The Plan

Things have been a bit busier than usual over here the last week or two. I interviewed, started paperwork, and started training for a new job working with kids. So I've been running back and forth trying to get fingerprints and doctor signatures and all kinds of stuff for that. Also, we just got our puppy spayed. So I had to go drop her off one day and pick her up the next and we've been keeping a watchful eye on her to make sure she doesn't hurt herself. And then my mother-in-law came into town for the weekend so I was busy cleaning and doing everything to get ready for that. Last week was crazy. This week I officially started clocking hours at the new job, but today is my first long day.

I've spent the last 8 years working at home on a computer. This new job will have me up on my feet. I also won't be able to just sit and snack during the day. It is going to be kind of a big adjustment for me. I've had problems with my back for the last two years and I'm going to have to find a good chiropractor sooner rather than later. I've been seeing one, but I think I'm ready to try a new technique and just see if it helps. I'm excited about this change though, because it means I won't be sitting all day. I will be up and either playing with, taking care of, or guiding the kids; or I will be cleaning up after them. I'm excited to see if this helps my metabolism a bit. I haven't gotten a good reading yet, but so far I've already seen the numbers on the scale go down. I will see what happens when I weigh in on Friday. 

So my plan for this journey is to use this new job to my advantage. I am not going to pack junk food to snack on, I don't have the time to run to the store just because of a craving or whatever. So now I just need to get organized. I want to come up with a better meal plan that I can actually stick to. I have a crock pot and an InstantPot, so there's no reason I can't use those to make some healthy meals even if I'm short on time. I need to get more organized with breakfast. Typically, breakfast is a mess because I have so much to do in the morning to get the kids ready and get ready for job #1 and mostly I end up just eating coffee and toast, which isn't terribly nutritious, lol. And then I get hungry again and end up snacking. 

Another hard part of this routine is that I am going to have to struggle to fit in a workout. I still have job #1 in the morning and job #2 in the afternoon. And then kids' bedtime comes and by the end of that I am ready for bed too, lol. But I want to focus on the food for now and get some good momentum. The better I do with that, the more energy I will have and hopefully I will be able to start fitting in a workout then too. 

It's tough sometimes because I want to be able to jump in with food and exercise and everything all at once. But I need to be careful with my back, I don't want to burn out too quickly, and mostly I'm afraid if I try too much I will get stressed and stress eat, which is the exact opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish. But the first time I lost weight, I was able to spend 6 months just focusing on my diet and I lost 50 pounds... without working out at all. So that gives me hope that I can do it again. I'm not in a race, I'm on a long journey, one that I hope to be able to enjoy, and I've got to do the best I can do with what I've got to work with. One day at a time, one step at a time. I know I can do this!

Crazy Week: Headaches, On and Off Whole30, and a Purchase Agreement!

The last week or so has been uber crazy. I don't even want to know what my cortisol levels were. I don't think I've ever been so stressed for such a long period of time. House hunting/negotiating is emotionally draining. I'll start there, since that's the biggest of my stresses lately. We found a house, we put an offer down, and then for the last week and a half we have been counter offering with the seller to get to a purchase agreement. Well, we finally got it!! : ) Yay! 

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This doesn't mean that we are buying the house just yet, just that we have an agreement that we will buy it if we are satisfied with the inspections. So, this week is inspection week. We are trying to schedule water and septic inspections and have our whole house inspection set for Friday. I'll feel better when I know the other two are set, but at least I feel a little more secure this week. I was afraid someone else would come along and outbid us, as has happened in the past. But, if inspections go well then we will be buying it! And that is pretty exciting, but I don't think it's really sunk in yet. 

We'll have so much to do once we KNOW we are moving too. Boxing up our stuff, arranging for family to help us move, find a subleaser, make a list for address changes, etc. It's gonna be an interesting month, hopefully. Fingers crossed that the inspections go well! And we'd really appreciate any extra good vibes, prayers, or fingers crossed from anyone who's got them! : ) Thanks!

So, now on to going off Whole30. 

I know that they say that you are NOT supposed to go and have a day full of eating whatever you want, you're supposed to try certain things for a few days so you can pinpoint what foods are problem foods. Well, we were stressed (excuse) and so we didn't do that. Instead, we ordered pizza. I have to say that I regretted that decision tremendously! 

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Within an hour or two of eating the pizza I felt as though I had a hangover. I had a huge headache, felt drowsy, irritable, and I know I had eaten too much but the feeling coming from my stomach was more of a general nausea rather than overstuffed. It was horrible. I went to bed immediately. That was on Friday. Today is the first day that I have not had a killer headache... yet. I can feel slight pressure, but I wouldn't classify it as a headache just yet. I'll take it though. 

Hubby also noticed a difference. He had the "hangover" after the pizza and had a monster of a headache (so he told me) the next day. He also noticed some of the aches in his knees came back and he noticed a general lack of energy. 

Also, I remembered that pizza being sooo good, like you can't help but go "Mmmm!" when you take a bite. That's what is was like for us the last time we ordered it, months ago. This time it really didn't have that same "wow" factor. I felt like I wanted to eat the whole thing and had to make myself stop when my stomach started hurting, but really wasn't impressed with the overall flavor. So not worth it! 

Getting Back on Whole30

I had been debating what would be the best day to get back on the Whole30 program for our second round, but waking up on that Saturday morning, knowing how horrible that food had made me feel, we chose to get back on right away. So Saturday morning was Day 1 of our Whole30: Round 2. We are already feeling better, but it's taking a few days before that pizza works its way out of our systems. 

It's amazing how much that food really affects us and I'm just wondering how I ate somewhat similarly for the last 26 years of my life and those effects were just the norm. Maybe they weren't so extreme because it wasn't such a shock when I was eating that way every day, but I know they were there to some extent because I notice such an incredible difference going back to eating just whole foods. I think we got the reminder we needed and we will not be going back off plan. Not with that kind of stuff anyway. I think Paleo-ifying certain foods is fine, but we'll try to keep those to a minimum too. And if we ever forget again, I'm sure the headaches will be right there, waiting to remind me!

Working Out

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I'm up for Workout #5/44 of Fitness Blender's 8-week program today. We went biking twice last week so that was our exercise, but that's ok. I'm not on a time crunch for this, just want to make it something I can maintain. I remember that I didn't particularly care for this workout when I tried it last time. I had a hard time keeping up and it was pretty hard. So hopefully it will be a little bit smoother since it's the second time. Wish me luck! : )

What We've Been Up To Lately...

Well, today is the last day before we start our second round of Whole30. I think it's come at a great time too because this has been an incredibly stressful week. We are in the process of negotiating for our first home, hopefully our only home ever. We're not the "starter home" type of people. One and done. That's what we want.

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We've put offers on a few other houses and they've fallen through for one reason or another. This is the first time we've gotten our pre-approval taken care of with the lender and now we're just negotiating back and forth with the seller to reach an agreement, which I'm pretty sure will happen soon. So, after that, we just have to get an inspection. As long as there isn't something horribly wrong hidden somewhere, we will most likely be buying this house. And that is scary!

It's really not as stressful as the process though. We are worried about someone jumping in and making a better offer while we're negotiating. We're worried about taking too much time and the seller decides he doesn't want to work with us. We are worried there will be something wrong with septic or another place that isn't right up front. We really have no reason to believe there is anything wrong with it, but you just never know. So there are so many different things still standing in the way and we would just love to be done... or at least moving in the right direction. Right now we're waiting on someone to call us back so we can make a decision to move to the next step. And waiting is hard.

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I think waiting to hear back on a decision like this might actually be harder than waiting to lose weight. And it's definitely 10x harder than dating or wedding planning was... and those were definitely not fun at all for me. House hunting is hard work, and it's emotionally taxing. You get your heart set on a place and then someone tells you that you can't buy it ... usually because of something out of your control, but still heartbreaking. I know there is one house out there with our name on it, just waiting. We're hoping this is it.

But just in case anyone was wondering, that's why I've been a little MIA lately. Stress levels have been through the roof! And I honestly have not felt like doing anything at all. It will be nice to get back on the Whole30 train and get my body going at optimum functioning again. I did miss my workout yesterday, but I did one today. It was #4 out of 44 on my Fitness Blender8 week challenge. So only 40 to go!! : )

Done with Whole30, Round 1!! What's next?

Today is Day 31. We did it! We made it through!! Whoo! : )

That was my celebration. I'm done now, lol. It is a pretty big accomplishment though. It's been a long time since I've finished something all the way through. And I have to admit that I was tempted several times to just have a little bite or something, and even last night I was tempted to say, "It's close enough. Why not just go ahead and have a little snack?" ... But I didn't. I thought about it and I would have been disappointed to have to say that I did 97% of the Whole30.

I decided to add a thanks to Whole30 in the survey they sent me. Here's what I said,

"Thank you so much for your program! I was one of those people counting calories and killing myself with workouts and still binging and gaining weight each month. I really wasn't sure what to do anymore and I happened to come by your webpage and the Whole30 program. I read about it and my husband and I decided to give it a try.

I don't know what I was expecting exactly, but I didn't get to drop 6 inches. Instead, I lost 6.5 pounds and about 3/4 of an inch in my waist, but the other benefits are incredible.

We are sleeping better. We no longer take 3 hours to wake up in the morning, more like 3 minutes. No more achy joints or back pain or daily headaches. Our energy levels have been consistent throughout the day and I no longer feel the need for a nap at 3:30 in the afternoon.

I've also noticed I no longer eat until my stomach hurts, while still wanting more. I eat until I'm satisfied. As a "clean plate" person, I can now take my plate back to the kitchen and save whatever I don't need to eat for the next day. I've never been able to do that before. I used to just shove it in even if I was full. And then go for seconds.

I only lost 6.5 pounds, but I'm happy with that. Never before in my life, ever, have I been able to eat what my body feels is the right amount, not counting calories burned or calories eaten, and lose weight. That is pretty exciting. And I was only doing about 15 - 20 minutes of exercise 2 days on/1 day off rotation.

And I know that if I continue to eat Whole30/whole foods, I know my body will even out and so will the weight. But more than that, I'll be healthy. And in the end, it really wasn't that hard, not when you see all that you're doing for yourself. So I just want to thank you. It's been an amazing 30 days! "

My hubby also lost 6.5 pounds, even though he wasn't trying to. It's kind of odd that we both lost almost exactly the same amount of weight. Mine was technically 6.4 and his was 6.6, but close enough.

So what do we do now?

credit: fitnessblender.com

We're so excited that we made it all the way through the first round. We're going to take today and tomorrow to have a couple of Paleo-ified foods we haven't been able to have and then on Friday we are starting Whole30 Round 2!!

I'm still going to continue with my Fitness Blender 8 week challenge too. I started that just a short while ago, so I've still got most of that to do yet.

I love the schedule though and I'm really happy to be starting another Whole30 soon. I can't recommend it enough! 

Let's Try This Again: Fitness Blender 8-Week Program!

credit: fitnessblender.com

A couple of months ago I had decided to try out one of Fitness Blender's 8-week training programs. I got about 2 weeks into it and then I quit. This shouldn't have surprised me. I am wonderful at getting super excited about a new program, giving it my all for about a week and a half, then I start to get burnt out, and by the end of the 2nd week I start missing days. By the 3rd week, I am usually completely done with even trying. This has happened to me time and time again in the last couple of years with ways that I've tried to improve my fitness or in trying improve what's on my plate. I haven't been able to stick with anything for more than 2, maybe 3, weeks. I try to do too much all at once (0 to 60) and get burnt out and end up quitting. Worse than that, I usually would end up rebelling by eating a ton of junk and not working out for the next three weeks. Sad, but true.

However... we are now on Day 25 of our Whole30 program. That means that I have done almost 4 complete weeks now of working out with a 2 days on/1 day off rotation. I just realized that today. This is HUGE for me! Not only have I been able to stick to the nutritional commitments, but I have stuck to my workout goals as well. Four weeks may not seem like such a huge deal, but for someone who has a habit of not finishing things, it's a pretty great step in the right direction. It not only shows me that I can do this, but that I am doing it!

credit: whole9life.com

I'm going to talk a little bit more about some of the podcasts that I listen to daily in a future post, but one of them that I had on today featured a guest who was talking about starting out with a small goal, working out successfully for 3 - 4 times a week for a few weeks/couple of months. After you show yourself that you can follow that routine, then add in more intensity, but it's much easier to build up to where you want to be rather than just jumping in feet first ... which is what I tend to do. 

But, I'm hoping that I have a good foundation built with this 2 days on/1 day off routine. I cannot begin to explain just how much better this plan works for me than the 5 days on/2 days off or 6 days on/1 day off routine that I thought I had to do for the last few years. I am still getting in 5 workouts a week, but for some reason that break every third day is just what I need to keep me from getting burnt out. So I'm going to do the Fitness Blender 8-week challenge, but I'm going to continue doing the 2 days on/1 day off rotation.

credit: fitnessblender.com

I'm a little bit scared, honestly. We're coming to the end of our Whole30: Round 1 and we are planning on starting up a second round afterwards. I'm afraid of starting a set routine for working out because I don't want to feel like I'm tied to something, end up not being able to follow along, and lead to a complete failure of not only the workout program, but of the nutritional program too. I need to figure out if I really do enjoy the structure of being told what to do every workout for 8 weeks or if I am better suited to choosing my own workouts, based on what I feel like at that given time. I'm going to have to just have faith and trust in myself that I can do this! I know I will have my husband's full support and motivation and I strongly believe that if I have the right attitude, I will be able to accomplish this next goal of mine. 

So, with all that being said, today was Day 1. 

It's a Thursday, I know. It's not the beginning of the week or the end of the week or any special day, but it just felt right to start today. So I did. I am not going to be able to talk about which specific workouts I do each day because it is a program that you pay for ( $6.99 for the 8-week training) but, like all fitness programs, Day 1 is a fit test. So that's what I did today.

Day 1: Ready and willing! : )

Fitness Blender's Physical Fit Test (PFT) consists of tracking how fast you can complete 1 mile, how many squats you can do with good form, how many pushups you can do with good form, how long you can stay in plank, and finally a sit-and-reach test. And, of course, you always do a warm up and cool down, before and after, your workout/fit test. 

So I will leave you with my results. I was a little surprised at how much strength/endurance I have lost in the last year, but I did what I could and we'll compare it in 8 weeks!

Here are my stats for Day 1 (Aug. 1st): 

1 Mile Run : 12 minutes

Pushups: 16 on my knees 

Squats: 43

Static Plank: 37 seconds 

Sit & Reach: 3 inches

Work It Out!

I said that I would let you all know what I've been up to as far as exercise...

I decided to follow Whole Family Strong's example and do a 2 days on/1 day off rotation. I've almost always done 5-6 days straight and then one day off. I've almost always gotten burnt out or really did not look forward to my workouts. I think that the new rotation, with 2 days exercise followed by 1 day of rest and repeat, is so much easier for many reasons. I no longer feel like I have to brace myself for a week's worth of workouts before I get a day off. I have more flexibility during the week to get things done and don't have to wait until the weekend for a day off. I am no longer forcing myself to do hour-long workouts each day for those 6 days. Sometimes I do an hour workout, but sometimes I do a 15 minute workout. It depends on how I'm feeling that day and what I have time for. I am working on just being active and not focusing on max calorie burn to make up for whatever I ate that day. And I can tell that I am much less stressed with this process.

So for the actual programs/workouts that I'm doing... 

I've been rotating between different things. I have got a collection of all different kinds of workouts from many different companies: Zumba, Zuzka Light, Insanity, P90x, Hip Hop Abs... and then I also do workouts online from Zuzka Light, Daily HIIT, and Fitness Blender. I do have to say that Fitness Blender is probably my favorite right now though. They've got a super easy web site where you can actually search for a workout based on what kind of exercise you want to do (cardio, strength, toning, etc.) or where you want to focus (back, legs, biceps, etc.) or how long you want to work out (15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) or which level of difficulty you'd prefer (1 - 5) and then finally there is the option for calorie burn where you choose a calorie burn range. So it really is perfect for people with busy lives to go in,find what they want, then do it! You can also save your favorite workouts so you can just hop back on another time and find it easily. I love it! 

The first week on the Whole30 program I did two Zuzka workouts, 2 Fitness Blender workouts, and 1 Jillian Michaels yoga workout. So far this week I've done 2 Fitness Blender workouts and 1 Zuzka workout. I really love the variety and being able to choose what I want to do each day. It makes it seem much less rigid and seems more palatable when I think about doing this as a lifestyle choice.

Eventually I'd like to try the Fitness Blender 8-Week Challenge again ... just to see what I can do with it, but right now I'm working on forming habits instead of trying to make myself do things a certain way. So, I think it's important not to push for too much all at the beginning and gradually work my way up to certain things. I can't comment much on the progress I've made so far since we're only 12 days into the program, we're not allowed to weigh ourselves, and I've been wearing yoga pants and dresses every day so far! But I feel so much better, I have more flexibility, and I know I'm doing good things for my body. And that's good enough for me for now!

Trying Something New

It's difficult to say, but I have gotten off track again. Between the stress of losing my job and doing a ton of overtime (odd combo, eh?),  my dad having surgery last week, and starting to interview for work... my desire to eat right has been hit or miss and my desire to workout has completely gone on vacation.

So my husband and I talked about it and have decided to do something we've never done before. We're going to try a program together. It's strict, but not scheduled. And I really think that having him do it with me will be a huge help. Something has got to change because last night I realized that I'm to the point of having to lie on the bed to pull on my boots and most of my pants don't fit anymore. If he does this program with me, it will help keep me on task because I won't want to let him down.

I know I have gotten to the point before where I had excellent will power, could turn down a free cookie even if it was just under my nose, refused to do anything else until I got my workout in ... but somehow I have lost that ability. For now. I know I can get it back. I think I just need a little extra help getting there. And it's time that I learned how to ask for that help. Luckily, my husband is super sweet and very involved in things that are important to me, so he was not hesitant to agree to do this with me when I asked.

Ok, so what is this program we're doing? 

I think you might have heard of it if you've been hanging around in the Paleo world for any length of time. It's called Whole30 from Whole9.  How do we do it? Well, this program happens to be free, so I can share the details. The program lasts 30 days. That's not bad, right? It is a combination of eating right and working out, but it's more of a guideline rather than a regimented schedule and list of recipes/workouts. So it allows for flexibility.

Credit: whole9life.com

As outlined on their website, here is what you do NOT eat for 30 days:

• added sugar
• alcohol
• grains
• legumes (except green beans, sugar snap peas, and snow peas)
• dairy (except clarified butter or ghee)
• carrageenan, MSG or sulfites
• white potatoes
  

You are also not allowed to Paleo-ify foods. That means no making "Paleo muffins" or "Paleo pancakes".  Instead, we'll will be eating foods like meat, seafood, eggs, veggies, fruit, and healthy fats. The real kind, not the stuff that is full of hormones or artificial additives. So it's pretty open to a lot of delicious meals ... you just have to find them! : )

And one more rule, they ask that you weigh yourself before starting and take measurements, but then you put the scale away. You don't weigh yourself during the actual program, just at the beginning and at the end.

They also ask that you do regular exercise, but I haven't seen where they are very detailed about the rules of that. They do include pre and post workout food options though.

Credit: whole9life.com

What's the Plan?

My plan is to follow what Whole Family Strong did, 2 days on and then 1 day off and repeat. I'll be doing the Fitness Blender workouts for this 30 day challenge. My husband has limitations due to a back injury but he'll be doing stationary bike and road biking  or swimming to get his workouts in.

Creators of Whole30 - Credit: nomnompaleo.com

My husband will be my partner in this, but if you're interested in joining in on the Whole30 Challenge, there is a whole forum available for support and tips or you can be a part of their Facebook and Twitter communities. And if you do better with more structure, they have included the option to sign up for a daily email, called The Whole30 Daily,with guidance and tips to keep you on track with an option to check in for accountability. It does come with a fee, but it's only $14.95 for the month so that is just .50 cents a day, which is not much when you think about how much you will save by not eating out for a month (or trying not to). We signed up for this option.

Want more info? 

If you'd like to see the real results of this program, they have a whole page full of testimonials. If you're still wondering what foods are good foods and which foods should be avoided, they have a book published that you could get as a reference. I have not read it, but if the book is anything like the site then I am sure it will be very helpful. It's called "It Starts with Food". They also recommend checking out the NomNomPaleo website for recipe ideas. Otherwise, we can get started on prepping before the start day. They happen to have a list of very helpful downloadable resources, including a Get Started list.

So ... that's the plan. 

We start on Monday. We got our Day 0 email yesterday when I signed up for it, and they should be sending another one soon to help us get everything set to get started. Today and tomorrow we'll work on cleaning out the fridge and cabinets of anything off-limits, although we don't really have too terribly much of that nowadays. Then we'll run to the grocery store and stock up on all of the things we will be eating for the next week. And tomorrow I'll post our starting weights and measurements. I want to make this a very open and public so you can all see my journey. I would really love to hear about experiences that you've had if you've tried Whole30 before and if you're interested in started the program with me, that would be great to hear your feedback too!

One more thing, I will be posting a new product review in the next day or two, so keep an eye out for that! : )

Memorial Day workout!

Credit: nationalharbor.com

Happy Memorial Day! Most people have the day off, but I signed up to work, so I am sticking to my normal routine: working and working out.

Today's workout was #9 out of 44 workouts in the Fitness Blender 8-week challenge. It was short, but definitely packed a punch. This workout was one of the HIIT workouts, so short, sweet, and intense beyond belief. It left me laying in a pool of sweat, trying to figure out how to work my legs again, lol.

Credit: fitnessblender.com

I did one of their warm ups before the workout and think I have found 2 new favorites. I love anything that I can do on my lunch break, so this was a perfect combination and still left time for me to get in a cool down afterwards.

I am still going strong with the workouts. I sometimes have to convince myself to do them, but I am sticking to it. I haven't missed a day yet! And the best part is my husband told me that he is starting to see a difference in my body since I've been working out regularly again! I think I was smiling for about two days after he told me that, lol. I'm easy to please, I guess. But it's the little things in life that you have to appreciate anyway.

Speaking of appreciating, my hubby and I took some time this weekend to appreciate each other and our relationship as we passed our 3 year mark. Three years dating, 7 months of marriage. That means that I have 5 months left until we take 1 year anniversary photos... which means that I need to stick to the plan so I can reach my goal weight/fitness level by October and look good for the photos! I think I can do it! I'm feeling strong! Wish me luck! : )

And let's also take some time to appreciate the veterans, those still with us and those not, for all their sacrifices.

Day 2 of the 8 Week Challenge

I finished up Day 2 of the 8 Week Fitness Blender Challenge (Round 3) yesterday. I guess you could say it was the first day of following a real workout, since the first day was the fit test.

The whole workout lasted about an hour and I was feeling pretty good, but also whipped by the end. I had to modify a few of the exercises. I've noticed that typically I fall somewhere around the bottom of the range of calories burned by the end of the workout, but this time I was somewhere in the middle so I felt like I got a good effort in and managed to burn almost 500 calories! I am feeling it today too. It hurts so good! : )

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It's been a long time since I have woken up sore, in a good way. I fell off my bike and was sore for a few days, but that's a bit different! ; )

I am really looking forward to today's workout. I can't do it until after I get off work, but I will be pumped and ready. I'm working on getting a balanced breakfast and lunch so I will have enough energy and fuel to give it all I've got!

I started the program on a Wednesday, so technically I still have 2 more days before they give a rest/optional cardio day, but I am always so busy on the weekends that I am just going to take the rest days tomorrow and Sunday and jump back in with the next one on the list.

I will say that I am a bit anal/OCD and created my own calendar to follow. The instructions that you get when you pay for the program come in a long packet/PDF. I didn't want to have to open it and then scroll down to find the right day and try to remember which one it was (I have a bad memory)... so I created an Excel worksheet calendar with the links to the workouts, added comments to show how long each one was and what equipment was needed, and even included the full comments from the packet for each day too on other tab. It's pretty cool, nice and neat, and definitely my style! I would share it, but .... that wouldn't be fair to Fitness Blender, since it's a product that they sell and they really appreciate the donations for those products. Plus, it's probably illegal, lol. But it's only 6.99$, so if you're up for the challenge, hop on over to FitnessBlender.com and get your own copy and get into it with me! Or just go and check out their new website!

Credit: www.debbieschlussel.com

This weekend is going to be super busy! I signed up for some overtime at work, have to help teach the children's ministry at church this week, and I am helping to throw a birthday party/anniversary party for a couple of friends and my parents. They've been married 29 years now! Congrats, mom and dad! But ... this means there is going to be a lot of not so great food around. I have to be strong. I can get on track with exercise, but it's not going to get me anywhere if I don't keep up on the diet end too! I plan to do well this weekend and be able to report back a success. Hold me to it! And have a great weekend!

Fitness Blender Update/8 Week Challenge

As my new favorite source for workouts, I have to inform you all that Fitness Blender has made a change. Just a week or so after I wrote the review on Fitness Blender, they went and updated the site. It still has all the same great features, but they've added in a few new things too! My personal favorite now is the ability to search for workouts based on calorie burn and level of difficulty!

Note from Kelli and Daniel:
"You can now save favorite workouts, and search by workout length, difficulty, training type, calorie burn, equipment, muscle group and more. We're so excited, we hope you love it as much as we do."

To see my original review:  Click!
So if you love them as much as I do, or have never visited, go ahead and check it out. I know you won't be disappointed!

Ok, so that's the exciting news. Also, I went and bought their 8 Week Challenge. It is the 3rd one of the 3 they have put together. To buy the program, just click here. They provide instructions on fitness and nutrition for the 8 weeks and the links to the videos too. They provide a balance between core, strength, stretching, cardio, HIIT and everything your body needs to get in the best shape it can in 8 weeks. I have just done Day 1 so far, which is a fit test. They say that most people typically lose between 16 & 24 pounds in the 8 weeks (which is 2 months) and that is pretty darn good, if you ask me. It's not just losing weight either, but also toning and flexibility and so much more to get you looking your best. All you need for this program is dumbbells. Most of the time you can substitute with household objects if you don't have dumbbells. That's just my experience though.

I was lucky enough to catch them during their special discount period. They were advertising the 8 week program at any donation. So you could pay anywhere from 1.50$ to 100$ and they'd send the program to you. Normally it is priced at about 6$ though, so even at full price, it is a great deal! It's especially nice for people like me who love the workouts, but don't know how to put them together exactly, or don't have the time to schedule them, or just people who do better with someone telling them what to do and when. I can't find anything I dislike about this website. I promise I'm not working for them, I just love them! So check 'em out! : )

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Speaking of workout clothes ...

So, the other day I put up a picture that said that you are more likely to workout if you've already got your workout clothes on. I'm not sure that works for me! If I go to sleep with my workout clothes on, in hopes that it will make me want to get up and go for an early morning walk, I am still just going to hit the snooze button and tell myself, "Tomorrow... Zzzz." That's just me though. I've heard it really does work for other people. But me, not so much.

For me, the process of getting the workout clothes on is what really motivates me. It could be because I have to get up and get moving to do so. So, after I just get done putting them on, I am much less likely to just go lay back in bed or go back to sitting in front of the computer. I also have a nerdy tendency to imagine I'm part of some epic movie montage and I'm getting geared up for my big moment where I conquer my workout! ... But again, that's just me. And you should do whatever works! So whether that is going to sleep in your workout gear (or putting them on ahead of time) or imagining yourself in a movie, use what works!

As far as types of workout clothes, I am very much not into shorts. I don't really feel confident enough to show my thighs just yet. Plus, the types of workout that I do usually involve some kind of plyo action, and there is just too much jiggle for me to feel like that epic conqueror.  

So, I typically wear tights and a tank top for my indoor workouts and throw on a hoodie if I take it outside. I can't say I have tried many different brands, but I really love the Danskin brand. I just think that their clothes are comfortable, they're stylish, they fit well (hate when I buy something and it feels like it was made for one specific body type, which is usually not mine), they are affordable (they've always got their clothes on sale at WalMart) and they come in many fun different colors! They've got tops, bottoms, jackets, bras, leggings, and even bags! So, what's not to love?

If anyone has another brand that they really love or would like to recommend, I'd love to hear about it!

Product Review: Fitness Blender

I may have been a little MIA on the blog these last few weeks, but I haven't been slacking off! I have gotten a bunch of new workout DVDs (and websites) and have been trying them out. I am so excited to review this one because it has quickly become my favorite source for a good workout!

It's called Fitness Blender and you can find them at fitnessblender.com. Fitness Blender is made up of a married couple, Kelli and Daniel, who create workouts that you do in your own home with little to no equipment. They don't have a fancy studio or a production team or anything, but their videos are very professionally put together in their home studio (garage). Typically, Kelli does the workout and Daniel narrates, but I've seen some videos with Daniel being the model too. I thought I would prefer Kelli describing the workout as she does it (similar to Lisa Marie in BodyRock), but it's much more organized and thorough with Daniel doing it behind the scenes. He's supportive and encourages you to give your all, but doesn't make you feel rushed. He also offers tips on proper form as you go along.

Daniel and Kelli

I like the format more than even some of the BeachBody or Jillian Michaels workouts because it shows a preview of each move that is coming up, so you have time to prepare and can jump right in when the timer starts instead of trying to catch up as you learn the move. It also has a scale on the side of the screen that tracks an average calories burned, for those of you who don't have a heart rate monitor. (I have found that my calories burned rides on the lower end of the scale each time, but I also take more breaks than they do!). On the other side of the screen is an indicator scale from 1 to 5 where they rate the difficulty of the full workout. So that's a good tool to utilize if you're trying to decide which workout you want that day.

Another great aspect of this website is that it has a search tool. So you can refine your search based on exercise type (functional, strength, toning, balance, flexibility, cardiovascular, plyometric, isometric) or by muscle group (you name it, they got it). You also have the ability to type in a keyword to search for something in particular, like their famous "Epic 1,000 calorie burn workout at home".

Did I say 1,000 calorie burn workout? Yes, I believe I did. They have two of these actually. Both are about 85 minutes long and include warm up, cardio/HIIT, strength training, stretch, abs, and cool down. I have to say that my curiosity won out over intimidation and I gave this workout a try and LOVED it! It is challenging, for sure, but I was able to keep up or modify so I still got in a great burn. You can modify to make most moves easier or harder, depending on your fitness level. And at the end, if you followed along, I can guarantee that you will feel completely drained but also amazing at the same time!

Not all of the workouts are over an hour though; some of the videos are even just ten minutes long, like some of the ab videos. It depends on what you are looking for. I really feel like they have taken a creative approach to the workouts too, as they don't incorporate just the same old boring moves that you see in many of the workout DVDs nowadays. Many, if not most, of the moves that they have in their workouts are ones that I've never seen before. They're variations of the old stand-by's, sure, but the little variations make them fun.

Each workout also comes with a description of what equipment you'll need and which exercises will be performed and you can even print this out to take with you or to use another time to record reps or weight or whatever you like. 

In addition to the full workouts, the website also includes videos on how to perform individual exercises properly. Again, it has the search tool so you can find whichever exercise you want easily. Then there are tabs for different articles on exercise, nutrition, health, weight loss, and even recipes. If you're looking to buy equipment, the website has a store tab. You can also learn more about the Fitness Blender duo and support them by making a donation. They even say that they are willing to create custom workouts for donations of certain denominations.

To sum up:

Pros - 

• You choose how long your workout is
• Tons of workouts to choose from
• Search tool to find the workout you want
• Organized and professionally made videos
• Calorie burn bar
• Degree of difficulty scale for choosing workouts
• FREE
• Printable worksheets
• Chart to show what equipment is needed
• Tips on proper form and encouragement throughout videos

Cons - 

• I wish they had a timer to show how much time is left in the total workout 
• Have to play the video on a computer or device with Internet access

It's easy to see why I love Fitness Blender. Since I do all my workouts at home anyway, having to do them on my computer is not a problem for me. It actually might even be easier because of how we have our living room arranged currently.

So those are my thoughts. I highly recommend you go out and try them. I am sure you will find at least one or two workouts that you just can't help but love! And if you like them and want to share the love, go ahead and donate or spread the word about the site so they can keep giving us these awesome workouts! 

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Get More Out Of Your Walk!

getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com

I recently started listening to a new podcast. It's from the Get-Fit Guy at Quick and Dirty Tips. The Get-Fit Guy, also known as Ben Greenfield, is very knowledgeable about the topics he discusses. He's thorough, but the podcasts are still short (about 10 - 15 minutes) so it's easy to fit in on your drive to work or on the way to the gym.

The official description for the podcast is listed below:
Enhance your energy, lose weight, boost your performance, and look better than ever in your bathing suit with the Get-Fit Guy! If you want to begin an exercise routine and don't know where to start, or if you've been working out for a while and aren't getting the results you want, host Ben Greenfield will give you the tips you need to reach all of your fitness goals. Get expert information and advice on everything from toning your arms, butt, and abs, to blasting fat fast, to running a 5K and preparing for your first triathlon. With his easy-to-understand explanations, concrete examples, and sound reasoning backed by scientific research, Get-Fit Guy will provide you with the inspiration and knowledge you need to become fitter, faster, stronger, and ultimately happier and healthier.

To find this podcast on iTunes, click HERE!

www.beautyproblog.com

The latest episode that I listened to was talking about how to get the most out of your walk. As they say, walking alone does not burn as many calories as many other workouts have the potential to, but that doesn't mean it's not a good form of exercise or calorie burn. To achieve that maximum burn, Ben suggests adding in some strength training. How do you do that?

lifestyle.yahoo.co.nz

To add in strength training to your workout, here's what the Get-Fit Guy recommends. Start out your walk at a brisk pace. After about four minutes, stop and do 10 - 20 reps of strength training. Continue walking for another 4 - 5 minutes and do another strength training move. Continue this pattern until you reach the end of your walk. He recommends 80 minutes, but whatever length of time you walk will be up to you and your schedule.

What type of strength training do you do? You can do pretty much anything here. You can drop and do pushups or mountain climbers. You can stop and do some squats or jump lunges. He suggests ab/core work such as Russian Twists too. So you can pretty much work out your entire body along the way. Ben even recommends carrying a couple of light dumbbells to add more resistance.

I would recommend getting a pair of fitness gloves, as many outdoor surfaces may not be that great for bare handed pushups. And, of course, also keep an eye out for cars or other pedestrians before stopping abruptly and lying down in the street! But try this out and you'll see that your heart rate will go up, therefore burning more calories and you'll get a total body workout with your walk!

To check out the original post on a Fitness Walk, click the link HERE!