Day 59 Traveling

When Traveling it is best to pack some healthy snacks. Sitting in the car for a couple of hours, we had left right around lunch time. Fortunately I had my Fiber One bars. Only 90 calories and packed with 5 grams of Fiber..oh yeah. A veggie tray with some lo cal ranch dressing and some ritz crackers. Did not spoil my diet with candy bars and fast food restaurants. Used my common sense when we hit the Hometown Buffet for dinner with a big salad and some protein choices. Worst eat of the day...a small piece of cake at the buffet. Got a quick 3 mile run in before the run trip as well so Planning ahead is always best!!!!

Day 58 Darn that Chocolate!

So, got some chocolate Reeses Peanut butter cups for Easter in the house...Ouch...Darn that Chocolate. It is a big downfall for me, especially when peanut butter is involved. So, I ate about a dozen of them today..felt it weighing me down right away. In excess of 500 calories later and I felt laden down by the sugar and calories. All I could do to make myself feel better was get to the gym and take a Spin class. I believe I burned those 500 calories off from Spinning but I did not feel a deficit in my day...it was just working to keep myself at a maintenance mode.

Down to undue the damage the rest of the week. Going out of town so won't be eating at home. It will take some discipline...salad and veggies in the house...or should I say Hotel room!!!

Day 57 Monday Mornings Feel Grand!!!!

Monday mornings feel Grand....I used not feel good on Mondays after a weekend of overeating and overindulging. But not anymore..I feel great today. I feel thinner, and more fit than I have felt in a long time. I really feel I have control over my eating now. I consistently log in my points on WeightWatchers.com. Even on the days that I go over my points I am so consciencious to cut back the next day. I continue to log in my Fitness points on a weekly basis and never use them for eating. Therefore I am alway at a deficit for the week. I have been losing one pound a week consistently so chipping away at the old block :)

Day 56 A Soak in the Hot Tub does Wonders

I had aching muscles last night and today so spent some time soaking in the hot tub yesterday and this afternoon. Definitely helped alot..also I recommend Bio Freeze gel for the aches and pains of working out. My lower back, thighs and calves feel better after using this last night and nothing better than a good night sleep to help those sore muscles!!!

Day 55 Pushed myself today

Today, I pushed myself to a longer mile run than I have done in about 3 years now. 9 miles...the midpoint which was a 4.5 mile run out before I turned around was to an absolutely beautiful section of the Steamboat Trail. It was out above the homes and the highway. Beautiful snow capped Sierras, crystal blue skies and warm sunshine shined on my face as I admired the homes and the highway below me. It was so inspiring, so enlightening to run out that far..the farthest I have ever been on the Steamboat trail. It was awesome.

The last 2 miles of my run were the hardest but I pushed thru it and made it to the end. I ran 8:30 per mile at my fastest and 10:30 at my slowest. Beautiful day..good run. Aches and pains in the lower back and my calves were incredibly tight. A swim in the heated pool and a soak in the hot tub did them just fine.

Day 54 Shake, Rattle and Roll

Today I was feeling lazy..especially after that Circuit Fit class last night. So I took a Noon time Body Pump. Ouch - muscles were a bit tired so had to really push through it. Tomorrow is my 9 mile run and I am ready. Clothes are out...my best socks are by my shoes and my Garmin is set. Just need to charge the IPOD and I am ready to Go!!!

Day 53 Circuit Training Rocks!!

Doing a combination class of weight training and cardio definitely rocks and burns some major calories. I have a great class that is 60 minutes - 9 stations that cover every body part with a combination of high intensity cardio work in between. Do 3 sessions of cardio for about 2 minutes and a circuit of weights where you change every 1 minute in between sessions and you are Rocking up a Storm and burning some mega calories. Go Forth and Conquer people!!!!

Day 52 Your Body is like a Fine running Machine

When you eat well and exercise efficiently...Your body will Thank you. There is no doubt in my mind that when you take good care of your body by feeding it well. Feeding your body with good wholesome, natural foods like healthy dairy, meats, fruits and vegetables your body will feel the best it can. When you exercise your body, challenge your fitness level, work your muscles and your cardiac level 5-6 times a week you will improve and you will feel the best you can be. I had that enlightening today...I feel awesome...and I am looking so much better than I did 52 days ago. Yes, thats right only 52 days ago when I started this journey and it feels a light year away in what I am feeling today. See you all tomorrow!

`Day 51 Busy, Busy

Today was a busy day so I did not get in a workout...very unusual for me as I always make time. But I really watched my points today so I feel good. I even got a compliment from a friend telling me that my weight loss is really showing and I am looking good. Brownie points...and the boost is always welcomed. Onward and upward...tomorrow probably throw in an extra workout somewhere :)

Day 50 1/3 of my journey and 1/2 of my weight

It is Day 50 of my Journey and I am 1/3 of the way through my 150 days to Fitness. I am now at my half way point of weight loss. 15lbs pounds gone and 15lbs to go. It has been a slow and steady loss with me averaging 1.1lb weight loss each week. I have had some better weeks and I would like to start changing up some things to spur my weight loss even more. It may be just tweeking my diet a bit and increasing my workouts. I also am adding some fiber intake into my diet. I am succeeding and I will reach my goal in the next 100 days!!!

Day 49 Fiber increase

This week I would like to increase my Fiber intake...eating oatmeal, wheat bread and even adding in some psylium fiber to my diet to help boost my intake. This is my plan as we approach Monday morning.

See you all tomorrow!

Day 48 Run, Run, Run

This morning I ran 8 miles with my running group in prep for my half marathon scheduled for May 3rd, and the Reno Tahoe Odyssey Relay run scheduled for June 5th. Running is so great...I love the free feeling of just hitting the trail, challenging yourself and being with a group of like minded people who also enjoy getting in the miles. I always feel great after the fact and while I am running I am feeling so free...free of responsibilities, freedom to just go and do it!!! Got home and had more running to do...in the way of taxi cabbing the family around. But having that time to do my 8 mile run was a total great way to start my day and now end my day. I feel a bit of soreness setting into my muscles but just knowing what I accomplished today is such a great feeling that the soreness doesn't matter.

Day 47 Chipping Away

So felt like I lost more than a pound but the scale only showed one pound gone. Good news is I really feel the strength and soreness in my muscles. Clothes continue to look too baggy but not ready to buy any new until I am closer to my goal. Total of 15lbs gone since the beginning of the year. Tomorrow I am running 8 miles so that should burn some major calories...Trying my best to be good this weekend at eating and drinking.

Day 46 Lighten Up Francis!

So yesterday I went over my usual limit of 20 points and actually used 38 points. Wow - if you are not watching closely those points can really add up quick. Fast food can kill you...I ate a Kids Happy meal and it equated to 12 points alone...and that is not including the soft drink that comes with it. So really think about it when you are eating that cheeseburger and fries from Mickey D's!! Small indulgences like a piece of cake and a couple of snack size chocolate bars (4 to be exact) and Boom you are way over what you need for the day.

So the plan for today is really keeping my points to a minimum. I only have 2 points left in my weekly point allowance. This is a good thing and my week resets tomorrow so I think I should come out fine. Fortunately I have a decent amount of Fitness points accumulated so I believe I will still come out on top this week....Or should I say with the scale showing a loss!!!

Day 45 Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Happy St. Pat's Day and Happy Birthday to my daughter who is 6 today!! So yes, I know I will partake in cake as well as a Green beer or 2. Have to plan that in my calories for the day. Just worked out and burned some mega calories. My husband surprised my daughter with a small cake this morning. Yup cake for breakfast then worked out. The plan is to watch what I eat for the rest of the day so I can partake in the evening activities.

Day 44 Stress is a Drain..Unless you use it wisely

Stress in your life will have a negative effect on weight loss and sleep. If you can relieve yourself from it then it will be most beneficial to your weight loss. Yes, easier said then done especially since in this day and age..Stress is in most people's lives. So what is the answer..Not letting it get the Best of You..Learning to deal with Stress in a constructive manner. Using your energy in a positive manner rather than negative. Use Stress to burn up calories and use up energy during the day...but get your sleep at night. Exercise is a great Stress reliever..it burns up energy, burns up calories but most of all it relieves Stress!

Day 43 Turning up the Heat this Week

I am going to really turn up the heat this week by really increasing my water intake...throwing a couple of extra workouts in and trying to keep my daily points in the 20 point range each day. I have been using my 35weekly points up by the end of the week and I would like to have some left over. I usually have a good amount of fitness points that I never cut into so this is good...I will
c ntinue to earn these points but would like to have about 10-15 weekly points left over. Lets see if I can accomplish this!!

Day 42 Your Clothes will Tell You

I have noticed the definite improvement in my body by wearing my clothes. Jeans are very comfortable and baggy. I have a pair of black stretch pants that I had bought around Christmas and they are very loose. It feels so good to put on my clothes and feel so comfortable. The mirror is showing the improvement, people are noticing the change and it only motivates me to keep on going!!!

Day 41 My Fitness Level is Improving

Today I ran 7 miles with my Running group. Averaged a 11:20 pace but hit an all time fast pace of 8:29 at one point in my run. This peaked about 35 mins after I started. I can tell you that I know I have improved because I am Not Tired or Sore. Wow- it feels good to feel the improvements in my fitness and health over these past 41 days. Onward and Upward from here..:)

Day 40 Slowing...have I hit a plateau?

Things have slowed down a bit..1/2lb to 1.0 weight loss and I really need to change something up to spark this plateau...I may have to increase my workouts and also really watch my extra weekly points. I can use 35 and I have been using them up each week. I may shoot only to use 1/2 of them next week.

Day 39 Sometimes You just Got to Have It!

So tonight I decided to make lasagna for the family. I made a meat lasagna with sausage and a vegetable lasagna with spinach. Had to try a little of both and I must admit they were tasty. I saved some calories by making my own sauce so there was absolutely no sugar in the sauce. I used fresh spinach. The pasta was not whole wheat and I used part skim ricotta and mozzerella is pretty low fat, this was probably a bit more than I have planned and ate for weeks now. But sometimes treating your body to this is a good thing. My plan tomorrow is to work out hard.either a Spin class or Body Pump. On Saturday, running 7 miles is on the schedule.

Day 38 Belly Dancing - yes thats right!!!!!

So I tried Belly Dancing last night and Wow has that caught me by surprise. I did not expect the workout that I got from doing this activity. It was 90 mins of total muscle concentration on the butt, and abs. It feels SO GOOD!!!! I can feel every thread of a muscle in my abs and I absolutely LOVE IT. I can feel those washboard abs developing and with this activity it is possible. Fun is allowed..thats right it is sexy and I even got to wear a scarf tied around my hips. Had fun with a friend that was also a part of the class so it was a great experience. Our instructor was in absolutely great shape without an ounce of fat on her body. Very impressed with this opportunity and would recommend it to anyone!!

Day 37 Water is VERY IMPORTANT

Water is very important to weight loss and I am trying to increase my intake. Good guidelines is 8 glasses of 8 ounces throught out the day and for every hour of exercise you should increase that by another 8oz cup. There is an awesome article that I had first seen on Ediets called Water, Water, Water. This article explained all the benefits of drinking water daily and it is absolutely a great reading for anyone. If I can find it I will post it here but I recommend everyone to read an article on the benefits of water. Read it often to keep it in time of mind awareness...and with that I am going to search for this article and hopefully will find it so I can post it here.

This is not the article I was looking for but this is the only one I could find ....

You must have heard of diets that promise to make you lose weight quickly. You must have also tried taking different pills and supplements that do not seem to work and just left you more frustrated with your weight and made you feel bad about yourself. The key in losing weight fast is to find the best diet plan that works for you. You can begin to work out which diet is best suited to you by understanding which of the 4 Essential Factors for Weight Loss apply to you - gut, sugar metabolism, thyroid and brain chemistry. We have different body types and metabolism rates. These two are the biggest factors that you have to consider before trying different kinds of diet plans.

One of the best and most trusted ways to lose 10 pounds fast is drinking plenty of water. It might sound very simple and easy so when people hear that drinking helps a lot to lose weight, they do not really believe it.

One should start with the basics to aid and maximize any kind of diet plan. Drinking water not only quenches thirst and hydrates your system so they could perform better. Did you know that drinking water can help you suppress appetite so you tend to eat less during meals? There are many times when our body sends signal to our brain for us to drink water and re-hydrate our system. But for most of us, especially for those who are on the heavier side, this signal is interpreted as hunger. Well in fact it is only thirst. So when someone feels these signals, the first thing that most people do is to go to the fridge and grab something to eat.

What's worse is that the first thing that we eat is those that we crave for. Drinking plenty of water also lessens our tendency to crave for food that our bodies do not really need. Sadly, our cravings are those kinds of food that are not good for us especially if we are trying to lose 10 pounds fast. Drinking water will give you the feeling of being full for a long time even if you only had little to eat.

Another great thing about drinking plenty of water regularly is it cleanses our digestive tract so it is easier to digest food. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day really helps promote better bowel movement because it helps a lot to improve your metabolism.

Drinking water really has a lot of benefits and the great thing about it is it is so easy and cheap to drink plenty of water. Can you think of other diet pills and supplements that cost as little as water? So go ahead and drink your way to slimmer body and lose 10 pounds fast.

Day 36 Healthy Proteins - Yogurt and Soy

Good choices when it comes to a healthy combo of proteins and carbs with a little bit of fat as well is a choice of yogurts and Soy proteins such as soy milk. I know that my body was thanking me for the tasty treats I ate today. My choice was a Low carb yogurt and later followed by 8oz of Chocolate light soy milk...YUM...this was a healthy choice for myself today that tasted and felt good.

Day 35 Oh those aching muscles

35 days into my Fitness program and all I can say is Oh my aching muscles. Today is a day to treat my muscles to a relaxing day. Hot shower, a soak in the hot tub is great. A body massage is so relaxing and I find it helps me immensely. Today, since it is Sunday I may have my 5yr old daughter walk on my back. It really helps get some of the kinks out of my sore muscles.

Day 34 Feed Your Body Well

Feed your Body well with healthy foods. Healthy foods are fuel to make your body run efficiently and effectively. When you feed your body with good healthy foods then your body will thank you by running the most efficiently and effectively that it can be. Take care of yourself and eat cleanly..avoid preservatives and chemicals that are now found in many processed foods. Eat as closely to the earth and as natural as you can and your body will feel the best it can be.

Day 33 Slow and Steady wins the Race

We all like to see a steady weight loss of a pound or 2 each week but it is important to remember that you will not lose weight like this on all the weeks that you diet. Slow and Steady is the key to long term successful weight loss. I know we all hear this regularly but we still will expect leaps and bounds as we weigh in and honestly that is just not always going to happen. I show a significant loss last week that my program even increased my intake by 1 point or approx. 100 calories. This week only 1/2lb is showing but that is OK...I still feel Like this was a successful week...I am still down and I am feeling incredibly fit and Sore but it is So Good!!

Here is to another weekend...Success is at my fingertips. :)

Here is a great article that I just found>

Burn More Calories Walking

You don’t have to be a professional athlete to reap the benefits of interval training, in which you alternate bursts of fast, intense activity with periods of slower and less-intense activity, which allows your body to recover. In fact, by doing interval walking for a mere 20 minutes every other day, you can shift your metabolism into high gear so that you burn more calories and fat in less time than if you were working out at a steady pace.

And there’s a bonus: With interval training, the higher the intensity of the exercise, the longer the afterburn; that is, you will continue to burn more fat and calories even after you stop exercising! Below are seven tips to help you get the most out of your interval-training session:

Wear shoes that will give you proper support, such as walking shoes, cross-training shoes, or running shoes. Avoid cotton socks and choose synthetic athletic socks instead; these will wick away moisture and keep your feet dry and blister-free.

Begin each session with a short walk at a slow or moderate pace. This allows your muscles to warm up before you start doing your intervals.
Be mindful of maintaining good posture while you’re walking. Tighten your abdominals and keep your chest lifted and your chin parallel to the ground (leading with your chin while walking can result in neck and back pain).
With each step, strike the ground from heel to toe and feel your buttocks (glutes) contract. This strengthens your buttocks and hamstrings (the backs of your legs) as you walk.
Wear a watch or carry a stopwatch to keep track of time so that you can keep tabs on the number of intervals you walk per session.
Remember that doing a little is better than nothing. Do what you can at first, and then gradually increase your periods of intensity and total distance.
If you're not up to doing higher-intensity interval training on a given day, be sure to take a recreational walk for 15 to 20 minutes.

Day 32- Incorporate something New

I have found that mixing up your routine or incorporating something new can really boost your workout. Yesterday during Circuit Fit I did Ski Slides and Wow...Am I sore today from that exercise. Awesome...always feels good to challenge myself and when I feel a little extra sore then I know I am working.

Its all good today!!!

Day 31 Stress Relief

There is nothing better than getting in an Energy packed workout when dealing with Stress. You may go into a workout feeling angry or sad but once you get those endorphins flowing during a workout...it is sure to get you in a better mood. I started out today stressed, angry and upset but by the time I completed my Circuit training workout and got home....I am Feeling so Much Better!!!!

Day 30 Grab a Friend

If you are losing motivation and need some inspiration to workout then I recommend enlisting a friend to meet you at the gym or participate in your workout with you. It helps keep you accountable to someone else...lets face it you not want to bail on your friend. You are there to keep each other motivated and on track. So when possible having a friend to meet up with will help you face the music and get yourself to the gym.

Day 29 A New Month and time to Increase weights

It is a new month,now March 1st and I have increased my weight during my weight training workout at Double Diamond Athletic Club. Body Pump is a 60minute workout that has you pumping every body part for 60 minutes to some great tunes. I increased my weights across the board for legs, chest, biceps, triceps, back and shoulders....Ouch - I was tired after this fat burning workout. My plan was to run a quick 2 miles if I still had something left in me but I did not. So got my 60mins of weights in then hit the showers!!!

Feeling trim...Feeling fine :)