2/26/2013
March 1st, 2013 | 
Author: Well, my progress is coming along, slow, but coming along. I’ve lost 10# in the past year, so I’m happy with that.
I know I could have lost it in less time, but then I would have been right back to hurting myself again. The recovery
is a tough road, rotary cuff still hurts, ankle/achilles still hurts when I do too much. But the way I see it is, something is
better than nothing.
Still not ready to wear this bathing suit in public yet…lol..But hopefully by summer, I will be able to.
Points that I’m working on the most are:
- Abs
- Back flab
- Triceps
My main area that I have an issue with now that I’m older, is my
Stomach. It seems like it’s the hardest to get rid of these days.
The older you get, the more you have to work on it. That’s why it’s good
to start young with exercising and keeping it up.
Make sure you do it the “right” way. Get with a personal trainer that knows
what she/he is doing. Let them help you in the right direction on how and
what to do.
Ways to stay motivated
- Take a class for weight training or cardio
- Be surrounded by like minded people
- Read and watch anything on fitness
- Start your own blog
- Keep track of your daily activities of exercising and food intake
- If you have a picture of yourself that you liked what you looked like the best, or someone that inspires you,
could be a friend or a fitness celebrity, put that picture on your Fridge and or carry one with you
I carry a picture of what I looked like from 2000-2001 and from 2009-2010. These give me motivation.
These will make for a sure fire motivation to get you going and keep you going in the right direction
What gives you motivation? What are you doing to keep yourself on the right fitness track?
Posted in 
2/13/2013
Got to the gym today.
Bike 3.51 miles, 20.01 miles, 60.3 calories.
Eliptical took a picture of my damn thumb instead of the results. lol but I did
2.01 miles, 19.47 min can’t remember the calories with a 3min simi cool down. Didn’t want to stop abruptly and get off, not good for the body.
Tread Mill cool down 11min.
Leg Press: 2 sets 10 reps 220# then 240#
Had to get home and will finish my 2nd 1/2 of my workout this evening
Now for a Vitamix Shake and some couscous 
Keep on Keeping on Ya’ll
If I can just keep this up “Every Day” little sore on my ankle but after all the workout, it actually feels better. that’s a good thing. Maybe this is what I need. To rotate and work it a little, but no crazy zumba stuff though…lol
1/24/2013
I got in my car to go to the gym, as I have been doing on a daily basis for the most part. However, today, I was not feeling too good. My stomach hurt and all in all, I just felt “lazy.” But I didn’t want to let my friend Kelly down. Her and I meet up at the gym every day. It’s a motivation for both us.
Today, she texted me to say she could not go after all, something came up with her kids, so here I was sitting in my car, running, and I’m thinking, “ah, my way out of going.” I sat there for a minute and just said, “fuck it!, I’m going.” I knew that if I had not gone, I would totally have regretted it, I just know it.
When arrived, not really looking forward to it, I proceeded to get on the Eliptical. I don’t know what happened, but as I’m doing my 5 min warm up, I just got “PUMPED” 
and just went to town. I rarely actually sweat and today, I really sweat. So glad, I brought a towel with me.
My left foot, the one I had surgery on, started to feel numb and tingly about 20min into the workout, but I kept going. I wanted to go longer than I did, but my foot was just becoming too tingly. I stopped at 3 miles. with the last 5 min, doing a cool down.
I felt so good after that work out. I then proceeded over to the weight room to do 2 sets of the Leg Press. I was shocked that I was comfortable at #180, when I used to feel comfortable at 320# just 2yrs ago. But that’s ok, I’m not going to push it. Taking baby steps.
I am determined to live a long healthy life and I shall keep on keepin on.
Mango-Avocado Smoothie
Chillin with Cool Treats – Avocado brings amazing creaminess and lots of nutrition in this delicious smoothie. Try it! you will absolutely love it!
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
- 1/2 cup diced mango, frozen
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1 tbs honey
- 4 ice cubes
Directions:
Place all ingredients into your Vitamix Blender (any blender will do though) , process until smooth.
Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.
8/11/12 Disney World
We took a trip to Disney World for a week. We had such a great time. We took our grand daughter for her 5th birthday. We stayed one night at Disney’s Pop Century, but after that, we upgraded, (big time) to the Yacht Club, located within walking distance of Epcot. That was nice to be able to walk there or take the boat over.
It was exciting just to see her excited. I can’t believe it, but she looooves the fast roller coasters. We did so much walking around. We would leave at 9am and not get back to our room until 6pm. Since my husband has medical issues, we are able to get a pass so that we get on the rides faster. It’s like having a fast pass, but without actually going thru the process of getting one and waiting for that time frame.
We had the Deluxe Dining Plan (3 meals, 2 snacks each, per day) There was so much food to eat. I really tried to eat as healthy as possible. Although, I really don’t think I had enough water to drink with all the walking we did in the heat. We had Japanese, French, African & American Foods. One good thing, I didn’t gain any more weight
I’m back and ready to start my workout this coming week. Today I went to the Commissary and bought $35. worth of Fruits/Veggies. We have a Vitamix to make our smoothies in. I just love our Vitamix If you don’t have one, I highly recommend you get one. It’s expensive, but don’t wait 20yrs like I did to get one. I am totally serious. I actually waited that long because I thought it was too expensive and not worth it. I was wrong. It’s totally worth the money to spend on a Vitamix. You can also make soups, dips/spreads and ice cream in it.
I’m going to try to start Zumba again this week. I will take it easy this time though. I don’t want to take a chance of making my injury to my left ankle worse. I know I should not really be doing Zumba or any cardio, doctor’s orders, but I need to get this weight off. I think that if I can get the weight off, it will be easier on my ankle. I have boney ankles. So, we shall see. I will be keeping track of how much and how long I do the routine.
Until next time, enjoy a healthy life and Keep on Keepin on Ya’ll Happy Fitness!
7/24/2012
Today I went to the gym. I wasn’t really motivated at first because I am just getting off my period and I always feel like crap. But I managed to get there and get motivated. I was able to walk the Treadmill for 1 hour, 2.81 miles and burned 225 calories. Then the Elliptical for only 10min, because my Achilles started to hurt. I was at .45mile and burned 50 calories.
I forgot to eat this morning. All I had was a cup of coffee. I managed to eat around 1:00pm. Throughout the day, I drank about 5 glasses of water. I know I need to drink more though. I need to get to 8 glasses a day.
I had spaghetti for dinner with my husband. I didn’t much though. I am trying to only eat til I’m satisfied and not over do it. If I over do it, I feel so bloated and I really don’t like that feeling at all. For desert, we had frozen yogurt. And that was only because I did a Mystery Shop today at a frozen yogurt establishment. I didn’t eat it all though. I will save some for tomorrow. I came in around 1100 calories consumed today. I was under, so that was good.
I’m at 135#
My goal is to be at 120# by end of the year.
My motivation is that we are going on a cruise next year and I want to wear my bikinis that I got in Hawaii in 2010 and look good in a scuba wet suit.
Keep on Keepin on Ya’ll
Does Wii Really Work for Exercise?
Well, yes and no. Is it a replacement exercise for those already exercising and fairly fit? Probably not. But is it beneficial to get the sedentary individuals moving? Yes. It is certainly better than playing sedentary gaming, but by how much?
Researchers at Southeastern Louisiana University tested 8 healthy young women using Wii Fit games for 10 minutes each. One session involved playing beginning and intermediate levels of hula, and a second involved beginning and intermediate level steps.
They found that the lowest VO2 percentage occurred with the beginning step game (10.13%) and the highest values (39.8% VO2) were during the intermediate hula game. It was also determined that the beginning steps game was equivalent to walking speed of 2.5 mph while the intermediate hula game was equivalent to walking 3.6 mph.
So, what does this mean? For a person not motivated by structured exercise programs, try a Wii Fit game. If they are deconditioned, start with the beginner step class if appropriate and safe. They can progress to the intermediate hula game when ready and have fun in the process.
And maybe later, we can get them to bike for fun!
Worley, J. et al, “Metabolic Responses to Wii Fit ™ Video Games at Different Game Levels.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Vol. 25, No. 3, March 2011.
The Calorie Dilemma – They Are Everywhere!
As we all know, everything has been supersized. A regular cookie a few years ago may have had 100 calories, but now a “regular” cookie has 700 calories. Oh, and that is the cookie you get at a bookstore snack shop. This leads to the next question – when did it become ok to eat at bookstores, home improvement stores, even Target has a snack area. Can people not go without food for too long that they now must have it available when they shop?
When a group of students were asked how many calories are in a Double-Gulp 64-ounce drink from 7-Eleven, they all said 400 calories. How surprised they were to find out they were off by 100%. The drink, an empty-nutrient one at that, has 800 calories! A personal-size pizza at a restaurant was found to have 2100 calories. No wonder people are unable to figure out their caloric intake!
So, are food diaries the answer? Maybe not. Dietitians are finding it is easier to count the number of notches on your belt than the number of calories consumed. As Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at New York University stated, “It’s much easier to lose a pound or two than 20 or 30.” In other words, go by clothes size, and focus on the short-term goals.
Brody, Jane. “Calories Are Everywhere, Yet Hard to Track.” March 19, 2012.
Cycling for Fun Leads to Better Fitness!
A new study has found that children who cycle for fun are more fit. Maybe we adults should take heed! Children who did cycle for fun, even those with limited cycling skills, were still more fit than those who only biked to school. The reason is only a small percentage of children bike to and from school to begin with.
The limitations include traffic getting to and from school, neighborhood safety, and the child’s cycling abilities. But no one has really compared children’s fitness to recreational cycling.
Dr. Gavin Sandercock’s study clearly showed better fitness for children who biked for fun. Children can pick their route, distance, safety, and even mix up the intensity and duration. Also children and parents can choose safe routes and ride together to be good role models for their children.
The interesting question here is, if it works for kids, will it carry over to adults? Maybe we need to dust off the old banana seat bike and go for a ride!
Sandercock, Gavin, Ph.D, “Active Voice: The Fittest Children Cycle for FUN.” ACSM Sports Medicine Bulletin, April, 2012.
Not All Calories Are Created Equal
By Internet Brands Admin on October 5, 2011 11:28 AM
Employing basic, simple, maintainable strategies to reducing total calories has been proven to be the most effective for successful long-term weight loss. The basics include watching portion control, limiting high-calorie foods, and increasing exercise. While it’s still true that a calorie is a calorie regardless of what food it came from, not all calories are created equal in the sense that foods will have different effects on your body – even if two foods are identical in their calorie contents.
For example, consider foods that contain fiber. Fiber-rich foods, which include fruits, vegetables, whole-grains and legumes, require more chewing. This helps prevent overeating because it slows down your eating, giving your brain time to recognize that you’re full. Fiber isn’t fully digested by your body, so this nutrient contributes health benefits without adding significant calories to your diet. Additionally, fiber has also been proven to help improve gastrointestinal function, lower blood cholesterol, and reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Fiber may also prevent some types of cancer.
Protein
Your body burns more calories digesting and metabolizing protein than it does digesting other nutrients. Protein slows the time it takes for food to move from your stomach to your intestines, helping you feel full longer. Additionally, getting adequate protein ensures that you build and maintain muscle mass, which incinerates calories. Protein also curbs your appetite by stabilizing blood glucose levels. Rapid rises and drops in blood glucose levels that occur after consuming simple carbohydrates sends your hunger soaring. Consuming protein with meals prevents this.
Fats
Healthy fats also aid in weight loss because they promote satiety. While consuming too much fat in general can lead to weight gain, it’s important to consume enough calories from healthy, unsaturated fats. Saturated fats and trans fats, found mainly in fried foods and animal products, can clog your arteries, increasing your risk for heart attacks and strokes. So while a gram of fat contains 9 calories regardless of the type of fat, unsaturated fats are healthier for you.
Liquid Calories
Be careful to not ingest too many liquid calories. Liquid foods move through the body quickly and don’t provide the same sense of fullness and satisfaction as solid foods. This is why 100 calories of liquid won’t satisfy you like 100 calories of solid food would, even though mathematically they are identical.
A diet that centers around a healthy balance of nutrients with an emphasis on portion control and increasing nutrient-dense foods is key to achieving and maintaining not only a healthy weight, but a healthy body, inside and out.
