Breakfast: Oatmeal Pancake
AM Snack POST Workout: Protein Shake and Bartlett Pear
Lunch: Grilled Salmon Filet, brown rice, steamed veggies
PM Snack: 2 Hardboiled eggs, (throw out the yolk of one) 2 cups raw veggies
Dinner: Grilled Chicken 1/2 sweet potato, 2 cups raw or steamed veggies
Late snack: 1/2 apple, natural peanut butter or a protein shake
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Day #3 of the Challenge
I'm so proud of myself! Yes, I'm going to toot my own horn. I've been doing great! I've been working out, eating clean and not feeling ANY cravings! I have had a horrible headache, but I think that's a side effect to lack of caffeine and lack of sugar.
Day #1, I roasted a chicken and had a delicious healthy meal! I rested and just got myself mentally prepared. I grocery shopped, meal planned and packed my food for the week.
Day #2, I got up at 4:30AM to workout, ate clean 100% of the day, even packed food to take with me while my daughter had dental work done; I wasn't tempted by the ice cream my husband brought home for my daughter, had 6 healthy and delicious meals and went to bed feeling satisfied and good!
Day #3, I'm down 2lbs! I got up at 4:30AM to workout, ate clean 100% of the day, ordered a plain grilled salmon (no sauce) with brown rice and steamed veggies for lunch at our favorite little Thai place, and made sure to have healthy snacks on hand all day.
I've been doing great at drinking about a gallon of water each day (that's normal for me though) and I really feel like I can do this! I know the next couple days are going to be rough, and each day further into the challenge is going to become increasingly more difficult; but I've got to do this! I'll be so proud of myself...one year ago, I walked across a stage in a bikini to show off a year's worth of hard work; I can handle two weeks!
Day #1, I roasted a chicken and had a delicious healthy meal! I rested and just got myself mentally prepared. I grocery shopped, meal planned and packed my food for the week.
Day #2, I got up at 4:30AM to workout, ate clean 100% of the day, even packed food to take with me while my daughter had dental work done; I wasn't tempted by the ice cream my husband brought home for my daughter, had 6 healthy and delicious meals and went to bed feeling satisfied and good!
Day #3, I'm down 2lbs! I got up at 4:30AM to workout, ate clean 100% of the day, ordered a plain grilled salmon (no sauce) with brown rice and steamed veggies for lunch at our favorite little Thai place, and made sure to have healthy snacks on hand all day.
I've been doing great at drinking about a gallon of water each day (that's normal for me though) and I really feel like I can do this! I know the next couple days are going to be rough, and each day further into the challenge is going to become increasingly more difficult; but I've got to do this! I'll be so proud of myself...one year ago, I walked across a stage in a bikini to show off a year's worth of hard work; I can handle two weeks!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Two Week Challenge
In an attempt to break a plateau and shed a few pounds before a wedding I'm attending in September, I'm going to be doing a 2 week Clean Eating challenge. This is not for the weak at heart, feel free to join me if you think you can handle it.
For the next two weeks, I will eat 6 small meals each day made up for complex carbs from fruits and vegetables paired with lean protein. I will drink only water or herbal tea- no sweeteners and I will avoid dairy, juice, bread, salad dressings, spreads and high sodium foods. I will not eat anything processed or refined and I will use only herbs and Mrs. Dash as seaonings.
I eat pretty clean already, so this shouldn't be too different from what I normally eat, but it will require that I not allow myself daily indulgences.
Today's shopping list:
Whole Grains:
Oats
Millet
Brown Rice
Produce:
Apples
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Kale
Lemons
Pears
Radishes
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Proteins:
eggs
Chicken
Salmon
Water-packed, canned tuna
turkey
protein powder
Misc.
Balsamic Vinegar
Herbal Tea
So there you have it. I'll keep you posted. If you're interested in joining me, just email me :) Wish me luck!
For the next two weeks, I will eat 6 small meals each day made up for complex carbs from fruits and vegetables paired with lean protein. I will drink only water or herbal tea- no sweeteners and I will avoid dairy, juice, bread, salad dressings, spreads and high sodium foods. I will not eat anything processed or refined and I will use only herbs and Mrs. Dash as seaonings.
I eat pretty clean already, so this shouldn't be too different from what I normally eat, but it will require that I not allow myself daily indulgences.
Today's shopping list:
Whole Grains:
Oats
Millet
Brown Rice
Produce:
Apples
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Kale
Lemons
Pears
Radishes
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Proteins:
eggs
Chicken
Salmon
Water-packed, canned tuna
turkey
protein powder
Misc.
Balsamic Vinegar
Herbal Tea
So there you have it. I'll keep you posted. If you're interested in joining me, just email me :) Wish me luck!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Early Start...Early Finish
Well, there was bound to be some negative aspects about getting up so early in the morning. This morning, I was awake at 3:45am...that really sucks. I would have loved to have had 45 more minutes of sleep, but I knew that if I fell back asleep, there was no way I would want to get out of bed at my 4:30 alarm call. (That's what happened yesterday; tragic for my Tuesday morning workout...I didn't make it in to the gym)
So here I am at 1pm and I can barely keep my head off my desk. I'm t.i.r.e.d. Got that? That means really tired. I've eaten well today, stayed on track, had my healthy breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and plan on having a sensible dinner. I'll probably crawl into bed around 8pm, would love to make it to bed earlier, but alas...I do have children to tend to :)
My husband has been chuckling at me today, saying perhaps I should rethink the early morning routine. I'm pulling for an in-office overstuffed couch. Doesn't that sound lovely? Ahhhh...sweet mid-day dreams. What I would give for an afternoon nap right about now.
I suppose my plans for getting up early, jump starting my metabolism and getting a head start to a busy day have been squashed. I'm not getting any extra hours in the day; I barely have enough energy to get through the day to be honest. Maybe my body will adjust in a week or so, otherwise, don't be surprised if you see me out shopping for comfy furniture.
So here I am at 1pm and I can barely keep my head off my desk. I'm t.i.r.e.d. Got that? That means really tired. I've eaten well today, stayed on track, had my healthy breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and plan on having a sensible dinner. I'll probably crawl into bed around 8pm, would love to make it to bed earlier, but alas...I do have children to tend to :)
My husband has been chuckling at me today, saying perhaps I should rethink the early morning routine. I'm pulling for an in-office overstuffed couch. Doesn't that sound lovely? Ahhhh...sweet mid-day dreams. What I would give for an afternoon nap right about now.
I suppose my plans for getting up early, jump starting my metabolism and getting a head start to a busy day have been squashed. I'm not getting any extra hours in the day; I barely have enough energy to get through the day to be honest. Maybe my body will adjust in a week or so, otherwise, don't be surprised if you see me out shopping for comfy furniture.
Monday, August 15, 2011
A Special Breed
The desk person at the gym this morning says to me, "It takes a special breed to come in at this hour." I smiled and said, "Yeah, its called a busy mom!" LOL!
I am really loving the early bird routine and I'm incredibly proud for prying myself out of bed this morning. 4:30AM is UGLY (repeat from other blog) but I know that the rewards will be well worth it! I just feel great! I've never felt this good in a routine. I don't truly feel like I'm sacrificing anything to go work out at that hour, in fact, I just feel more motivated.
I think 4:15AM is going to be a more realistic time for me to get up in the morning in the next couple weeks. I am just having a hard enough time getting out the door and I know when the puppy, cold weather, etc is added to the mix, I'm really going to have a difficult time getting my act together and getting to the gym in time to have a full hour workout. I can't compromise the time, getting an hour workout in that meets the intensity and allows for enough recovery time and cardio time is challenging, anything shorter than that and I'm afraid I wouldn't be doing enough.
My goal this week is to get to the gym BY 5AM M-F. Monday is down, so 4 more to go! I got this!
I am really loving the early bird routine and I'm incredibly proud for prying myself out of bed this morning. 4:30AM is UGLY (repeat from other blog) but I know that the rewards will be well worth it! I just feel great! I've never felt this good in a routine. I don't truly feel like I'm sacrificing anything to go work out at that hour, in fact, I just feel more motivated.
I think 4:15AM is going to be a more realistic time for me to get up in the morning in the next couple weeks. I am just having a hard enough time getting out the door and I know when the puppy, cold weather, etc is added to the mix, I'm really going to have a difficult time getting my act together and getting to the gym in time to have a full hour workout. I can't compromise the time, getting an hour workout in that meets the intensity and allows for enough recovery time and cardio time is challenging, anything shorter than that and I'm afraid I wouldn't be doing enough.
My goal this week is to get to the gym BY 5AM M-F. Monday is down, so 4 more to go! I got this!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Clean Cooking!
As I get back into the routine, I dedicated today to clean cooking and meal prep for the week. The most important focus was having fast, high protein breakfasts for before my workout. Today I made Protein Banana Pancakes and Protein Banana Muffins. I did have to use WHITE FLOUR (UGH!) for my muffins this week, but next week I'll be sure and get the whole wheat flour. I just didn't want to go into my week without something. I should know better. TISK TISK!
So my goal this week is to CLEAN out those pantries and get ready for some serious CLEAN cooking. I'll be on the lookout for some new clean eating recipes...I guess its time to pull out the tried and true Tosca Reno cookbooks and get cracking on cleaning up my grocery list :) If you have any great Clean Eating Recipes to share, please post!
So my goal this week is to CLEAN out those pantries and get ready for some serious CLEAN cooking. I'll be on the lookout for some new clean eating recipes...I guess its time to pull out the tried and true Tosca Reno cookbooks and get cracking on cleaning up my grocery list :) If you have any great Clean Eating Recipes to share, please post!
HIIT 101
I've had several friends ask me to explain HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) over the last several months. HIIT might sound hard, and it is a HARD workout...that doesn't mean it is hard to understand.
HIIT is a form of cardiovascular exercise. Basically, its getting a hard workout in a short amount of time. HIIT is usually about 20-30 minutes long (I do about 20 with a 5 minute cooldown) You can do it without a machine by just walking/sprinting in a park, on a trail, on your street, around your block,etc...or you can do it on just about any cardio machine; treadmill, eliptical, precor, rowing machine, stair climber...you get the idea.
I start with a 2 minute warm up at a very low speed.
1 minute SPRINT or HIGHEST level I can handle (I don't mean just hard, I mean YOU CAN BARELY KEEP GOING)
2 minute at a moderate pace
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
COOLDOWN.
I guarantee that this will kick your butt to the extreme! If you're not dripping in sweat 10 minutes in, you're not working hard enough. Make those 1 minute intervals count! Use the 2 minutes to recover, it doesn't matter if you completely STOP moving during the recovery, just get that heart rate back down and get ready to BLAST it up at the next interval. HIIT was just about the best discovery ever! I love that I get a fast and effective cardio workout in without spending an hour on the machine. LOVE IT!
I challenge you to get 3 days of HIIT this week! Let me know how you do!
HIIT is a form of cardiovascular exercise. Basically, its getting a hard workout in a short amount of time. HIIT is usually about 20-30 minutes long (I do about 20 with a 5 minute cooldown) You can do it without a machine by just walking/sprinting in a park, on a trail, on your street, around your block,etc...or you can do it on just about any cardio machine; treadmill, eliptical, precor, rowing machine, stair climber...you get the idea.
I start with a 2 minute warm up at a very low speed.
1 minute SPRINT or HIGHEST level I can handle (I don't mean just hard, I mean YOU CAN BARELY KEEP GOING)
2 minute at a moderate pace
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
1 minute SPRINT
2 minute moderate
COOLDOWN.
I guarantee that this will kick your butt to the extreme! If you're not dripping in sweat 10 minutes in, you're not working hard enough. Make those 1 minute intervals count! Use the 2 minutes to recover, it doesn't matter if you completely STOP moving during the recovery, just get that heart rate back down and get ready to BLAST it up at the next interval. HIIT was just about the best discovery ever! I love that I get a fast and effective cardio workout in without spending an hour on the machine. LOVE IT!
I challenge you to get 3 days of HIIT this week! Let me know how you do!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
One year ago today...
I was walking across stage wearing a teeny tiny bikini and showing the world (well at least the greater Washington DC area) that I had worked hard, reached my goals and felt better about myself and my body than I had ever felt in my entire life!
I'm about 15lbs heavier than I was a year ago, and I'm "ok" with that. I feel healthy and happy and I realize that participating in that competition was one of the greatest things I could have ever done for myself. I have a true respect and understanding for myself and my body and I know that I can do ANYTHING when I put my mind to it and work hard! I went through not only a major physical transformation, but also a mental and emotional change and I am so much better for it all!
Do I ever think I'll compete again? Probably not. It was something I had to do at that point in my life; I overcame personal obstacles and regained control of myself, but being a Figure Competitor is not a lifelong path for me although I'm happy that I did it ONCE, I don't ever see myself doing it again.
A special thanks to my best friend and husband, Marty, for supporting me, pushing me and encouraging me to be my very best for ME! To my dear friend and trainer, Blythe, for giving me the tools and training to reach my goals successfully! To my best friends, Kelly, Michelle, Morgan and Megan for listening to cries, complaints and woes over my cravings for "junk food" and for coming out to cheer me on; you four were the best cheerleaders a girl could ask for! And to my friends, blog followers and everyone that noticed the huge transformation, gave me compliments and support; thanks for all the encouragement and interest in my endeavors!
I'll post 1 year pics later... THANKS EVERYONE!
I'm about 15lbs heavier than I was a year ago, and I'm "ok" with that. I feel healthy and happy and I realize that participating in that competition was one of the greatest things I could have ever done for myself. I have a true respect and understanding for myself and my body and I know that I can do ANYTHING when I put my mind to it and work hard! I went through not only a major physical transformation, but also a mental and emotional change and I am so much better for it all!
Do I ever think I'll compete again? Probably not. It was something I had to do at that point in my life; I overcame personal obstacles and regained control of myself, but being a Figure Competitor is not a lifelong path for me although I'm happy that I did it ONCE, I don't ever see myself doing it again.
A special thanks to my best friend and husband, Marty, for supporting me, pushing me and encouraging me to be my very best for ME! To my dear friend and trainer, Blythe, for giving me the tools and training to reach my goals successfully! To my best friends, Kelly, Michelle, Morgan and Megan for listening to cries, complaints and woes over my cravings for "junk food" and for coming out to cheer me on; you four were the best cheerleaders a girl could ask for! And to my friends, blog followers and everyone that noticed the huge transformation, gave me compliments and support; thanks for all the encouragement and interest in my endeavors!
I'll post 1 year pics later... THANKS EVERYONE!
Its Hurts So Good
Ahhhhh! Sleep! I got to "sleep in" this morning...I didn't roll out of bed until 7:15!!! WAHOOO!
Every muscle in my body is tender and I'm walking as if I've been beaten with a baseball bat, but man oh man do I feel great! We all know that I can be somewhat sadistic when it comes to working out. I judge how great my workouts are by how sore I am in the days following. I can honestly say that it hurts to move, so that means I succeeded this week in kicking my own ass! YAY!
I got up at 4:30am on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'm taking a rest today and then I'll do an hour of Zumba tomorrow morning at 10:30am. My goal is to workout M-F next week and then rest Saturday and Sunday. If I can keep that schedule up I'll be set!
I can already see so many positive changes in the 2 weeks I've been back to working out hard. I know that this is what I need and what I enjoy; its just a matter of staying consistent.
Every muscle in my body is tender and I'm walking as if I've been beaten with a baseball bat, but man oh man do I feel great! We all know that I can be somewhat sadistic when it comes to working out. I judge how great my workouts are by how sore I am in the days following. I can honestly say that it hurts to move, so that means I succeeded this week in kicking my own ass! YAY!
I got up at 4:30am on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'm taking a rest today and then I'll do an hour of Zumba tomorrow morning at 10:30am. My goal is to workout M-F next week and then rest Saturday and Sunday. If I can keep that schedule up I'll be set!
I can already see so many positive changes in the 2 weeks I've been back to working out hard. I know that this is what I need and what I enjoy; its just a matter of staying consistent.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Compound Exercises
This week I've started trying to incorporate more compound exercises into my weight lifting routine. A compoud exercise is a multi-joint movement exercise that works SEVERAL muscle groups. For example, today, while doing bicep curls, I did stationary lunges. By the end of my reps in bicep curls not only were my arms fatiguing, but my quads, hamstrings, and calves were SCREAMING!
Why use more muscle groups?
Why use more muscle groups?
- means more calories burned during exercise.
- simulates real-world exercises and activities.
- allows you to get a full body workout faster.
- improves coordination, reaction time and balance.
- improves joint stability and improves muscle balance across a joint.
- decreases the risk of injury during sports.
- keeps your heart rate up and provides cardiovascular benefits.
- allows you to exercise longer with less muscle fatigue.
- allows you to lift heavier loads and build more strength
Feeling Good!
This morning was the easiest morning yet. I was awake BEFORE my alarm clock went off and was able to get out the door in under 10 minutes. I had a fantastic workout, Lats, Back and Biceps, followed by a few ab exercises an finished with 20 minutes HIIT. I felt great!
My husband was a huge help this morning too, because when I got home the kids were already seated for breakfast! I'm really loving this routine and hoping that I can stick with it when the school year begins and the colder whether arrives. Its just nice to get on with my day without worrying about squeezing a workout in somewhere and missing out on something else!
My husband was a huge help this morning too, because when I got home the kids were already seated for breakfast! I'm really loving this routine and hoping that I can stick with it when the school year begins and the colder whether arrives. Its just nice to get on with my day without worrying about squeezing a workout in somewhere and missing out on something else!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Getting the hang of it!
I was bright-eyed and bushy tailed at 4:30am this morning. It was barely light outside as I gathered my gym gear and headed to the gym. I'll confess that yesterday I was unable to pry myself out of bed, but in my defense, it was Monday. Next week's goal is to tackle Monday head on and start the week off right!
This morning's workout felt great! I focused on Chest, Triceps, Shoulders and Abs, followed by 20 minutes of HIIT. I felt a little sick to my stomach around 17 minutes (the final interval) but I pushed through, was able to recover very quickly and left feeling exceptionally proud of myself and ready to start the day.
At 6:30am I was having a peaceful breakfast with my two children and glad that the workout was behind me and that I could go about my day without any guilt that I had missed yet another workout.
The woman at the counter said, "it takes a special breed to come in this early to workout." my answer to her..."yeah, it's called a busy mom."
So I'm getting the hang of the early morning routine and fully admit that I enjoy it, ONCE I get going. I need to have something that JOLTS me in the morning and makes me remember how good 6am feels after a workout.
This is still only week #2, how many days do they say it takes before it becomes a habit? :)
This morning's workout felt great! I focused on Chest, Triceps, Shoulders and Abs, followed by 20 minutes of HIIT. I felt a little sick to my stomach around 17 minutes (the final interval) but I pushed through, was able to recover very quickly and left feeling exceptionally proud of myself and ready to start the day.
At 6:30am I was having a peaceful breakfast with my two children and glad that the workout was behind me and that I could go about my day without any guilt that I had missed yet another workout.
The woman at the counter said, "it takes a special breed to come in this early to workout." my answer to her..."yeah, it's called a busy mom."
So I'm getting the hang of the early morning routine and fully admit that I enjoy it, ONCE I get going. I need to have something that JOLTS me in the morning and makes me remember how good 6am feels after a workout.
This is still only week #2, how many days do they say it takes before it becomes a habit? :)
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Peace and Quiet
I must admit that I am loving how quiet the gym is at 5am. There are a handful of people and I've seen them every day this week, so they are regulars that follow a consistent schedule. I've been one of very few females there that early, and the other ladies go straight to cardio, so I've got the lighter weights to myself. The guys stay pretty much out of my way, and I've really enjoyed the space to workout.
I haven't gotten into specific body groups yet this week; I've been focusing more on full body routines and targeting my core. I've been diligent in keeping form and strengthening my core muscles so I don't injure myself. It has been several weeks since I've been lifting heavy and hard and the last thing I want to do is get an injury right off to bat...really I'd prefer to NEVER get injured :)
I do about 40 minutes of lifting and then I head down to the cardio room. I've been happy to do about 20 minutes of HIIT on the Precor AMT. I love this machine! I increase resistance and lengthen my stride during the high intensity interval and then reduce resistance and simulate stair climbing during the lower intensity interval. I can definitely feel the burn in my glutes, hammies and calves as well as see and feel my heartrate shoot up and I know I'm really pushing the limits! I recover quickly; just in time for another high intensity interval! 20 minutes is all it takes and I'm totally dripping in sweat and feeling like I just finished a race!
My mood has already changed and I'm feeling productive and energized! YAY! I'm really glad I'm taking this time for me again!
I haven't gotten into specific body groups yet this week; I've been focusing more on full body routines and targeting my core. I've been diligent in keeping form and strengthening my core muscles so I don't injure myself. It has been several weeks since I've been lifting heavy and hard and the last thing I want to do is get an injury right off to bat...really I'd prefer to NEVER get injured :)
I do about 40 minutes of lifting and then I head down to the cardio room. I've been happy to do about 20 minutes of HIIT on the Precor AMT. I love this machine! I increase resistance and lengthen my stride during the high intensity interval and then reduce resistance and simulate stair climbing during the lower intensity interval. I can definitely feel the burn in my glutes, hammies and calves as well as see and feel my heartrate shoot up and I know I'm really pushing the limits! I recover quickly; just in time for another high intensity interval! 20 minutes is all it takes and I'm totally dripping in sweat and feeling like I just finished a race!
My mood has already changed and I'm feeling productive and energized! YAY! I'm really glad I'm taking this time for me again!
Getting Organized
The 4:30am wake up hasn't been too bad. I'm finding that I don't really have too much trouble getting up, but I'm struggling with my time management in getting OUT the door.
It appears I have forgotten how to organize myself to get ready for the gym. Finding the right workout clothes (I have specific sports bras and pants that I wear for various exercises; each offer different support, comfort, convenience); preparing and eating a high protein breakfast that is fast and easy; having all my gear such as my heart rate monitor, iPod Shuffle, gloves, etc; and making my bottle of Xtend to take with me. This all sounds like they would be easy tasks, right? WRONG! Try getting all this together in the dark, while trying not to make a sound so that you don't wake the entire family! OYE VEY!
One issue I have is that I don't share a bathroom with my husband, so my bathroom is down two floors and I have to pass the kids' bedrooms. They are LIGHT sleepers so I'm creeping around in the dark and trying not to make any noise and disturb them. This morning, I realized that I left my heartrate monitor in their bathroom because I took it off last night to give my son a bath. DAMN! I went into super stealth mode to retrieve it...
Also, If I don't have my workout clothes out the night before, I have to turn on lights to find what I need and I'm shuffling all around and it takes much more time than I'd prefer, not to mention I get a grumpy husband that wants to know why I'm making such a ruckus!
For breakfast, I've been lucky this week that I've had roasted turkey in the fridge that I can grab and scarf down quickly. I get about 24 g of protein, very little fat and zero carbs right before my workout...SCORE! I know turkey doesn't sound delicious for 4:45 in the morning, but you do what you gotta do to get the right marcronutrients in before a workout :)
So here's my plan...
Night before, I need to:
1. Pack gym bag (shoes, HR monitor, iPod, headphones, gloves) This should be relatively easy since, all of it can go right back into gym bag after my workout.
2. Set out workout clothes (this fits in great that I've always got an exercise routine/plan mapped out and I know what clothes I need to wear for it)
3. Make Xtend bottle and put in fridge
4. Make breakfast that's fast and easy and can be eaten cold or on the go.
5. Have all necessary utensils for breakfast and protein shake out on counter ready to go! This way I'm not shuffling through drawers and cabinets and making too much noise.
6. GO TO BED EARLY! 9pm is perfect. I haven't felt sluggish or groggy. I know that once the weather gets colder, I'm going to have a hard time leaving my down comfortor, but right now, I'll just take comfort in the fact that I'm not having too hard of a time and hopefully I'll just get into a routine.
So week one is almost done. Let's pray that week #2 goes a little more smoothly.
It appears I have forgotten how to organize myself to get ready for the gym. Finding the right workout clothes (I have specific sports bras and pants that I wear for various exercises; each offer different support, comfort, convenience); preparing and eating a high protein breakfast that is fast and easy; having all my gear such as my heart rate monitor, iPod Shuffle, gloves, etc; and making my bottle of Xtend to take with me. This all sounds like they would be easy tasks, right? WRONG! Try getting all this together in the dark, while trying not to make a sound so that you don't wake the entire family! OYE VEY!
One issue I have is that I don't share a bathroom with my husband, so my bathroom is down two floors and I have to pass the kids' bedrooms. They are LIGHT sleepers so I'm creeping around in the dark and trying not to make any noise and disturb them. This morning, I realized that I left my heartrate monitor in their bathroom because I took it off last night to give my son a bath. DAMN! I went into super stealth mode to retrieve it...
Also, If I don't have my workout clothes out the night before, I have to turn on lights to find what I need and I'm shuffling all around and it takes much more time than I'd prefer, not to mention I get a grumpy husband that wants to know why I'm making such a ruckus!
For breakfast, I've been lucky this week that I've had roasted turkey in the fridge that I can grab and scarf down quickly. I get about 24 g of protein, very little fat and zero carbs right before my workout...SCORE! I know turkey doesn't sound delicious for 4:45 in the morning, but you do what you gotta do to get the right marcronutrients in before a workout :)
So here's my plan...
Night before, I need to:
1. Pack gym bag (shoes, HR monitor, iPod, headphones, gloves) This should be relatively easy since, all of it can go right back into gym bag after my workout.
2. Set out workout clothes (this fits in great that I've always got an exercise routine/plan mapped out and I know what clothes I need to wear for it)
3. Make Xtend bottle and put in fridge
4. Make breakfast that's fast and easy and can be eaten cold or on the go.
5. Have all necessary utensils for breakfast and protein shake out on counter ready to go! This way I'm not shuffling through drawers and cabinets and making too much noise.
6. GO TO BED EARLY! 9pm is perfect. I haven't felt sluggish or groggy. I know that once the weather gets colder, I'm going to have a hard time leaving my down comfortor, but right now, I'll just take comfort in the fact that I'm not having too hard of a time and hopefully I'll just get into a routine.
So week one is almost done. Let's pray that week #2 goes a little more smoothly.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Carving time out for me!
As the school year approaches and a couple changes/additions to our family, I'm finding it more difficult to find time for my daily workouts. To me, there is no such thing as "no time to workout". If working out is a priority, then you MAKE time for it. Its just that simple. It means you sacrifice something else. Maybe you sleep an hour less, go to bed a little later, skip your lunch hour to get a power hour class, whatever, you MAKE the time!
My time is going to be 4:30am. I'm going to get up before everyone else, get to the gym and get home just in time to get everyone started for their day. I think that this is the best option for me and my family's sanity.
This morning, I did a trial run to see how it would feel to get up that early. I know that one morning is going to feel a lot different than consistently getting up at 4:30am, but I've got to start somewhere and hopefully I'll get into the groove. I got to the gym a little after 5am, got a good solid workout (40 minutes lifting and 20 minutes HIIT) and was home just as my son was coming up the stairs from his bedroom. I had to wake my daughter up for breakfast and my husband was out the door at his preferred time for work. :) It all worked out! I was able to have breakfast with the kids, get ready for work and get them both dressed, lunches packed and out the door with no stress at all!
I'm going to work very hard to get into this routine. I NEED THIS! This is MY time and MY priority is to be healthy and in good shape! Here's hoping I can keep this up!
My time is going to be 4:30am. I'm going to get up before everyone else, get to the gym and get home just in time to get everyone started for their day. I think that this is the best option for me and my family's sanity.
This morning, I did a trial run to see how it would feel to get up that early. I know that one morning is going to feel a lot different than consistently getting up at 4:30am, but I've got to start somewhere and hopefully I'll get into the groove. I got to the gym a little after 5am, got a good solid workout (40 minutes lifting and 20 minutes HIIT) and was home just as my son was coming up the stairs from his bedroom. I had to wake my daughter up for breakfast and my husband was out the door at his preferred time for work. :) It all worked out! I was able to have breakfast with the kids, get ready for work and get them both dressed, lunches packed and out the door with no stress at all!
I'm going to work very hard to get into this routine. I NEED THIS! This is MY time and MY priority is to be healthy and in good shape! Here's hoping I can keep this up!
I'm still here...
I've been terrible at blogging this summer. With the kids home with me all summer and our traveling to the beach, Kansas (to visit my family) and not really having a "routine", I've gotten out of my routine of working out and blogging. I'm really looking forward to back to school and getting back into my routine of working out. I've put on a few lbs. this summer and I'm definitely missing my "ME" time.
The summer has been peaceful. I've been spending a lot of time with my kids, enjoying their quirky personalities, not rushing anywhere to do a million things and just taking it easy. I guess I can call it a "mental break". I haven't been diligent about working out or eating clean--not that I've been eating bad, but I've definitely relaxed a bit about staying fit. I'm at a very healthy weight and I think I still look pretty good. I've got good muscle definition and I'm by no means anywhere near where I was back in 2009. I'm not ripped nor am I a "skinny minny". I could shed a few lbs, for sure! I'm feeling really good after my break and I'm ready to get back to it! Sorry I've been on hiatus, but I'm back and I've got some big goals and great plans ahead!
The summer has been peaceful. I've been spending a lot of time with my kids, enjoying their quirky personalities, not rushing anywhere to do a million things and just taking it easy. I guess I can call it a "mental break". I haven't been diligent about working out or eating clean--not that I've been eating bad, but I've definitely relaxed a bit about staying fit. I'm at a very healthy weight and I think I still look pretty good. I've got good muscle definition and I'm by no means anywhere near where I was back in 2009. I'm not ripped nor am I a "skinny minny". I could shed a few lbs, for sure! I'm feeling really good after my break and I'm ready to get back to it! Sorry I've been on hiatus, but I'm back and I've got some big goals and great plans ahead!
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