Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Pushing the Re-set Button

So for those of you who like to stay up-dated on my fitness progress, trials and tribulations - I wanted to let you know what I was up to.

I did finish the full 60 (actually 63) days of Insanity. Unfortunately - I didn't get the results that I was hoping for. Imagine working your ass off for two months straight and not losing any weight. How is that even possible? If you eat right, and workout - you should lose weight, right? And if you eat less and workout harder, you should lose even more weight, right?

Wrong, wrong, so incredibly, unbelievably wrong.

In our society, we're taught that eating less = losing weight. And in a lot of cases, that's true. When it comes to consistent working out however, this is not always the case. At some point, your calorie intake will need to be increased to accommodate fueling your body's muscles and energy level. Most people who are trying to lose weight are extremely resistant to the idea of increasing calories to lose weight. But even they soon find that fighting this principle will result in slowed results.

What happens when you're not eating enough calories is something called starvation mode. Because your intake is too low, your old-school caveman instincts kick in and your body thinks you're starving. To keep you alive longer, it holds on to all that mushy fat that insulates your organs and keeps you alive. This doesn't happen after one day of eating too little and conversely can't be fixed by overeating for one day. A lot of people mistakingly think "I'm not hungry, so I can't be starving". Starvation mode isn't about your hunger, it's about what your body needs to function.

The hardest part about figuring out calorie intake is that all of your numbers will be based on estimates. I eventually figured out that my estimates were WAY off and that I deprived my body of the proper calorie intake for a few months. Which is really bad. So - I had to hit the re-set button. I had to lay off of hard exercise for a while and make sure I was taking in enough calories for my body. Technically, I should have done it while still eating clean foods - but let's face it - it's much easier to get in more calories with pizza than with broccoli. So I gave myself a break from striving for perfection for a few weeks and ate some junk food. Even then - I still had to make sure I was eating several times a day and taking in enough calories.

So now I'm ready to re-set again and get back to the clean eating - just eating much more of it. Let me tell you - it is really hard taking in a lot of calories of clean food! A cup of broccoli is like 40 calories. Not that helpful in contributing to a 2,300 calorie daily intake. At least I get to include peanut butter daily now. I loves me some Peanut Butter. I will also be doing my newest workout: Turbo Fire! It definitely looks like it's right up my alley with heart pumping cardio and hotness music. Looks to be a little more fun than Insanity, but still a great workout. I also purchased a Bodybugg which is a little armband that will tell me how many calories I burn a day (which is WAY higher than I was estimating) and hopefully that will help me know better how much to eat.

Remember, success comes to those who persevere.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.” - Conrad Hilton

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Shake-Shake-Shakeology pt. 1

I know a lot of people have questions about Shakeolgoy, one of which is "What does it taste like?" Check out my youtube video on my first taste of Shakeology and stay tuned for my post on why it's so beneficial to your diet.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Insanity: Week 7 "This Workout Is All About You"

Amen Shaun. Amen.

Sorry if this post seems overly aggressive. It's really not, I just don't sugar coat things - it's not my style.

I think one of the hardest parts about pursuing my goal of a fit body is dealing with outside influences. All the people who offer up unsolicited advice. All of the people that say "you really don't have any more weight to lose". All of the people who seem to be getting results much faster and much easier than me. Dealing with these influences is pretty stressful. It can seep into your already fragile mindset and make you crazy, make you sad, make you doubt yourself and what you're doing.

I've never really been someone who cares what other people think of me. I am who I am - and I try to be a good person who does good for others. That's good enough for me. Other people's opinions aren't really necessary. So why is it when it comes to my fitness I let outside influences get to me so much? I get really annoyed when people tell me that perhaps the reason I'm having a hard time losing weight is because there isn't any weight to lose. Like super annoyed. To the point that I've told those people "when you say that to me it really pisses me off." Even more annoying is people giving me advice that I A) did not ask them for and that B) is just plain stupid. While I appreciate that they are just trying to help - if you've never had to work to lose a pound a day in your life, you seriously have no idea what I'm going through. Get back to me when you've had to work to lose a minimum of 20lbs. since I've lost over 50. Thanks. Don't even get me started on the people who say "that program doesn't work, you should do this instead". The idea that any program that has you doing physical exercise everyday won't work, but "your particular program" that ALSO has you doing physical exercise every day WILL work is completely moronic. Even more moronic is someone saying something doesn't work when they've never even tried it. That's like saying "deodorant is dumb, it doesn't work" - well have you tried any? "I don't need it, I don't sweat" - soooo it doesn't work, yet you've never tried it? Yes, well, THAT makes sense. You sound like an authority on the subject, so of course I'll listen to you.

Yeah - I know that seems harsh. But honestly, ignorance on all levels just annoys me. Everyone is free to have their own opinion. But seriously - don't comment on something you know nothing about. It just makes you sound like an idiot. Regardless of any of that - the point is, I've been letting all of the influences affect me and how I feel. And they shouldn't. What it boils down to is - this isn't about anyone else but me. I am doing all of this for me and what I want. People will always have something to say about what you're doing. Why? I don't really know and I can't really say. But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is what I want out of this. I am the one putting in the work day in and day out. I am the one who knows what I'm going after. And I am the one who will be saying "I told you so" to everyone when all is said and done.

Don't get me wrong - I am all about sharing my journey - thus these weekly updates. My intent is to help other people who are going through the same struggles as me. Who have to deal with the same problems that I deal with. My hope is that I can save some people the headache of doing things the wrong way or help some people understand that they are not alone and we all struggle sometimes. What we all need to remember is that your personal fitness journey is just that - your journey. You can't look at someone else and their results and wonder why you can't have that. Because you are not them. You have your own journey and issues to deal with. Some people can cut carbs and drop a ton of weight. Some people will lift weights and get lean really quick. Some people can increase their cardio and drop pounds easily. If one workout program and one diet worked for every person - well we wouldn't have so many to choose from, would we? You have to do what is right for you and what works for you. That may mean experimenting and trying different things to see what your body responds to. It certainly means giving something a chance before you say it doesn't work. Just stay focused, forget the negatives and remember who you're doing this for.

As always, if you're looking for help with your fitness - leave me a comment. I'm always here ;)

xoxo,
Sweet Charity

Free Fitness Coaching

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Food Prep and This Week's Menu

I try to prepare most of my food for the week at the beginning of the week. Here's what my meals look like this week. For the most part, it's the same every day with minor variations for schedule changes.

First Thing: 1 scoop protein, 1 cup blueberries, 10oz water

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 whites scrambled with onion, pepper, spinach, mushroom and low fat mozzerella cheese, 4 veggie sausage links

Snack: Boca burger with 1/4 avocado, 1 slice tomato, mustard, lettuce, 2 slices of turkey bacon

Lunch: 3 cups lettuce, 1 cup cucumber, 1 cup strawberries, 3oz. chicken, 2 slices turkey bacon, 1 hard boiled egg, fresh squeezed lemon

Snack: 4 oz. ground turkey breast, 2 cups stir fry vegetables

Snack: Chocolate Shakeology, 10 oz. water

Post Workout: 1 scoop Results & Recovery Formula, 10 oz. water

Dinner: salmon, 1 cup broccoli, 1/8 cup low fat feta

Water all day long

To prep for this, I go food shopping on the weekend and
- cook all the meats: chicken, turkey, bacon - enough for the week
- cut up the produce and store in separate tupperware - cucumber, berries, mushroom, onion, asparagus

The night before
- prepare all meals in tupperware so I can just grab and go

The only thing I cook daily is the scrambled eggs and then dinner since I'm actually home by that time. Tupperware is my BFF.

Comment with questions :)

xoxo,
Sweet Charity

www.sweetcme.com

Monday, May 17, 2010

Insanity: Week 5 "Sometimes I wonder why I do the things I do....

because I wanna look good!"

So, week 5 is a cardio recovery week. Still intense movement, but not cardio craziness. Basically the kind of stuff where your muscles are burning and pleading with you to stop whatever you're doing. I definitely prefer the cardio where I'm moving too much to think of how much it hurts.

I was really surprised to hear how many people over the past week have called me "dedicated". I tend to forget that working out and eating right are not goals for everyone and are certainly not part of everyone's daily lives. It's been second nature to me for so long, that it's as normal as waking up to go to work. No one calls me dedicated for earning a paycheck. I don't consider this much different.

I guess what I keep forgetting is that there are people who say they're gonna start working out and eating right, but either don't, or they do for a little while and quit when it gets hard. That's not even considered an option for me. I would never stop (of my own accord anyway) the lifestyle I lead. I like working out and eating clean and how it makes me feel, as well as how it makes me look. I know what I want my body to look like eventually, so stopping before I reach that goal has never once crossed my mind. Sure, I get fed up some times. I get annoyed, tired, rebellious. I might take a week off from working out. I might completely forget about my clean foods list and eat whatever the eff I want, as I did this past weekend. I'm not perfect - I mess up sometimes too. I just keep going. I don't quit when it's super hard or extremely frustrating. Because the alternative to continuing means that I'll never reach my goal. And I don't want that.

Most people tell me they don't think I have anything to lose. I struggle with that, because I wonder what they see that I don't. I still see a big roll of fat around my muffin top area that shouldn't exist - don't they see it too? It's kind of like when you see a really horrible singer on youtube and read the comments where people tell them how wonderful their voice is. Your like "omg, people actually think this train wreck is enjoyable." That's kind of what it feels like when people tell me I don't need to lose weight - I think "obviously, they have lost their damn mind." A lot of people have said things like "well, everyone has that little bit of fat. It's biological for some people, you'll just always have that." I think there's a lot of people who believe that way. "Oh, all the women in my family have fat arms - it's biological." Well, I'll tell you now and I'll tell you again - that's crap. It's absolute crap. Perhaps your family history makes it harder for you to lose weight in certain places, but there's no way in hell that you biologically can't burn fat. Unless you have medical issues, you're not "biologically" stuck with anything but your bone structure. And not "everyone" has a little bit of fat. Athletes and famous people are NO different than you and me, with the exception that they work harder on how they look. That's it. They're still human, and bad foods would make them fat the same as for the rest of us. The difference is - they have the dedication to look the way they do. It may take me a little longer than some, but I have that dedication too.


If you struggle with motivation or starting and stopping getting your healthy lifestyle on track, PLEASE contact me and let me help. If I can do it, so can you! We're not so different, you and I :)

xoxo,
Sweet Charity

www.sweetcme.com

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Insanity Week 4: "How Do You Feel?"

"I feel like sh*t."

It's been a tough week guys. You know the saying "When it rains, it pours"? Well - that's been my week. Every single day it seemed that something bad happened to me. And no matter how much I tried to put them out of my mind or to overcome and move on - they still managed to bring me down. They even affected some of my workouts. All through the workout, I'd be thinking about what was bugging me and not focusing on my workout.

But I still got every workout in. And actually, I found that once I was done the workout - I felt better. The problems still existed and they still bothered me, but after my workout they bothered me a little less. What seemed like something colossal and unmanageable became more of an annoyance that I had to deal with rather than an impossible mountain I could never climb.

My diet has slipped in the past couple days. What with birthdays and parties and emotional eating, I've had more cake and ice cream than I should have and definitely more alcohol than is safe for any diet. But I'm ok with that. We have to let ourselves slide every once in a while for special occasions. So long as that every once in a while IS actually once in a while and not once every couple days. I'm ready to put this awful week behind me and get back on track with my eating and my mindset. My wanting to get fit is something I do for me. I have to do it, no one else can. I can't let outside forces bring me down and stop me from reaching my goal. Even when I'm sad, or hurt, or upset, or tired - none of these are reasons to stop working on my goal. Because I know that ultimately - what will make me happy is reaching that goal and letting other people hold me back is just stupid.

I'll be doing the Shakeology cleanse to make up for a weekend of debauchery. Hopefully it will undo any damage I may have done this weekend :)

xoxo,
Sweet Charity

www.sweetcme.com

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Insanity Week 3: "I'm not trying to hurt you, I'm just trying to make you better"

I don't always feel like working out. I do love the Insanity workouts but I'm not always feeling it when I have to do it. Insanity is a commitment of 6 days a week with one rest day. I've been able to do every workout so far because I make it a priority. I treat my fitness like a job. Technically, if I wanted to, I could call in to work and not go in if I didn't really feel like it. Technically, if I wanted to, I could decide to not do my workout if I wasn't really feeling it. However, I am not willing to deal with the consequences of either of those actions. So I suck it up and get it done, no matter what.

I'm a very empathetic person. I don't just feel FOR people, I feel what they feel. This is true of all areas of life, but especially fitness because I've been there. I know what it's like to struggle and be frustrated. However - I do draw a pretty thick line. I understand it's hard, I won't dispute that - but I do not accept quitting and/or not trying. And I don't accept excuses. When it comes to my fitness, my attitude is that you do what it takes (as long as it's safe and healthy.) You're absolutely allowed to make mistakes, to slip up, to not feel like it - but you do.not.give.up.

I can already tell that my strength and endurance have improved since I started. I still swear at Shaun T. almost daily, but my body is feeling much better during these workouts. I know that has a little to do with my recovery drink, but also I'm just getting in better shape. There are days when I can feel myself dragging a little bit. I mean, it's nice that Shaun T. is encouraging, but that doesn't stop me from giving him the finger sometimes. Ultimately, we are our own biggest cheerleader. Sometimes I think, "At least you're working out. As long as you're doing something, it counts." That excuse may have held water if it was my first year working out. It's not. My next thought is usually something along the lines of "This is Insanity. You better suck it up and move your ass if you want to see results." Which I then do. And trust me, I feel so much better at the end of the workout knowing I gave my all then I do on days where I know I could have done better.

I do try to be really prepared as far as meals and time management go, but even I don't always hit the mark. There were a couple days last week where I was not as prepared as I should have been in the food department. I was either going to have to go without or go buy food, which I HATE doing. It's costly and almost impossible to know what's in food that someone else made for you. One of the days was a pretty easy fix - I had a salad, I just forgot to add a protein source. Without it - I would've been super hungry soon after I ate. So I just picked up some tuna at walmart on my lunch break. The other time - I had no lunch at all. I really didn't want to pay a ton of money for a salad from a salad bar, and refused to get a pre-made anything that I couldn't get an accurate calorie count on. So I drove home - a half hour - threw something together - then drove back to work. Basically my lunch break was spent driving and I just ate and worked at the same time.

I know that maybe not everyone has the same luxury for whatever reason. THE POINT IS - that I made my fitness the priority. Make the best decision you possibly can for your situation. If you can choose between getting a chicken sandwich from a fast food joint and eating plain tuna from a can - you may need to eat plain tuna for that one meal. I will stay home on friday night so that I don't go out and drink a ton of empty calories and so that I can wake up on Saturday and get my workout in. There are days during Insanity that I get a little dizzy or nauseous. I stop, walk around, take deep breaths, drink some water, and KEEP GOING. You're going to get what you put in. If you make a half-assed effort, you'll get a half assed result. If you give it your all - mentally and physically - every day, not just some of the time - you WILL get what you're going after. Just don't stop trying. If you need encouragement, support, advice, verbal abuse ~ I'm here, just ask ;)

As always, if you have questions about Beach Body programs, fitness, weight loss or nutrition - just leave me a comment and I'm always happy to help.

xoxo,
Sweet Charity

www.sweetcme.com