I decided to move my blog to wordpress. I want to make the blog a bit more lively and interactive and wordpress offers a better platform for it (and the new blog url has “anus” in it, you know it’s quality stuff!. It’s easier to follow, comment, troll; now you won’t have to get tumblr if you want to tell me that the blog sucks. (You’re welcome). Hope to see you all on the other side!
Picked up this workout last night, tested it today. Even though it’s level one, I definitely felt it. Coming off Body Rev, some of it seemed rather easy. Some moves I’m not sure I’m doing right, or just not clear on where exactly I should be feeling it. Maybe the next time around I’ll nail those too. There are four circuits, the last one being the hardest for me. That one is the most ab intensive, really hammering upper and lower abs. It goes from tornados (you lift your legs up and move them around in a circle without them touching the ground) to unsteady table to plank holds with a twist. It’s painful, I was struggling a little towards the end, especially with my breathing. I definitely prefer this to her 6 week 6 pack DVD. This is a little lower impact, less cardio, more focus on the core and abs. Worked out perfectly since I’m still recovering from overtraining, so smaller stress on my legs was definitely a good thing. I will tackle lever 2 and 3 sometime next week. My abs are cringing already.
I’ve heard rumors of her return before, glad that they were indeed true. I’m really happy that she’s coming back and also that the show is finally tackling yet another epidemic. I am very curious to see how it will work out, how receptive the audience will be to this new spin and how delicate the BL will be with the kids. From what she explained, they will be very careful with how they address them, the challenges, no weigh ins for them and the goals will be different. I’m very much looking forward to this new season. My hope is that it will resonate well enough with the viewers that they will eventually have a season that’s teens only. I know many have been inspired by the show, this could be a good way for the younger, obese generation to have people their age they can relate to and set an example. Good move, NBC. Maybe you finally got something right?
I know it’s not easy to find good things when you’re on the go, or at work and all you need is a little bite to keep going. It’s so easy to reach for the candy, that bag of chips or a greasy quick fix. There are a variety of healthier alternatives that will fuel your body much better. Some of my favorites:
Dig in:)
Vacations are supposed to be fun, right? Relax, enjoy the time off and let go. Some take this last part a little too much to heart. It’s OK to indulge, you want to have a good time and not worry about numbers or nutrition for a week or so. “Oh I’ll just start a diet when i get back.” Sounds familiar? And how long those supposed diets last? A day, maybe two. A week? That’s pushing it.
I’d be lying if I said I’m a goodie goodie on vacation, that I am meticulously counting and monitoring everything that goes into my body, tracing my calories and go to the gym religiously, but I do try to be aware of my nutrition. While I like to move, I do enjoy some rest. I want you to have fun, it’s totally fine to try the local flavors or dig in to mom’s delicious home cooked holiday meals, but be smart about it. Have smaller portions, try to eat the heavier, fatty foods during the day, giving your body enough time to digest most of it. Try to find some kind of an exercise , if you have it in you hit the gym or pop in a DVD. I’m only asking for 30 minutes of your time. If there’s a pool, do a couple of laps, go for a hike or just simply walk as much as you can. Try and stay active. Think about being the one who doesn’t have to unbutton their pants after dinner. Don’t overthink and obsess over every meal, but be good to your body. Trust me, it will thank you for it and you will just feel that much better.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they fall into a routine and stick to the same workouts. While effective in the beginning, eventually the body gets used to them and no longer finds them challenging. You want to constantly shock your body, get your heart rate going and burn fat. Even if you only have 30 minutes (that’s the least amount of time you should spend at it. Anything less is not really worth your time, you’ll barely get your metabolism going), you want to make the most of it.
Don’t get too hung up on numbers. While you want to maximize your calorie burn, it is also about the power of your workout. Inevitably you will burn more doing cardio than you will in a more strength/circuit style class or workout but you will also build more muscle in the latter which is crucial to your weight loss, since muscle burns twice as much fat.
You want to have at least two cardio and 3 to 4 strength/circuit workouts per week. I know it’s not always easy to make it part of your everyday life, but if you want it bad enough, you’ll make time. I’m not trying to sound like an asshole, it is the truth. Cardio will help you get the fat off but will not help you tighten up and get all those definitions we all all love. With cardio, try to work at 75-80% of your max heart rate. You can get that number by subtracting your age from 220 to get your maximum heart rate, then just do the math from there. Most cardio machines have sensor. While they are not completely accurate (they tend to show a lower value), they will give you a rough estimate.
You also want to up the ante. If you lifed 15lbs, the next time, or next rep if you’re doing circuits, go for 20. Also once you get heavier weights, decrease the number of reps so you don’t destroy your muscle. Say if you did 15 chest flies with a bridge on a body ball using 15 lbs weights, when you go to 25 lbs, only do 10 or 12. You want it to feel like work, you want to come out of that gym sweating with our legs turning to jello. Don’t overdo it though. If it really hurts, stop. No point in getting injured.
Don’t forget to fuel your body. Make sure you eat something no sooner than an hour but no later than 30-45 minutes before and no sooner than 30 minutes after a workout. For your pre-workout meal try to make sure you get both carbs and protein; for post workout try to make it mostly animal protein to help your body patch up the damage (normal muscle tear) caused by the workout. If I’m on the go, I usually have a protein bar with me for that very purpose. Stay clear from high calorie, high sugar ones. My personal favorites are Think thin and Power crunch. They both have 5 to 0g of sugar. Think Think tends to be a little higher in calories, but they do have reasonable numbers. Now that you know all that, what are you waiting for? Hit the deck!
So I was only going to keep this going til I worked my way through Body Rev, but I actually really enjoyed maintaining it and decided to continue. But I would like to make it a lot more interactive. I will still blog, maybe not daily, but will post workouts, tips, random musings, fun facts, but I also want your input. I would like to invite you to ask questions, post things you’d like to hear me talk about more, and I’ll do my best to keep things interesting. I know not some of you don’t have tumblr, you can always post on my FB page or comment on the blogfeed post. I’m looking forward to your questions, hope I have the answers:)
I know it’s supposed to be 90 days, but I skipped the kickstart week and dover right into it. I’m not going to lie, when I saw this, my eyes watered a little…maybe a lot…nah, just a little.
What a crazy three months it has been. I learned so much and got so much stronger both physically and mentally. I met so many wonderful people through events, and also started working for someone that I can turn to for help when stuck. The first big thing is commitment. I made a promise to myself to see through this program and did just that. It had absolute priority and made sure I got to the DVDs every day. I often have trouble starting something but not finishing. Oddly enough with the gym or workouts it’s rarely the case. Even when I’m tired I just do it. I started to apply this to my writing as well. I made a commitment to write something every day, I devised a way to track it that, in turn made me stick to it. I guess it’s all about accountability for me, and goal setting. I realized that I’m a lot more likely to get busy if I’m working toward something tangible. I never gave myself enough credit, thought that I was just dicking around, but I came to realized what discipline I have. I had friends who wanted to get healthy, would tag along for a class or two but never really lasted, got lazy or other things took priority.
I discovered my own strength, I started doing things I never thought I would, my mental strength and confidence went through a complete 360 change. I had a really hard time with body dysmorphia. I saw myself differently in my head, I still saw myself as the fat kid even though I really wasn’t anymore. Taking the pictures every Sunday was pivotal in helping me snap out of it. I was now able too the changes, notice the definitions, the shrinking, it was impossible to deny that I am no longer chunky. My mindset changed. I went from “ugh I’m huge!’ to “oh wow, is that 1/6th of my 6pack?”. I wore a dress on multiple occasions and did not feel self conscious, I started dressing differently, trading in my baggy clothes from the early 1900s to more shape flattering, body hugging pieces. At some point I even voluntarily went shopping with Jacob and picked out a dress al by myself that I liked, and almost bought another. This may be trivial to most women but for me it’s huge.
This journey also introduced me to so many wonderful people. I met Ali vincent and started attending the events she organized in LA, met and kept in touch with people from that group, after almost 8 months I moved from way back to the front and middle in my Zumba class, and was welcomed in that family (sounds like a mob story). I kept taking more and more challenging classes, keeping track of my progress, getting inspired by fellow classmates and teachers, finding the ones that really work for me and motivate me through those 60 minutes of pure hell. These people are all, in part, responsible for my decision to become a personal trainer. Thanks to Jacob I also got a job working for a trainer who is really mentoring me. We make a great team, and while it’s not always easy, I’m really enjoying this journey. Just like the classes, my work constantly challenges me and pushes my limits. Certainly keeps it interesting.
I started this blog mostly as a tool for myself to keep track, but it became so much more. I kept getting really positive feedback, people wrote to me saying I got them to go back to the gym, I motivated them to work harder or to change their lives. I cannot even express how wonderful all those messages felt. It’s very humbling and it’s exactly the reason why I want to get certified. I want to help those who want to change, want to get healthier, feel better about themselves and just be the best they can possibly be. Countless friends message me every day, asking for dietary advice, workout routines or just a dose of motivation. I absolutely love it! Thank you all.
What makes me the happiest of all is the change I see in my family. It started with my sister, she would start moving more, watch what she eats a little closer, switch to healthier alternatives. Next up: mom. She went on a diet after she saw me in April. I wasn’t crazy about the one she picked since I’m not a fan of anything that deprives you of a crucial nutrient group, but she did start losing weight and considered going back to the gym, even hiring a trainer, til I discreetly pointed out that she is talking to one. So we agreed to train over skype once it gets cold. In the meantime my sis and her go swimming every weekday for a half hour or so. Love it! MY dad was by far the toughest to “convert”. For the most part it has to come from him. You can’t always tell him he needs to change up a few things because he is way unhealthy, even if he listens he hides it well and just blocks your attempts. So when this past Sunday he told me he started going to work half hour early to work out I was over the moon. He described his routine to me and sad he could use a few extra exercise suggestions, since he keeps doing the same things over and over again. Thus he became my first ever “client” I designed a full 5 day workout plan for.
I’m damn proud of myself. Proud for sticking with this, proud of everything I achieved, of what I learned, people I influenced and the changes I went through. What started as a simple weight loss program turned into somewhat of an awakening. While I’m not ready for a do over anytime soon, I fully intend to continue the growth it started me on.
“You know when transformation happens? Right now. It’s a present activity. Who is the new you? Show me the new you.” /J.M./
