Food Log Buddy

A friend and I did the whole 30 together, an amazing journey I will talk about in another post. So my friend, we will call her my whole 30 friend-I may come back to her often, told me about a blog she read and how it said you should keep a food journal. Not one you write down or log, but a picture food journal. Then you need a friend who is willing to hold you accountable to your food. So you find someone who wants to be your text food journal buddy and you already have step one, finding your buddy. Then you just text pictures of whatever you are going to consume. I haven't started this process with my whole 30 friend, but I did start with a few other ladies. Two days in and so far, so good. I will tell you, I wouldn't want anyone to see what I consumed after my whole 30 journey was over. I knew I needed to take this challenge of finding a journal buddy.

Yes, you can lie and eat something and not text it, but wouldn't you feel rotten? It crossed my mind today as I consumed the rest of my mint chip coconut ice cream and a fiber one bar. My first though, I already told them I ate the ice cream, so it's already on my log, right!?! No, it wouldn't be honest. So I guess step two is make sure you have someone that really, really wants to do this and will be honest with you and themselves.

So who is ready? Who wants this change? I wish I could credit the blogger for this idea. I may ask my whole 30 friend and put the link in the comments. I also need to find a better alias for her. Anyhow, take this idea and run with it. Make the change and enjoy the change. It has been fun so far.

So I will leave you with a quick little workout I saw on Facebook today that you could knock out quickly and then you can say you got a workout in. Here it is:
40 jumping jacks
30 crunches
20 squats
10 push ups

The Elliptical

So as many of you know I have been doing the couch 2 5k program. It is 3 days a week for about 30 minutes. If I go to the gym I want a full hour. So my other cardio go to machine is the elliptical. Easy on the joints and it goes by quickly for me. It's because I break it into 10 minute segments. So usually on run days I do 3 segments. Sounds so much better than 30 minutes, right? Plus the 10 minutes are constantly changing what you do so they go by quickly. So I am going to lay it out for you here:

The 10 minute segment:
0-2 warm up. This is an easy pace, if you go more than one segment these two minutes should be done at you're medium speed.
2-3 only pushing. Push the arms of the elliptical, while trying to use just the arms and as little of the feet as possible.
3-4 only pulling. Just like above but pulling the arms of the elliptical. Both of these done at a comfortable speed, but faster than a warm up speed.
4-5 sprint. This should be hard, really push yourself, it's only a minute and next is:
5-6 recover. This should be a similar speed to warm up speed.
6-8 legs only. Take your hands off the arms of the elliptical and go at a medium to hard speed, not as hard as your sprint.
8-10 peddle backwards. The last two minutes you just start the peddles in reverse.

Repeat as long as you want your workout to be, but remember to up the speed on the first two minutes.

Now since I failed to do this earlier, before each meal tomorrow do the 10 squats from before, but this time add 10 jumping jacks. Make a goal for what you will do tomorrow to become a better you and post it here in the comments. Have a great night!

Get ready!

So I just sat down and mapped out how my blog is going to be. So there will be a consistency to what you will see each day. Get pumped and get excited. This all starts tomorrow 😃!!

I'm back!!

So I have been away for a very long time. I moved to Florida, had my forth baby- our one little man, and now we are in Georgia and I am back and ready to inspire. I will post food, workouts and motivation. Today's post is an easy lunch. I always have bagged salad in my fridge and olive oil and balsamic vinegar in my pantry. An easy thing to add is rotisserie chicken from the deli section and I got some 100 calorie wholly guacamole from the store. Easy peasey. Plus you can have leftovers. Always with water, the drink of life. Now go do 10 squats 3 times today.

Eat Breakfast!

One of my favorite breakfasts is an omelet with broccoli in it, sprinkled with a tiny bit of salt. So today I made an omelet. Usually I make it with the Costco huge packs of cut up broccoli, but today I used one of those single packs of steamed veggies-the broccoli in cheese sauce. It actually is kind of good. Normally for cheese I use a shredded low fat mozzarella cheese stick. Found these single packs are a good alternative. A great way to start my day! Have you eaten your breakfast today?

Sorry Everyone

Have kind of slacked these last two days, but I promise I will be back with some great information on Monday.

25 Minutes-Sounds Like A Lot!

That is how long into my workout it took me to really want to do it. I post about how much I love the gym and how it is like a second home to me, but there are days I don't want to go too. It takes some encouragement and dedication to always have this want. So today I am going to go over more things to keep yourself on track and not lose your focus, because it can be so easy to become side tracked.

#1: Make a Goal

I know all of this is all about goals, but I am talking a small goal. Today I got to the gym-I knew I wanted to do at least an hour. Again, sometimes there are so many other things on your mind (stresses) and it takes all you have just to get out the door to head to the gym. Today my goal was to burn 600 calories before I started my cool down. I almost started my cool down 5 minutes earlier knowing that I would make it to 600 in my cool down, but I said-no I said 600 and then cool down. It got me through those last 5 minutes. Plus it is never good for me to work-out by the monitor where I can see the play room, because I see my kids and want to go running to them for fear they miss me-ha-ha.

#2: The 10 Minute Rule

What is this 10 minute rule? Promise yourself 10 minutes of exercise. When you really don't want to do it-say, I will do 10 minutes. Chose anything, I don't care what it is. For example - go to the gym and do 10 minutes on the treadmill. I guarantee once you get on you will not want to stop. It will get you started. I would love to hear from you all on a day down the road when you really, really didn't want to go workout. Use my 10 minute rule-then come back to my blog, and let me know how long you lasted-even if it was just 5 minutes. I want to know.

#3: If You Don't Have Time-Break It Up

Did you know that you can do the same thing breaking your workouts into 10 to 15 minute segments to equal an hour? Get up 15 minute earlier and do some jumping rope, jumping jacks, running in place, anything to get your heart rate up. At work on your lunch, take 15 minutes to go on a brisk walk or jog. After work do a short workout video. Take another 15 minute walk after dinner. Oh my gosh, you just did an hour of working out today!

# 4: Make Little Lifestyle Changes

It cracks me up to see people at the gym circling for the parking spot closest to the door. I am sorry-didn't you come to get healthier? Here are some things you can do to help yourself make small changes to a better you. Don't drive around waiting for the closer spot-just park. So you have to take the 20 extra steps to the front door-what did it hurt? Nothing at all! When at all possible choose stairs over elevators and escalators. This will also help. Have stairs at home? When cleaning make more than one trip-not fun, but you will get some good cardio going. These are just a few suggestions of small changes you can make.
Here is another thing I would love to hear. Have you started to make small changes in your life to better health? Please, choose one or two things and start on it right away. Remember 30 days to make a habit!!

Now here is your Fitness Tip. Abdominal exercises, I have yet to go over these. I did them today because I have only done them once this week. One big thing with this exercise that a lot don't know-don't anchor your feet. This causes your hip flexors to work-not your abs. Also, when doing abs-think rotational. Rotational abdominal exercises are so amazing when you want that flat stomach. They are what give you that 6-pack. So I am going to tell you one of my favorites, and I would love for you to add it to your workout-even if you have already done your workout. Just lay on down on your back with your hands down to your sides, and do this one for me. Lift your scapula (shoulder blades) off the floor and then rotate back and forth touching your heels with your same side hand. One repetition is after you have touched both heels. So go lie down and get started.