So I didn't lose any weight this week (actually gained a pound), but the pictures of before I started lifting weights and now look more toned and slim. I'm hoping that at this point my body is getting used to weightlifting and that I will start dropping pounds again. I have decided to shock my body even more for about a week and a half and cut carbs way back and start the day with a protein shake courtesy of my fitness guide, Andrea, who has been super awesome in keeping me motivated and helping my mindset stay straight.
Tonight was the first time that I have looked in the mirror while working out that I didn't think I looked like a big old tub of lard, and that felt GREAT! So that is the reason I'm taking everything to another level to try and shock my body out of this stagnancy.
We will see how the protein shake goes starting tomorrow morning. I've also made 1 of my 2 snacks a day solely a V8 so I can get more veggies. In addition, I'm drinking AT LEAST a gallon of water a day. I've also amped up my cardio another 5-10 minutes. I'm really hoping that all these things, in addition to the extra change I've made in my workout routine, will help me get past this plateau. Wish me luck! I'll keep you all updated!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
New Recipe: Chicken Pasta Toss
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR 3 cans of premium chicken
1 small onion
1-28oz can Crushed tomatoes
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
6oz Fresh baby spinach leaves
1 box whole grain pasta (rotini or shells work best)
Seasonings of your choice
Italian dressing
Cook pasta until tender.
If using fresh chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces and cook with onion and Italian dressing until no longer pink in the middle in a large saucepan.
If using canned chicken cook with onion and Italian dressing until onion is tender in a large saucepan.
Add crushed tomatoes, cream of chicken soup, and seasonings, and mix well.
Drain pasta and return to big pot.
Pour chicken mixture over pasta and gently stir in spinach leaves.
Enjoy!!
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR 3 cans of premium chicken
1 small onion
1-28oz can Crushed tomatoes
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
6oz Fresh baby spinach leaves
1 box whole grain pasta (rotini or shells work best)
Seasonings of your choice
Italian dressing
Cook pasta until tender.
If using fresh chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces and cook with onion and Italian dressing until no longer pink in the middle in a large saucepan.
If using canned chicken cook with onion and Italian dressing until onion is tender in a large saucepan.
Add crushed tomatoes, cream of chicken soup, and seasonings, and mix well.
Drain pasta and return to big pot.
Pour chicken mixture over pasta and gently stir in spinach leaves.
Enjoy!!
Confused Success...
Success can be measured in many different ways. Personally, I want to see the number on the scale go down. Unfortunately, this week I was back up .4 pounds and I am currently at 181 pounds. To me, this is a bit of a disappointment because I have been eating well and exercising 5-6 days a week. I am trying to convince myself that I'm gaining muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat, and that the number will start dropping again soon, but this is hard. I guess you could consider this my first plataeu, and let me tell you, it is not fun. I have decided to work out even harder, changing up my routines and forcing myself to push through the barriers in my mind.
The positive side of where I am now, is that my fiance and my best friend both say that they can tell a difference in the way I look. I'm not entirely convinced of this, but I like to believe that they wouldn't just tell me that to make me feel better. I can see a slight difference in my torso and possibly in my legs, but the proof is in the pants. I can go up a belt hole! A couple of months ago I was FORCING to get in the 4th hole, and now I can easily get in the 3rd! So I would say that is a mini-success in itself. Trying to stay positive is a difficult thing when there are so many negative things around you, but try and keep your chin up. I have to follow my own advice here as well.
I think it is important to reward yourself for reaching goals and for working hard, and I don't mean with food. It is counter-productive to reward yourself for reaching the next 5 pound mark with an icecream sundae or french fries. Rewarding yourself should put you closer to your next goal. For instance, I was going to wait until I hit the 20 pound mark to reward myself with some new workout clothes, but since I'm at a plateau, I decided to reward myself for being at the 16 pound mark. Hopefully it will push me to reach the 20 pound mark, so I ordered myself a new pair of workout shorts, and a new pair of workout capris.
I'm really trying to get to that 20 pound mark, but I also must remember that I am working my hardest and to take joy in the successes that I HAVE had rather than focusing on what I HAVEN'T attained yet. Key word is YET. I will get there. I will get to my goal weight. Hopefully sooner than later, but I will get there. You can too. Set your goal and work for it. Work past barriers and plateaus. You can do it, just stay focused and try not to get discouraged and WHATEVER you do, DON'T GIVE UP!!
The positive side of where I am now, is that my fiance and my best friend both say that they can tell a difference in the way I look. I'm not entirely convinced of this, but I like to believe that they wouldn't just tell me that to make me feel better. I can see a slight difference in my torso and possibly in my legs, but the proof is in the pants. I can go up a belt hole! A couple of months ago I was FORCING to get in the 4th hole, and now I can easily get in the 3rd! So I would say that is a mini-success in itself. Trying to stay positive is a difficult thing when there are so many negative things around you, but try and keep your chin up. I have to follow my own advice here as well.
I think it is important to reward yourself for reaching goals and for working hard, and I don't mean with food. It is counter-productive to reward yourself for reaching the next 5 pound mark with an icecream sundae or french fries. Rewarding yourself should put you closer to your next goal. For instance, I was going to wait until I hit the 20 pound mark to reward myself with some new workout clothes, but since I'm at a plateau, I decided to reward myself for being at the 16 pound mark. Hopefully it will push me to reach the 20 pound mark, so I ordered myself a new pair of workout shorts, and a new pair of workout capris.
I'm really trying to get to that 20 pound mark, but I also must remember that I am working my hardest and to take joy in the successes that I HAVE had rather than focusing on what I HAVEN'T attained yet. Key word is YET. I will get there. I will get to my goal weight. Hopefully sooner than later, but I will get there. You can too. Set your goal and work for it. Work past barriers and plateaus. You can do it, just stay focused and try not to get discouraged and WHATEVER you do, DON'T GIVE UP!!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Success!!
The Italian Beef Soup was a success!! And there's plenty left over for lunch tomorrow :) Here's the recipe with some of my own tweaks:
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground sirloin
2 cans diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
1/2 cup frozen okra
1/2 cup frozen green beans
1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
1 cup dry whole wheat rotini, uncooked
2 cubes chicken boullion
1 and 1/2 cups water
onion powder
garlic powder
chili powder
italian dressing
Worchestershire sauce
Brown hamburger. In a large pot combine all ingredients down to seasonings. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder to taste. Add about a half cup of Italian dressing and about 2 tablespoons Wochestershire sauce. Let boil until pasta is cooked thoroughly.
Enjoy!!
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground sirloin
2 cans diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
1/2 cup frozen okra
1/2 cup frozen green beans
1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
1 cup dry whole wheat rotini, uncooked
2 cubes chicken boullion
1 and 1/2 cups water
onion powder
garlic powder
chili powder
italian dressing
Worchestershire sauce
Brown hamburger. In a large pot combine all ingredients down to seasonings. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder to taste. Add about a half cup of Italian dressing and about 2 tablespoons Wochestershire sauce. Let boil until pasta is cooked thoroughly.
Enjoy!!
Crossing My Fingers!
Tomorrow is Weigh-In Day. I was going to wait until after I made the Italian Beef Stew to post a new blog, but I'm excited about tomorrow, so I just had to say a few things. First of all, tomorrow is my first chance at being back in the 170s. Last week I weighed in at 180.6 and I've been working EXTREMELY hard to lose another pound so I will officially be in the 170s. At that point, I am going to work my butt off even more so that I never get into the 180s again! I have already vowed never to see the 190s again, and thus far, I haven't even fluctuated up to that point. For that, I am proud.
Yesterday I started a new routine at the gym. Changed up my cardio and changed up each of the exercises I do for arms, core, and legs. I raised the intensity a bit, not to mention the weight. I have read, and found through experience, that interval training and circuits are a great way to get in shape. Keep the body guessing. My cardio routine is now 18 minutes at the beginning, and 15 minutes at the end. It is HARD, but I know it's good for me. I start out on an elliptical-type machine that has three different stride lengths, one very long, one shorter as though you are sprinting a short distance, and one that is like a stair-stepper. I do this machine for 10 minutes, changing my stride every 10th of a mile. Then I do the stationary bike for 5 minutes, pushing as hard as I can, and then I do a 3 minute run on the treadmill. It makes it easier not to quit when you're doing each exercise for a shorter amount of time. It's like, "Come on, it's only 3 more minutes. You can do anything for this short amount of time left!" It's like you can see the finish line as soon as you step on the machine.
The key is to really work HARD. I mean, don't just sit there and pedal "la-dee-da," you need to do WORK! It isn't supposed to be easy. That is the difference between a "workout" and an "easy out." You won't get anywhere taking the easy way out in any aspect of your life, so why take it for your body? God only gives you one body, and it is given to you with the expectation that you will take care of it, love it, nourish it. So get out there and do work! Break a sweat! Like I have said before, and I continue to live by this, at the end of my workout, I go into the locker room and look in the mirror and hope that my hard work is showing on my face. Red face, messed up hair, damp clothes, the works. You aren't there to look pretty. There are plenty of other places to go and look pretty. The gym is not one of them. Great results come from great effort, and only YOU can make yourself do the work. Get moving!
Yesterday I started a new routine at the gym. Changed up my cardio and changed up each of the exercises I do for arms, core, and legs. I raised the intensity a bit, not to mention the weight. I have read, and found through experience, that interval training and circuits are a great way to get in shape. Keep the body guessing. My cardio routine is now 18 minutes at the beginning, and 15 minutes at the end. It is HARD, but I know it's good for me. I start out on an elliptical-type machine that has three different stride lengths, one very long, one shorter as though you are sprinting a short distance, and one that is like a stair-stepper. I do this machine for 10 minutes, changing my stride every 10th of a mile. Then I do the stationary bike for 5 minutes, pushing as hard as I can, and then I do a 3 minute run on the treadmill. It makes it easier not to quit when you're doing each exercise for a shorter amount of time. It's like, "Come on, it's only 3 more minutes. You can do anything for this short amount of time left!" It's like you can see the finish line as soon as you step on the machine.
The key is to really work HARD. I mean, don't just sit there and pedal "la-dee-da," you need to do WORK! It isn't supposed to be easy. That is the difference between a "workout" and an "easy out." You won't get anywhere taking the easy way out in any aspect of your life, so why take it for your body? God only gives you one body, and it is given to you with the expectation that you will take care of it, love it, nourish it. So get out there and do work! Break a sweat! Like I have said before, and I continue to live by this, at the end of my workout, I go into the locker room and look in the mirror and hope that my hard work is showing on my face. Red face, messed up hair, damp clothes, the works. You aren't there to look pretty. There are plenty of other places to go and look pretty. The gym is not one of them. Great results come from great effort, and only YOU can make yourself do the work. Get moving!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Hello 2012!!
Sorry I haven't written recently! Hope everybody has had a great start to the new year! I just got engaged the day after Christmas and I've been super busy planning our wedding!!! Don't think I've forgotten about my weight loss goal, though, as now I have a deadline to meet, so I'm more dedicated than ever. Our date is set for October 6, 2012, so I have until then to lose 30 more pounds. However, I'd like to do it by May so that we can get some engagement photos done with my improved body! I have been trying to get to gym 3 times per week. Day 1 is Cardio and Arms, Day 2 is Cardio and Core, and Day 3 is Cardio and Legs. I also try and do an at-home workout 1-2 times per week in addition to that. This week was kind of crazy. I got my arms and core workouts in, but when I went to do the legs workout tonight, I got to the gym at like 7:30 and saw that it closed at 8. So that was no good. But I am dedicated and motivated, so I went over to the Wal-Mart right next door and picked up a couple of 8 pound weights and then found an at-home leg workout to do on Pinterest, which I tweaked to my liking. Let me tell you, it might be even more difficult than my leg workout at the gym!! So if you are looking for a really good leg workout, here it is:
75 Jumping Jacks (only do the first time to warm up all your muscles and get your heart pumping)
*Squats- 12 reps
*Stiff-Legged Deadlifts- 12 reps
*Walking Lunges- 12 each leg
Spartan Bow- 12 each leg
*Plie Squats- 12 reps
Step-Ups- 12 each leg
Scissor Lunges- 10 reps
First time through do all exercises with bodyweight only. Repeat 3 additional times with dumbbells for the starred exercises.
Squats are done with legs just a little wider than shoulder width. Make sure knees don't go over your toes!
Plie squats are with your toes pointed outward and your legs much wider apart, works your inner thighs really well.
Scissor lunges are my own term for doing a forward lunge with one leg and then jumping to switch legs and continue lunging.
For step-ups you will need some sort of bench, I used a step ladder, and I stepped directly onto the top step, which is about 2 feet high.
You can probably get on youtube to get a good video for most of these if you don't know what they are, especially the Spartan Bow, as they are really hard to explain.
Hope you find this helpful! It's one heck of a workout! My legs feel like jello right now!
75 Jumping Jacks (only do the first time to warm up all your muscles and get your heart pumping)
*Squats- 12 reps
*Stiff-Legged Deadlifts- 12 reps
*Walking Lunges- 12 each leg
Spartan Bow- 12 each leg
*Plie Squats- 12 reps
Step-Ups- 12 each leg
Scissor Lunges- 10 reps
First time through do all exercises with bodyweight only. Repeat 3 additional times with dumbbells for the starred exercises.
Squats are done with legs just a little wider than shoulder width. Make sure knees don't go over your toes!
Plie squats are with your toes pointed outward and your legs much wider apart, works your inner thighs really well.
Scissor lunges are my own term for doing a forward lunge with one leg and then jumping to switch legs and continue lunging.
For step-ups you will need some sort of bench, I used a step ladder, and I stepped directly onto the top step, which is about 2 feet high.
You can probably get on youtube to get a good video for most of these if you don't know what they are, especially the Spartan Bow, as they are really hard to explain.
Hope you find this helpful! It's one heck of a workout! My legs feel like jello right now!
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