Well, this time my reason for not writing was not because I had nothing good to share, but because i was busy being much more active.  I decided to stop nit picking all the details and over analyzing everything and just jump in and get active.

Keepin’ Active

I’ve worked out twice a day this week and been very active.  I even “tossed the scale”.  Talk about letting a machine have way to much control over how i was viewing my results.  I know what i need to do to reach my goal.  I know when i feel healthy, and i know when I’m looking good.  Focusing on the positive and staying very active has changed a lot for me.  Oh, and working out at home only works for me when no one is around.  My hubby works late so i get the whole house to my self once the kids are down.

Morning or Afternoon (Nap Time)
30-50min Cardio.  Via- elliptical, Turbo-Jam, bike ect…

Evening (After the kids are sleeping)
Intense Strength Training. Via – yoga, Turbo-Jam, ball, weights, body weight exercises, bands.

Drinking Veggies

I eat what ever i want.  Now the only reason this works is because i want to eat healthy. All the time??? No, but… I want to get up on that surf board, and so i want to get in shape…so i want to eat healthy.  In reality there is really nothing in life I “have to do”…except die…that ones inevitable.  “Fitness Surfer the Immortal” just doesn’t even sound right =) So i chose to eat what i “want”.  I also enjoy what i eat, instead of just inhaling it.

Salads i’ve been tossing in a blender (not juicer).  In the past i’ve struggled with eating veggies unless i douse them in sugar, cheese, or fruit.  Yes, it’s green and thick, but it tastes just like a salad, and after it’s prepped it’s quick and easy to drink, even while juggling kids, and i can toss it in a shaker cup with a straw and drink it on the run.  I always struggle with veggies on the run…unless their carrots (too carbby), or celery (no flavor).  Oh, yea and the straw helps with the texture.  I just down it and still get all the great fiber, and nutrients.

1/2 Lemon Juice
1 T Ground Flax Seed
1 T Olive Oil
1 Small/Medium Tomato
1 Carrot (peel to get nice thin slices unless you have a killer blender)
4 Romain Lettuce Leaves
1/2 Cucumber
1/2 C Celery (I skip this if i plan on have peanut butter celery as a snack)

Toss it all in, preferably in the order given and blend for 2 min or so.  I’ve added water on days it’s too think, but usually i can just use a spoon to push it down and get it blending.  It might not be your thing, but if you hate gnawing on lettuce as much as i do this might just be a good way to get 5 servings of veggies in 1 drink.  My 1 year old loved it.  My 3 year old asked to try it and almost cried out of fear =) Like i said it may not be your thing.

Oh, I also went a bought a suit for the trip.  Now that’s a good motivator & also a reminder of how white my legs are =)

Happy Exercising!

I just finished a killer workout.  I also worked out with my trainer yesterday and almost passed out.  It was great =) Hu? Yes, It was (once again learning and growing from every experience).  I finally realized that i need to completely change my diet.  It’s time to go back to the basics, and by basics i mean very basic.

I’m going to eat what ever i want whenever i want.  What?  The reason this will work is because i want to reach my goal more then anything, which directly reflects and what i “really” want to eat.  Like many of my favorite fitness bloggers have said, “It’s daily choices, and a decision to be healthy.”  I know enough about what’s in the food I’m eating to know if I’m getting a good balance of nutrition.  Knowledge, computers, and facts can only get me so far.  I have to trust my gut, and by gut i mean literally.

I’ve been to tiered to ever exercise.  I keep saying that I’d rather eat more and work out twice a day then cut back my calories.  Well, now it’s time for the tongue in my shoe to match the tongue in my mouth =)

Walk the walk, run the run, jump, kick, lift, stretch, and most importantly eat more.

2 days down.  Tomorrow and Sunday I’m going to shot for at least 1 workout each day, and Monday I’ll step it up to twice a day.  It will still be under an hour and a half a day, just making the most of even a 20 min workout makes the world of difference.  Either way I’m going to pay close attention to what my body needs and not over do it in exercise, or under do it in calories….But, you need a calorie deficit in order to lose weight.  I understand, but right now I’m not doing anything.  I’m going to rely on instinct.  I’m naturally healthy.  I’m honestly trying to hard, and my body, and brain is resiting.  Time to focus on being active, and keep it simple.

Needless to say i’m out of my slump.  I was incredibly low on sodium.  I cut out all processed, foods and stoped addeding salt to anything, and had no idea that i was actually too low in my daily sodium intakes.  It was making me constantly tired, and dizzy.  It could have also been my antibiotic.  All i know is today was a new day.  Every day is.  Today i chose to move forward =) and it feels great!

MizFit has a theme this year that encourages others to be more responsible for their health. Just today I was thinking about being responsible for my emotions.

Yes, I have my ups and downs, especially when I’m losing weight. Having a calorie deficit is sure to change a few things. However I don’t share my downs because that doesn’t help me or you reach goals. But, we all have to deal with these emotions, and we are all responsible for our emotions, as well as our health.

Here are some helpful tips to help you steer clear of those weight loss blues, or pull yourself right back out of them.

Focus on your dream-
Whatever it may be, focus on the one thing that always motivates you. If it’s not cutting it any more, then it’s time to find something that will motivate you. Find it, define it, and set a goal. This will create immediate energy towards that goal.

Recommit-
It’s safe to say that often we get off track and deviate from our plans, goals, and even our dreams. Luckily there is no reason you can’t just jump back on the path and start jogging again =) (pun definitely intended)

Do something you never do-
Paint your toes, go swimming, rock climbing, deep clean the house, finish that project, clean out the fridge, read for fun, try a new recipe, or better yet try a new food. This will create a feeling of accomplished. Now every time you look at your toes, or open the fridge you can think…wow, look what i did. I rock!

Do something for some one else-
Write a thank you card, send flowers, make dinner, even just a friendly phone call. This will keep you from thinking about yourself so much, and encourage an attitude of gr gratitude.

Get out-
Walk to the store, go for a drive just to look around. I did this once in my old neighborhood, and was amazed that a few miles down the street was a ravine with nothing but fields of grain, and horses, and then it all opened up into this beautiful green valley. Considering at the time I lived next to a Highway just off an Inter State, this was a huge shock to me.

Count your blessings-
Ex…God, the hubby, the boys, home, car, running water, heat, a/c, clothes, hot showers, food, freedom, tax returns, green grass, blue sky’s, clouds, wind, rain, and even electricity. (Ours went out today and I forgot how much I use it. I was cooking eggs and toast and then…”Oh well, I guess we will have chicken for breakfast boys, and sandwiches instead of toast.”)

Eat something sweet and starchy-
Yes, you heard me.  Just make sure it is low in fat so you don’t totally sabotage your goals. The blues can easily be triggered by lack of serotonin. Women already have on average 50% less then men, but then you cut back you calories (especially the sweet and starchy ones that trigger the release of serotonin). Now serotonin needs foods such as turkey to be produced but to be released it needs to have just a sweet carb…preferably 3 hours after you last ate protein, and 1 hour before your next meal. This will also help curb your appetite a little. I use 1 cup of Honey Nut Cheerios, or some low-fat Gram Crackers.

Exercise-
The more you exercise the more you literally burn of these extra emotions. You can also eat more if you exercise more. I’ve decided I would rather exercises twice a day then cut 500-1000 calories out of my diet. When I exercise more I need to make sure and rest more as well.

Get plenty of sleep-
Any time I get off on my sleep patterns I immediately get messed up emotions. Make sleep a priority. It took me 4 days to undo 2 days of poor sleep choices. I’ll learn from my choices and be more responsible in the future.

Get some sun-
Yes, sun can cause cancer. I’m a redhead, and I’m very careful. I went tanning once with spf 50 on just to warm up…Even with the SPF 50 I got quite a bit of vitamin D and it felt great to warm my bones. Even just finding a window that the sun is shinning thru and sitting or laying in the sun will make a difference in your day.

Write a post like this one-
Being solution oriented will make a big difference. When i started writing this post i wasn’t sure how my day was going to turn out. Now, I’m going to take responsibility and take my own advice and make choices that will benefit my emotional health.

What are some ways you keep your self on the sunny side of life?

Whenever i set out to do anything worth while irony immediately steps in, and makes things…we’ll helps me apreciate things I normally wouldn’t.  I’m having some health problems, but finally decided it was time to see a Dr.

I’m learning more and more about my immune system and how it reacts to stress, sleep, diet, and especially exercise.  Something about exercise releasing free-radicals, and loading up on anti-oxidants any time i start a new routine, or increase my intensity…Ok, all the time.  Just more reasons to Eat More Veggies.

I figure, i’d rather get that taken care of now then in the middle of the month.  Doing my personal best to relax, stretch, drink plenty of fluids, and give this body a chance to get well before blasting it with intense cardio, or weight training.  I’ll be doing a very low intensity cardio tomorrow to slowly get back into the grove.  Focusing on the positive, which is amazing.

Seriously.  I’m listing the symptoms, and such, and the Dr said something on the lines of “Stinks to be you.”  I didn’t agree.  I’m quite happy to be me, even when I’m sick.  There is always something to learn from every experience.  I replied to him with something like “It helps to be optimistic.”  He was still a great Dr. just trying to be sympathetic.

Either way it’s just more motivation to eat healthy. I’d like to make a tost…

To Health and Anti-Oxidants.

Total personal side note on this post, but this did help me realize how much i love my boys.

Dave tagged me and i usually never follow thru or at least i don’t usually pass it on, but this one is simple and random.  That fits.

1. Go to the the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.
2. Post the 4th picture in the folder.
3. Explain the photo.
4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun!

When i saw that the fourth photo was titled “chicken salad” i laughed out loud. I must have taken some pictures of a salad to share. However the fourth photo was one of my boys sitting in the kitchen drinking Gatorade together. They were both fighting of a stomach bug hence the PJ’s and the Gatorade. B on the left and M on the right. These boys are hilarious and constantly keep me laughing even when they’re sick.

I’m tagging any readers who are curious what their 4th picture in their 4th folder is =)

Kee Kee asked some great questions that made me think, and motivated me to re-commit, and reach my fitness goals.

“Hey, this is pretty random. I was on Google searching for blogs bout losing weight and one website link to another. In the end I’m here. I was just wondering what makes you so determined in losing weight? I’ve always wanted to lose weight and came out with all sorts of strategies. But I just can’t follow them. I guess it was my lack of determination and self-discipline.

I had been doing exercise during my summer break for about 2 months. I was losing weight but very slowly. And there wasn’t any visible change beside feeling stronger physically and healthier. So when my new term starts, I stopped exercising totally. My university is organizing an annual dinner (which is exactly like school prom) next month 4th of April, which is exactly one month away. I need to lose weight in one month. This is almost like an impossible mission.

I saw your earlier post where you have visible weight lost within weeks. Is there any advice you can give? And did you starve yourself in the beginning? I really wish to look nice in this prom as this could be the last prom I attend with my boyfriend. Please help me. Thank you very much.

I also couldn’t spend too much time on this as my exam is just few weeks after the annual dinner. So I have to study while doing this. Which means I can’t spend 3 hours exercising everyday or starve myself. Cos I can’t study when I’m hungry. This is really difficult.” – Kee Kee

I know that almost every adult has found themselves in this situation. These answers are probably for me more then anyone. Sort of a self-pep-talk.

“I was just wondering what makes you so determined in losing weight?”

Started with Surfing Lessons =) It has to be fun, not just self-discipline. Once I make a promise to myself then I’m in it for the long haul. My health has become my first priority. It should have always been that way, and every day I still have to remind myself that it is most important.

Then, this Blog! Nothing more motivating then finding out that 526 new visitors found your site one day. More importantly finding new fitness friends who believe in the same things you do, and support you 100% of the way. It’s easy and free to set one up thru Wordpress, or Google. I started this to be a journal, and it ended up being one of my greatest tools for fitness.

Finally, I decided to take responsibility for my healthy. Seriously. I had over 6 months of pretty extreme illness. In and out of different specialists, surgeons. Had multiple surgeries, procedures, and more test then I knew existed. I finally decided to take responsibility for my health. Getting educated and getting healthy. My goal is personal optimal health.

“But I just can’t follow them. I guess it was my lack of determination and self-discipline.”

Believe! I had some self-esteem problems that I didn’t even realize I had. I’m learning how to believe in myself, to believe I’m worth it, and that I can accomplish anything. I visualize myself accomplishing the goal. This even helps with every day choices. It’s kind of like going into an interview knowing that I can’t get the job, no mater what I say, somehow I will sabotage my chance of getting the job. However the flip side is also true. When I truly believe in something, I can’t lose.

“Anything is possible when you realize your unlimited potential.”

If looking good on prom night isn’t motivating enough when it comes down to getting your daily workout in. Then find something that is. What are you passionate about? Link your goal to something your passionate about, something that’s exciting.

“I need to lose weight in one month.”

So do I!!! Ok, I don’t need to, I want to, or better yet I chose to. It’s all about my everyday choices. It adds up, weather it’s on a scale or in the way I feel. I’m getting very close to my trip and I’m no wear near my goal. I need to blast my fitness goals out of the water and get serious, but I still need to make it fun. Thanks to your comment, and questions, I’m setting up a 1 Month Plan.

Trainers Game Plan (First 3 Weeks)
My trainer set up a game plan that can help me lose weight up to 4 lbs/week while still gaining muscle.

- Eat 40:30:30 (Protein:Carbs:Fat)
- Use the Daily Caloric Intake Calculator to figure out your daily maintenance level.  Then, make sure to have a 1000 calorie deficit. 500 from food and 500 from exercising. On the days I exercise less I eat much less, and on the days I want to splurge a little I plan on splurging on exercising as well.  Fit Day is another free easy to use site, to get an idea of how much your eating.  It even breaks it into the three categories (Protein:Carbs:Fat) as well making it real easy to see where your at for the day or plan out the week ahead of time. =)
- Exercise 5 days a week for 1 hour. Rotating Cardio days with Resistance Training/Cardio days. Keep the heart rate in my Fat Burning Zone(60-80% of my resting heart rate) when doing cardio.

10 Day Turbo Slim (Last 10 Days)

“I saw your earlier post where you have visible weight lost within weeks. Is there any advice you can give? “

That was all the 10 Day Turbo Slim. It was hard, but anything worth working for always is. Even after I completed the 10 days I loved my results so much that I knew I would do it again if I ever needed to jump start weight loss, or slim down. I lost 7lbs and 15 inches. And that’s even with getting a little off track over the first weekend, and adjusting the meal plan to things I could afford, or already had on hand.

Tips to make it easier this time…
- Make sure I have all the food for the 10 days before hand.
- Don’t plan on going out to eat during those 10 days.  Unless I’m ok with being the only one at the table who’s eating salad when every one else is on their 3rd slice of pizza.
- Prep the meals the night before when possible. It makes the choice easy when it’s already planned out.
- Eat one of my snacks 20min before I workout, to make sure I have enough energy to give it 100%, and not get dizzy.
- Plan on getting plenty of rest and possibly being a bit edgy. Having a deficit of calories, is bound to make my emotions a little out of whack, and also very sleepy, along with working out every day.
- Make sure whoever I live with is on board or at least make sure they know what I’m up to. They may not support me, they may even unknowingly try to sabotage me, but let them know my game plan.
- Focus on the positive. Don‘t focus on what‘s not working but what is.
- Visualize myself reaching my goal.
- Every time I think “I want chocolate” remind myself “What I want more is…” Then go for the celery or almonds instead =)

“And did you starve yourself in the beginning? “

No, I don’t believe in that, and I don’t have the will power to not eat.  Probably because my logic starts working and says, “This is not healthy, or smart.” My body needs fuel. I love food, and I know when I go too long without eating I get headaches, cranky, and then. . . I binge.

Solutions…
-Plan out all meals a head of time having the food on hand or better yet meals planed will help me fill up on the right kinds of foods
- Prevent hunger or cravings by eating every 2-3 hours.
- I try to think about my cravings logically not emotionally. Why am I craving that? What is in that food that I really do need? Candy bars are a sure sign I’m low on calories. Why am I low on calories?…I’ve been able to think myself out of chocolate, and into a delicious bowl of strawberries =)

The Turbo Slim Plan has lots of snacks ideas that are healthy, and energy packed.  During the 10 Days I tracked everything i ate and did every day with a post.  I’ve added a new Turbo Slim category so you can now easily follow my last 10 day venture.  This new venture will go under the new 1 Month Plan category =)

“My goals are in stone, and my plans are in sand.

Consistency is the Key
I’m a huge believer in that. Anything I’ve stuck to long enough has worked. No “diet” has every failed me. I’ve made poor choices that only I can be accountable for. The fun part is being accountable for making the right choices. Fitting into size 8 jeans was a great reward that I never thought would be motivating, but it sure was.

“I can’t spend 3 hours exercising everyday or starve myself. “

- Exercise: I’ve never worked out more then 1 hour a day. I had to decide how much I wanted my goal.  Then, honestly decide how much time I would commit to exercising, prepping and eating healthy. If I don’t write it down some where it rarely happens.
- Eat: Every 2-3 hours: To prevent poor choices decide and plan ahead of time.  I even pre-packed healthy on-the-go snacks.  This helped during the day and prevented hunger or possible binging later in the day

Back when I had finals I would use water, protein and fruit to help pull me thru the all nighters. Chicken, Ice water, and an orange gave me energy without the crazy energy crash or headache that I get from sugar and caffeine.

No Excuses
Normally I would give myself some speech on, “Today is the day to start, no need to procrastinate any longer.” Ok, I am giving my self a Game Plan. I have one nasty head cold, but…No Excuses. I’m re-committed. There are plenty of things I’m already doing and even more I can do to help speed my recovery. I’m going to keep making healthy choices and blast my cold away. I’ll be starting this 1 Month Game Plan on Monday the 9th. I’ll end it April 8th. This will be fun.

Honestly, who says that? I do. I’ve done something like this before, and the results are so rewarding, and worth all the hard work. I Believe!

Just got back from a great trip to visit my best friend. We had a blast and everything was health oriented.

I woke up early, bundled up, and went for a walk/jog around the path they have behind their house. Then i did 20 min of stretching outside. There was no one else around. It was truly therapeutic. Fresh crisp air, no one else in site. Aaaaaa.

Then we went swimming for a few hours during lap time and had the whole deep end to ourselves for the whole time, and then relaxed in the hot tub.

After a vegetable-heavy lunch we decided to hit the health food store. They were having a sale and we had a blast. Usually i come home from one of my trips with a new outfit/shoes, and a stomach ache from all the junk food we ate. Well, this time i came home with two bags stuffed with health products. Like…Coconut oil, GABA, B-12, stainless steel water bottle, peppermint tea, a fruit based maple syrup (low glycemic index), natural cough syrup, xylitol, XClear (nasal spray with xylitol), coconut bar, cleansing kit, and tons of free samples.

We talked about all things healthy, spiritual health, brain health, physical fitness, weight loss, and anything in between. We talked 3 hours the night i got there, and then basically non-stop for 5 hours on Saturday. We laughed, we cried, it was almost as good as….neither of us like “Cats”. By then we had said everything, and both had nothing else to say =) That always makes it easier to go back home. I love her to death, and am so blessed to have her in my life. We will definitely be getting together soon.

Next time i go to visit i will bring my paint and a project, and we can have fun being creative. Oh, yea and my gym pass at Anytime works any where, and it just so happens that she has a pass as well. I sure wish we lived closer, but 4 hours is close compared to other fitness friends i have. I guess i just need to get traveling more. =)

Happy Monday Everyone!!!