I WORKOUT: So I Can Sell Tickets To The Gun Show

I Workout so I can sell tickets to the gun show

Who doesn't want a strong physique? 

My top fitness goal is to have strong arms. That look where you can see well defined 

muscle without flexing. It will take time and a lot of work! But I can do it!!

What is your fitness goal?

I WORKOUT: 'cause I have had enough rest days to last a life time.

I Workout because I have had enough rest days to last a lifetime

I am 30 years old. I have not been active most of my life. Although I have lost 25 pounds,
I still have a ways to go, another 40 pounds. So if I am going to get rid of this weight, and lead the healthy
 life I want, there will be no more rest days for me. Just active, healthy, happy, days!

So it is time to:

Walk

Run

Bike

Swim

Skate

Dance

Lift Weights

Get my Turbo on,

Spend some time with my favorite trainers: Tony, Donna, ShaunT, and Chalene

Spend time with my WHY: My family <3 <3 <3

and most important smile everyday

I WORKOUT: because endorphins are the best antidepressant

I WORKOUT: because endorphins are the best antidepressant

I know the times I need to workout the most are the ones I probably avoid the most. No one likes being a
 big pile of depressed goo, taking up space on the couch, mindlessly watching another episode of the latest
sitcom.  So then the question is how do you get out of your funk and get back to life? I know it helps me if I
have a friend stop by and take me for a walk. Or better yet have a standing exercise date. It is amazingly
more refreshing than going for coffee, or reading a good book. So pay attention to your loved ones,
sometimes all they need is someone to get them going again. Everything is more fun with friends :)

My favorite Movie quote:

Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.
 Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't. 

                                                                    -Elle Woods 

                                                                     Legally Blonde

I WORKOUT: To feel comfortable in my own skin

I WORKOUT.... To Feel Comfortable In My Own Skin

One of the worst feeling in the world is not being happy with the person you are. The voice in our head that
says we are not good enough, we are not pretty enough, we are not smart enough, needs to be silenced. If
we could all see ourselves through the eyes of the people who love us; we would be amazed! I look at the
young women I know and can't believe how wonderful they are. They each have something about them that
is unique. Something that they can offer the world. But I hate to see them worry about their looks or their
size. Our bodies put us in the world, but it is our souls that make us who we are. 

 I Workout to feel comfortable in my own skin. By taking care of the gift I have been given, I feel
 stronger inside and out. Its not about my size. It is about they feeling of being able to carry my daughter
around for as long as she wants me too. It about having the energy to run after my son at the park. It is about
 the self confidence I gain by living a happy; healthy life <3

What a Summer it has been...

 It has been quite a summer! There have been lots of good things. Time with friends and family. Trips to Lake Tahoe, afternoons at the park with my children, and lots of time at the pool. There has been some stress too. We moved from a fairly good size house to a 2 bedroom apartment. It took us a month to get out of the old house. We cleaned and painted. We tried to leave it in the best shape we could.
The best part was conquering some goals. Although I didn't lose any more weight or inches over the summer, I did maintain my weight (with a 5 pound gain, I usually put it all back on by now) for the first time in a very long time! This is a huge accomplishment on its own.

This picture is my 30 pound weight loss from last Christmas to June of this year. I am working toward having the same results by New Years day! 185 is my goal. It will put me at the weight I was before my son was born. Something I haven't reached yet! I changed my diet to include lean meats, lots of veggies and of course Shakeology every day. I committed to my workouts at least 5 days a week. The how to lose weight isn't hard, it's the applying it to your life!

I was so excited to have conquered these steps. I originally posted a photo of these steps in February. I took me a little over 4 months to actually get the nerve to climb all 820 steps :) I am really proud of this and didn't pause anywhere near as much as I thought I would. In February I would have gone slow, held the rail, and taken lots of breaks. Now that I have lost weight and have slowly but surely improved my health I was actually jogging up and down the stairs. I shocked myself! Sometimes you have to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. You never know what you are capable of until you try!!
Check out my video of conquering the stairs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KJGXRa_bug 

I was hoping to be a little farther along is my fitness. 

But I also know that I am only human and results don't happen overnight. 

So here is to a new season of conquering goals and trying new things.

 My new list of things to conquer:

20 pounds off by New Years Day.

I want to go snow shoeing for the first time.

I will do the Turkey Trot this year. 

Next March I will complete a 13.1 walk with my best friend.

I will start classes in the spring to work toward a certification in personal training.

I will get certified to teach Turbo Kick. 

What are you ready to Conquer?

Who do you hang out with?

Get out more often. If you have a regular 9-5 job, chances are you spend most of your times holed up in the office and not a lot of time going out and having fun. During weekends, you’re probably busy with work or running errands. Make it a point to go out with friends at least once a week. Get some sunlight. Go out and have a change in environment. It’ll be great for your body and your soul.


Exercise good dental hygiene. Not only does good hygiene make you a lot more desirable, it is linked with better health (Read AHA Study). Brush your teeth twice a day, rinse your mouth after each meal and floss your teeth at night.

Join classes. Dance classes, aerobics classes, tennis classes, ballroom dancing, scuba diving, wake boarding courses, are all places to start off with. Going there also lets you socialize with a whole new group of people.



Join a Challenge group Surround yourself with other trying to get healthy; from the comfort of your computer. I know I can't always make it out of the house so being able to check in with people who have the same goals as I do is critical. Check out what a challenge group is here:What is a Beachbody Challenge group?

Hang out with healthy people. You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with, so the more time you spend around healthy people, the better it is. Eat with people who are health conscious and get workout buddies. It makes healthy living even more fun.

                  Have a Happy Healthy Day! 

Just some advice for healthy living

Dine at salad bars more often. Lately I’m falling in love with salad bars. Salad bars work like this: You pick your greens, you select X number of toppings (usually 6 or limited, depending on the outlet) and you finish off with a dressing. The variety is huge, it’s filling and it’s extremely healthy.

Stop smoking. It has been extensively proven that smoking is detrimental to health,  severely increasing the risk of lung cancer, kidney cancer, esophageal cancer (of our gullet), heart attack, and more. Smoking “light” cigarettes does not decrease health risks. Bottom line – if you’re a smoker, quit for better health of not just yourself, but also your family and friends. If you don’t smoke, stay that way and don’t start.

Avoid passive smoking. Second hand smoking (breathing in air from smokers) causes many of the same long-term diseases as direct smoking (Wiki). Get away from smokers and avoid cigarette smoke where you can.

Have healthy snacks. If you’re hungry during work, eat healthy snacks, like fruits, salads, and fruit juices. These are nutritional and don’t give you that sugar rush. Have them readily available so you can dive in for a munch and stop when you’d had your fill. Get away from cookies and candy bars. 

                 Have a Happy Healthy Day! 

Words to live By

Cut out soda and caffeine. Drinks with caffeine are diuretics – meaning they speed up the rate of urine production. Hence, these drinks do not contribute to your 8 glasses of water/day requirement – they actually take away from it! Furthermore, soda is unhealthy, causes weight gain, is an artificial stimulant, among other reasons. Ditch your soda and go for plain water or fresh fruit juices instead!

Don’t drink alcohol. Like caffeine, alcohol is a diuretic. Not only that, alcohol is repeatedly proven to have negative effects on our body and health – impacting the proper functioning of our brain, liver, lungs, and other major organs. If you drink alcohol regularly, it’s time to cut it out.

Prepare your meals. Lately I’m beginning to appreciate the value of preparing my own meals. When you prepare your meals, you control what goes into them. No more being in a dilemma between eating healthy  and choosing between the sub-optimal food choices. Get some quality kitchen equipment – these will be your best investments ever.

Learn to say no. Don’t feel like you’ve to eat just because you’re out with your friends, or because other people offer you food. Simply say no and say you’re not hungry if you don’t feel like eating.

Bring a water bottle when you go out. That way, you can replenish your fluids whenever you want to. It saves you money as well and you don’t need to subject yourself to poor alternatives like soda, which increases your fluid outtake instead.

               Have A Happy Healthy Day! 

My Sister

 

My Sister just graduated from UNR with her bachelors. She will be moving on to complete her masters in occupational therapy this fall. I am unbelievably proud of her. Watching her over the years work with disabled children, I know this is the correct path for her. She is incredibly kind and compassionate towards them. She has already touched so many lives and I am very excited to see where life will take her.

 As sisters do; we have a close relationship. Despite the fact that there has been times where we didn't talk for months. (usually do to my stubbornness) We get along and understand each other like no one else does. She can be moody, I can be self-centered. She can be bossy, I can be unforgiving. But we also can be loving, generous, thoughtful, and kind. I will miss seeing her in person for the next two years. She will be going to school in another state. She will be close to our grandparents and our older brother so that make us worry less. She will still have people close by her who love her.

 My sister loves her nieces and nephews like crazy! They adore her too :) My sister is just a big kid at heart. Children are drawn to her and trust her. That is part of what will make her so great in the occupational therapy community.

So little sister :D Go out and conquer the world! You have quite and adventure ahead of you. Keep fighting for your dreams! You can do anything and I am SO PROUD of you!

A Purposeful Healthy Life

 Live a life with purpose. Positive health starts from within! Are you living a life of meaning? Are you living in line with your purpose?

Say no to oily food. Reduce your intake of fast food, fries, doughnuts, chips,  and foods that have been deep fried. Not only are they very fattening (1 tablespoon of oil is 120 calories), deep fried food contains acrylamide, a potential cancer-causing chemical. An ordinary bag of chips may contain up to 500 times more of the substance than the top level allowed in drinking water by the World Health Organization (WHO). I personally find that when I consume oily foods, I feel sluggish. There are better alternatives, such as grilled, steamed, stir-fried or even raw food.


Cut out sugary foods. These are your candy bars, your pastries, chocolate, cookies, cakes and jelly donuts. Not only do they not fill you, they trigger you to eat more due to the sugar rush they cause. Go for healthy snacks instead - you’ll be more satisfied and happy.


Go organic. Organic foods are foods produced without “synthetic inputs such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives”. (Wiki) The organic movement is slowly catching on, with more supermarkets, especially in US, offering organic options. Organic food tends to cost more, but hey – would you rather save some money and feed your body with pesticides or pay a few extra dollars for a cleaner, healthier body?


Improve your posture. Good posture improves your breathing and makes you look more smarter and more attractive. 

             Have A Happy Healthy Day!

I Am UNSTOPPABLE

Just say it out loud... "I am unstoppable... Today is MY day, if I can't run I will walk, if I can't walk I will crawl, BUT whatever I do I will keep moving forward because failure is not falling... it is refusing to get back up! I will FIND time for healthy eating because I REFUSE to make time for illness later" 

Try it again, I can't hear you.... Words are a powerful thing!!!!

As I read these words and  I remember all the times I let my self fail because things might have been too hard or uncomfortable. I let myself believe that maybe I wasn't good enough to succeed. I let myself stay in a pattern of just stopping shy of reaching my goal because I was compertable there. I knew what to expect. Breaking through that threshold to success was scary!

Fast forward a few months and I am conquering my fears. My fears of failure, of not living up to others exceptions, of working really hard and failing anyway. I am facing my fears head on and NOT letting them stop me.

Moral of the story? GET OUT OF YOU OWN WAY and enjoy your life!!! You do deserve to be happy!

Have a Happy Healthy day!

Food advice I try to live by

Avoid trigger foods. Trigger foods are the foods that make you go berserk and binge like crazy after you eat them. Everyone’s trigger foods are different, generally trigger foods are candy bars, chocolate, confectionery, chips, cookies, or anything with high level of refined sugar, salt, fat or flour. These foods cause a blood sugar imbalance, hence triggering one to eat more. What are your trigger foods? Identify them and remove them from your diet.

Address emotional eating issues. Emotional eating is eating to fill an emotion, rather than real hunger. Do you eat when you feel stressed out, down or frustrated? Do you reach out for food when you hit a block at work? Chances are, you’re emotional eating. However, emotional eating will never make you feel happy, because you’re trying to fill a void that has nothing to do with food. Food doesn’t give you love or happiness; it’s just food. Why do you reach out for food when you’re down? How can you address it?

Eat small meals. Choose several small meals over a few big meals a day. This balances out your energy distribution throughout the day. In general, eat when you feel hungry, and stop when you’re full. You don’t need to wait until official meal times before you start eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you.

Stop eating when you feel full. Many of us rely on external cues to tell when we’re full, such as whether everyone has finished eating, whether your plate was empty or not. These are irrelevant – you should look at internal cues, such as whether your stomach feels full or not. Don’t feel obligated to eat just because there’s still food at the plate. Personally I like to stop when I feel about 3/4 full – if I eat till I’m totally full, I feel uncomfortable as my digestive system goes into overdrive. Use your gut as your indicator (literally).

Go for brown carbs vs. white carbs. White carbs are refined grains like white rice, pasta, white bread, crackers, noodles, tortillas, wraps, anything with white flour and breading. The nutrients have been removed in the production process, leaving them rich in calories but low in nutrients. They also cause unhealthy spikes in our sugar levels. Go for brown carbs (unrefined complex carbs) instead, like brown rice, whole grain, oats, oatmeal, legumes, nuts. These come with nutrients and vitamins intact. 

               Have A Happy Healthy Day! 

My Journey Thus far.......

Why is it the older I get the more I realize I know very little? This is not necessarily a bad thing. As I mature I am learning something new everyday about myself, my children, my friends, my family, and the world around me.  What is it about being young that makes you think you know everything? I remember feeling invincible. I remember wondering why some adults couldn't or wouldn't take me serious. I had a voice, I had thoughts and I needed to be heard!

Senior year of High school

 Fast forward a few years and I don't need to be heard quite so much. I am pretty comfortable with the woman  I am becoming. I am changing and growing. I certainly don't know everything!

What I do Know:

I am human, thus flawed. I am jealous, self centered, cranky, and rude.
I also try to love to the best of my ability.
I try not to hurt others, although sometimes it does happen.
 I adore my husband, and love the fact that he loves me "warts and all"

 My children are my greatest teachers. They have taught me patience, love, how to play, how to giggle with reckless abandon.

They have taught me to forgive my own parents. Who believe it or not they are just human too! (and did a fabulous job by the way. Just took me a while to figure it out)

I thank you for letting me just be human on my journey thus far...... I will try my best to let you be human too :)

7 Important Reasons to Strength Train

■Improves your ability to do everyday activities: The stronger your muscles, the easier it is to get groceries out of the car, get a package off of the top cabinet shelf, push the lawnmower?..the list goes on and on!

 

■Improves your balance and stability: The stronger and more resilient your muscles, the more balance is sturdier. This will help you with daily activities and decreases the risk of falls or accidents as you age.
 

■Builds muscle strength: Adults lose between five and seven pounds of muscle every decade after age 20. Strength training will help prevent this muscle loss, and rebuild what you may have lost.
 

■Decreases your risk of osteoporosis: Inactivity can lead to a decrease in bone density, leading to brittleness. Studies have shown that consistent strength training can increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
 

■Reduces blood pressure: Strength training can be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure by strengthening the heart, allowing it to beat more efficiently.
 

■Increases calorie burn: Strength training increases the body's metabolic rate, causing the body to burn more calories throughout the day. This aids significantly in long term weight loss (and weight maintenance).
 

■Reduces low back pain: Research has shown that strength training can increase low back strength and alleviate low back pain.

 I have to say one of my favorite exercises is strength training. While cardio will physically exhaust me, strength training will leave me with that feeling of being strong and powerful. (I call it the She-ra effect) I am getting very proud of my biceps. Each time I workout my arms they just get stronger. Yes, I would love well defined abs someday, BUT it is my arms I have always wanted to see the muscle definition. I still have a ways to go, but I am far from what I once was!

 

                  Have A Happy Healthy Day!!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Mothers Day!

 I have been blessed to have two mothers. They each have brought something unique and special to my life. I am incredibly thankful for them both.

The best part of mothers day is celebrating my two children. I love them dearly and they are my life! They give my life purpose and I wouldn't give them up for anything!

So to all the women in my life weather you are a "Mother" to children, pets, plants, or classrooms full of kids. You are Amazing! I am blessed to know you!

Happy Mothers Day!

Working out at home

 I feel blessed that  I can work out at home. Although sometimes that workout has to be after the kids go to bed. It is nice to know That I have a library full of workouts so I don't get bored. Workouts at home can be challenging with my kids. But I make the best of it and don't let them stop me. Most of the time they like to join in!

The best thing I did was get them their own workout DVDs. Here they are trying out Tony Horton's "Tony and the Kids" for the first time. We put in this DVD at lest once a week and the wave and wiggle is there favorite move :)

So get off the coach and just push play!!!

Have a Happy Healthy Day!!

Angry Bird Pizza

In a quest to make a healthier pizza for my family, I found this picture while googling pizza recipes.

I asked on My facebook page for some suggestions on how to make it healthier. There were some great suggestions and that how the cauliflower crusted pizza came about.  I ended up using a whole wheat pizza crust, tomato sauce with spices added, low fat mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni, olives,mushrooms and a yellow bell pepper. The funnest part was having the kids help me :)

 They took their job of assembling the pizza very seriously..... with a few olives and pepperonis dissapearing :D

 Anticipation is building........

 They can't wait to make other Angry bird foods. I found some other inspirations below. I am excited to see what else we can make.

Have a Happy Healthy Day!!

Are You putting these things into your Body?

Eat more fruits. Fruits are a plethora of vitamins and minerals. Do you know that oranges offer more health benefits than Vitamin C pills? Taking in synthetic supplements are not the same as consuming the foods direct from nature. Fill your palate with these 10 most nutritious fruits: Watermelon, Apricots, Avocado, Apple, Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Guava, Papaya, Strawberries.

Eat more vegetables. Like fruits, vegetables are important for the well being of our health. Experts suggest that we should have 5-9 servings of fruits/vegetables, and unfortunately most people don’t even have at least 5 servings! Some of my favorite vegetables include: Kidney beans, black beans, asparagus, long beans, french beans, sprouts,  and carrots. What are your favorite vegetables and how can you include more of them in your diet today?

Pick bright colored foods. Fruits and vegetables with bright colors are usually high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are good for health because they remove free radicals in our body that damage our cells. So get your fill of fruits/vegetables of different colors: White (Bananas, Mushroom), Yellow (Pineapples, Mango), Orange (Orange, Papaya), Red (Apple, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon), Green (Guava, Avocados,  Cucumber, Lettuce, Celery), Purple/Blue (Blackberries, Eggplant, Prunes). Here’s a full list under the color wheel.

Cut down on processed food. Processed foods are not good because (1) most nutritional value is lost (2) the preservatives added are bad for our health.  Many processed foods contain a high amount of salt content, which leads to higher blood pressure and heart disease. Processed foods are anything that are not in their raw form. In general, most of the food in supermarket are processed – the more the ingredients on the label (especially the ones ending with ‘ite’ or ‘ate’), the more processed they are. Watch out for those with salt/sugar as the first 5 ingredients and go for natural foods as much as possible.

               Have A Happy Healthy Day! 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

In a quest to make a healthier pizza for my family a friend suggested this recipe for Cauliflower crusted pizza. I thought it was wonderful and will definitely be making again! It is not like you typical pizza were you can pick it up and eat it. So you will need a fork. But it was totally worth it. The best part is the kids liked it! I had already made them their lunch, but I had them try this one and they liked it. It became their afternoon snack! Easy to make and delicious! If you decide to make this for yourself I would love to hear your results in the comments below.

 Ingredients:

Large head of Cauliflower
2 cups shreeded lowfat Mozzarella cheese
2 egg whites 
2 tsp dried oregeno
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried basil
Extra Virgin olive oil
Tomato sauce or pizza sauce
Shredded cheese
your choice of toppings

1. Remove stems and leaves from cauliflower. Chop the florets into small chunks

2. In a pan over medium high heat bring 2 cups of water to boil. Add in cauliflower chunks and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain.

3. Use a potato masher (or food processor) mash up the cauliflower. Don't over mash (or over pulse) as you want the texture and for it not to be complete puree.

4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

5. In medium bowl, stir together mashed cauliflower, egg whites, and cheese. (save some cheese for pizza topping) Stir in oregano, basil, and garlic powder.  

6. Spread mixture into 9" circle on the baking sheet. Brush olive oil over the top of mixture (optional)


7. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

8.Remove from oven. Add sauce to crust, and topping of choice.


9. Bake at 45 degrees  for 10-15 minutes , or until cheese is melted.


10. Enjoy!

Have A Happy Healthy Day!