Get fitter and healthier this summer!

Hello and Happy First Day of Summer!!!

Today was a successful and accomplished day!  I’m writing this between 2 baseball games so I’ll be quick!

Last weekend our family went camping for 2 days with my brother and his family.  When I say camping I mean 40 minutes away up a beautiful canyon sleeping in tent trailers and having my brother and his wife cook for us!  I love camping so much! (:  I did contribute the SMORES which I have to admit I went a little overboard!!  I really need to kick the habit of pigging out on the weekend.  This is the funniest thing!  One of my healthy challenge participants emailed me her weight loss success on her Garmin!!  It’s FANTASTIC!!

Now take a look at mine!

What the heck is wrong with me!?  That giant spike is 3 days!  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (:  I have to say though I don’t believe it’s all REAL weight, whatever that means, because when I get home I lose about a pound a day for a few days!  SOOOO my new goal for the rest of the year is… to only have 3 TREAT days a month!  I have officially murdered my New Year’s Goals so now that I’m half way through the year I’m only going to work on this ONE goal!  I think that was my problem, I had too many goals!  What I really want to work on is recording EVERYTHING in MY FITNESS PAL.  When I want to eat too much of everything, I don’t record it (:  I don’t think I could handle seeing 5000 calories on one day!  I have also been ULTRA diligent with my Jamie Eason weight workouts.  Haven’t missed a day in 3 weeks except for last Saturday when we were hiking!  And once again after a strict clean diet, weightlifting is where it’s at!  I really need to cut out cardio next week because my stupid achilles pain flares up every time I do cardio!  I sat down and mapped out my SUMMER WORKOUT SCHEDULE!  This is like Christmas for me (:  Some days I’m sure it won’t be this exactly.

MONDAY: Track weight workout/High Fitness

TUESDAY: Weights/High Fitness

WEDNESDAY: RUN/Weights

THURSDAY: High Fitness/Weights

FRIDAY: Weights/High Fitness

SATURDAY: RUN/Weights

On some of those non running days I will add 20-30 minutes of interval sprints on the treadmill.  When I say weights, I work a different muscle group every day.

This is an example:

Monday:Biceps/Triceps/Abs

Tuesday:Legs

Wednesday: Chest/Abs

Thursday: Shoulders

Friday: Legs

Saturday: Back/Rear Delts

O.K.  Summer is much easier for me to workout since I don’t have to worry about my 6 year old.  He has brothers and sisters galore to play with him.  I thought of something so PROFOUND the other day.  I discovered that when I start to crave something that is not very healthy to eat, it is because I AM HUNGRY!!  Amazing!  So!!  What do I do?  I stop what I’m doing a grab some food out of the fridge and eat yummy healthy food!  After that I am fine and I forget about my cravings!  So, EAT!!  Just for fun, here is what I ate today from My Fitness Pal!

My Dinner!

I only have one small body fat percentage point I want to lose!  I’ll post the whole page of this body composition deal they do at the gym!  It’s interesting and motivating!

Well, I need to be off!  I’ll end with pics from the trip!!  So FUN!!  We especially LOVED the hike to Lake Mary and were surprised by all the snow!!  Ha Ha!!

Zucchini Brownies

YELLO!  Today is a cooking and baking day for me.  I have a minute while my rice is cooking to drop a few lines!  I’m so happy I have such a giant kitchen so I can cook 3 different things at once and kids can still sit around the bar.  LOVE IT!!!  Here’s a recent PIC!

I’m making dinner for a couple friends and the yummiest ZUCCHINI BROWNIES!!!  I made them for my kids the other day and they devoured them happily (:  That doesn’t happen all that often with my concoctions!  I looked up the recipe online!  This BLOG posted them so pretty!

For the brownies:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini

For the frosting:

• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with PAM or your preferred baking spray.
2. In a large bowl combine the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended.
3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just to combine. Fold in the zucchini and mix well. The batter will be very dry and you’ll think you should add eggs or milk, but don’t do it!
5. Spread into the prepared pan, gently tapping the mixture down.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.
7. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa, the butter and the milk in the microwave for about 40-60 seconds. Mix well with a spatula or metal spoon. Allow to cool slightly, then add the vanilla and the confectioners sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well between additions.
8. Spread the frosting over the brownies once the brownies have cooled. Allow to set for an hour before digging in. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I don’t consider them 100% healthy!    Not bad though!  80% healthy (:

I read a GREAT article the other day about boosting metabolism, increased energy, and lowering body fat levels.  WOW, WOW, and WOW!!!  Those all sound great!!  I’ll research it a little bit and hopefully post about that on FRIDAY!!

Well, I have 3 photos from the race course!  I could have SMILED a little bit more!!  Here they are in order.  Beginning, Middle, and END!!  I’m mostly recovered.  Legs are slightly jello-y and I wear running shoes around all day because they make my heel feel better.  Nice to have a little break anyway!  I need to figure out a new fitness challenge NOW!

Have a happy day!  RELAX and ENJOY a Zucchini Brownie!!!

 

#1 weight loss tip

Greetings!  I missed my Monday yesterday.  Here’s to Tuesday!  So, I give all sorts of advice on staying fit and healthy and losing weight etc….  I’ve been talking diets with several of my friends lately.  It’s not easy to keep going day after day consciously thinking about eating healthy.  I’m impatient when it comes to losing weight.  I have LOVED the BURST CYCLE DIET.  I can lose 5 pounds in 4 days and I feel much better.  This is what I’ve been eating lately:  

• Protein shake (1 banana, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 T. natural peanut butter, handful of spinach or kale, ice and water)  
• Turkey sandwich (2 slices of whole wheat bread, turkey, 1 slice cheese (provolone or laughing cow), lettuce, tomato, pickles, honey dijon mustard)
• ZONE bar and fruit (apple or pear)
• Chicken and veges (brocoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers, or a big salad)

I drink a full glass of water with every meal and more throughout the day.  I also drink one EMERGE drink in the day.  I don’t know if it does anything, but it’s something different.  

I only follow this diet 3 days at a time.  On the off days, I still eat healthy but I add more calories.  

O.K.  The only way to eat like this brings me to my #1 weight loss tip!  SLEEP!!!!!!  I have been so sleep deprived lately my husband thinks I need to see a doctor 🙂  I fall asleep in the car ALWAYS, except when I’m driving 🙂  On Sunday during the Super Bowl I snuggled into the couch while everyone was yelling at the t.v. and only woke up for the half time show.  Yesterday, I was equally as tired and I wanted to eat all day.  It really has a HUGE impact on weight loss.  If you don’t get 7-8 hours of sleep every night, you will suffer.  I know from experience.  Sooooo, I’d rather miss a workout than miss my sleep these days.  I guess that means I’m OLD?  However, a run in the fresh air does bring me happiness and energy*.  Those are hard to miss.

Here are a few cute pictures!  My kids are learning from my example!

And a sweet picture with the kids and the 2 dogs.  I am not a dog lover.  I have 2 dogs out of the goodness of my heart!!  You won’t see my blubbering over how much I love my dogs, but we were a little sad yesterday when our schnauzer almost died.  She’s doing better now and I think she’ll live!!!  Everyone is much happier!  Enjoy your Day!  

Music for the day!  Classic 90’s country.  Love the hair!  I’m listening to a few spanish workers in my house.  It’s fun to pick out what they are saying!  I wish I remembered more.

Stubborn and Dilligent

This post will be quick since it’s from my ipad.  Just a few thoughts about weight loss.  I was listening to my friends talking the other day about trying to lose weight and different diets that others have tried. They mentioned some girls they knew who’d lost a lot of weight on some diet.  Then they said when they went back to eating normal they gained it all back and MORE!  Shocking!  What was funny was my friends quickly said, “Why lose weight then if I’m going to gain it all back and then some!”  Really?  It’s not the diet that made them gain it back.  It was going back to old eating habits.

Keeping weight off is hard for 99% of the population.  You have to decide which one you want more because it’s a lifestyle change you have to do FOREVER!  I’m so completely stubborn and dilligent that I refuse to use that excuse.  I work hard for a hard body 🙂 It’s not easy and I love sugar and flour but I love how I feel more without it.  I save sugary goodness to once a week and it works for me.  Keep at it.  It does work!

I don’t know how to post pictures too well from the iPad but here is the cutest pic. I had to share!  These are 2 boys from my 10 year olds team.  The lineman looking out for his running back!  Both are great players!  Football rocks!

8 lbs. in 27 days to skinny jeans

Hi and Happy Saturday!  Lots of happy things to report today.  Saturday is my SPT (Sites and Power Tips) day (:  I was going to do a blurb on Roma (I say that with a rolled R) because that place was incredible! I have several work to do today so I’ll save that for another day AND I was really wanting to post that I weighed 1-3-0 today!  Eating healthy and exercising DOES work!

The day after I came home from our Europe trip I weighed 138.  8 lbs. lost in less than a month!!  I still have 1 more to go and yes I’ll have to wait a week to put on my hot pink sandals.  This is a side note, but this will be the next pair I might need!  Country Outfitter, cool website and TONS of the best cowboy boots!  Reasonable prices too!

Back to losing 8 lbs.  Here are a FEW vital tips!!!

• Set a reasonable goal with a date and write it down.

• Make an action plan.  For me this is usually eating super healthy all week with a few treats on the weekend (:

• EXERCISE!!!!  Lift weights, do cardio, and SWEAT like crazy 6 days a week.  You’ll feel happier too!  It’s my natural high!

• Stop eating after 7:00 p.m.  No brainer, you eat less.

• Drink a TON of water!  Kinda gross, but you should drink so much that your pee is light light yellow.

• NEVER give up!!  If you have a major “I can’t control myself” binge.  Start over strong the next day!!!

Last point to make about weighing yourself.  You should weigh yourself once a week, first thing in the morning and at the same time each week.  This will give you the most accurate weight.  One can easily fluctuate 5 lbs from day to day!  I also like to weigh myself after a HARD workout.  I know it’s water loss, but if that’s the time I weigh every week the number still ought to be right.  Today for example, I ran to the gym (2 miles) did a BODY COMBAT class and ran home.  Lots of cardio and water loss.  I’ll still take 130.  In a few days I’ll get to 129.

Today was a fun football day for my boys!!!  I was in charge of our biggest kid.  It was one of the best games of the season and that doesn’t have anything to do with he got the winning TOUCHDOWN!

Here’s the team warming up.  They practiced right in front of me as I sat in my warm car!  The final score was 23-19!

Me and my not so little duffer!

Happy to be in my skinny jeans and red boots!  Notice my son’s GIANT feet too.  I think he’s a size 11 or so.  We say his feet are skis!  It’s cool to have BIG feet (:  He’s so worried that they won’t stop growing and he’s dying to be taller than me!!  HA! HA!!

Enjoy your day and don’t stress over the busi”ness”.  Everyone’s busy and life is good!!  Make Life Happy!

Italy, Bliss, and Top 5 weight loss tips

The Ponte Vecchio at sunset taken from Michelangelo Park in Florence

Have you ever been so excited and anxious about something that you almost didn’t want it to come because you knew it would be over soon?  I hope that’s not a pessimistic view.  I feel this way about vacations.  Sometimes when I’m reading a good book too.  I almost don’t want to finish it because it will be over.  In thinking about our trip to Europe I want to soak in every minute and everything around me.  I love to learn about and explore new places.  I will keep a VERY detailed journal of every place we go and what we do, so as not to FORGET!!  This picture of Florence Italy is one of the places we’re going.  Breathtaking.  I’ve always wanted to go to Italy!!

Next on my list is BLISS!!!  Yesterday I took my kids to LAGOON!!  Yes, it is an amusement park.

My sister and I were talking about our memories of Lagoon.  We went at least once every summer.  It was fun to remember the many times we ran around the park, going from ride to ride.  We watched the shows, rode the paddle boats, ran through the fun house over and over, walked around pioneer village, and ate “juice bars” from Pace’s Dairy Ann.  We had the best childhood!

Last night, when the lights were on, the familiar busy sounds and smells brought me back to my youth.  I watched my 11 year old daughter and her cousin excitedly talking about their favorite rides, dancing and doing cartwheels down the sidewalks, and screaming on the rides, “This is the best day of my life!”  I love that joyous, youthful, and innocent bliss of CHILDHOOD!  I’m glad she is happy and I hope as she grows up she will remember how to play and surround herself with other people that make her happy.  Lagoon, a priceless memory.

Last but not least, is my HEALTH SIDE of this post!  For some reason I like the number 5 and the number 20!  So, today I’ll talk about my 5 number one weight loss tips I’ve learned in my HUGE long life (:

1. Eat Breakfast….AND make sure it’s QUALITY breakfast.  Cut out the sugar.  Donuts, bagels, and sugar cereal are not breakfast.  Ideas are scrambled eggs.  My favorite is one egg and 2 egg whites on Ezekial bread (It’s in the freezer section on the healthy nut isle).  I like strawberries, blueberries, melon, or a banana.  Protein shakes with spinich is another excellent option.
2. Eat every 3 hours.  This one is SO IMPORTANT!!!!!  How do you feel if you barely eat breakfast and then skip lunch?  Right around 3 0’clock you get sleepy and need energy.  You’re so starving you want to eat everything in site.  I have this problem on Sundays!  If you eat every 3 hours your blood sugar will stay stable and you won’t feel that urge for instant sugar.  Your food choices will be smarter and you’ll eat less.
3. Drink a TON of water!!!!!  How do you expect your body to flush out all the crap?  CUT out the soda pop as well, DIET and REGULAR!!  It is so bad for you.  If you get sick of water, buy the little Crystal light packets and add them to a bottle of water.  Add ice too, it tastes better.  Drink water before every meal.  It fills you up and makes you eat less.
4. Cut out PROCESSED FOODS and REFINED FLOURS AND SUGARS!!!  If everyone did this, there would be NO weight problem in America.  When I came home from Spain one of the first things I noticed at the airport was how BIG everyone was!!  In Spain, they have bread with every meal.  They cook with oils and eat lots of different kinds of meats.  The fruit and vegetable section of the grocery stores were HUGE.  They prepared every meal and rarely ate out.  Remember that!!
5. SLEEP.  If you don’t get enough sleep, you get run down, you get sick, and you don’t care what you eat.  Cravings for high sugar foods come to the brain because they make you feel good!!  Get your sleep!!  That’s a hard one for me, but if I’m tired in the day I will take a POWER nap.  I close my eyes for 15-20 minutes and doze!  It’s the best!!

I have MANY other weight loss tips.  These are just a few!!  I am an observer of persons.  When it comes to health and fitness, I ask questions of other healthy people.  It’s weird, but MANY people I ask don’t really give me details and they’re vague about their answers.  It’s like they don’t want to give their secrets away (:  I want to be the OPPOSITE!!  I’ll tell EVERYONE what I do.  I don’t have any fancy credentials to wave around, but 38 years into my life, I feel HEALTHY and STRONG.  I’ve found a way that works for me and keeps me FIT!!!

THIS MAKES ME LAUGH (Pardon the language)