Okay figured I'd go ahead and post since it's been QUITE a while since my last REAL entry, lol! So I was going to the gym up until about a month ago when my membership ran out at the one I was going to and even though I could go on a month to month payment method with the price of gas these days I opted out since it's about a 10-15 minute drive back and forth everyday PLUS I'd have to pay an extra $10 a month for my daughter since she's out of school for the summer and would have to go with me and my son (wouldn't have to pay for him since he's still under 5 and goes to the baby/toddler room). As much as I'll miss a lot of things and some people from that place I had to make a decision and frankly we could use the extra money anyway.
This does not mean I stopped working out though ;) No sir/ma'am! I started going to the gym on base (which is under going renovations and is limited on cardio equipment and weight's), but instead of looking for something to do in that place I took my running to the track outside and actually it's not really a track since it's on the road, but it's what the Airmen use for their Fit Tests... so why not ;) I've made my way to running about 4-5 miles in 30 minutes and occasionally every other day I get on my elliptical trainer here at home which does come in handy. As for weight training, I do my own strength training here at home with my weights/stability ball/and resistance band. Yes, I've improvised and saved money AND I'm starting to see some real results!
I've been on my medication for my hypothyroidism for 3 months now and my metabolism is finally starting to work itself back to what it used to be before I got pregnant. I have MUCH more energy during the day to do the things I need to do and play with my kids and my husband :D I'm no skinny minnie and I don't ever plan on being one, I love the curves God, motherhood, and my ethnicity has given me, lol! There have been MANY days when I just wanted to take the morning off of running or strength training because I was feeling either tired or just plain lazy... but still I pressed on, maybe it's the fear of labeling myself as a quitter or maybe it's the soldier that I once was within me yelling at me to keep going. Whatever the case I forced myself to push through the pain and when the day was done I felt better for myself.
There are so many women here on this base that constantly complain about wanting to lose weight and whatnot and I have invited many to get up in the mornings and go for a run with me, but no one here wants to get up early and do it and frankly I don't like doing it at night because it gets too bloody hot and the lovely little gnats come out to feast on your sweaty body, lol. Yes, I agree 5:30am is too early for most people, but if you want something bad enough you'll do what you have to do to achieve it... even if it means sacrificing an extra hour or 2 of sleep (which I balance out by going to bed an hour or 2 earlier than I used to). This way I don't have to worry about leaving my kids somewhere and I start my day off on a good note and no I don't screw it up by eating bad, lol. I consciously watch what I'm putting into my mouth and I read EVERY label, not just the calories. I don't write down my calories anymore because I pretty much know what is what and if I don't know it or I question it then I don't eat it, I do have the occasional "free day" to eat what I want, but when I do it's ALWAYS in moderation. I don't want to screw up a whole week's worth of exercise by being a glutton ;)
So here I am... almost 15lbs down since mid March and I'm going slow and steady, but I'm getting results... if I'm not losing weight I can definitely see I'm losing inches and toning all over my body.
So there you have it. Now I've caught you (whoever may read this) up on myself and what I've been doing.
Monday - Cardio/Strength Training
Tuesday - Cardio/Strength Training
Wednesday - Cardio
Thursday - Cardio/Strength Training
Friday - Cardio/Strength Training
Saturday - Rest or light Cardio
Sunday - Rest
This has been my routine for the last 2 months and I'm satisfied with it. Good luck to all of you who are having a hard time, it's a long hard road... but it'll be worth it in the end to have your health and your life back *Ü*
Artificial Sweeteners... just when you thought sugar was bad for you...
Artificial Sweeteners:
Seems the whole world is on artificial sweeteners and we can't exist without saccharine or NutraSweet or Splenda. Some people choose them because they actually think an artificial sweetener is healthier than sugar. It is not. All artificial sweeteners are poisons. And isn't it ironic that most people who are using these sugar-free substitutes are overweight and don't seem to lose weight. It's no coincidence. Are artificial sweeteners helping us fight the battle of the bulge?
You grab a diet soda each day to help you lose weight; at this point, it has simply become a habit. Yet, there are no studies which prove that diet sodas help us lose weight! In actuality, the very opposite is likely true. The sweetness of the soda tends to stimulate our appetite, especially for more sweets. A recent study found that people who drank diet soda had a greater likelihood of being obese and overweight, even over people who drank regular soda! Why is that? Diet soda triggers our craving for sugar.
In addition, diet soda lulls one into a false sense of security that it's okay to eat something else. How many people have you seen drink a diet soda with a dessert loaded with sugar, fat and empty white flour!
As if that wasn't enough, diet soda also triggers our body to STORE more fat!
So there you are, thinking you're doing the right thing and thinking you're going to lose weight. You drink your diet soda, that makes you want something sweet, you figure you deserve a little something since you saved all those calories, you get a dessert or a little something extra, you end up eating more calories in the day, and then your body holds on to the fat instead of releasing it. That sounds like a plan!
And what are we fighting against here? Remember that a gram sugar only contains 4 measly calories (a teaspoon is about 15; a tablespoon is 45). While sugar has it's own issues, if you're going to indulge, on occasion, make it real.
Note: if you're diabetic, then you have reasons to seek alternate sweet sources, but choose your alternate sweetener wisely. There are many natural sweeteners that are much safer than any artificial sweeteners. Best bet, once you stop eating so many sweets you will stop craving sweets and be healthier for it. Diabetics also need to watch intake of breads and other empty carbohydrates that can raise insulin levels.
Aspartame a/k/a NutraSweet a/k/a Equal breaks down to phenylalanine and aspartic acid in our hot bodies and when heated. The methanol in Aspartame converts into formaldehyde in our bodies. Formaldehyde is a poison known to damage the immune and nervous system as well as cause genetic damage. Aspartame breaks down the protective coating surrounding neurons in our brain; this causes a break in the blood-brain barrier which allows toxins to move directly into the bloodstream. Asparatame should never be given to children. People with PKU (phenylketonuria) should never use it either. Almost half of aspartame itself is a toxin, technically an excitotoxin, Aspartate. About 10% of the population has a tendency to MS but never actually have the symptoms, and these people can be pushed into full blown MS with continual usage of products with Aspartame. "Recent studies have also shown that even a single exposure.." can have long-term effects. ('Sweet Misery') Since it is in thousands of products, it's easy to consume a lot of this and over a longer period of time, this constant ingestion will lead to holes in your brain, illness and death. CHEC on Aspartame. Consuming products with Aspartame may lead to:
Aspartame can also be under the name Neotame, Aspertame (misspelling of Aspartame).
Acesulfame K is Acesulfame Potassium and found in Sweet One, Swiss Sweet and Sunnet and is called E Number in Europe for the code E950 listed in ingredients. To mask the bitter aftertaste, additional chemicals like Sodium Ferulate or other artificial sweeteners may be used with products that contain Ace K. Found in many diet sodas.
Sugar Twin or Cyclamates is another artificial sweetener. This chemical has been banned in the U.S. since 1970 based upon the possible link with cancer.
When Saccharin was found to cause cancer in 1977, the U.S. made an exception, as long as Saccharin affixed a warning, and it was not banned because there were no alternative sweeteners for diabetics at the time. Saccharin or Sweet 'n Low has been around the longest of any artificial sweetener and has had the most studies on it's possible effects. It is much sweeter than sugar. Low on the glycemic index, but saccharin may lead to:
* cancer
Splenda or Sucralose have the least amount of studies surrounding this chemical (under 100!) (yet it's in EVERYTHING!)and what little research has been done shows that it may lead to:
* Diarrhea
* Shrunken Thymus Glands
* Enlarged Liver
* Enlarged Kidneys
* Atrophy of Lymph follicles in the Spleen and Thymus
* Increased cecal weight
* Reduced growth rate
* Decreased red blood cell count
* Hyperplasia of the pelvis
* Extension of the pregnancy period
* Aborted pregnancy
* Decreased fetal body weights
* Lower placenta weights
* other dangers because it has small amounts of toxins: pesticides, metals, even lead
While no sweetener is not without it's controversy, artificial sweeteners can be quite damaging to our health and may cause serious illness. It's best to avoid them completely.
When snack time comes around, I find that using one of those Ziplock Snack Bags come in very handy for setting aside 1 portion size of the snack I'm eating. Read the label to see how many crackers or chips or whatever it is you're snacking on to make sure you only eat that portion size, put the portions into the snack bag and then put the rest of the bag or box safely away in a cupboard so you're not tempted to want to eat more (out of sight out of mind).
Btw, I do not recommend eating chips!! They're loaded in fat and tend to contain only empty calories not the type that keep you going till your next meal.
[edit] This is from a post on my daily blog that was posted on June 20th, 2007 and I'm just now posting it here. [/edit]
So I've been noticing I haven't been feeling myself lately and I finally narrowed it down to what's been eating at me for a few weeks now. I was going to start my new workout regimine on Monday and I made the fatal mistake of stepping on my scale... boy did I have to take some time to reflect on my findings. Well after that I got so down in the dumps and so bloody depressed with myself that I didn't end up going to the gym that day. Instead I took a long nap that day and when I woke up I was so pissed off with myself that I grabbed the book I had been reading off and on and plunged head on with it and found that it motivated me enough to change my attitude and habits right away. I did end up working out a little bit on Monday night after the kids had gone to bed to make myself feel a little better and to motivate me enough to get the heck out of my house Tuesday morning.
So I've faithfully gone to the gym now 2 days in a row and I have an appointment tomorrow with one of the trainers to get remeasured and I'm almost completely finished reading my book (skipped the Pregnancy section of course). Oh and in case you were wondering which book I've been reading it's called "The Abs Diet for Women", this book came under rave review by a lot of the trainers at my gym and I gotta say man, it holds SO much information that I am REALLY aware of all the packaged food labels out there, I read EVERYTHING now :))! Anyhoo, here's a link from MSNBC about the diet http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18784277/, I feel tons better and believe it or not with this new program I'm on I feel no cravings anymore!! Oh and the only reason I go to the gym is because I'm paying for it so I may as well use it, otherwise you can do all of your strength training at home... all you need is a Swiss/Stability Ball and some light to medium weights.
Okay off to go read some more and get a good night's rest, oh and I'm not depressed anymore. I definitely recommend anyone to go check it out at the library or heck if you're serious like I am buy the bloody thing, rofl!! TTFN and luv all my gals out there./
It's been a while since I've posted here hasn't it? My bad really...
I was working out so much that I finally burned myself out and just didn't want to go anymore... lost my motivation and enthusiasm for it. I gained a couple of pounds back, but not too much thankfully. I've been working out since Thursday of last week now and took Sunday off since my hubby is out of town for the week. I'm more determined now than ever to get this spare tire off of my mid section, lol! I've re-educated myself and I'm not refocused on what it is I have to do to get toned and drop the weight. I'm not expecting a miracle by thinking it'll all come off fast, I do hope that by my birthday though I will be MUCH more closer to my goal than I am at this present time. I'm watching my eating habits and resisting temptation again ;)
Thanks for anyone who has stopped by to check on me and didn't see anything new... at least you cared enough to click on my link, lol.
Ugh, so apparently I'm not dehydrated.. so why is my head killing me today . Well, I can't promise I'm gonna write a long or semi meaningful post since my head is pounding today, but I figured I may as well put an entry up since I haven't since the very beginning of the month.
Not much going on, just been working out more lately... I took yesterday off because I wasn't feeling good and really felt sluggish, and then she showed up. Yes, that evil monthly friend of mine came to visit me and that explained all the sore back mornings, headaches, and yes even the blasted cravings. I HATE AUNT FLOW !!!! Okay, got that off my chest. Thank heavens she only comes once a flippin' month because I would so not be able to handle this more than one week. Oye!
Been working on graphics this whole week, I guess my muse was having a good day because she was just throwing ideas out like crazy, lol. Now I'm updating some old sigtag's and still got some new ideas for older characters too
To my fellow ladies out there in bloggy land this message is for you in response to the comments on my previous entry:
The thing that helps the most is knowing that you are what you make of yourself and to not let anyone take away your power to be the best you can be. Only you can change you, do it for you and not for someone else... empowerment is a wonderful tool.
Well, I'm gonna go take a Motrin and refill my water bottle (I think I about pee'd all 5 bottles I've had today ).
So I wanted to stop in and wish all of you a very Happy & Prosperous New Year 2007 ! 2006 was a bad year for me in many ways that I'd rather now say, but now we're in 2007 and I plan on this one being a lot better and happier *fingers crossed*.
So let's see, what to report. I got a new MP3 player for Christmas and hopefully my sports arm band gets here soon so I can use it . I got some new clothes from my MIL and some other type of clothes from hubby . The main thing I have to report is that although I haven't lost a lot of weight, I lost enough inches to fit into this jacket hubby bought for me back in 2001!!! I kept it because I have never been able to wear it, but now I finally fit and with some room to boot!! ALSO, I can now wear medium sized clothes!! I finally cleaned my closet out fully and got rid of all my big girl clothes because I have no intention of EVER letting myself go the way I did.
For those of you who have low self-esteem... self improvement is a big self-esteem booster! I feel so much better about myself than I have since before I had my kids. I had to stop blaming other things in my life and making excuses for myself and looked deep inside and know that if I was going to change the way I look and feel I had to do something about it myself. Yes, there are people in my life that care and love me for who I am, but I have to love myself first (and I'm not talking about conceit) to really give 100% of me to everyone else .
Happy New Year to all of you wonderful people out there!!
Total Calories Consumed - 845 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exercise: Morning/Noon - 30 mins. on eliptical trainer for 325 cals. burned. Evening - 30 mins. on eliptical trainer for 395 cals. burned (more was burned on my evening workout because I added resistance to my routine).
Tips for starting your way to a healthier and fitter you... as taken from Calorie King ;)
Take a realistic approach. When you want to lose weight, do it sensibly. Educate yourself and change your eating and exercise habits instead of popping a pill; diet pills can't change bad habits. But don't go overboard with plans of weighing and measuring everything – including yourself! Extreme regimentation and expectations will come crashing down and may end in defeat.
Keep your diet balanced. Cutting out an entire food group leads to nutritional imbalance and cravings and is a sure way to set yourself up for failure. A well-balanced diet that includes healthy carbohydrates, fats, protein and fiber is a better bet for success. Although cutting carbs may help you to initially lose weight, a quick fix is an ultimate failure.
Set realistic goals. No matter what your personality, goals are a crucial key to success – provided they are realistic. Aiming to look like you did twenty years ago is an unrealistic goal; remember that overly-high expectations are a sure way to fail. It's also dangerous to lose too much weight too fast. Approximately one pound per week is a good target – but don't expect to hit the mark every week. Also be prepared for plateaus.
Understand the basics of dieting before you start! Cutting 500 calories per day will usually result in one pound of weight lost per week – depending on the individual. You should never reduce your calories to less than 1200 a day as this is dangerous to your health. And even if you cut down on fat and carbs, you still need to count calories.
Expect good things – learn from the past. People often let their past experience hamper their current diet, saying things like "I've failed once, I'm sure to fail again". Bottom line is: If you believe you're going to fail, you probably will. On the other hand, unrealistic expectations (such as wanting to look like Halle Berry) will also lead to disappointment and failure. Instead, keep your focus, learn from your mistakes, don't expect to be perfect, and keep trying!
Don't rely on willpower. Relying on willpower to avoid the foods you love is a sure way to set yourself up for failure. Willpower is a depleting resource that eventually fails. It's better to get problem foods out of your environment – out of sight and out of mind. Hiding them may work for a while, but because they are still available, you will still think about them and use willpower to resist.
Learn to say "no". When someone is kind enough to bake brownies (or anything else) for you, it is important to be appreciative – but there's no need to go to extremes! Perhaps more importantly, you need to discriminate between a kind offer and an effort to sabotage your diet goals. In a situation like that of question 3, saying "no" and sticking to it is your best bet. Just make sure it's clear you are rejecting the food, not the person who made it. This way, everyone's off the hook. If the direct approach doesn't work, say you'll "eat it later" and then find another willing taker!
Know how to cope with mistakes. Keeping things in perspective after you make a mistake is vital to success. Post-mistake over-exercising and calorie restriction can be taken to an extreme and may result in metabolic disruptions. If done thoughtfully, however, it can be effective. In the end though, it's best to return to your regular weight-loss plan and carry on; one mistake does not spell complete failure.
Plan ahead. A lack of preparation is a common way to set yourself up for failure, and depriving yourself of everything but water and celery at a party is not a great way to go about things either. Saving up all your calories to binge at a party is a dangerous way to diet. If you're going to a party or a buffet, or even just grocery shopping – just be prepared. Fill up on low-calorie snacks before you go, prepare for decisions in advance, and take a healthy attitude with you!
. Well, I can't promise I'm gonna write a long or semi meaningful post since my head is pounding today, but I figured I may as well put an entry up since I haven't since the very beginning of the month.
!!!! Okay, got that off my chest. Thank heavens she only comes once a flippin' month because I would so not be able to handle this more than one week. Oye!
).
! 2006 was a bad year for me in many ways that I'd rather now say, but now we're in 2007 and I plan on this one being a lot better and happier *fingers crossed*.
. I got some new clothes from my MIL and some other type of clothes from hubby 
. The main thing I have to report is that although I haven't lost a lot of weight, I lost enough inches to fit into this jacket hubby bought for me back in 2001!!! I kept it because I have never been able to wear it, but now I finally fit and with some room to boot!! ALSO, I can now wear medium sized clothes!! I finally cleaned my closet out fully and got rid of all my big girl clothes because I have no intention of EVER letting myself go the way I did.
.