So f&^%ing over it!!!

Maybe it's the PMS talking but I am so f$%^ing over it. I am tried of starving. I am tired of conflicting information. I am tried of reading one article on the benefits of protein and one that tell me that  is too much. Does anyone know what the hell they are actually talking about???? In my quest for the "right" answer I am more frustrated and confused than ever. 

Attempting to eat at my BMR level (1511 calories) is pure torture. I am hungry, I am grumpy, I am exhausted because my body isn't getting enough food. This causes me to binge later in the evening when I just can't take it anymore. I simply can't... no... I won't do it. I have to go to school, I have to function, and learn, and my brain has to actually encode information. I can't be preoccupied thinking about how hungry I am. I can't be falling asleep in class because I am famished. 

No energy also means I have zero desire to work out, and that is not going to work. I spent most of yesterday feeling angry and bitter about weight loss, and that is not how I want to live my life. If I am that miserable it's not f$%^ing worth it. 

I can't starve. I shouldn't have to starve. I will not starve. I am going to stick with my plan from the 360 book.  I told myself I was going to give it at least 30 days, and I haven't done that yet. I am going to do it. 

I just don't have the time to make myself crazy about this anymore. I am so busy and worried about so many other things I can't let my weight be the focus of my life right now. I will eat healthy. I will work out hard. But I cannot obsess. I have been obsessing. That's what we do right? As women especially we obsess over our weight until we just want to puke. It's infuriating and exhausting. Well I've had enough. The saddest part is it's not something you can just dismiss. You can't not think about it. Once you start the battle you can't just "let it go." 

Now I have developed an irrational fear that if I am not trying to lose weight I will gain it all back. I literally am driving myself insane over this. I am so over it. 

Body Scan

Today I went to see a trainer to get a body scan done. This scan measures your body fat, muscle mass, etc. and as a bonus tells you your own personal BMR based on your body makeup. I found out for sure today my BMR is 1511. That means if I didn't move off my happy ass all day I would burn 1511 calories just surviving. My total body fat percentage is a sad 32%, which is slightly exciting because I was thinking around 35% so you know 3% lower is awesome. I also found out that in order to be in body's perfect weight range I only need to lose 5 pounds. Freaking sweet! Except that in the process of that I also need to lose like 12 pounds of fat (25% body fat if I stayed at 170). So obvious it's a bit more complex than that but that's essentially the idea.

My thought has been that I have like 25 pounds to lose to be ideal, but with this scan I am seeing that my ideal would honestly be like 12 more pounds (of fat). Well that's fabulous right!? Now the hard part is actually accomplishing it since I can't budge from 170....

They also told me my workouts need to amped up. I'm working in my comfort zone and I need to really get my heart rate up and challenge myself. I argued that, that was challenging when you get fit, finding things that work you out for real are a bit more difficult. But then I haven't tried cross fit :) (kidding that shits not happening.)

So they recommended sprints and other cardio or HIIT that will really challenge my body. Plateaus mean your body is bored. My body is bored. Been there done that. So now I have to work, harder than I hoped. They suggested reducing my calories to 1511 for one week to shock my body then increasing back up to around 1800. So next week I am going to go for it. I anticipate being a grouchy bitch, but it will be worth it.

They also said less protein (this is why I hate that everyone in fitness can't get on the same page). So I guess to build muscle assuming you are already at a target weight and fat level you would increase protein, but in order for your body to burn fat you have to decrease your protein so your body will use fat as the energy source. Ok, ok.

Next week: reduce protein 75-110grams a day max, kick up the work outs, 1511 calories a day.

Be prepared for a "poor food deprived me" post next week :)

You too can have a scan done here http://www.o2ea.com/ p.s. Carlos freaking rocks!

Great Debate

So this morning my husband and I had a bit of a debate over weight training. The circulated information on lifting for years was that if you wanted to tone you should do more reps with lighter weights, and that women shouldn't lift heavy weights because they would bulk up. Well the bulk up part has definitely been dispelled as myth, but I think there is still a lot of confusion over the more reps or less part. My husband was convinced that I should be using lighter weights and do more reps not increase my weight if I found the workout too easy. I insisted that everything I read told me to lift heavy weights. So when I got home I Googled it and these were the first two articles to pop up.

http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/training/ask-our-expert-heavy-weights-low-reps-or-light-weights-higher-reps

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/weight-lifting-tips

Both articles confirm that my research was correct, lifting lighter wights more times doesn't do anything different for your muscles. Lift the heavy weights ladies. You will NOT get bulky. I think what we tend to mistake for bulk is the muscle tone under our fat layer. I tend to carry a nice layer of fat over my whole body, so when I start lifting I do tend to get "thicker." If that fat were to finally go the hell away I would have a nice toned looking body underneath.

So lift heavy weights, and take breaks by lifting lighter weights with less reps to let your muscles recoup. If you want to see results you will have to increase your weight or reps over time to challenge for body. The debate is over.

Today's workout

Squats with the Smith Machine - 4 sets of 8 reps / 70lbs
Chest Dumbbell Press - 4 sets 12 reps / 20lbs each hand
Seated Cable Row- 4 sets 8 reps / 30lbs
Over head Dumbbell Press - 4 sets of 8 / 20lbs each hand
Barbell Curl - 4 sets of 8 / 30lbs barbell
Seated Calf Raise - 4 sets of 8 / 50lbs
Hanging Leg Raises - 4 sets of 10

Food/ Workout Journal 1/19/14

Today was rest day. I did Yoga to stretch and decompress, but no hard core work out. It was also date night meaning I went WAY over my calories, but I don't want to be so rigid I can't every have an off day. It was so fun! 

Food Workout Journal 1/18/14

It's about to get crazy

School is starting which means my schedule is about to get crazy in a hurry. I started out doing a switch between arms and legs mixed with cardio every day, but with a tighter schedule I need to switch to strength training 3 days a week working both arms and legs together and then cardio 2 days a week. I think this will actually feel more natural for me since I am used to a pretty intense workout 4 days a week, and the routine they had me on felt kind of lack luster. I decreased my calories to 1850 (from 2000) Still taking in 170grams of protein, around 180 grams of carbs and 62 grams of fat per day.

I am also incorporating yoga into my routine to help me de-stress and stretch. Already completed 40 minutes of Yoga this morning, and this afternoon I plan to go for a 3 mile run. I have missed running this last week. I have been doing some other cardio and I just really want to pound the pavement and today is going to be the prefect temp for an outdoor run!

Also I ditched the scale! I decided it was only hindering my progress and making me into an obsessive freak. I want to really give this a chance and free myself to see progress without the scale.

Food Workout Journal 1/17/14

Food and Workout Journal 1/16/14

This is Hard.

I'm not gonna lie, for someone who is addicted to the scale this whole idea of ignoring the scale is next to impossible. When gaining muscle I know you are supposed to focus more on the changes you see in your body, the inches not the number, but that is super hard! I keep trying to remind myself this is a process, it takes time. Getting this body takes time commitment and patience. I have to give it a chance. Progress with weight is so often measured by the number on the scale that it is such a struggle to reshape the way you think, and the way you measure success. When I started losing back in June I saw progress on the scale within the first week, I dropped like 3 pounds, and it just dropped faster from there. I knew I was doing things right, I knew it working. This kind of transformation is not like that. This is not about dropping pounds, it is about toning up. The scale might as well be tossed out the window. But then how the heck will I know if I am making progress??

My biggest fear is that I am doing something wrong and I will waste 30 days doing the wrong thing. This is hard, it's not easy to eat this way and to count and to stick to a routine. So the idea of doing it and sticking to it for 30 days only to see no progress is terrifying. I have to remind myself I am following a plan that was laid out by fitness experts. This can work if I time it a chance.

Last night I stumbled upon this on Pinterest

This is what I needed to see. The number on her scale did not budge, but her body sure changed. She looks great! She looks fit! And she isn't a single pound lighter, but I bet she wears pants at least 2-3 sizes smaller.

So deep breathes, let it go, relax, and give it time. This will work.

Weekly Inspiration

Food and Workout journal 1/15/14

Rest day- no work out

Foods that build lean muscle

15 best lean muscle building foods:

Beef (grass fed)
Beets
Brown Rice
Oranges
Cantaloupe
Cottage Cheese
Eggs
Milk
Quinoa
Wonka Pixy Stix (Yes the candy)
Spinach
Apples
Greek Yogurt
Ezekiel 4:9 Bread
Wheat Germ

The pixy stick thing confused me but apparently these specific ones contain dextrose which is a carb that does't need digesting, so it goes right into your blood stream and helps muscles recover super fast!

Food & Workout Journal 1/14/14

Today was a little harder just because I felt exhausted for some reason. I don't know if it was less coffee than normal or less carbs... Either way it was a challenge. 

Today's workout felt relatively easy I am so used to hardcore cardio that weights feel like a breeze. 

I have been there (believe me)

I think there comes a point in your weight loss where people stop paying attention because you lost weight. They can't relate to you anymore. I know what these people think "You lost weight how much more do you really need to lose?" "You look great! What the hell are you still complaining about?" "I would kill to be the weight you are now" "Aren't you done?" Then after that comes the part where they decide I'm nothing like them, "Well she obviously loves to work out, I hate working out." "This is totally easy for her, it's hard for me" "She's just miss fitness now, it's not a challenge for her like it is for me" "She  must love eating healthy, I hate vegetables, I hate that kind of crap"

And this is where I tell you, you are wrong. Is it true that I love to work out, umm no. I enjoy how I feel when I work out, I feel accomplished, and energized. I feel strong, and happy. Does that make dragging my ass to the gym every day any easier? No. Are there days when I am excited to get to the gym? Yes, I will admit there are those days, but that is not every day. There are days I seriously just want to say screw it, and stay home in my jammies.  There are days I am tired and worn out and getting myself to the gym is a miracle, it's a fight with myself the whole drive over, the whole walk in, and even when I get onto a treadmill I am still not 100% committed.

Yes it is true I lost weight, and now that I look better and feel better it seems I have reached my goal and I should be done right? Wrong. I have not reached my personal goals.

Do I enjoy eating healthy and counting calories and being rigid and sticking to a meal plan? HELL NO. I LOVE food. I love crappy food. I love donuts and cookies, and cake, and cheese, and italian food, and mexican food, and chocolate. I LOVE food. I get so bored eating the same shit all the time. Eating the same boring meals balanced with the perfect carbs, and proteins. I get bored with all the salad, and veggies. I think about cake at least once a day. I think about donuts at least once a week. I miss these things and it takes a lot of self control not to eat that stuff. Do I treat myself? Yes, I can't give it up completely, but I have a goal in mind and for now that means commitment and willpower. Each day is a challenge for me. It's not fun or easy. Over time does it get easier? Yes. It becomes a lifestyle. It becomes compulsory over time, but it still takes willpower, and drive.

When I started this in June I enjoyed food, too much food. I enjoyed sitting my happy ass in front of a computer for hours and not being active. Deciding to change was hard, and there were times I wanted to give up. I cried, I was grumpy. I cussed, I cried some more. It was hard, hard, hard! I had withdraws, I missed my comfort food. I missed being able to eat a scone when I was stressed or grumpy. I had to come up with new coping mechanisms, and that was HARD. But after some challenging weeks things got easier and seeing my body change was a huge motivator. But it didn't get EASY. It simply got less difficult.

Don't be discouraged, if I can do it, so can you, seriously. I know what is like to rely on food, to love food, to feel tired and lazy. I know what it's like to want to give up. But it's about pushing through. It's about facing yourself. That's hard. The hardest part is truly accepting that you love and you rely on it too much. The hardest part is facing your demons and not turning away. Keep moving, keep going. Don't give in. Don't give up because of the time and dedication it will take. You are capable of changing your life, you just have to want it bad enough.

You need fat to lose fat...

I think we all feel like fat is the enemy. We are trying to lose fat, so it would only make sense that, that means reducing fat in our diet, and that is true, but it's not about eliminating fat. Fat is essential to weight loss, you just need to eat the right kinds.

Will eating fat make me fat??

Not if you eat the right kind of fats. Fat is an energy source, just as carbs and protein are. But fats also preform important functions in the body. They are used to make up cell membranes, such as those that encase muscle cels. the essential chemical fats - omega 3's, and omega 6's- are used in the body to make critical chemical messengers known as prostaglandins. These are important for joint and muclse recovery, as well as numerous other important functions. Now we know that omega-3 fats also activate genes that encourage fat burning and blunt fat storage! You need about 20-30% of your total daily calories to come from fat. (Taken from: Muscles & Fitness Hers 360)

**Nuts Avocados, and canola and olive oil are high in Monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats have also been found to help in weight loss, particularly of body fat.** (Taken from: Muscles & Fitness Hers 360)

15 best fat burning foods:

Walnuts

Ginger

Oatmeal

Avocado

Salmon

Soybean (Edamame)

Water

Flaxseeds

Grapefruit

Honey

Peanut Butter

Eggs

Chili Pepper Flakes

Broccoli

Olive oil

Food and Workout 1/13/14

Monday 1/13/14 Food Journal

I was able to get 169 grams of protein! 133 grams of carbs (my goal was 200) and 83 grams of fat (my goal was 65 but the max is 85 is the max) I was so full today I wasn't sure I could fit dinner in. All the protein keeps you pretty stuffed. I even stayed under my calorie goal. It was a very successful day! 

The 2,326 goal is with my cardio added in, but I don't count my cardio until the end of the day, my daily goal is 2,000 no matter what work to I do. So I squeaked in just under my goal. 

Here was my workout

Finally a break through!

I bought a new book yesterday and I  have been obsessed with it ever since. It has all kinds of workouts in it and even a plan for you to follow for both nutrition and weight training. I don't know if I am more excited about the nutrition part or the workouts! You can buy it here http://www.amazon.com/Muscle-Fitness-Hers-360-Strength/dp/1600788572

I was very excited to finally read something a bit more definitive. They explain that for fat burn your calorie range should be about 11-12 calories per pound of body weight, I weigh 170, so for me between 1,870 and 2,040 calories per day. If your plan is to gain lean muscle mass you need between 12 and 15 calories per pound per day again for me 2,040- 2,550 calories. Now these aren't just any calories. You need about 1 gram per pound of protein per day whether you are attempting to reduce body fat or gain muscle, that means I need about 170 grams of protein per day. That doesn't sound like to much until your really see how little protein you eat each day. I think generally we don't realize just how little protein most foods actually contain. For instance one egg only has 6 grams, one 3oz can of chicken has 13 grams. In rode to fulfill the 170 grams I would need to eat at least 28 grams per meal 6x a day! And that is only to fulfill the protein part. I hover around 80-110 grams right now, so I will have to really turn it up.

Fat is also important, but you have to eat the right kinds. They recommend .25-.5 grams of good fat per pound per day. So mine would be between 42 grams and 85 grams per day. I chose to set mine in the middle at 56 grams as a starting point.

Carbs should be between 1 and 1.5grams per pound per day, that means just a little more than the amount of protein. That sets me at 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25% fats a day. Everyone's will look a little different depending on your weight and your goals.

Carbs, fats, and protein are called macro nutrients. Counting out the macro nutrients is an important part of weight loss and muscle building. We all know what you eat matters, but when you hit a plateau it's time to take a good look at your diet and start counting those macros!

Now the kinds of carbs and fats do matter. Good fats include:

Nuts
Avocados
Canola oil
Olive oil
Salmon
Corn oil
Soy oil
Safflower oil
Sunflower oil

Good Carbs are carbs that are slow to digest. This keeps your blog sugar levels more stable,  good carbs include oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and whole grains.

Eating the right kinds of foods in the right amounts will help your body have more energy and stay full longer. It will also help you reach your goals! So here's to giving it the old college try, I am going to give it 30 days and see what kind soy changes my body makes.

Pick up the weights!!

I think most of my life I have been very misinformed, or simply uneducated about the actual process of attaining my dream body, and who wouldn't be? There is so much information out there, and it's all so confusing. Many things contradict themselves; one piece of advice will say women shouldn't lift heavy weights because they will bulk up, another says women should lift heavy weights and no you will no bulk up. The next piece says cut calories to lose weight, and then yet another says don't cut calories that's bad for you.

As a teenager I was very successful at losing weight by starving. It was stupid, and uniformed, but I was desperate and it worked. Except that I was skinny fat. I wasn't toned or sleek, I was thin and gooey. At the time I thought that was what I was supposed to be. I was still unhappy with myself because I was gooey which made me think I was still fat. But I had no idea how to achieve the actual body I was trying to emulate.

These bodies come from starving... it's not pretty. 

This body however...

doesn't come from starving. I mean it's possible that she eats less than she should, but in all actuality these kinds of results don't come from starving. 

These bodies come from working out, from lifting weights. Not just little 5 lbs dumbbells, but real actual heavy weights. These bodies come from building muscles. These bodies require pushing yourself and being strong. It's deceptive because these bodies are not what we imagine when we lift weights. These are... 

Now I am sure there is a fine line where you cross over because obviously we have body builders who are women who are insanely ripped. But trust me when I say adding a weight lifting regimen into your workout is NOT going to yield those kinds of results. It will yield this kind.... 

This is what I want. This is my dream body. I spent last year doing an insane amount of cardio and burned a lot of fat (30 lbs). But I am ready to transform my body. So starting today I am switching up my routine. I am going to give it 30 days and see what changes  can make cutting my cardio down and ramping up the weight sessions. 

Today's workout: Following recent advice I did weights first and cardio after. 

4x 60lbs leg extensions x 12
3x 20lbsx 12 bicep curls
2 x 20lbsx 15 squats
2 x 15 tricep dip
3 x 60lbs x 12 pull downs
3 x 5 x 10 tricep pull downs
3 x 10lbs x tricep push backs
3 x 15 x 12.5lbs tricep pull UPS
3 x 15 x 12.5lbs chest press
10 x 3 pushups

Abs-
2 x 12 reverse crunch
2 x 12 double leg lifts
2 x 15 dig and drags
1 x 15 1-2-3 pulse
2 x 30 bicycles
2 x 40 butterfly's

20 minutes cardio bike level 10

Inspiration board

A peek at my inspiration board....

 

  

10 Popular Exercise Myths

I found this list of exercise myths in my OCD fitness search and I wanted to share them with you. Some of them were a surprise to me!

#1- Your cardio machine is counting the calories you are burning. I think we all know this one is a myth. The machines grossly over estimate your burn. The fact is, calorie burn depends on your age, sex, BMI, and fitness level. Men and women burn calories differently, young people burn calories differently than older people, and a machine certainly can't determine your fitness level. Even if you enter your weight, age and sex, there are other individual factors at play that make you burn differently than the next 150lbs 29 year old female  stepping on the treadmill. So take those numbers with a grain of salt.

#2- Heart Rate Monitors let you know how hard you are working. This was a new one for me, I assumed surely your heart rate was a good estimate of your output, but apparently monitors are not always accurate, and can falter based on the type of workout your are doing. Your best measure is your own body. Can you talk in full sentences? Can you barely muster a few words? Are you about to pass out? Your body will let you know how much effort you are putting in.

#3- Your weight is the end all be all. Ok so this one I have talked to death, but it is important enough to say again and again. Your weight has little to do with your fitness level. I can personally attest to that. I have seen some very thin people who weigh much less than I do, that have a hard time doing squats. ( No offense intended at all to these people). The point here is that your weight is just a number. Muscle weighs more than fat and so you will probably see an increase on the scale when you first start lifting weights. Your best measure is your fitness level and how well your clothes fit. Forget the scale.

#4- Low intensity exercise burns more fat. The more intensely you exercise the more carbs you burn. You may burn less fat but you burn more calories, your body doesn't dig into the fat until after it has burned through the carbs. Which is why they recommend that you do a quick warm up and then weight lift before cardio. Lifting weights burns more carbs so when you go to do cardio you start digging into the fat reserves.

#5- You can spot reduce for tight arms, or toned abs. The more repetitions your do just creates muscle memory reducing the effectiveness of the workout and causing your body not to burn as much fat. Working all body parts will reduce muscle memory and increase calories burned.

#6- You can eat whoever you want as long as you workout. Well this one seems like a no brainer. Working out alone is not enough to burn fat, you have to have a calorie deficit. Unfortunately an intense calorie deficit works the opposite way. Muscles need food, so you have to have a good balance of carbs, proteins and fats. Starving reduces your metabolism and causes your body to want to store fat. And if you eat crappy foods and still workout you will not see any progress. Nutrition is 90% of weight loss.

#7- Cardio is the only way to lose weight. Cardio is great for your heart and increases endurance, but it is not the best way to burn fat. Since muscles have higher energy stores in them your body will actually begin to feed off those after extended cardio regimens rather than fat. 10-25 minutes if cardio is the best range to work in not to feed off muscle and burn fat.

#8- You have to do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach to burn fat. I have heard this one a lot, the best way to work out in the morning in to do it before breakfast.. well that seems crazy, your body needs fuel! You haven't eaten in 8-10 hours. Your metabolism is at a snails pace in the morning. Eating a balanced healthy breakfast before your workout gives you energy and gets your metabolism going.

#9- Chug a protein shake after a workout. I used to do this all the time. I had a trainer tell me I needed at least 30 grams protein after a workout, and that's hard to accomplish with foods. The fastest way was a shake. While protein shakes are good for emergencies they are low quality processed food. The best source of protein is through turkey, beef, yogurt and nuts.

#10- Drinking ice cold water burns fat. This I have heard too, although it sounded fishy to me. There are no proven facts that drinking cold water causes your body to warm itself up revving your metabolism to burn more fat. Water is good for you, but you can stick to room temp.

** Information taken from http://www.pinterest.com/pin/358810295283595148/**

Figuring it out

Ok, a little more obsessive reading last night led me to a new conclusion. I looked over that woman's blog more carefully and noticed she ate the same every day regardless of workout She didn't factor in her workout. That means on the days she did workout she was at a deficit of probably a few hundred calories, and the rest days she was actually eating 2100. The other thing I realized is that she was doing something called reverse dieting. That means she slowly (very slowly like 20 calories a month) a dded calories back into her diet to give her body time to adjust so in the end she was eating close to 2400 a day and still seeing results.

So then I looked up eating back workout calories, and I found another helpful blog and the woman made some pretty valid arguments for not eating back your calorie, the most important being that when you count workout calories they can be very inaccurate. The machines at the gym tend to over count the calories burned, and when you log workouts in programs like Myfitnesspal you really have no idea how accurate the number is. If two people weighing 150lbs  both did the same workout they could burn  a different amount of calories used on how fit they each are. The more fit you are the less you tend to burn in a workout. But how do you really know how fit you are? How can you be accurate? I am wondering if part of my problem has been overestimating and eating back more than I burned.

With all of that new knowledge I have decided to stick with my idea of eating more, but I want to be consistent. I will eat the same amount every day regardless of my workout. I set my calories on Myfitnesspal to maintain. I had it set that way over the holidays too and I did maintain so I know my body works with that amount. My set amount is 2185. So each day I will eat that consistently even if I don't work out. I am not going to attempt the reverse dieting for now, I don't know if it is something I need to do.

**Today's workout:  cardio 30 minute run 10 minute mile

Am I doing this all wrong??

I have been doing a lot of reading lately and i stumbled upon this blog http://corinanielsen.com/livefit/?page_id=187 and I am starting to think I may be doing things wrong. This woman looks amazing, and she achieved results eating 2100 calories constantly every day and here I am starving myself at 1500 a day. Here is her before and after...

I started this weight loss plan by cutting calories, and that worked wonders for a few months, but now I want to shape and define. I still have some fat to lose, but I think I may be cutting too many calories for the kinds of workouts I am doing. The food thing is a freaking nightmare, and I am sure you can relate. Sometimes things just work and it's amazing and you think yay! I am finally seeing results! Then suddenly to come to a grinding halt and you are stumped. What the hell went wrong? Well I am right there with you. I am trying to find a calorie range my body is happy with. I can't starve myself, that just doesn't feel right to me, and many times I find adding more calories has helped me to drop a few pounds odd as it may seem. So my goal is to stick to around 1800-1900 calories a day and see what changes my body makes with my work outs. Now this is not going to be just any 1800 calories, my goal is to eat whole grains, more protein and more veggies, cutting out white flour and sugars as much as I can. So today I had a spinach power salad from Panera, it was delicious, and honestly I was totally full afterwards, and I am still full ( 2 hours later). They serve it with a whole wheat baguette which I only ate half of because I was stuffed.

This morning I started my day with 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon and a cup of coffee (and some home made banana bread). I stayed full for hours an chad so much more energy for my workout. This is an experiment so I will post my foods, and my workouts, and results as I go. You are welcome to try it with me, but remember I am not a trainer or nutritionist, I am just a mommy attempting to figure this crazy shit out.

Today's workout:

10 minute mile on the treadmill to warm up, then the Victoria Secret Workout bottom up this time I found that gave me more energy for abs and arms.

Good luck today guys!!

Daily Inspiration

The scale is a lying b&*%

When I was young (16-18) my dream body looked very different than it does today. All I wanted was to be thin. I thought strong was ugly. Strong was muscles, and that was so not what I wanted. I wanted to be model thin, the kind that looks like you haven't eaten in days. Now I realize strong is beautiful! Strong is sexy, and that's the body I want. Being thin is not hot if you have to starve, being thin is not hot if you can hardly lift a 5 pound weight. I want to look fit. I want to look healthy. I want people to say, "damn she works out!"

The kind of body I used to want was acquired by eating less, way less, and seeing the number on the scale continue to go down. But the kind of body I want now is the kind that requires a bit more faith. A little less looking at the scale and more looking in the mirror. It takes more time, patience, and perseverance.

I think we become accustomed to looking at the scale as an accurate measurement of our fitness level, and even health level. We go to the doctor and the first thing they do it weigh us. This number becomes the number that defines us. The charts on the walls tell us what our acceptable weight should be. We must fit into a box, into a number and so we look to the scale hoping to fit into that magic number. But the problem with that is that it really isn't an accurate portrayal of your health and fitness level.

This picture is the perfect example. I don't want o be be 123 lbs if I am going to be fluffy and out of shape. I would much prefer to be 137 and be ripped. I am already seeing my body change, as I challenge myself and push myself. I can see my body transform and that is exciting. I am working on letting go of the number on the scale, and really accepting that it is not the best way to measure my success.