one. Pay for your health NOW so that you don't have to pay for it later with doctors visits or daily medication. And don't forget that all those medications out there...unfortunately have side effects that come along with them. Isn't that just crazy?! Anyways...sorry for ranting! Make your day a better one by making a choice that will benefit you in the long run............
So here is my menu for next week...do ya think I'm going too far with the crockin'? All 4 nights require the use of the crockpot and I even added Saturday morning breakfast which is also in the crock.
I'm wondering if my family is going to even know what regular cooking is when I do it. So I've planned for not so many crock meals for the following week. Do you use the crockpot?
Mornin' y'all...I'm writing this super early today. I just finished up my workout and I'm eating my breakfast - overnight oats...yummy! Right now its very dark outside and rainy. The temps have FINALLY dropped and hopefully they'll stay here! I'm so ready for Fall and Winter y'all... So today's workout was HIIT 20 and Stretch 10 from the Turbo Fire schedule. I followed that up with Tone It Up's Sandcastle Workout and some much needed foam rollin'. Tonight is football so I won't have any extra time to do any workouts - gotta get it in early!
So I'm going to leave you with this...I saw the other day and it really has made me think. It's not just for "students" it's for all of us. We can all learn from this message.
I werked it early today! I got up early and did Core 20 and Stretch 40 from Turbo Fire. Core 20 is all about working every area of your core and not just your regular sit ups. Stretch 40 is amazing...its Chalene's version of yoga. It felt great to get in a really good stretch.
And today I decided to REALLY pay attention to what I'm eating. And let me tell ya my body is a talkin' to me. I'm striving for every 3 hours and as soon as 1 hour has passed my belly starts talking. I've also felt light-headed...like I just want to go lay down. And please don't think I'm not putting nourishing food in my body because I am. I went back to using MyFitnessPal to track my food's calories, water intake, and exercise. If you're on there or decide to join...my username is TonedStef. Come join the fun over there.
Well, yesterday I didn't wake up early to workout even though I knew that I had a lot to do after work. I noticed that my day wasn't as pleasant as it is when I start it off with a good sweat. Finally listening to my body!
So I got home and I was in a super rush to do day 6 of Turbo Fire. It was Fire 30 followed by Stretch 10. Let me tell ya that I love Stretch 10...feels so good to do after a sweat fest!!!
I forgot to mention that I went home during lunch to start dinner. It was another crockin' day! I chose to go with IowaGirlEat's version of Tomato Sauce. Man, when I came home it smelled so delish...mmmm. So while it was still cooking I made the noodles (some whole wheat kind from HEB) and I did my Turbo.
After this workout I decided my dinner was going to be a Shakeology! I had my fav Tropical Strawberry Shakeology with a cup of Trop 50 OJ and some ice. It was gooood ;) And then I jetted to a meeting I had for a football committee I volunteered for.
The meeting finished a little after 8:30pm and I met my son at the gym. We WERKED our chests. I really have a great time working out with him (he's my personal trainer - ahaha)...we laugh at each other and he really pushes me to try to keep up.
We finished up close to 10pm and I went home to make a protein shake...because remember...protein is like muscle fertilizer (per Jaime Eason). I just blended my Gaspari Myofusion Protein Cinnamon Roll with some water, Glutamine, and ice.
Today's workout started bright and early at 5am! I felt good afterwards...but I was strugglin' during it. I'll get it back though probably by next week I'll be up to par and doing better with breathing. So today was officially day 4 of Turbo Fire and it consisted of a LONG workout...
Today, or should I say this evening was pretty busy for me. I went grocery shopping after work and they had the perfect salad blend for me...kale & spinach.
Then I picked up an old fav...Jennie O's Turkey Burgers. These are so good. Yeah, you have to cook them in a pan but they are so worth it.
Dinner tonight was a brewing in the crock pot (gotta love these things!) and it was a recipe from my new fav chicas - The Crockin' Girls. Best of all they are right here in Texas! We had their Slow Cooker Carne Guisada...yum-o!
I tried to do the burrito thing...but it was a hot mess. So I'd advise to eat the stew way or over rice.
Now I'm just prepping for tomorrow's dinner. And yes, it's another crock potter...I know what you're thinking "does this girl ever really cook?!". And yes I do, I've just fallen in love with crockin' and it's super easy. And now that I got crock pot liners...clean up is SUPER easy. Tomorrow will be a little busy for me as well - I have a meeting for a football committee I volunteered for. And YES again, it's taken me 12 years to get involved with my son's football. Hey...after all it is his senior year...I gotta do something!
Day 2 of reading PUSH by Chalene Johnson is underway. I'm actually reading it with another chica that I discovered started it yesterday. So I asked her if it'd be ok if we did it together and she agreed!
So today is a rest day for Turbo Fire so I didn't do any cardio. BUT when you do Tone It Up workouts your heart rate always gets pumping - something I really love! Here is what I did...it was LEGS day and they got WERKED! I started off with TIU Thighs...3x through!
My legs were burnin', BUT I still moved on and followed it with....
Also 3x through. Then I did a little foam rolling on my legs. Have a great workout y'all!
I woke up bright and early (well not really bright out!) to get my workouts in for the day. It's a busy day for me and if I didn't do it then...it wouldn't stand a chance of ever getting done. No time at lunch since my workers and I are going out together for lunch. Normally something like that wouldn't be a big deal to someone, but after working here for 2 years we finally get to go! Then after work its straight to the football stadium for some tailgating before the game at 7pm. I love me some high school football...and it doesn't hurt that my son is playing!
That's him...#51...the starting center for Bowie High School. GO DAWGS!
Sorry...back to business about my workouts. I started off with TIU's Beach Ball workout from last year's Spring In To Bikini Series. And for some odd reason I couldn't find the video on YouTube so lucky I found a print out of it.
Then I followed it with TIU's Beach Bum workout...also from last year's series.
And then the grand finale...Turbo Fire's HIIT 15 followed by Stretch 10.
During my workout I drank some much needed BCAAs from SciVation called Xtend. I really like this one out of all the other BCAAs on the market because it includes:
•7000 mg of BCAAs in an ideal 2:1:1 ratio of Leucine:Isoleucine:Valine
•3500 mg of Leucine •2500 mg of Glutamine •1000 mg of Citrulline Malate •1171 mg of Electrolytes •640 mcg of Vitamin B6 •And, ZERO Carbohydrates or Sugar
And of course I had to have some protein immediately afterwards to rebuild my muscles so I drank PerfectFit Protein.
I have truly missed my "soul-mate" workout Turbo Fire. I did Fire 45 EZ yesterday and it kicked my booty. I'm so out of shape when it comes to Turbo Fire cardio! So with that, no strength training was done yesterday.
This morning I woke up ready to get my FIYAH burnin' and did Fire 30 and Stretch 10. Felt so damn good. I'm still a little winded since I haven't done Turbo in a long while. But it'll come back fast. The body is amazing like that!
I looked at the workout calendar that comes with TF and I unknowingly did the first workout that is on the list. SOOO that must mean that I should do Turbo for 90 days.
I'll keep up the Turbo in the mornings and then do my strength training in the afternoons/evenings.
I did have a friend mention she wanted to do Insanity and was supposed to order it. So if by chance she did, then I'll switch to Insanity BUT until she tells me she's ready....IMMA BE A TURBO GIRL!
Do you dream about your "dream life" like I do? I seriously do it EVERY DAY...seriously. Well, what are you doing to get to your dream life? What's your dream job? OR should I say how would you like to spend your time while making the money you need in order to have your dream life?
I realized early on that working a regular 9 - 5 wouldn't get me the lifestyle I wanted. I always knew that you needed to have your own business. Which is why I've dabbled in network-marketing for years. And I finally found my niche...I love fitness/health. Do you?! Do you love working out? Eating healthy? Or more like me...do you like trying to eat healthy?
Well, a funny thing I have just discovered, thanks to Marie Forleo, is the C.Y.P. Factor. Watch below to see if you have the C.Y.P. Factor about something you'd like to do in your life...
If health/fitness are your passion and you get the C.Y.P. Factor when thinking about doing it - contact ME!
Finally finished next week's dinner menu! Dumbie left the original one I had been working on at work so I had to recreate. And guess what...its all crockpot cooking with the exception of chicken pot pie.
Hey Y'all! I hope your Friday is off to a great day...
So I thought it would be interesting if I posted my workout of the day. If you don't like it just let me know - ahaha!
These are what I did for my toning today. I didn't do any cardio since I wasn't feeling it and I thought it only fair since I did only cardio on Wednesday.
If you read my previous blog, you'll already know that I woke up at 4am today...YES 4 A.M. You might be asking yourself, "Stephanie, why the hell are you waking up that early?!" After listening and watching Eric Thomas yesterday I was motivated to get things done. I don't want to be broke anymore...
So what the heck does one do when she wakes up that early? Here you go:
12pm: lunch (eggwhite omelette with ham & slice of provolone / homemade refried beans / salsa / bag of veggies (cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, orange bell pepper) & kombucha)
9pm: snack (i froze a chobani champions yogurt and added some dark chocolate chips)
10pm: snack - AGAIN (handful of dark chocolate chips)
So what are your dreams? What's the life you wanted to have but haven't made the decisions to get it? Why haven't you bought that dream home or that dream vacation? Are your kids going to college with the help of loans because you weren't able to afford putting away a little money for a fund?
These are all questions I have struggled with. Struggled with facing the reality that I haven't saved for college, we aren't in our dream home yet, I don't have the "job" that I would ideally want to be in. So how do I plan to make these dreams a reality?! By sharing what I believe are the best health/fitness products. Are you into health/fitness? Who isn't? WE all want to live a healthy fit life and we want our families to do the same. So why not ask me what I do...I DARE YOU!
In the meantime, I leave you with this video...
"don't cry to give up, cry to keep going..." ~ Eric Thomas
When my son comes home from football practice he sits in the kitchen eating, he looks at my laptop and watches different videos on YouTube. Well, the other day he was listening to Eric Thomas aka The Hip Hop Preacher. Let me start off by saying he is NOTHING short of AMAZING. This guy will motivate you and get you thinking about your life and WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF IT.
This video is the first I had heard from him...
WARNING: Very Inspirational
The next day I looked up his website and found FREE audio downloads. You better believe I downloaded every thing I could! I've listened to his Mix Tape for the last 2 days. I was so motivated that I even woke up at 4am today and did my entire workout for the day - almost an hour and half! I had planned on having ample time to "work" my Beachbody biz, but I literally only had about 15 - 20 minutes before I had to start getting ready for work. So I ate my breakfast and made my coffee/protein shake. I wrote down my To-Do list in my planner and I'm checking things off. I'm feeling really productive today!
"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe..."
I have this feeling within me that I haven't felt in a long time. And I think it's because I've lifting weights. I love lifting...it just gives you this instant gratification that I don't feel with cardio. You can feel your muscles getting bigger and working hard. I LOVES IT!
Lift Weight to Lose Weight...
Yesterday I signed up for Tone It Up's Beach Week and I'm super stoked about that. We'll start the 5 Day Slim Down on Friday (EEKK!) and end just in time for Labor Day weekend. I'm going to go hard core with it because there are prizes - YIPPEE! Talk about mo-ti-vation people...FREE stuff...I'm all for that! Wish me luck...LOTS OF IT...please!
Today's morning bootycall consisted of the following TIU videos:
I had originally planned for just the Summer Sweat Session (1st vid up there) plus some Turbo Fire, but I really got in to the joy of TIU workouts and just did all of these instead. It felt good to workout with them on YouTube...I haven't ever really done that before. I just normally use the printouts they offer.
I gulped down my BCAAs while I was working out. Then afterwards I had to recover and feed my muscles some protein so I had a yummy coffee shake with Gaspari's Myofusion in Cinnamon Roll. This flavor is freakin' delish...seriously!
Before walking out the door I drank my TIU Bombshell Spell. Then I ate my breakfast at 8am which was a banana split. I had a large Pink Lady apple around 10:15am for a snack. Lunch time consisted of a salad that I don't think I can ever get tired of...romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, 1/4 of a large Hass avocado, cajun turkey breast lunch meat, 1 slice monterrey jack cheese, salsa, and lime juice with 1/2 of a Luna bar and green tea with stevia for a drink. At 3ish I ate the other 1/2 of the Luna bar as a snack.
So it's been a while.....since I've last blogged. And I thought I would update on a regular basis but it just hasn't happened - geez louise!
I think the last time I blogged I was doing Insanity as my workout. Well, if you know me then you know that I quit after month 1. And I was noticing some great improvement in my legs and arms. But with me, I can't stick with one program for a long time. I had been craving the greatness of TurboFire which lead me to feeling like I HAD to do Insanity. And folks, when you're working out you don't want that feeling of "you HAVE to do it." You want to workout because you love it and what it does for you. Well I wasn't feeling that way so I quit. Just like that...
I told myself that I like change and I like to do different things as my reasoning. That lead me to Jamie Eason's 12 Week LiveFit Trainer. You'll be even more surprised to know that I lasted only 2 weeks on this one. I know, I know - shoot me now!
I would have officially began week 3 yesterday. But folks, let me tell you that during these last 2 weeks I have been pumping iron like you wouldn't believe. I have gone back to the gym and started working out with my hubby and my son. I simply just do whatever routine they are doing when it comes to weight lifting. And let me tell ya...I've been a sore chica for most of these days! But it's a great feeling. I can feel my muscles getting tighter. And they say you have to lift weight in order to lose weight.
So now what?! Well, I'm going to start watching what I eat (I know I say that all the time). But seriously, I have to otherwise I'm just going to end up with some freakin' disease I don't want or become even more overweight. PLUS, I want this belly of mine gone. Of course, I'm not going to be a perfect eater all the time and that's just me being honest. But I will nourish my body with good nutrition the majority of the time.
As for my workouts, I plan to start doing some cardio again (since JE's LiveFit Trainer prohibited it) but my main focus is lifting. I will do some Tone It Up workouts here and there like at lunch or home and then when I meet the guys at the gym we are going hard. I love working out with them because I push myself to lift heavier. I'm sure if I was by myself doing it, I wouldn't be that hard on myself.
I'm going to kick off my new way of thinking with Tone It Up's 5 Day Slim Down - available on their nutrition plan - on Monday, August 20. This gives me the weekend to get my food ready for next week.
I'll share with you each day's eating and workout journey (I PROMISE!).
On another note...I'd like to share my reading interests. Right now I'm reading Fated by Alyson Noel. I'm almost 1/2 way through it and plan to finish by the end of the month. For September, I'm going to pick up PUSH by Chalene Johnson and commit to the 30-day program of learning to set goals and achieving them. If you want to join me on either book venture just let me know!
Oh, I almost forgot...I'm also reading (here and there) a FREE book from Integrative Nutrition titled Feed Your Hunger for Health & Happiness. Health and fitness are my passion so I'm seriously thinking about attending IIN in the Spring to become a Health Coach.
We're on our way to Louisiana for softball Nationals! Sitting here enjoying the beautiful sunny Texas sky got me thinking...THE SKY'S THE LIMIT! We were put on this Earth to be so much more. Some are pushing their limits and living the life God meant for them while others just cruise by always wishing they had more. More what?! Whatever your heart desires...
We just passed a truck that said "Stay Focused or Fold"...so true! Isn't it amazing how little things pop up in your daily life that are trying to remind you of what you should be doing. God works in mysterious ways (and as I type that the clouds parted and the sun is shining down on me!)
Hydration is a VERY important thing whether you play sports, workout, and even if you maintain an inactive lifestyle.
I have experienced the affects of not being properly hydrated with my own workouts in the last 2 weeks. Doing TurboFire after a day of not drinking enough H2O is no bueno! I started getting side pains which made it difficult to perform at the level I wanted. I hated it!
This brings me to another point, kids and adults who play sports. The coaches are always telling them to hydrate WAY before they practice or play a game. You can definitely tell when someone hasn't hydrated well - their playing abilities aren't up to par. AND you didn't spend all your time practicing to give it up in a game because you didn't drink your H2O.
And even if you live an inactive lifestyle, your body still needs enough water to maintain its current levels. You will feel hungry, moody, possibly get headaches, and your metabolism will decline.
So EVERYONE needs water. Try to lay off the sodas and sugary drinks.
Ugh...I just got finished with my "lunch" and it's 3pm. Yeah, I know! I started the day good, but felt hungry too quickly after my snack at 9:45am. I also had planned on eating both the brown rice mixture and my lunch for 2 days...that didn't work either as I ate both entirely.
Here's the breakdown:
7:30a - Overnight Oats with Strawberries and Peaches
9:45a - 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup bran flakes, pineapple
11:30a - mixture of brown rice, corn, peas, pineapple salsa, 1 laughing cow cheese wedge / 1 homemade cookie (BOO! to you Stephanie for not being able to control yourself for a little bit longer)
2:30p - leftover pasta with cheese and spinach (there was a lot)
