Dallas Hiking

D Magazine recently published an article on the best trails in DFW. I can't wait to get my feet on these!

http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/D_Magazine/2012/May/10_Top_Trails_For_Hiking_and_BIking_in_Dallas.aspx

Success!!!

Today I have officially lost 25lbs!! It has not been easy and I am still shooting for another 25-30lb, but it is a great feeling!! How do dieting girls celebrate?? An apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter!

White Rock Lake Training

When I started running 2 months ago, I set a goal to run around the lake by my birthday in May. But over the last few weeks, I have definitely fallen off the horse, so I'm scrabbling to get back into shape. I took my first "tour" yesterday and I truly had no idea how big this body of water was. It's 9.33 miles, and I have run up to 8.5, but it felt like 15 miles. Obviously I did not make it around without some walking breaks. I have 3 weeks to get there, I'm mildly scared, but super excited to complete my next fitness goal.

Getting sick is no picnic

I unfortunately spent the last week sick and traveling for work....ugh!! I didn't workout for 5 days and I'm feeling the flab, luckily this came with zero weight gain! Woot! 21lbs down and looking to take off at least 15 more by our trip in May. MUST. WORK. HARDER. MUST. EAT. LESS.

In the meantime this is what is scattered all over my house:

On the menu:

Oscillococcinum - by far the BEST homeopathic cold & flu meds available!
Echinacea
Oil of Oregano - Crack for all that ails you
Zinc Lozenges - great for scratchy throats
Emergen-C

Strong is definatley the new sexy

Not only is this pose insanely difficult, this girl has her head up and a smile on her face. So ridiculusly sexy!

Push it Real Good

Today was day three of Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred video and it was rough! I know it sounds silly that a 20 minute workout would hurt SO bad, but it did and does. I was feeling it this morning and was dreading turning on my DVD for day three, but you have to make it rain, no pain, no gain. I am determined to make it 30 days and will make it through no matter what!

On another note, I have not had a GOOD, SOLID run in a week. Sad face. This weekend I am going out to the trails to see what I can do. Never give up....do you hear me self??? Never!

I am still 2lbs away from 20 lost. This will be the last week of that. I am going to play it smart this weekend and not indulge. I look forward to saying this about my 30lb mark!

Peanut Butter Jelly Time...or really a leek soup fast

Thanks to this, I have been on strict liquids for two days to lose my debacherous 5lbs. I started with the French Women Don't get Fat Recipe, but had to tweak it, due to tasteless boredom.

So I took this recipe:
Recipe for Magical Leek Soup
Serves one for the weekend


2 lbs. leeks
Water to cover in a large pot

1. Clean leeks and rinse well to get rid of sand and soil. Cut end of green parts leaving all the white parts plus a suggestion of green. (Reserve the extra greens for soup stock.)
2. Put leeks in large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil and simmer with no lid for 20-30 minutes.

And added a shitload of garlic, 1 can of garbanzo beans, shallots, salt and pepper and pureed it. Not too shabby. I started yesterday, and included protein shakes for breakfast and snacks. 4lbs down and hoping for 2 more tomorrow. I do not advocate a liquid diet, Oprah doesn't either, but I will be damned if I am going to sit on this weight gain when I have worked so hard to get rid of it. No pain no gain right? Tomorrow I will chew chicken!

*French Women Don't Get Fat is a phenomenal book and although I am not a huge fan of the leek water, I highly recommend it.

Bad Habits are Hard to Break

My husband is pretty unhealthy and I have been working on him hard for years to make better food decisions. We all have our weak spots, mine is Whataburger...especially after a few cocktails. Mmmm sweet loving junk food. A love affair that is most certainly(though you may not want to admit) a one way street. As much as you pour your heart and soul into a value meal, in the end it DOES NOT LOVE YOU! It hates you and wants to destroy your body and soul. It's like a bad one night stand that feels so good in the middle, but so not righteous when your pants come back on.

I woke up this morning to my husband vomiting up his left lung. This lasted ALL morning and into the afternoon. Like any other human being, he has bad habits, like picking up fast food on the way home from work at 1am, but he also suffers from serious migraines after said choices. Whether he smoked (very rare) or ate junk food, he will most certainly, 85% of the time, get a stomach ache that inadvertently turns into a full blown migraine/toilet session.

Me: "Honey you ate a bacon cheeseburger, 2 tacos AND and EGG ROLL???"
Him: "I know and I was doing so good, I know you're mad at me."
Me: "I'm not mad at you, but your body certainly is."
Him: "I'm learning."

We are all learning, some of us quicker than others. In the meantime here's a big fat middle finger to you Jack and fast food America. I hope that in the future, during times of hunger and exhaustion, we all have other healthy drive thru options...I hope.

30 Day Shred

I love a good fitness video! If I have had a busy day at work and don't want to devote an hour to working out afterwards, all I have to do is move the coffee table and get down in my undies. No need to spend the extra time putting on a cute outfit, driving to the destination of fitness, working out, driving home...etc.

I just bought Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and had my first 20 minute workout tonight. Wow! It was rough! I sounded like a wild animal making love to a grizzly bear. I'm very excited to see and post the results in a month.

The video series consists of three 20 minute videos which progress by level of intensity. All you need are dumbells. $9.99 well spent.

Goodbye Soda, Hello Tea

I grew up on Dr. Pepper, I think it may have seeped from my pores during any and all physical activity. It was in every sack lunch and post game thermos, it was (and still kind of is) liquid crack. But that was the 1980's, everything was sugar-based and exciting and colorful! It took a lot of energy to be the 80's. These days, there are absolutely no excuses for the daily consumption of junk when we have access to so much health information (thanks internet). Case in point, giving a three year old a coke 30 years ago was normal, now it's straight up Toddlers and Tiaras parenting.

The irony of the Miss Piggy swimsuit

I still love the magical taste of a Mexican Coca Cola (they use real sugar!) but it's an indulgence....like maybe 3 times a year indulgence. I have known countless friends and family members who live off of soda or diet drinks and it's just unacceptable! There have been plenty of studies done regarding diet soda and it's link to obesity, diabetes, and sometimes cancer. You could technically take these studies either way. Even if the chemicals in diet drinks are NOT to blame there's clearly and scientifically a link between fake sugar and obesity.

It's so important to change up the liquids that are going into your body. We all know that 8 cups of water are essential, so finding ways to get good fluids in your body is a great first step to being healthy.

I have recently been testing out various teas to make my own iced tea at home. For some reason boxed iced teas seem so over the top fruity and I'm really not into that.

Beware of bottled teas (even organic) as they are usually sweetened and full of calories. I am really loving the following hot teas made over ice:

Yogi Blueberry Slim Life Green Tea
Yogi Green Tea Goji Berry
Good Earth Jasmine Green Tea
Traditional Medicinals Cranberry Tea

Take 3-4 tea bags in a pitcher half full of boiling water. Let seep for 5-10 minutes and fill with cold water.

Tea can be an acquired taste for some (especially if you are weening yourself off of sugar) so take your time and test out different flavors. Adding citrus helps too.

Thanks for the 5lbs St. Patty's Day!

Ugh! I used to love lazy, gluttonous weekends, now I despise them. I must have walked a good 3 miles during the St. Patty's Day parade, but b/c I did not exercise (all weekend!!!) I put on 5lbs! The anger!! I know that it's mostly beer bloat and salty  water weight, but it still makes my blood boil.  I have spent the last two days on a seriously strict diet and pounded down a good 8 gallons of water trying to get rid of it.  If I had a great run or intense workout over the weekend I would not be dealing with this. I hate wasting a couple of days (or a week) trying to make up for lost time. The weekend before last I ran over 8 miles, went to two birthday parties and had at least 2 pieces of cake (not to mention other party snacks) and gained NOTHING! Lesson learned!

Look at that can of cheap beer screaming into my ear, "Don't do it!! You should have gone for a run this morning and you are going to regret this!!"

Don't Lose it!! Your Cool of Course...

I am 3lbs away from 20lbs lost. Whoa! Huge right? Then why do I still feel like a chub ball?
It's simple....I am not even halfway there yet.

You have to take everything in stride. I am still unsatisfied with my size, but holy crap I have come insanely far in less than 2 months! Stick with it (yes I'm telling myself this) because eventually I will put on those sexy vintage brown velour pants that have been waiting patiently to peel over my ass. Patiently. For years.

I always hear "organizational experts" telling people to throw away any clothes that you have not worn in over a year. That's bullshit! You should ALWAYS have those items tucked WAY  back in your closet. Those pants will be there for you after some serious hard work so that you can shout (in your mind or outloud)  "holy shit I'm wearing....after....years!!!" Right?

I read once that your life of dieting was so minuscule compared to your life overweight. So dieting for 2 months compared to my life over a healthy size (let's be realistic....7 years) is .02% .

.02%! Seriously? That's nothing!

Let's break it down real simple.
7 years of an unsexy body = 84 months
2 months of dieting/exercise divided by  84 months of chub = 0.0238095238%

Yeah that works for me.

Mad Abs March

I just saw this online. 5 days late, but better late than never.

Side Plank Preview:

Apple Cider Vinegar to Relieve Knee Pain

ACV and I are very, very good friends. It's medicinal properties are endless and I can not imagine my life without it....I know that's a bit much, but it's oddly true.

I was having very mild knee pain from running, so I began researching natural remedies. It came as no surprise that AVC was mentioned countless times. And better yet, this remedy works!

It's very simple, before bed:

Soak a rag (I prefer torn strips of an old t-shirt) in ACV
Lightly squeeze the rag and wrap it around your knee
Wrap the knee with saran wrap and sleep it off

I also tried this method on my husband's feet and he noticed a huge difference the next morning.

Dear ACV,
I love you.

Why Are Athletic Shoes So Ugly??

I hate to sound so ridiculous, but searching for a new pair of running shoes was a style nightmare! Rows and rows and web pages and pages of out of control tacky shoes! It's bad enough that I have large feet (9.5-10) but putting spider web neon stripes and gigantic soles on a pair of shoes gives me the appearance of a size 12.

"Hey check out my giant feet!! Look I have made them as flashy and large as possible so that they really look unproportionate!"

I almost bought the Reebok Realflex, because they had good reviews and were very minimal, but I could not get over the hideousness. Seriously this picture gives their tackiness no justice, especially in my size. It was too much!

This is what else I was dealing with. Painful.

Not only should you feel good when working out, but I kinda think you should look good too. Caring about how you look boosts your confidence, sweaty or not.

So I finally found a minimal running shoe that works for my style, the New Balance Minimus. They are in the mail, so reviews to come!

Running/Walking Log Week 2

Tuesday: 5 Mile Run
Wednesday: 2.5 Mile Run- Solo!! 1 Mile Walk
Friday: 4.25 Mile Run 1.5 Mile Walk
Saturday: 2.25 Mile Run 1.75 Mile Walk
Sunday: 7 Mile Run - Solo

Needless to say, I killed it this week. I am not sure how I got the guts to run 7 miles today, and my body was definatley not loving the idea 6 miles in, but it felt amazing.

My goal was to run 10 miles this week and I doubled it. 21 miles! It's absolutly an incredible feeling!

5 Mile Mark Today!

I have officially been running for 24 days and made it to 5 miles today! I've noticed that working out on top of running has made things a lot more difficult, but it's important to push through it because the finish line feels so good!

Based on my fatty body I burned 1006 calories! Crazy!! It's such a great feeling to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time.

Don't forget your post run protein window and stretches:

Counting Calories.....Do I Have To???

Counting calories seems like such a pain, but it plays a vital role in reaching your weight loss goal. It is really important to get a general idea of what you are consuming and making small tweaks when needed. Truthfully you may be quite shocked at how many calories you are eating, even when you are making healthy choices. Just because you are subbing an apple with peanut butter for a bag of chips, doesn't mean that you are staying below the limit. Plus, studies have shown that people who self monitor their food intake are a lot more prone to eat smaller proportion sizes and make healthier food choices.

There are tons of super simple logs online to help you easily track your progress and give you a big picture of what you are taking in. It only takes a few minutes too. I highly recommend doing this for 4-6 weeks (not the rest of your life!) or until you have a good grasp of what you can and can not have in a day.

You need to first find out what your calorie limit is in order to reach your goal. Again there are plenty of sites for finding out this information quickly, but this one was quite simple. All you need to do is enter your age, weight, height, activity level, goal weight and time limit.

Health Weight Forum

From there you can get your recommended intake and use this information for your calorie tracking.

Recommended site for calorie tracking:

EveryDayHealth.Com

Using The Internet For Good Not Gossip

We are all guilty of wasting time on the internet. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Perez Hilton...pick your poison. Personally I have a tiny addiction to Pinterest, and formally Facebook.

When I started getting healthy, I knew that I needed to slightly change a lot of my habits including what I was surfing for online. So everyday I would Google diets and exercise. It's amazing how much health information is out there, not to mention really great ways to work out smarter. So in essence I turned an unhealthy internet addiction into an informative one. Here are my two recommendations for the week:

LiveStrong

Livestrong has countless information on great work outs, quitting smoking, healthy eating and more.

Everyday Health

Everyday Health has an option to make an account and start tracking your progress by logging your exercise and counting calories. It also has tons of information on health related news articles and real success stories.

Running/Walking Log

I want to hold myself accountable as much as possible, so I have set weekly goals for running/walking mileage. Knowing what my weekly goals are and sticking to them is such a great way to really stay on top of my game. My goal for the next two weeks is 10 miles running, 2 miles walking.

First Week:

Monday: 4 Mile Run
Tuesday: 1.5 Mile Run - .5 Mile Walk
Saturday: 2.5 Mile Run - 2 Mile walk
Sunday: 1 Mile Run

It has been very difficult for me to gain significant mileage running on my own. With a running partner, I am pushed so much further. Next week's goal is to complete over 2 miles solo and at least 10 miles total per week.

Beginner Core Exercises

All the movement in your body originates from your core, so building it's strength is a vital key to getting stronger, not to mention improving your balance and stability. Core exercises train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen to work in harmony. When you run, walk, ride a bike, or skip across a room — your core muscles are hard at work, keeping you upright, stabilizing your body as your weight shifts, and absorbing impact from ground forces.

The best part about adding a core regimen to your workout? It's less than 5 minutes! Start small and add extra moves when you build strength.

It is recommended to do your core exercises at least three times a week. If you work your core muscles to fatigue during an exercise session, wait at least a day between workouts to allow the muscles to recover.

Here are some great beginner core exercises:

The Basic Elbow Plank:



Start by holding this position for 30 seconds. Don't forget to breathe! I did this almost every night for a week and then added 15 seconds each week afterward.

Once you feel comfortable holding this plank for 60 seconds, you can slowly begin adding leg and arm movements.

Plank With Diagonal Arm Reach:

Level: Difficult
•Start in an elbow plank, then walk your legs apart until they are a bit wider than your hips.
•Keeping torso stable, lift your right arm up and slightly out on the diagonal. Hold this position for two seconds, then return to elbow plank.
•Repeat with the left arm. This completes one rep.
•Do two sets of six reps.



Plank Leg Lift:

Level: Moderate
•Start in an elbow plank
•From that position, brace your core and lift one foot off the floor
•You can hold that position for the entire set – 60 to 90 seconds – and then do the second set with the other leg raised, or switch legs halfway through each set



The Superman:

Level: Intermediate
•Lie on your stomach. Stretch both your arms out in front of you. Make sure both your legs are straight behind you.
•Lift your head, chest, arms and legs off the ground.
•Hold this position for 3 – 5 seconds. Now go back to the starting position.
•Repeat 10 times.

My New Life As A Runner

I never thought I would ever be a runner. I have never in my life been able to run over 2 miles without feeling like I was about to suffer a cardiac arrest, but somehow I have turned into "a runner." One week after I started working out I saw a flyer at my friend's salon for a 5k. I am not really sure what overtook me, but I immediately signed up to do it. Mind you at this point, I had not run in 2 years and had never been anywhere near running 3 miles. But something in me wanted to push myself more than I ever have. That is the beauty of running. In the beginning you think to yourself, "This is f**king ridiculous!! What in God's name am I doing? My body can't handle this. I hate this!!!" But once you get stronger and start hitting milestones you think to yourself, "Holy shit, I am invincible! My body is a machine! I can do anything! I just ran _____ miles!!!!" It is a high unlike anything else. I have done yoga (which I love) zumba, and boot camp type classes and nothing compares.

And the best part about running??? It's one of the best activities you can do to lose weight. Running at a moderate pace of 5 mph will burn 472 calories for 130 lb. person, 563 calories for a 155 lb., and 690 calories for a 190 lb. person in one hour. I'll take it!

So how to get started?? Do your research. I watched countless videos on YouTube specifically for ChiRunning, which reduces your risk of injury and teaches you how to run properly. Learn the right techniques for landing your feet on the pavement and proper posture.



Start slow. I had a little over 2 weeks to prepare for my first 5k (I would not recommend this time frame, as most people need 6-8 weeks). Your body will tell you how far you can take it, so trust your intuition. Running/walking is a great way to start. Go at your own pace,work on proper breathing, and keep building up your mileage everyday. In less than 3 weeks (after the race) I made it to 4 miles and I felt great! I also highly recommend a running partner. My best friend and I have totally motivated each other to keep going when the other person was worn out.

Feel like you can't do it?? Have you ever seen a fat person running?

Exactly.

Food and Exercise Journal

Here's a sample of a week's entries. It is important to stick to all natural foods. I have never been one to eat anything processed, so sticking to a healthy diet was relatively simple.

These are foods that I have cut out from my every day eating:

White Carbs: pasta, bread, cereal, tortillas, etc.
Substitutes: Beans, granola, trail mix, nuts

Sugar- Ummmm do you need examples??
Substitutes: Honey, dark chocolate

Fatty Dairy and Animal Proteins: Cheese, bacon, sausage
Substitutes: Salmon, Chicken, Greek yogurt, protein shakes(w/ unsweetened almond milk)


Monday:
Breakfast- Eggs (I sub egg whites cooked with one whole egg), black beans, salsa
Lunch- Caesar salad w/salmon
Snack- Carrots with hummus
Dinner- Salmon w/squash
Exercise- 1 hour BodyPump class

Tuesday:
Breakfast- Eggs, black beans, salsa
Lunch- Chicken with green beans
Snack- Carrots with hummus
Dinner- Veggie plate
Exercise- 100 crunches, 35 min. cardio, 15 min. weights

Wednesday:
Breakfast- Frittata
Lunch- Protein shake
Snack- Pumpkin Seeds
Dinner- Salmon and veggies
Snack- Apple w/ peanut butter
Exercise- .7 run 1 mile walk

Thursday:
Breakfast- Protein shake
Lunch- 1/2 Greek flatbread & 1/2 Spinach salad
Snack- Almonds
Dinner- Chicken w/ veggies, 2 glasses of wine
Snack- 1oz Dark chocolate
Exercise- 3 mile walk/run

Friday:
Breakfast- Eggs w/ black beans & salsa
Lunch- Salad & a beer
Dinner- Salmon w/veggies
Snack- Apple w/peanut butter
Exercise- 45 min cardio, 1.5 mile walk/run, 15 min. weights

Saturday:
Breakfast- Yogurt w/granola
Lunch- Veggie plate
Snack- Apple w/ peanut butter
Dinner- Steak and lobster w/veggies
Dessert- Creme brulee
Exercise- 3 mile run

Sunday:
Breakfast: Eggs w/black beans and salsa
Lunch: Salad
Dinner- Salmon and veggies
Exercise- Rest day

So I used pretty much the same menu and it did not get boring....it's only 7 days! The next week I spiced it up and subbed protein shakes or yogurt for breakfast, multiple healthy snacks instead of one big lunch, and chicken w/veggies or large salads for dinner.



Water is your best friend! 8 cups a day, no excuses!

The First 30 Days

After years or gaining, losing, starving, fasting, binge eating, going up in sizes and down in sizes, I think I have finally listened to what every healthy person says about permanent weight loss: DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. By right way I mean get off your chubby ass, move your body (sweating is great too) and eat a balanced diet. I love the easy way, the quick fix, I want to see pounds gone on the scale daily, but the only way I ever accomplished that was by consuming zero carbs or fasting. These are both fabulous diets if you are aiming for the general look of malnourishment, not to mention having a severe lack of energy.

My first low carb diet was about 5 years ago. I didn't know anything about the risks of eating bacon and red meat everyday, all I cared about was knowing that I lost 16lbs my first month! Wow! Too bad I love bread, and as soon as I decided I wanted to eat a sandwich, it was all over. 5 years later and I'm heavier than I have ever been. Anytime someone tags a picture of me online I cringe at the thought of 3 chins or having the belly of a woman who is 5 months pregnant.

My diet was not my only issue, I drank a lot of alcohol and had been smoking for 15 years. Ugh! Typing 15 makes me feel nauseous! I have never been one to make New Years resolutions, but when push comes to shove 2011 was a pretty shitty year, (and I am not one to complain) so some changes needed to made. On January 1st, I got on the patch, joined an online support group to track my daily progress, and I quit smoking....for good. During this time I also decided to fast from alcohol for 2 weeks, which was truly necessary. Then it was weight loss time. I officially started "my new lifestyle" on January 24th. One month in and I have lost 10lbs. 10lbs the right way and I have had pizza (several times) and a burger with fries. Everyone needs a little junk in their life, the key word is little not daily. This is my blog as I set off on a journey to lose 60lbs, well 50lbs now!

This is what I have learned so far:

JOIN A GYM- if you can not afford a gym you will eventually b/c my grocery bill has literally been cut in half. If you still can't afford a gym, start walking/jogging, buy a couple of 5lb weights, and start working out at home. YouTube and Hulu have great workout videos for free. Having a workout partner is also a major plus.

EAT A CONSISTENT DIET- I make a weekly menu and pretty much stick to the same meals & snacks, then switch it up every week. I fell like knowing exactly what I'm eating day in and day out has ceased any food anxiety.

START A FOOD & EXERCISE JOURNAL- I have never in my life done this, but it's so effective. It's kept me accountable and is an excellent way to track your process and stay patient. My third week in I gained 5lbs, normally I would have flipped out and starved myself for a day, but looking back on my entries there was nothing other than muscle gain causing the influx. The 5lbs (plus an extra 2) was gone by week 4.

ALLOW YOURSELF SOME LEEWAY- I ran my first 5K last weekend and had pizza and beer afterward. If you are working out consistently (at least 4-5 times a week) and eating a healthly well-balanced diet, you can have that unhealthy meal once a week. Not all day binge eating, but one big fatty meal to tide you over til next time. Plan accordingly! If I am going to a party, I plan on that being my indulgent day.

DON'T GET ON THE SCALE EVERY DAY AND GET OBSESSED- This is a very hard habit to break, especially if you are used to fab diets. Muscle weighs more than fat and you will gain a few pounds one week or none another week. Stay consistent and healthy and you will take it off. In the back of my mind I expected to lose more (afterall I have been working so hard!!) but you will lose more inches in the beginning and I have already lost quite a bit from my muffintop and stomach. Plus EVERY trainer will tell you that you need at least 6 weeks to start seeing results. So patience necessary!