Diet or DIET?

Tonight I went over to a friends house.  She had a little class on Nutrition and it was SO good to have a few reminders and learn new things about diet; not the four letter DIET word that I hate.  There is a BIG difference, at least in my book.  DIET is something {may or may not include a drink, pill or magic cure} that someone tries out for a short amount of time {and may even lose - or gain - an enormous amount of weight}, the quick fix.  Diet REALLY should be PRACTICING good eating habits based on what you need to meet your goals.  It's a complete LIFESTYLE, meaning you do this FOREVER, not just until you meet your goals!!!

So here is a quick version of the 2 hours that we were there!

Let's start with caloric intake.  Here's how to figure out how many calories you should be eating every day.   

Body Weight ______ x 10 = ______ BMR {Basal Metabolic Rate} Or go HERE to calculate with more specifics.
BMR x 20% = _______ DAB {Daily Activity Burn}  20% is if you workout for an hour a day!
BMR + DAB + 600 = ________ Energy or Calories Per Day {600 is approximate number of calories you'll burn in that 1 hour workout}

SO.  We're going to get REAL personal here.  I'm going to use MY number to illustrate better what all that means.

Body Weight 132 x 10 = 1320 {the above website says 1303 so it's fairly close}
1320 x 20% = 260 DAB
1320 + 260 + 600 = 2180 Calories Per Day

Once I have that basic number {2180} I have a lot of power.  I can adjust that number to fit my current needs.  Am I working out a lot and need more calories so I have the energy to do so?  Am I gaining weight when I don't want to be?  It's important to know that magic number!!!  Then it's all about logging your actions!!!

It's important to log EVERYTHING.  I'm REALLY good at logging my workouts.  But I am HORRIBLE about logging my caloric intake.  I was really good at it when I was trying to lose weight but then I let it go.  And let me tell you, I KNOW I'm not eating as well as I should; which is why I put on 15 pounds in 4 months and it hasn't come off for the past 3!  So.  I realized I NEED to keep track of what I'm eating whether I'm trying to lose weight or not.

I also was reminded that what you eat is 90% of weight loss/gain is diet!  Think Biggest Loser!  Rulon was working out like an animal but when he was sneaking a bag of potato chips at night.... he wasn't losing the weight!!  It is so important to watch what you eat for you to achieve your weight loss/gain goals!

Active.com has A LOT of different calculators you really should go look at.  BMI, Body Fat, Caloric Needs, Ideal Weight... Knowledge is power and knowing where you are will help you know what changes you need to make to get to be where you need/want to be. 

The G Series

During a race last year I took some Gatorade at an Aid Station and it was a BAD idea. My mouth was dry and my stomach cramped. So I have avoided sports drinks entirely ever since. Until the day of my marathon. I got a G Series Recovery drink. I liked it.

So tomorrow I am running a half marathon. It's sure to be a GORGEOUS race and I am more than a little bit excited about it. I decided to give the whole G Series a try. 01. Prime. According to the package it's loaded with carbs, B vitamins and electrolytes. It's supposed to be taken 15 minutes before exercise or competition; delivering energy and helps your body sustain its ability to burn additional carbs. I am going to try Fruit Punch.

02. Perform. I am trying G2 Low Cal {didn't notice that part} Blueberry-Pomegranate flavor. Loaded with electrolytes and carbs with half the calories of original Gatorade. I will probably take this with me on the run and drink water at the Aid Stations. On their website it mentions that the Low Cal is designed to deliver hydration to athletes during lighter exercise and competition so I may go switch it for Original G, due to the length of the race.

03. Recover. Protein and Carbohydrate drink, said to provide hydration and muscle recovery benefits. I love the sound of that! I will be trying Mixed Berry.

I have high hopes. I'll let ya'll know how it goes when I get back!

GU

So my friend has a pretty sweet hookup for GU {among other things}. So we all went in together and bought a bunch of boxes of this stuff!! I LOVE GU!!! My Mom and I are splitting these three boxes so we could have a little variety. So I added my half to my collection... I had to find myself a bigger jar! I REALLY like the Lemon Sublime; it's probably my favorite. Next fav flav's are Strawberry Banana, Orange Burst and Chocolate. I'm not the biggest fan of the Tri-Berry; it reminds me too much of the jelly inside a doughnut. I don't really love the Vanilla either. But to each his own right? No matter what flavor you like best these babies really are awesome!From the box~
How to GU Properly:
TRAINING: Eat one GU 15 minutes before and then one GU every 30-45 minutes during training.
RACING: Eat one GU 45 minutes before the start. One GU 15 minutes before the start. and then one GU every 30-45 minutes during the race.
**They also recommend washing it down with GU2O or water and remind you to drink 20-30 oz of fluid per hour during training and racing.

I haven't been using them before. During training runs I have used them around the 1/2 way point and again at the 3/4 point. I think that I am going to try their suggestion though. I have a PLETHORA now so why not right?! I do drink a lot of water though, so I'm good there. I have a 17 miler on Saturday so I think I'm going to take one before and take then around every 45-60 minutes, depending on how I'm feeling. Plus it also says on the box "GU Energy Gel. Superior Energy, Maximum Recovery". I like the thought of that!!

Nike Women

I was exploring the Nike website, messing around with Nike+ stuff and I came across THIS page called Nike Women. I think I'm in LOVE!!!



It is so STINKIN SWEET I can't get over it!! You sign up {free of course}. You make a cute little Mini Me. You pick some workout routines and how often you want to workout. Then you simply go in and it has a series of workout video clips all organized and ready to go. You check off which ones you did. It's AWESOME!!

So now you don't have to buy a bunch of workout dvd's! You can also hook up with buddies and cheer each other on. You can join the same workout if you want. I am so excited! I love my Jillian workouts but I'm wanting variety too!!

So go check it out. Look me up. I love cool stuff like this!!

Fad Vs. Forever

I have BIG issues with Fad diets. I have issues with "diets" in general. There are SO MANY who will jump on the newest fad diet; taking pills or shots, drinking special mixes, cutting out food groups entirely... you've heard of them... I'm not going to name names... yet.

THEY DON'T WORK!! Yeah, maybe you'll lose weight. Maybe you'll lose A LOT of weight. But these "diets" mess with your metabolism! And once you get to your ideal weight, you quit the program and guess what... you put all that weight right back on!

The ONLY {in my HUMBLE opinion} sure fire way to do this is to make healthier choices in EVERY aspect of your life.

* Exercise. Make the time to do something physically active EVERY day {okay, I take Sunday OFF}. Park your car farther away from work or the store. Take the stairs. Go on a hike. Try a new sport. Remember to let your muscles rest... don't work the same muscles day after day! Trust me. You will have MORE energy, you'll SLEEP better, you'll FEEL better!

* Eat Healthy. Eat a balanced diet; rich in fruits, vegetables & whole grains. Get plenty of protein to replenish those worked muscles. Check out the links on the side: My Pyramid is a great place to start. If applicable: quit smoking &/or drinking. Ditch the soda... completely {I am happy to say that I've finally done this! All but on rare occasions anyway}. Opt out of chips, and other "junk" food. Don't buy any of it... you can't eat it if it isn't there!!! You'll be GLAD that you did!!

* Mental Health. Relax and take time for yourself. Learn something new. One of my favorite quotes is, "There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them. ~Sylvia Plath". Think positive thoughts and let go of negativity. Surround yourself with positive & motivating people. Be HAPPY! This is a huge part that people overlook. It goes a long way, I promise!

There. That's it. I know there can be extenuating circumstances but these changes should be made regardless! There is no quick fix. There is no final destination. It's a constant journey and process. So even if you've made it to that magic # {I'll delve into my opinion on THAT later}, that doesn't mean you're done! You will ALWAYS have to make choices for a better life, a healthy life.

But the good new is... it get's EASIER to make those choices!! If you listen to your body, you'll know what it needs and wants... and it ISN'T CRAP!!! Your body WANTS to be pushed physically. Your body NEEDS good foods for fuel. Your mind CRAVES happiness. So what are you waiting for?! GET OFF YOUR BUTT & give your body what it wants, needs & craves!!!

**off my soap box... for now °Ü°

Weight Loss Secrets

The Reader's Digest had a couple AWESOME articles this month. Today I'm going to highlight their article "Weight Loss Secrets from around the world" by Joe Kita. It's safe to say that we are not the only people who are trying to manage our weight and our health. A global poll was done and these are the results.

Every culture has their own way of managing weight in a sense. There are traditions that govern the way we eat, when we eat, how much we eat and what we eat. I thought is was SO COOL. My family actually buys into a lot of these things already and we are excited to try out a few others as well!!

THAILAND: Like spicy food? Thailand is the place for you. They've got some of the spiciest food in the world! Now I've always known that spicy food raises your metabolism but this article says that it's not just that but that because of the spicy food, you eat SLOWER!! Which is a great habit!!

UNITED KINGDOM: We've all heard about fast food sizes being completely over the top huge right?! Well in the UK you won't be ASKED about super sizing your meal. They prefer smaller portions. A large Coke in the US has 100 more calories than one in the UK!

BRAZIL: Rice and beans are served with practically EVERY MEAL! Low in fat, high in fiber! Brazilians are well known for having beautiful beach bods!!

INDONESIA: Fast. As in, skip a meal or two every now and then. They fast from dawn to dusk. They connect this with breaking mindless eating patterns.

POLAND: {Can I just say that I SWEAR by this one? LOVE IT!} Poles spend about 5% {got that?} of their budget eating out!!! In comparison, the average American family spends 37%!!! Seriously. Knock it off!

GERMANY: {again, one I can't encourage enough...} EAT BREAKFAST!!! 75% of Germans eat breakfast DAILY. Yeah, just 44% of American claim the same! What are they eating? Fruit, Whole-grain cereals and breads.

NETHERLANDS: These people know how to get around... on a bike that is!! BIKES outnumber people! 54% of Dutch use their bikes DAILY!! The average Dutchman pedals 541 miles per year! AND they also consume about 85 MILLION herring per year!!! Herring is one of those oily fishes that has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids.

SWITZERLAND: Muesli: porridge made from oats, fruit and nuts. The Swiss eat it for breakfast or evening dish. Loads of fiber and those ingredients are all linked to better health and weight control.

RUSSIA: Grow your own fruits & veggies! Eat them. Can them. They're SO good for you!

MALAYSIA: Curry. {oh, I LOVE curry} Studies with mice have shown that the ingredients in curry gained less weight. But besides that, curry just rocks!

HUNGARY: Pickled things {cucumbers, bell peppers, cabbage, tomatoes...} can help reduce blood pressure, blood sugar levels and the formation of fat!

NORWAY: I think I need to move to Norway; I'd fit right in!! EVERYONE {no matter the season} goes on a hike on Sunday, well practically everyone! They go walking, hiking, cross country skiing... GREAT; sign me up!

INDIA: Yoga. Yoga is awesome! I love yoga! It is great for stress, flexibility & it facilitates weight loss too!

JAPAN: Apparently everyone in Japan takes a 20-30 minute nap every day! Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of weight gain. Who knew?!

FINLAND: Nordic walking. {Okay Norway, I may have to choose Finland instead... sorry}. Basically it's hiking with poles or sticks any time of year. Because you're using poles you are burning more calories too. Plus your OUTSIDE getting loads of fresh air. I'm convinced!!

MEXICO: My husband has been telling me this for YEARS!! 1. Eat breakfast. 2. Eat a BIG lunch {between 2-4}. 3. Eat a SMALL dinner. Well, here it is in writing. Here's the thought. You eat the majority of your calories between 2-4 and you burn them off during the day. Eat a small dinner and you'll be hungry in the morning and actually eat breakfast every day. Makes a lot of sense!

So. There you have it. Tips from around the world! Thank you Joe Kita for this article. I loved it!

BMR

I just found THEE most AWESOME website!! I am ELATED, EXCITED, ECSTATIC even!!! Check THIS out! Ever heard of your BMR? It stands for Basal Metabolic Rate, it's the number of calories needed to sustain life. So basically, it's the number of calories you would burn if you never even got out of bed during the day.

WHY is this so cool?!! Because if you can calculate your BMR {which I am going to show you HOW} you can calculate how many calories you should make sure to INTAKE on a daily basis so that you can BURN or GAIN weight! {Like the "BURN weight" jargon? I like it better than "LOSE weight", but that's just me}

So the article I linked above is seriously CHUCK FULL of info. It's got EVERYTHING you need to know about BMR's and what to do with that number!! It's just AWESOME!! But the jist of it is this:

*Figure your BMR. Click HERE {or use the link above} All you need to do is enter your height, weight, age and gender and the calculator will do the rest.
*Figure your CALORIC NEEDS. Are you trying to burn, maintain or gain weight? The link above will tell you how to do this.
*Adjust your caloric intake &/or your activity level according to your goal. If you're wanting to burn weight then you'd best be increasing your activity level and decreasing your caloric intake!

What I LOVE though and a MUST read is the part about adjusting PROPERLY!!! We don't want anybody going crazy!!! Adjust your caloric intake gradually.

I just think this is so GREAT! How COOL is it that we have tools like this available?!!

Ice or Heat?

I have been thinking more on the heat/ice debate. Ice seems to be the answer {even though heat sounds more appealing}. Ice should be used after a good hard workout; your muscles are strained, they've been worked hard. Ice makes your blood vessels smaller which reduced swelling. Heat does the opposite!

I found THIS little article that I found super helpful. A couple points they made are:

*Applying heat to a muscle strain within the first 24 hours will actually increase swelling and pain!!
*Ice for 20 minutes! {This is what we did with my man's back last week and it worked WONDERS!!}

So though a good long soak in a hot tub sounds like HEAVEN; it's best if you hold off for a day!

Preventing Injury

I have been lucky in that I haven't EVER really injured myself {KNOCK ON WOOD}. I listen to my body. I rest when I need to and push hard when I need to. This week I worked my legs HARD {thank you Jillian Michaels, it ROCKED}. Well the next day it didn't rock so much; I was pretty sore. That same day my husband pretty much spent the entire day shoveling HEAVY snow. He got us dug out and while he was at work he had to shovel TWICE! We were DUMPED on! He hurt his back in the process; we were quite the pair!!

So I set to work to fix us both up but lo and behold I had NOTHING for us!! No ice packs; only one bag of frozen veggies {don't judge, we haven't been to the store for awhile} and nothing else that would work! No IcyHot. No ICE even!! Thank goodness for my in-laws who let us borrow an ice pack and some BIOFREEZE & my sister gave each of us a rice pack for Christmas. They saved the day!!

This little ordeal has added quite a few things to our shopping list!! And it's got me thinking about how to prevent a real INJURY!

What I already knew:
*Get yourself a good pair of shoes! Speaking of which, I am DESPERATELY in need of a new pair; I am LONG overdue! Though I hate that they still look so great, but that doesn't matter. You should replace your shoes somewhere between 350-550 miles, depending on your running style, body weight, and running surface.
*REST!! Your body needs recovery time!!! I NEVER run two days in a row {if I can help it}. Same goes for strength training {even abs}, your muscles need time to repair and recover between workouts. I really can't stress this one enough!
*Stretch!!! I really make a point to warm up, stretch, workout, cool down and stretch again. That last stretch I like to be a good one too! You're less likely to be sore and you'd definitely prevent injury by simply stretching after each workout!
*Drink A LOT of water! Without adequate water intake your muscles will be more tired and more likely to be pulled or strained.

Healthy Ashley did a post on the subject that is GREAT! Check it out! She has some other great tips too! What do YOU do to prevent injury? Seriously... I'd love to know!

Body Language

My husband and I were talking yesterday about health, diet and exercise mostly. We decided that a book should be written {we would call it BODY LANGUAGE} about listening to your body and following what it's telling you. When you make good choices your body feels good. When you feed it garbage and never take out the trash {aka exercise} it doesn't function properly. So take care of yourself!

Everyone wants to know how to lose weight. They'll try ANY drink, shot or other new fad but they WON'T stick to what is a guaranteed formula... EAT LESS, EXERCISE MORE!!! I understand that there are circumstances where due to other health issues that isn't the case BUT for most of us, that IS the answer!!! Is is EASY? HECK NO! Is it FAST? DOUBLE HECK NO!! But it IS the way to take it off and keep it off; you have to change your entire lifestyle.

EAT LESS & EAT RIGHT. I am just like everyone else; I love to eat. Sometimes I over eat. Which I think is OK every once in awhile. I'm of the opinion that you SHOULD splurge sometimes {all things in moderation though, right?}. HERE are a few tips on eating better:

* Eat a variety of nutrient rich foods. Check out MY PYRAMID {there is a link on the side bar} to find out exactly what portions you should be eating {it really is great. They calculate your age, weight, height & activity level to determine what portions your body needs. TRY IT, you'll love it too}
* Eat WHOLE grains, FRUITS & VEGGIES. They are SO good for you!!!
* Watch your portions. It's amazing the misconception that people have as to what a portion of something is. Check into it; you'll be surprised!
* Eat regular meals. Don't you dare skip breakfast!!! It has been proven that those who eat breakfast lose weight easier, and have better health in general!!
* Know your weaknesses. Keep track of what you eat so you can see first hand where your mistakes are. Then fix them!
* Change gradually. You're more likely to succeed that way!
* There are no GOOD VS BAD food {see Intuitive Eating for more info}. Just be sure that your diet is BALANCED!!!

EXERCISE MORE. This is where I think most people give up. They don't see the results they want as fast and they want so they quit exercising all together. Exercise isn't something you do just to lost weight; you should do it continually for good health! You don't have to go out there and run a marathon either, just GET OFF YOUR BUTT and do SOMETHING! Here are a few ways to be more active:

* Get a pedometer. It's recommended that you take 10,000 steps a day.
* Yardwork and housework. Mowing the lawn, gardening, laundry, sweeping/mopping/vaccuming...
* Walk or ride your bike. Park farther away from work or the store and WALK
* Use stairs instead of the escalator
* Find others who walk/run/hike {whatever YOU want to do} and join them
* Take dance lessons
* Play with your kids
{this list is HUGE, find your own ways to be more active, every little bit counts!}

I don't focus on numbers and I don't like to throw my personal numbers out there but I think it applies here. Today I weigh 123 {which for my 5' 3.5" height is a good weight, it may not be for you; that's a whole post in itself}. It has taken 8 months to lose 16 pounds {remember I had a baby nearly 1 year ago?}. This isn't something that happens in 30-90 days! It takes a LONG time to see lasting results. Even after that "goal weight" is reached, the journey doesn't end there. Stay active to stay HEALTHY!

Hill Climbs

This morning I drove up to run the 5K course I will be racing in on the 13th. It's been a VERY long time since I've ran hills. So I wanted to run the course a few times before the actual race. I am SO glad I did! First of all, I will know where I can push myself harder. But it felt AWESOME!!! It's a beautiful run. The first and last parts are through neighborhoods and along the college campus. But the middle is along a ridge with nothing but rolling hills of newly planted fields, it's BEAUTIFUL!

But I got thinking about hills and whether there are any tricks to running. Whether it be for increasing speed, decreasing risk of injury, or whatever. So I got looking and these are some of the things I've found. These first tips are from Cool Running. {Click the link for the full article}

* Running hills builds the muscles around the knee... therefore it helps PREVENT knee injuries!

* The muscles used to run hills become stronger and help increase PERFORMACE on the flats.

* Helps increase the frequency and length of stride... so you run FASTER!

* You should STRETCH, especially your calf muscles as Achilles tendon when doing hill workouts

* NEGOTIATE the hills so that your rhythm remains the same

* Relax your upper body and let your legs do the work

* For gradual inclines, try to run a bit HARDER than you had been running on the flat before the hill.

* On the steeper inclines, concentrate on LIFTING your knees and pushing off hard with every step.

* Raise your knees; the steeper the hill, the more you need to raise your knees.

* Be careful on the downhill! Lean INTO them and use short quick strides.

RUNNERS WORLD has an AWESOME article that you MUST read {again, click link}! But here are a few highlights:

* Keep your head UP! Otherwise you're wasting energy and messing with your form.

* LOOSE hands help keep your whole body loose; so LOSE the fists!

* Pushing off and UP helps you feel light; don't push INTO the hill!

* Lean FORWARD; keep your momentum up

* UP & OVER; imagine the top of the hill 20 meters PAST where it actually is.

* BIG arm motions. Overuse your arms to really POWER UP

* On the downhill make sure your feet are landing UNDERNEATH you to reduce shock

It makes me think of the little train that could. "I think I can, I think I can" Right?!

The President's Challenge

I've been working on The President's Challenge. It's a simple program that is geared toward encouraging active lifestyles. You can choose what level you want depending on your current activity level. For beginners {those who are active less than 30 minutes a day, 5x a week} the goal is simple: GET OFF YOUR BUTT!!! Ok, so THEY don't use those words... they say to set & MEET an activity goal of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks {you get 8 weeks to complete the program}.

For those who are already ACTIVE there are more difficult programs for you. You log your fitness activities and earn point values depending on the amount of energy expended. There is a daily cap of 750 points. You earn the BRONZE award at 20,000 points. From there you can continue to work toward the SILVER or GOLD awards. {You actually get something too, not sure what it IS but I'm sure that it's PRETTY COOL... yes there was a tiny bit of sarcasm there, sorry that's how I am} Seriously though, you get a certificates or you can purchase medalions, pins, t-shirts... that's pretty cool right?!

Then there is ANOTHER program for those who are even more INTENSE and COMPETITIVE!!!

You can create groups and WORK TOGETHER with FRIENDS or FAMILY!!!! {Can you tell I LOVE that idea?} Check it out. Sign up between MAY 1 - JULY 24!!! GET ACTIVE!!!

H20

We have ALL heard that it's important to drink LOTS of water {eight 8oz glasses MINIMUM to be specific}! Well I thought I'd go do some research to find just how important it is!! I found this article by Zach Van Hart on SparkPeople that had these points {check out the link for the article itself}:

* Water makes up 50%-60% of our bodies, it regulates body temperature, helps our breathing, transports nutrients, carries away waste and helps our muscles function!!

* Water is one of the most neglected parts of our diet. Some of us possibly go an entire day at times without one glass! Every part of your body is dependent on and comprised of water, and the most important parts need even more. Your brain is made up of 75% water, your blood 82% and your lungs nearly 90%.

* Water also helps to reduce weight. The more hydrated you are, the quicker your metabolism works. When you are dehydrated – even before you start becoming thirsty – your liver has to help the kidneys function and can’t metabolize fat as quickly. Your metabolism slows down, causing some unwanted fat to remain.

* If your body is used to not getting water, it actually stores more in ankles, hips and thighs. In other words, it doesn’t trust you to keep bringing water, so it keeps what it can get, like a thirsty cactus. Once it realizes the water will keep coming, your body will get rid of the stores and you’ll lose weight

* If you’re suffering from cravings or having trouble controlling hunger, drinking water is a quick, healthy way to feel full. Drink a glass when you normally snack, and have one before your meal and right before going out.

* Staying hydrated is not restricted to drinking water; milk, juice and other liquids – even some fruits and vegetables – are good sources of water. But avoid caffeinated beverages (coffee, soda), as they actually cause you to lose fluids and become dehydrated.

*Here are just a few ways to get more water every day:

• Find the water bottles with pop tops. They’re easier to carry around and use than twist off caps.
• Keep a water bottle in the car.
• Take a water break instead of a smoke break at work.
• Set a rule with your water glass: once it’s empty, it gets filled back up right away.
• Drink orange juice or eat fruit in the morning.
• Get two water bottles, one for work and one for home. Fill up one every day when you leave to go home, and fill up the other before you go to bed each night.
• Order water at restaurants instead of soda. Even if you have something else to drink, have water too.
• Weekends are the toughest, so be aware of your water and fluid intake throughout Saturday and Sunday. Keep more than one water bottle in the fridge so you always have a cold one.
• Follow the example of a SparkPeople member: this woman put a water glass on her windowsill with 8 pennies on one side. Each time she filled up her glass and drank it, she moved a penny to the other side, until all the pennies were moved. Great reminder system!

SparkPeople

I REALLY wanted to give this website a try before I felt like it was post worthy {good or bad}. So I first heard about SparkPeople awhile ago but didn't really give it a shot until recently. And technically I shouldn't use Spark People because I am still nursing. It sent me to a different website BabyFit; which I didn't love. So, like most things concerning fitness & diet while nursing, I am doing what is best for me under the circumstances. So PLEASE keep in mind that I am not taking full advantage of EVERYTHING on there yet; but I will.

SparkPeople is a site for all your health & fitness needs. You track your strength training & cardio, your daily nutrition intake; both of which can be completely customized to track specific things that you NEED to focus on. It is about making LIFESTYLE changes; which is what I am ALL about!

I have read through their SparkDiet Overview and I am completely satisfied with the way they have it set up. I HATE DIETS!! {If I'm completely honest, I've never been on one... and NEVER will}. Diets DON'T WORK! But monitoring what goes in my body is just another thing I need to do to TAKE CARE of myself. But because I hate the four-letter D word so bad I am going to use NUTRITION instead. Cool?!

You can follow their laid out NUTRITION &/or EXERCISE plans OR you can customize your own. You set small goals that you can accomplish and then you set higher goals! It's all about making HABITS and CHANGING your LIFESTYLE!

It's a BEAUTIFUL thing to take care of yourself and be able to ENJOY life at its fullest!

Get in the ZONE!

My Mother-in-law got me way EXCITED to read a book by Robin McGraw called "What's Age Got to do With It?". I can't wait to read it.

So she talks a little bit about your optimum workout zone. On ourP90X workouts {which were put on hold the last few days this week due to being sick, UGH... still; but that's another post} Tony Horton is ALWAYS reminding us to check our heart rate monitors {which we don't have} to make sure we're in the zone. And I vaguely remember hearing about the ZONE before; so I did a little searching and here's the scoop.

In Robins book she gives perfect instructions to find YOUR zone. I'll try to sum-up. But you'll probably just want to get the book anyway cause it sounds AWESOME! Anyway.... here's what you do:

1. Get your RESTING HEART RATE. Do this before even getting out of bed. Either use a heart rate monitor {suggested} or find your pulse, count for 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to get your beats per minute. The second method isn't as accurate but will work.
2. Figure your MAXIMUM HEART RATE. Take the number 220 - your age = your maximum heart rate. EX: 220-28=192
3. Subtract resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate. This equals your HEART RATE RESERVE (HRR)
4. Multiply your HRR times the percent that you want to train at {between 60-85% is the BURN-THE-MOST-OVERALL-FAT-AND-CALORIES ZONE} Add that back your resting heart rate.
   
5. THAT, my friends, is your optimum workout heart rate.
   

Let me know if that's confusing. I should put mine on there as an example but I didn't do my resting heart rate. Maybe I'll come back and edit it tomorrow. You can also go to Healthy Forms for a simple calculator. Just put in your age, resting heart rate and fitness activity level.

It really is COUNTERPRODUCTIVE {at least for fat burning} to work over that 85%. Another way to gauge if you're in the ZONE is try to have a conversation. If you're too winded to talk, you're working too hard. Simple right?

FOR BEST RESULTS when working out you need to keep your heart rate up in that zone for AT LEAST 20-30 continuous minutes!!!

Got Support?

Having a good SUPPORT system is necessary. And maybe I'll do a blog on that sometime. But the support I'm talkin about is right HERE: I was at my turbo-jam-kick-my-butt session on Tuesday and apparently I've got too much movement goin on! And that is something I DO NOT want; bouncy boobs lead to saggy boobs and I'm not down with THAT! Now typically I am not blessed with a nice rack; I'm pretty flat. But I am nursing. So.... I'm a bit more endowed! I was wondering why the HECK I was sore there; well now I know. I probably should have realized the cause but, yeah... I don't know! So I'm doublin up. Tried it today and I think it worked... for now

So I got looking up stuff about sports bras, the effects of the lack thereof and how to get the right fit. Here's what I've got. Go HERE, HERE to read the full articles.

*Sports bras reduce PAIN & VERTICAL MOVEMENT by 50% {than not wearing one at all}

*The breast DOES NOT have structural support, stretches easy and leading to sagging, even if your SMALL!

*You should NOT need to wear TWO!! {I realize I need to get one that will work all by itself but two is going to have to do the job until I find one that will work well enough. I figure that's better than wearing only one that isn't doing the job!}

*Your sports bra should fit SNUGLY under your breasts but should NOT be too tight. Make sure your breasts fit ENTIRELY inside {not the time to show off that voluptuous cleavage}! Shoulder straps should not DIG into your shoulders.

Go to RUNNERS WORLD for some awesome little articles on how to get the right sports bra for you & your workouts.

Turbo Jam

I did it. I got up at 5:45 and went to this workout group. WOAH!! Now that I've been home for almost an hour, showered and feel more like a woman than a sweat drenched monkey I can say that I really enjoyed it! It was a great workout, HARD but GREAT! I got a neighbor to go with me so we're going to rotate driving T/Th; that way we can keep each other going! I would be STUPID to pass this up!

This woman is TOO cute. She is petite, in perfect shape, ENERGETIC, fun and motivating. I have to admit that I felt awkward and big BUT I did just have baby #4 just 5 months ago. So I am not going to entertain that kind of thinking. AND the more I go & learn the routines I won't be so awkward NOR as big!! And THAT, my friends, is something to be EXCITED about!

Some workout tips that she gave us are:

*SHOES. Always wear good workout shoes when exercising. NEVER wear outside {which means I have to have a SEPARATE pair of shoes for running!}.

*ATTIRE. Wear layers. You want to keep your body warm before you stat, then remove according as workout progresses.

*FOOD. Eat AT LEAST 20 minutes before your workout. Preferably something with protein and carbs for long lasting energy. Eat right after your workout - protein- as your body needs it to repair itself.

*H2O. ALWAYS drink water before, during and after your workout.

*CALORIC INTAKE. If you want to LOSE weight, make sure to eat less calories than you burn. NEVER justify eating more just because you worked out! If you want to MAINTAIN your weight, eat about the same amount of calories as you burn. If you want to GAIN weight, still workout but just eat more HEALTHY calories.

*EXERCISE. No matter what you're doing, make sure you change it up as often as possible. It will help prevent the PLATEAU. Workout the same time everyday, you're more likely to stick with it. Make it FUN! Get a buddy to workout with you. Workout at least 6 days a week for a MINIMUM of 30 minutes for the REST OF YOUR LIFE!!

*SLEEP. Make sure to get adequate sleep every night!