tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41952051941451365122024-03-12T22:46:04.337-07:00Fit MeMy online fitness and nutrition diary.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.comBlogger625125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-74591485953002265212015-07-08T08:10:00.001-07:002015-07-08T08:10:20.332-07:00Charlotte's WebCheck out my newer blog at<br />
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<a href="http://charlotteswebtoo.blogspot.com/">http://charlotteswebtoo.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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I still don't post very often, but I will be exclusively blogging at that address from now on. No specific content, some family, some fitness, some random blabbering, and that's about it! Hope you stop by some time :)Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-74106006826654011442015-01-17T06:30:00.004-08:002016-05-22T21:09:24.726-07:00Move or Tip a day<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvf35-THHDELpoDUTndGBAoBiAMJX_1WJzwbVoeCL3CoC7w7EAgToKXd8v7yw36yqb4_xd1p2I9B6aLQZUODzradRznVKr-uZhCASIKCux9JLooM4ogIHvlCSuNNU5D6DNeDfPs_gXEyll/s1600/legs+on+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvf35-THHDELpoDUTndGBAoBiAMJX_1WJzwbVoeCL3CoC7w7EAgToKXd8v7yw36yqb4_xd1p2I9B6aLQZUODzradRznVKr-uZhCASIKCux9JLooM4ogIHvlCSuNNU5D6DNeDfPs_gXEyll/s1600/legs+on+wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall): </strong>This supported inversion drains the body of toxins and releases bad energy. Simply changing the path of blood flow creates new energy. Easy inversions like legs up the wall reduce ailments like headaches, insomnia and anxiety, and is even believed to help with mild depression.<br />
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Wow! Worth a shot, I'd say!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-85211623258254375322015-01-17T04:51:00.000-08:002015-01-17T04:51:04.611-08:00We all have a storyMine is probably fairly relatable. I'm the skinny girl. My entire life I've never been overweight. But when I <em>gained</em> weight, more weight than I was ever used to carrying, I thought of myself as "fat".<br />
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I lost it all and got skinny again. (I know, I don't like the word skinny either)<br />
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Enter STRESS. More stress than I've ever had to deal with. A life changing event. Guess which way the scale went? Guess where I put the weight on? Stress <em>does</em> produce belly fat! If there was one area of my body that I never had an issue with, it was my belly. So this was new to me. I didn't like it.<br />
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I still exercise, but I still have extra weight. I joke around about it sometimes. I think I made a comment on Facebook once about eating everything in sight and then complaining about gaining weight as something that I do on a regular basis. To which someone replied, "The masses of America's women would love to be fat like you."<br />
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Made me think...<br />
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I am at the low weight range for my age and height, yet just because I was <em>underweight</em> for so long, it's hard to see myself now as "thin". It's such a mind game. Gosh, if I didn't stress about weight and just ate and exercised for pure joy and health, life would be so nice. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to let it go.<br />
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Most days, I don't do any type of workout other than dancing. Even though weight lifting was my life some years ago, I rarely pick up my barbell. I keep telling myself that one day, when it's really important to me, I will get back into beast mode. But right now, it's not that big of a deal to me. I guess that's ok.<br />
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I recently watched a show called My 600lb Life. And I felt really bad about all the whining I've done about my body. Wow. I went from 110 to 120 and feel fat - these people go from 600 to 300 and feel fantastic. It's just amazing. Can you even imagine loosing 300lbs?? I sure can't because even losing a pound for me seems like an impossible task! In one instance, this woman's husband tried so hard to prevent her from losing the weight that would eventually kill her and leave her child without a mother. Uh! The nerve of some people! They just can't sit back and watch other people succeed without trying to sabotage them! I could write an entire post just on that show. I was in tears. <br />
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We all have a story. We all have our battles. Let's just be supportive of one another. This world is hard enough sometimes without the petty negativity and one upsmanship that is endlessly a part of our everyday lives. Whether it's jealousy, hate, spite.....whatever it is, let it go. Spread love. Pay it forward. Do your part to make the world a better place for people who already hurt enough the way it is. You have no idea what someone else is dealing with. You don't know how people hurt on the inside. You only see a fraction of their life. Don't be another problem. Get over yourself. Rise above.<br />
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Now go spread joy. :)<br />
<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-39631958715958208672015-01-16T10:58:00.003-08:002015-01-16T10:58:47.925-08:00Got 20 Minutes?Here's a workout you can do with minimal equipment to get your heart pumping and those calories burning!<br />
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We are using SUPERSETS. This means that we will do two moves back to back with no rest in between. Why are we doing this? Because we will get a metabolic spike and continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate for up to 16 hours post workout.<br />
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After this supersets, do 15 minutes of low-impact cardio and eat when done. Like ASAP! Here's a great smoothie recipe:<br />
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1 C. unsweetened almond milk<br />
1 C. frozen berries<br />
1 scoop protein powder<br />
1 scoop greens powder (this has antioxidants that will aid in recovery)<br />
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The following day, make sure you do a light activity, such as yoga or walking the dog, to keep your muscles from tightening up. Do this workout twice a week.<br />
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Ok, here we go!<br />
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Superset 1 - <br />
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A) hop ups (do for 1 minute) - jump with both feet onto a step, then jump back to the floor<br />
B) burpee (12 - 15 reps)<br />
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Repeat 3 times<br />
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Superset 2 -<br />
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A) power knee to lunge tap (30 sec/per side) - use your arms for momentum and hop bringing the knee up high to the chest, hit the floor and go down into a lunge and tap the floor with your hand.<br />
B) on guard lunges (8-10 reps each side) - hold 5 - 10lb dumbbells, lunge front then to the side, pointing your arm out as if fencing<br />
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Repeat 3 times<br />
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Superset 3 - <br />
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A) Tricep dip and reach (12-15 times per side) - dip and come up, then kick the leg out straight and reach with your opposite arm.<br />
B) Mountain climbers (1 minute)<br />
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Repeat 3 times<br />
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Last exercise needs not be a superset because it's good enough on it's own!<br />
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Plank row leg lift (12-15 reps per side) - get into plank position with 5-10lb dumbbells in each hand, pull your arm up in a row and lift the opposite leg at the same time.<br />
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Done! Don't forget your 15 minutes of light cardio now.<br />
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According to Women's Health, you will burn 400 calories with this workout. But remember that the amount you burn is always going to depend on your weight and how hard you push yourself. Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-62435058228437071392015-01-13T10:14:00.003-08:002015-01-13T10:14:42.064-08:00Having a goal makes you happierI have a few minutes before I need to leave to meet a friend for coffee, so I thought I would share with you something I found interesting. I promised yesterday that I would fill you in on the correlation between having goals and happiness.<br />
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[start quote]<br />
"Out there in the future somewhere is a goal of yours. You are always headed somewhere. That's human nature (for mentally healthy people), and I'm sure it's true of you. There's something you want, some condition you are aiming for or trying to move towards in your life. You have a goal, maybe many of them. You would like to be in better shape, you would like more money or a more secure future, you'd like to have a better relationship with your mate, or maybe there is something you'd like to create, some deed you'd like to do for no other reason than it feels right.<br />
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Regardless of what you're aiming for, the point is that we're never really satisfied with where we are (for very long at least), and we're always trying to get to someplace better, and that's a wonderful part of life. Lucky stuff happens now and then, of course, and it can make you happy, but you can't count on it. The only happiness you can count on is the kind you create with your own effort. This kind of happiness comes from the process of progress.<br />
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We think we'll be happy when our goal is attained, but that's not so. A great example of that is Christmas. Christmas night, when it's all over, people often have a feeling of sadness. You got all those presents, but you're sad because having what you want doesn't really make you happy. Getting it is where all the fun is. And no matter how many times we hear that and agree with it, it almost always feels like we'll be happier when we arrive. But that's part of the game. Human nature.<br />
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The happiness that you can create comes from the process of progress. If I want to lose ten pounds and I get on the scale and see I've lost one pound, I'm not where I want to be, but I've made progress, and I'll feel pretty good about that. I'm moving in the direction I want to go. If need to save $3000 to achieve my goal of vacationing in Greece, and I'm saving a hundred dollars every week, I will feel good about it each week when I put that hundred bucks away. I'm making progress toward my goal."[end quote]<br />
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I really liked this article. It made me realize that while I have a several goals that I would love to arrive at tomorrow, it's the getting there that's the fun part. Our experiences along the path of moving toward our goals, shape the person we become. And what happened if I were to achieve all my goals tomorrow? I would probably have another goal, another challenge, and most likely it would be even harder to attain than the previous goal. But I guess it's the ride that makes us happy, not the destination. The anticipation. Happiness is what you make of your journey. Or misery, it's ultimately up to you.<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-68673804699203498472015-01-12T18:58:00.004-08:002015-01-12T18:58:41.187-08:00Hello againHi,<br />
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It's me. Been a while. How are you? I hope that you are doing well.<br />
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I remember a time when I found joy in blogging. It was therapeutic. I used it as an outlet for many things: journaling my thoughts and experiences through fitness and health being number one. <br />
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Journaling has many benefits. I found a release from the stress of daily life, which is great for mental health. And of course writing not only harnesses your creativity, but it also helps you process and express ideas more effectively. Super good for setting and achieving goals!<br />
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I used to try to keep written journals, but for some reason, typing online was easier to stick to. It kept me accountable by letting the whole world into my life - goals were not just in a dusty book on my bedroom floor. I liked to be able to look back on past posts, to see where I was at during a particular time period. I had recorded all my mistakes and successes. And if I was feeling down, I could find things that I did well and try to replicate what I did to get back on track. Seeing my past achievements was a great boost when I needed it the most. And being able to see what didn't work was beneficial as well.<br />
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<span class="annotateButton js_text-annotate text-annotation-button icon icon-plus-circle text-annotation-button-shown">I've discovered that I have really missed blogging. Even when I didn't have anything particularly helpful or interesting to say, it gave me all the benefits that I previously mentioned. And I realized that not only was I attempting to be a source of inspiration and motivation for my like minded fitness friends, but I was actually the source of MY OWN inspiration and motivation! And without that, I've been much less successful with my goals.</span></div>
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<span class="annotateButton js_text-annotate text-annotation-button icon icon-plus-circle text-annotation-button-shown">Sometimes, people will try to distract and deter you from your goals, especially if you are succeeding and finding great happiness in what you are doing. T</span><span class="annotateButton js_text-annotate text-annotation-button icon icon-plus-circle text-annotation-button-shown">omorrow, I will share something valuable I learned about goals and happiness.</span></div>
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<span class="annotateButton js_text-annotate text-annotation-button icon icon-plus-circle text-annotation-button-shown">Good night, friends.</span></div>
Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-90619110039918720252014-06-05T09:45:00.001-07:002014-06-05T09:45:06.503-07:00TBT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohXdOCZjxjh9Niy-Mly3nX0N9AGDftfFaKd_1JgNL1yvrUU3LFalB1jjbR4a1Iq2S0GGaoGii-6gSq0vbTWxY-H-RKwsZOUyJLOCcJjI7IW7RuMIWhlgiCEZsBkKoblZAFwypITFHlnwd/s1600/tbt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohXdOCZjxjh9Niy-Mly3nX0N9AGDftfFaKd_1JgNL1yvrUU3LFalB1jjbR4a1Iq2S0GGaoGii-6gSq0vbTWxY-H-RKwsZOUyJLOCcJjI7IW7RuMIWhlgiCEZsBkKoblZAFwypITFHlnwd/s1600/tbt.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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I would post this throw back pic on Facebook, but I don't want to be "that girl". </div>
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Really, I get it when people are annoyed when others post selfies too often. I'm not a huge selfie person, although I do them now and again for fun. Mainly to play with editing apps on my phone.</div>
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And I totally get that people who post body pics, like those above, are usually considered people who are just looking for attention. Well, I'm not looking for attention with these photos, I want to inspire people. I want to inspire <em>myself</em>. Body goals are difficult - but possible.</div>
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Most of these pictures were about 2-3 years ago, when I was very lean and muscular. I was damn proud of my body and all the work it took to get it to look the way it did. I felt very empowered by it. At the time, I had no job outside my home and I felt as though I was accomplishing <em>something </em>by sculpting a body that could possibly enter a fitness competition one day.</div>
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When you work really <em>really</em> hard to sculpt your body, you take pride in it. All that time, pain, sacrifice, tears (yes, there are tears), and hard work you put in for a body that not many people have, there is a huge sense of accomplishment and pride. Not that I want to show off, but I do want to show what I am capable of. I used to take a TON of progress "selfies". Not to share with the world, but for my own way of tracking progress. A picture doesn't lie. I can't fake having a lean muscular body. This was real. This was me. And I can look back and say "Damn!". And to think at this point in my life, I was striving daily, constantly, to be better - leaner, fitter, more muscular. It was extremely hard at that point to improve farther. And only tightening up my diet to a point where I was unwilling to go, would have gotten me there.</div>
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My marriage would have only suffered farther.</div>
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I've read many instances where situations like this affect marriages. I didn't know how my personal eating habits and training could possibly be such a big deal to my husband. He wasn't being deprived of anything he loved to eat. And I still ate "naughty" stuff now and then - just not to excess. But the hard muscular body of a fit freak was not one he wanted to be married to. He likes soft, womanly bodies. I like fit bodies. I think once you have put in the work, and made the sacrifices, and know what it takes to get there, you have a better appreciation for them. And you know what mental and physical strength are required to get you there. It's admiration that goes farther than just the exterior body. The determination and dedication and HEART it takes is simply immeasurable. If you've never had a passion for body sculpting, I suppose it's hard to understand and have that level of appreciation.</div>
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It's not just a hot looking body, but an amazing inner strength and will. </div>
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I can look back at these pictures and say, "wow! That was me! I did that!" It's amazing what we can do with our bodies. And I've learned that it takes so little time to let a great body slip away. Years of hard work can disappear in a matter of a months. Getting it back doesn't take quite as long, muscle memory is pretty amazing, but it's still a battle.</div>
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I don't care who thinks I'm being vain, shallow, showing off, or any other hateful and jealous words I can't think of at the moment. I don't! I worked HARD for exactly what you see in those pictures. I had a goal, and had the heart and the passion to get there. We make choices and we live our lives in a way that moves us closer to what matters. At the time, my body goal mattered. It still matters some, just not as much. I've got multiple jobs which means more responsibilities. Priorities would have to switch if I had a serious body goal. But right now, it's just not an important enough for me to focus on. My kids are growing so fast and I don't want their childhood to slip away while I'm too wrapped up in a personal goal. It can wait. </div>
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This is why I can look back at these pictures and instead of feeling sad that I don't have that body anymore, I can be proud that I once did, <em>and that I was strong enough to let it go</em>.</div>
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For my family, for my kids, and for our happiness.</div>
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-20384047178036815142014-04-08T11:23:00.000-07:002014-04-08T11:23:17.951-07:00How we lose fatSo, I gave you the secret to my plateau busting, fat torching method - hopefully you gave it a try and found out how fun and rewarding it is! But did you ever wonder <em>why </em>these type of workouts are so much better at getting rid of your stored fat, in comparison to other workouts? Well, <em>I</em> wondered. So I researched it a little and what I found was super interesting.<br />
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Ok, we all know that we have fat cells (about 25 billion in a human adult). That's a lot of potential for fat storage! And we also know that we don't actually lose fat cells, but rather shrink them. <br />
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The type of exercise I've been incorporating into my workouts consists of metabolic bursting. Basically, it's a warm up, then cyclical bursting (going all out hard as you can for a short time, then recovering), then a cooling down period. And the reason this works so great is that immediately afterwards, your body will dump free fatty acids into your bloodstream where they can be burned off and expelled from your body via waste, breath, sweat, etc..<br />
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This is probably why it's important to incorporate some type of exercise that gives you that EPOC (post exercise oxygen consumption) where you are in a continued state of fat burning once exercise is over. EPOC burns calories, so it is important for anyone trying to lose weight to increase the time spent in EPOC. Resistance training has a greater effect on post-exercise oxygen consumption than cardiovascular training.<br />
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Here's a break down of what happens:<br />
1) fat is broken down into chylomicrons which enter the blood<br />
2) enzymes called lipoprotein lipases break fats into fatty acids<br />
3) Fatty acids are absorbed into fat cells, muscle cells and liver cells. Once in the liver, fatty acids can either be further broken down or used to make glucose. The liver can only store 100g of glycogen (stored glucose) and muscles can store 500g of glycogen. Anything more will be stored in fat cells.<br />
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*Carbs are broken down into glucose, making it widely available to the body. So you can easily see how easily eating too many carbs will easily make you store them as excess fat.<br />
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Fat cells release their contents (triaglycerol) into the blood as free fatty acids and they are transported to the tissues needing fuel. So after I do a short bursting workout (average of 10-12 minutes or so), I lift some weights or do some form of strength training because I figure that my muscles are using these FFA's so they don't just get restored in my fat cells. It seems to make sense to me, especially since I'm noticing change. However, I don't claim to understand all of this science stuff. It's still pretty Greek to me.<br />
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Prior to this form of working out, I had been exercising - burning mega calories in fact - yet not really seeing much in the way of results for all my hard work. Whether I made my metabolism sluggish doing some stupid things in the past or just fell into bad habits for too long, I'm not entirely certain which culprit was to blame. I did know one thing, something needed to be done differently. And sometimes, that's all it takes. We know how important it is to confuse the body every now and then and that is why you run the risk of plateauing and never getting anywhere with fat loss if you do the same exercise day after day. <br />
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I think the whole biochemical process of fat loss is intriguing (and confusing) but it's important to at least be somewhat aware of what goes on in your body so you can understand why some things work and other things don't. There is a reason some people get results while others seem to be on the hamster wheel going nowhere with their fat loss efforts. Everyone deserves to get rewarded for their hard work! If only it didn't need to seem so complicated! But in my experience, the leaner you get, the harder it is!<br />
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-36788544239360618292014-04-03T14:48:00.001-07:002014-04-03T14:48:49.282-07:00YOU are awesome!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOopXFLhXXtI71DQCLqCGhIawg5_8v7qGJ0IdRbOmca1aHGuzrl3IxeZ72pk6cwKZtoA2fGxP6FK_FQ_a94Rb8VNE27j7ewao_hI2Nz72jnQatP0UJ3RXz_6UkwrxHrqhxuYCVD7r8K6mN/s1600/4a0cf99cbaaea98e727e5db9ac6b2b77.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOopXFLhXXtI71DQCLqCGhIawg5_8v7qGJ0IdRbOmca1aHGuzrl3IxeZ72pk6cwKZtoA2fGxP6FK_FQ_a94Rb8VNE27j7ewao_hI2Nz72jnQatP0UJ3RXz_6UkwrxHrqhxuYCVD7r8K6mN/s1600/4a0cf99cbaaea98e727e5db9ac6b2b77.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've never been big on competition. I get the competitive mindset though. I understand that it can drive people to do better. But I'm not at all competitive. Maybe some people would just call me a slacker. I can live with that.<br />
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This little meme describes my attitude - I hope we all make it. Because I do. I want everyone to succeed at what they do so they can live a happy life. Just think of what the world would be like if we were all a little happier?<br />
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There will always be someone smarter than you, prettier than you, faster than you, richer than you, funnier than you, stronger than you. But...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rwTWO3QJ3JlFeFQ0omVgistIuqJnQ_jDFj7deNk_m7KdF1PLOkZB7p6BcPOZE6RdH_92dYL2x7XXPg3_MagmcmmpBXNkvqvQPjkwe3SPv1lvF5FEatweLVoJoMHhKDmQPxQO1dgCSS6d/s1600/we+are+all+awesome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rwTWO3QJ3JlFeFQ0omVgistIuqJnQ_jDFj7deNk_m7KdF1PLOkZB7p6BcPOZE6RdH_92dYL2x7XXPg3_MagmcmmpBXNkvqvQPjkwe3SPv1lvF5FEatweLVoJoMHhKDmQPxQO1dgCSS6d/s1600/we+are+all+awesome.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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And yes...that means YOU!</div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-37755287712212309762014-03-26T09:16:00.000-07:002014-04-01T15:28:40.834-07:00FOOD! We are human. Nothing is perfect 100% of the time. But as long as we are trying and we are consciously making an effort everyday to change for the better, it counts.<br />
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One of the things I am changing is my diet. I know I say this often because I fall off the wagon a lot. But after my little vacation and feeling like a bloated whale when I got home, eating clean was a welcomed change! Usually it scares the hell out of me to know that I'm not going to get French fries or chocolate or some other naughty craving that I indulge in. This time it was different, I actually craved healthy whole food. That's how I know I'm ready. It's hard to force it. I've realized this a long time ago. When you are ready to change for real, it won't feel forced.<br />
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So this is the second day into my clean diet and already I feel so much better. Before I was tired and just felt heavy. The first day wasn't hard, but I had a headache....probably from not feeding myself it's usual diet as of late - sugar. But today the headache is gone and I'm already feeling that sluggishness fade. <br />
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I'm back to drinking my jug-o-detox. This time, instead of cranberry juice, I am using tart cherry juice. I think I like the flavor a tad better. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, I try to drink a jug a day of this blend that is supposed to help your body detoxify junk. It's a couple TBSP cranberry juice (the pure 100% stuff, nothing added), a couple TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice, a cup of detox tea (buy at grocery store - it's actually called "detox") and water. And for my own added flare, I add a cinnamon stick. This is my jug:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgir2ATSrSqmBIhjY_Nt-Noyhd50pjQkiYyWzeVbO3GH1PeIW_r-tJC2qFpYRx4DVYlqKIxlUSzcvzrT1gOL1j4H8h3RP9ylr20lIhvGcHRGk2vaEIRUGV92y5xbAwoS6eTJfRSRZu8o1de/s1600/jug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgir2ATSrSqmBIhjY_Nt-Noyhd50pjQkiYyWzeVbO3GH1PeIW_r-tJC2qFpYRx4DVYlqKIxlUSzcvzrT1gOL1j4H8h3RP9ylr20lIhvGcHRGk2vaEIRUGV92y5xbAwoS6eTJfRSRZu8o1de/s1600/jug.jpg" height="400" width="223" /></a></div>
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It's only 11am and I've already almost drank the entire jug. I really try to drink as much as I can in the morning, otherwise I don't do so well getting adequate water intake for the day.</div>
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I got teased a lot at first, carrying my jug into work every morning, but eventually people just became intrigued by it and commended me on my healthy efforts.</div>
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And my meals are pretty much the same. Today I had Ezekiel brand sprouted grain English muffin (cinnamon raisin - yum!), with 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, half avocado and 2 slices tomato. Oh, and I put real butter on the English muffin.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV51QEde2bHWkGx1zs8xCyn_T_7bOsMk_p7z39lp0E0kyZNWC5KRMJhZmelzBpXoCE0ELXUUrWlH8l6OqfzpFGI3Y8qlosN9Jk5vKGlVAEV9Knu-l5VNcI2SFcFWF2kKnD5jR4yzHmg_q/s1600/EM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV51QEde2bHWkGx1zs8xCyn_T_7bOsMk_p7z39lp0E0kyZNWC5KRMJhZmelzBpXoCE0ELXUUrWlH8l6OqfzpFGI3Y8qlosN9Jk5vKGlVAEV9Knu-l5VNcI2SFcFWF2kKnD5jR4yzHmg_q/s1600/EM.jpg" height="400" width="223" /></a></div>
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It is delicious!</div>
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And morning snack is full fat Greek yogurt (plain - no flavored crap with added sugar) and blueberries and cinnamon. I add in a few drops of liquid stevia for sweetness. I have found the KING of all Greek yogurt. I used to always buy Chobani or Fage, thinking those were the best brands but I bought Greek Gods brand just to be different and OMG! This is seriously the most luxurious yogurt there is! I seriously sound like I'm aroused when I'm eating it because I can't NOT moan! It's <em>that</em> good.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_o_cIuJyZWQt__IN77-mxvA7-Qv1UJAfEqzr6pwh-4XPQl8_LJtggOuTGEh2uTtlJ439sRc9b8-nGfEjt1hXrF2Obh2bLQn-iHwe_7SSKVLV5VniUc58724RcrIpA9trNGcuWM_l5riJZ/s1600/greek+yo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_o_cIuJyZWQt__IN77-mxvA7-Qv1UJAfEqzr6pwh-4XPQl8_LJtggOuTGEh2uTtlJ439sRc9b8-nGfEjt1hXrF2Obh2bLQn-iHwe_7SSKVLV5VniUc58724RcrIpA9trNGcuWM_l5riJZ/s1600/greek+yo.jpg" height="400" width="223" /></a></div>
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And for lunch, I will have a lettuce salad consisting of kale, spinach and cabbage. Then I will add beans for protein (navy, black, kidney, etc) and some raw organic cheddar, maybe some slices of avocado or hard boiled egg whites and olives. YUM! I make my own homemade ranch dressing out of Veganaise and spices. Delish! Yes, I'm a ranch girl. I just can't get excited about salad dressed with oil and vinegar. I love the creamy flavor of ranch. And I can have a healthier, just as tasty version made at home. Perfection!</div>
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Dinner will always be different. Last night I made beef stir fry with broccoli shreds, bean sprouts and snap peas. Brown rice on the side. Tonight I will make tilapia with a healthy topping made from Veganaise, lemon juice and raw cheddar, along side faux-tatoes (which is just a fancy way of saying cauliflower that has been steamed and blended with butter to look like mashed potatoes. Maybe also some roasted brussel sprouts :)</div>
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I hope you can get inspired by healthy cooking and eating whole, delicious foods! </div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-17543094206289704702014-01-02T13:57:00.001-08:002014-01-02T13:57:04.162-08:00About me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ixjFn3lP94i7eZa5dBLZgAM3d4iE3d1ZI04h6L29uphravnw0en2FyOkx_D7lSMeSjY8YLQPVV3iZJG-3Ayr_gzqI17pik4YOWH6yZdgngeyvDqTCHa5Bb2LBlWYpHttPY-5rNmDKywd/s1600/grid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ixjFn3lP94i7eZa5dBLZgAM3d4iE3d1ZI04h6L29uphravnw0en2FyOkx_D7lSMeSjY8YLQPVV3iZJG-3Ayr_gzqI17pik4YOWH6yZdgngeyvDqTCHa5Bb2LBlWYpHttPY-5rNmDKywd/s640/grid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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What up?! Yeah, I know. It's been a while. HAPPY 2014! We made it another year! Whoop!<br />
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What's with the odd photo grid you ask? Here is what I felt represented me yesterday:<br />
1) my favorite healthy food - cabbage, broccoli, kale salad. Can't get enough of it!<br />
2) despite feeling like I'm getting nowhere at times with my body goals, I catch glimpses of myself once in a while and feel like telling myself "What the heck am I complaining about?? My body could be a LOT worse! I look damn good!" ...and then I have to photograph myself to prove it :)<br />
3) I've been sick. AGAIN!!! Ugh, this has been a bad fall/winter for me. Sinus infection #2. And it's kicking my ass!<br />
4) I am learning self love. Basking in the sunshine even on the coldest of days....I am ok with who I am and proud of how far I've come despite some challenges. We all face our own challenges and demons daily - I've accepted mine and roll with it.<br />
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I've finished my fitness "support group" that I was a part of in December. Although I didn't manage to change a whole lot, I definitely feel a huge improvement in the way I think about everything. I have really been lucky this year as far as meeting the right people. Through dance and other areas of fitness I have made incredible friendships in 2013. So despite the last year being a bit rocky, it definitely had some of the best upsides as well!<br />
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One of my sweet friends told me once that even though I felt bad a lot on the inside, I never lost my sparkle. That's something that I'll never forget! Even when we struggle, we shine! And now that things are immensely better, I feel even shinier ;)<br />
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The purpose of the photo grid is, well....I have a couple reasons for doing it. I've learned that we are so different in what we do and how we are feeling from day to day, it's important to document it. I want to post how I'm feeling, how I'm eating, how I'm training...and whatever else I feel like. It's like getting the day out and wiping the slate clean for tomorrow. Each sunrise is a rebirth. A chance to start over. A move closer to our goal. Also, I am going to TRY to do the 365 photo challenge this year (I've failed at this every year). All it is basically is to just take a photo of something every day. Should be easy, especially for me, one would think. BUT....ah life.<br />
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And a mini challenge INSIDE that challenge is a month of "specific" photos. Yesterday was "selfie". So I took a few ;) I typically don't like to take selfies. I honestly don't enjoy being in front of the camera at all. But, for one day, I sucked it up!<br />
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Here is one (of the many) challenges out there (in case you choose to try one):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirO47nNJw15lJc_UXktlWYxlEoS9iim4O2uwPhfij_Rlr1H4L_1okuVpqwjL1_vrw8XVUijPsRRyvRW-0yqAV1Itt2FNIXBlkKfYWYJqQ4_Wmuea5ki0JyoXxRLY7GLG_zqwQhXFqOtbZ_/s1600/tumblr_ljzxogilAt1qg6kmbo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirO47nNJw15lJc_UXktlWYxlEoS9iim4O2uwPhfij_Rlr1H4L_1okuVpqwjL1_vrw8XVUijPsRRyvRW-0yqAV1Itt2FNIXBlkKfYWYJqQ4_Wmuea5ki0JyoXxRLY7GLG_zqwQhXFqOtbZ_/s320/tumblr_ljzxogilAt1qg6kmbo1_500.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
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I like this one because it's a "get to know you" kind of thing. So since I'm a day behind, here are numbers 1 & 2:<br />
#1. See photo above. And 10 facts - here we go:<br />
1) I am super incredibly highly mega sensitive - I can cry over just about anything, it doesn't have to be sad.<br />
2) I have an addictive personality.<br />
3) I had a seriously huge night terror/panic attack that lasted close to 8 hours. I was literally afraid to fall asleep for almost a year. Even walking into my bedroom was hard for months afterwards. It's been over two years and I still suffer from small flashback attacks.<br />
4) I have social anxiety - which I've now learned to control (without alcohol or medication).<br />
5) I used to drink a lot in my 20's simply because of this anxiety. It helped me lose that fear.<br />
6) I got my first tattoo when I was 18. I hid it from my parents. I also hid my pierced ear cartilage from my dad because I was afraid he would think it was too "wild" and make me take it out.<br />
7) I hid my first pregnancy from my family even though I was 22, because I wasn't married yet. They didn't know about it until I was 6 months along and ended up in the hospital with early contractions.<br />
8) Me and pregnancy don't get along. I've had problems with all of them. Lost one.<br />
9) I have a degree in computer programming.<br />
10) I am a certified fitness instructor, a graphic designer, a photographer and a mixologist ;)<br />
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And #2.<br />
My relationship status is MARRIED and I would describe it right now as "warmer".<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-26253042491206261602013-12-07T11:42:00.003-08:002013-12-07T11:44:04.946-08:00XaBeatEver wonder what this XaBeat class that I'm always talking about is? Watch this video!<br />
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<script src="http://KVLY.images.worldnow.com/interface/js/WNVideo.js?rnd=273910;hostDomain=www.valleynewslive.com;playerWidth=630;playerHeight=355;isShowIcon=true;clipId=9606988;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=News;advertisingZone=;enableAds=true;landingPage=;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript;controlsType=overlay" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.valleynewslive.com/" title="Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks">Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks</a><br />
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Leia and Kim did a fabulous job explaining some high points of the class. It's a very supportive, encouraging environment. Women empowering women and inspiring them. It's so much bigger than just a workout. And you'll never know unless you just experience it for yourself. Becoming an instructor, or inspirator, was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It just fits. I feel like I'm doing what I was meant to do. This class has literally changed my life. I've met SO many wonderful women and as a result have new friendships that I will treasure forever! Case and point, Leia is one of those women. She has been such a source of positive energy and support in my life and I thank God for letting our paths cross. Every single woman in that class has a story, a reason for being there. And they keep going because XaBeat is a release. It's an escape. We are not only doing something for our physical health, but our mental health as well. And I'm PROUD to be a part of this "new craze" ;)Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-48723345057161874222013-12-04T16:25:00.001-08:002013-12-04T16:25:20.179-08:00here was my day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrO3hZCS_iN5Hz3kbx1nrC2NKfann6mBjNbTMS-DVQAGwW7zYG93mtzFXXiOXCP4vgvWxtBak8WDsAV8CO9qzM5yC1-Y6V4R_57jT_iBzqjaVjTnTDCFnr6RVmbTFQeQ_mV4iIVGl7Cang/s1600/meal+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrO3hZCS_iN5Hz3kbx1nrC2NKfann6mBjNbTMS-DVQAGwW7zYG93mtzFXXiOXCP4vgvWxtBak8WDsAV8CO9qzM5yC1-Y6V4R_57jT_iBzqjaVjTnTDCFnr6RVmbTFQeQ_mV4iIVGl7Cang/s400/meal+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And for my workout: 50 minute walk around the track at the gym, 30 minute personal training (weights)<br />
Extra Activity: snow blow and shovel driveway for 1 hour 15 minutes<br />
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BOOM!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-91346600753046438822013-12-04T12:34:00.002-08:002013-12-04T12:34:51.667-08:00December off to a GREAT start!I've joined a group. It's a small group of women, who want to get healthier and more fit called "Tis the season to get ripped!". Basically it's a 30 day challenge through the month of December (yes, through Christmas) to eat clean, ditch the processed junk and workout more.<br />
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To succeed at a fitness goal you need:<br />
*motivation<br />
*accountability<br />
*support<br />
*determination<br />
*consistency<br />
...and I'm sure you could think of a few more, but these are what sticks out in my mind.<br />
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All these are a big deal to me. And through this group, I get the SUPPORT that I've never, ever gotten before. In the past, I've just been criticized and beaten down for my goals. Not here! I've never felt such real honest support and love from women, most of whom I've never met!<br />
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I now have the ACCOUNTABILITY that I so need. We have to take pictures of our meals and post a photo grid of the day describing what we ate and what we did for exercise. I have to say that already this has helped me immensely. Knowing that others are going to see what I ate has really pushed me to eat better.<br />
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I have been lacking in the MOTIVATION department for quite a long while now, but just hearing these women talk about their goals and how bad they want it, and seeing the workouts and healthy food that they've been eating and how hard they are working toward a goal that really means something to them, is so very motivating to me! I've always felt that it isn't really the fittest people that motivate me. Of course all the pro fitness models and competitors out there motivate me, but it's the people who struggle, the people that actually have weight to lose and work hard to do it that really fire me up.<br />
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CONSISTENCY. I think this one goes hand in hand with accountability. Because I have to post my workouts, I need to be consistent. Once I get my Fitbit Force, I'll be able to track my activity much easier than I have in the past. It will track my activity and calories burned, then automatically sync to my computer. I'll be able to keep track with ease! I've ordered it so I am anxiously awaiting it's arrival!!<br />
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I've definitely got the DETERMINATION. If not, I would have given up long ago. That's one thing I've got going for me.<br />
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But so far, this group has been just what I needed. Very helpful. The woman who put it together is a BeachBody coach and is a very good motivator. I'm thinking that down the road, (if I'm ever not crazy busy) I would like to sign up to be a coach too. Right now, I'm just too busy and adding one more thing to my plate wouldn't be smart. However, it's never very far from my mind. See, I've always known that the fitness industry was my passion. It's no surprise how I've gravitated to all things related to health and fitness. I am still very passionate about my photography business as well, but it's not something that keeps me active.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6iSBkJo55aI-uQYksCVTFa6pwBaXbfMysnXIMD4VV-PIzKZmQ0wOnu4h5RffFLrZ7qHKBcf8zNWhkwKImmKHcUaKFgJuUMvP9Px0AKacYE6LeC60gVpFa1V8woz8UEHHIsTItUAFOims/s1600/meal+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6iSBkJo55aI-uQYksCVTFa6pwBaXbfMysnXIMD4VV-PIzKZmQ0wOnu4h5RffFLrZ7qHKBcf8zNWhkwKImmKHcUaKFgJuUMvP9Px0AKacYE6LeC60gVpFa1V8woz8UEHHIsTItUAFOims/s640/meal+blog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So here is an example of a photo grid like the ones we must post. Today, I had the most FABULOUS kale and cabbage salad! Before, I never got excited about salad, but this was incredible. The one tip that really helped me was to chop up a bunch of kale and red cabbage and put it in a plastic container in the fridge so that it's always ready to go. I just throw a bunch on a plate, add in some cucumber, tomatoes, a little feta cheese and avocado and done! Then I make my famous home made healthy ranch to dunk it in. And some organic quinoa flakes made into a hot cereal. YUM!!!!! Best lunch I've had in a looooooong time!!<br />
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And kale is pretty much the best food you can put into your body. A SUPER super food! So I'm going to have more with my salmon tonight! I LOVE love love love love getting excited about eating healthy again. So happy! It's so nice to have that passion back, that energy, that spark!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A2aHAJFtBkb8C4roL4ztYcmZFPX37jlnkyCTDZsOOV4bNb9Nv7EXKzzVLUT0pHbPdknmA4MRSj8wQXCd_7HpdVv5alCkYYe11MIKxu7R2MeMJYAufTKOcFpGKSERcFgzeu8Z3EbP9NxI/s1600/tumblr_mfyuukyVzK1rty7oao1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A2aHAJFtBkb8C4roL4ztYcmZFPX37jlnkyCTDZsOOV4bNb9Nv7EXKzzVLUT0pHbPdknmA4MRSj8wQXCd_7HpdVv5alCkYYe11MIKxu7R2MeMJYAufTKOcFpGKSERcFgzeu8Z3EbP9NxI/s400/tumblr_mfyuukyVzK1rty7oao1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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True that!!</div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-36595810474941905942013-11-25T09:30:00.000-08:002013-11-25T09:30:17.193-08:00girls who lift? HOT!<div style="text-align: center;">
http://www.xplosivegrowth.com/2012/09/20/girls-get-your-guns-why-women-should-lift-weights/</div>
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Read from the link above about why us women should lift weights.</div>
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We all know that any exercise is better than no exercise. Do yourself a favor and just do something! Ok, so you've started where pretty much everyone starts.....the cardio machines. But now that you've got some training under your belt, and you have probably shed some weight, you are going to want to start doing something that actually morphs you into that super fit, super hot body you're after - it's time to bring out the iron! If you want strong defined arms, a great butt and a hot pair of legs, cardio alone won't get you there. You need to lift to change the shape of your body. But be prepared to work HARD. The reason these ladies look as good as they do is because they train harder than you.<br />
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Lifting weights and still not changing? Check your diet! It's true, if you lift weights consistently, you can pretty much eat whatever you want (at least for me that is the case), but if you are really serious about making some significant changes to your body composition, diet has to tighten up. A lot.</div>
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Girls that lift are HOT. Plain and simple. But you knew this already, didn't you ;)</div>
<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-2427990007848954162013-11-06T09:54:00.000-08:002013-11-06T09:54:02.545-08:00Flu shotsToday is my first day of personal training. It would have been Monday but I was home with a sick little girl. She is home again today but thankfully Gram is able to stay home with her so I didn't need to miss work or training. I felt bad leaving her this morning though. She cried. You know how when you are sick, no one is quite like mom? I remember feeling that way, and still do actually. Something special in a mother's unconditional love for her child.<br />
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I'm really excited to get into serious weight lifting again. I'm done with boot camp (thank heavens). I can't wait to build up my shoulders again. They aren't nearly as nice as they once were. Although when I'm teaching, I can see how muscular my arms still are, and I get compliments all the time on them, so it could really be a lot worse. You can certainly tell who just "works out" and who lifts weights ;)<br />
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I want you to read an article. Opinions are encouraged. It's about the flu shot. Some people are absolutely certain the flu shot is necessary. I'm not one of those people. You'll never see me first in line at the clinic to get one. And this article only solidifies my beliefs even more.<br />
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http://www.healthsprout.com/johns-hopkins-scientist-slams-flu-vaccine/<br />
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This is one of those things that will always have strong opposing sides to it. We are pushed to get the flu shot because we've been told it's good, it's necessary, it works. Just like it seems that we can so easily get a prescription for EVERYTHING. You have an little ache or a pain - take a pill! There's a pill for anything that ails you. Natural remedies (including eating right and exercising), it seems, are never the first form of action. I think it all comes down to the drug companies who don't really have your best interest in mind, only their bottom line . Of COURSE they're going to tell you that you need it! There are plenty of circumstances that require medications, but generally speaking, I think we are far too hasty to get it.<br />
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Do you know, I mean <i>really</i> know, what's in that flu shot you are taking and giving your kids?? Read the article and find out.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-80669456574548908052013-10-29T12:22:00.000-07:002013-10-29T12:22:06.174-07:00It's enoughRemember a few weeks back, that photo of Maria King and her 3 small children that said, "What's your excuse?" that ignited a whirlwind of feedback - good and bad?<br />
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My first reaction to that photo was good for her! WOW! We need to get proof out there that through determination and hard work, we mom's aren't destined to hang up the bikini forever. Too many women use excuses not to get back into shape - it just doesn't run in the family, I don't have time, etc. And she called us on it. We don't make ourselves a priority. And we really <u>do</u> need to take care of ourselves if we are going to properly care for our families. How else are we going to have energy to keep up with those little ones?<br />
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I know what it takes to get back into shape after baby. She only had 35 pounds to lose. I had 60! And when it was all said and done, I lost a total of 71 pounds! I had a baby and 2 other younger children which made working out and "dieting" a bit of a juggle, but I made it happen. The one thing I didn't have was a job outside the home.<br />
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And lets be honest, that made it a hell of a lot easier.<br />
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Because if I had a job to get to, chances are the LAST thing I'd want to do after waking up multiple times during the night with a baby, would be to wake up at 4am to get my workout in. Nope, I could wait until 11:00 am if I wanted, when the baby would go down for a nap, then head downstairs and get er done! In that sense, I had it easy. So for me to preach to everyone else the "no excuses" line, would be a little bit hypocritical. I still did the work, which was not easy, I just had a bit of a time advantage.<br />
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I read a response article recently, written very well by a woman named Saralyn Ward. She was obviously on Maria's side but thought she should change the tag line. She didn't believe "What's your excuse?" was what she should have chosen. I can see her point. She said, "I understand your well-intentioned point, but the last thing any of us mommies needs is a second helping of guilt or shame."<br />
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I loved that line.<br />
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Because it's absolutely the truth. Aren't we all just a little too hard on ourselves? We women can be our own worst enemy. We pick apart our every flaw and strive for a perfection that we will never attain. We feel shame for not being our sexier pre-mommy selves and we feel guilt for not making it happen as quickly (or at all) like so-and-so did. We compare ourselves to others and that is the worst thing we can possibly do. It can destroy the motivation we really need to get ourselves moving in the right direction.<br />
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And thanks to Facebook, we are bombarded by people who must post every freaking workout they do. Every. Single. One. If it's not humorous or entertaining in any way, it's just cluttering up my news feed. Thankfully we are allowed to filter what we see and don't see in our feeds and I have taken full advantage of this feature ;)<br />
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I'm not sure if the point is to motivate people or if it's the need for validation. Either way, I think it works negatively.<br />
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I still make time to take care of my body, but I have other priorities. It's easy to make yourself #1 priority when you are home all day like I was. I definitely juggle home life with work life and my fit life now. Being a fitness instructor, I have opportunities to get workouts in that I might not have otherwise done. AND get paid for it! You workout a LOT harder when you teach too. That is a real positive for me. However, when it comes to the workouts that I feel really "count" - for me it's weight lifting - that will tend to get put on the back burner over everything else (boo). Especially now that my babies' childhood days are slipping away faster than I'd like. But my time with them is priority now.<br />
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I would LOVE to look like Maria King. And what if I did? What if YOU did? Just let that sink in. If you had her body in all it's perfect glory, what would it change? Would it make your marriage better? Would it make your kids love you more? Would you have more friends?<br />
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When I had my best body ever, those were some of the loneliest days of my life. You tend to drive everyone around you crazy with your fitness obsession because (NEWSFLASH) not everyone is as into it as you and truth be told, just get sick of hearing about it. They may be nice about it, and would probably never tell you to shut the hell up already, but chances are, they are thinking it some days! I'm NOT saying that you shouldn't strive for greatness, or that you shouldn't go after a goal to be fit and have a healthy body. But don't put too much pressure on yourself to fit into <i>your</i> idea of a perfect body (or anyone else's idea for that matter). Don't compare yourself to anyone else. Strive for happiness and balance. Not perfection.<br />
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Moms, we are all doing what we can with what we have. And that is enough.<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-49259796161031834702013-10-25T09:29:00.000-07:002013-10-25T09:29:01.206-07:00Promote what you love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A beautiful woman I know posted this on Facebook recently and I just had to steal it. It's a wonderful reminder for everyone (myself included). I thought of myself when I read this. Because I love to hate on cardio (running, in particular). But I really want to try and just build up what I love (strength training) instead. Negativity never gets us anywhere. Whether you hear it or say it or think it - it's NO GOOD! I know a ton of people who are runners, all of whom I admire, and I want to be supportive of them. I'm proud of all my friends that put in the effort it takes to workout - no matter what that workout may be. Because it does require a level of commitment that is not always easy. Especially for people with careers and kids. We lead busy lives and finding holes in our schedules to squeeze in some time for ourselves can be challenging!<br />
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It's easy to get caught up in our own "thing" and forget that everyone has individual tastes and preferences. It doesn't matter if one is better than the other. It's not about being right or wrong. If studies came out suddenly about how it has been proven that running was better than weight lifting for A,B or C, it wouldn't matter. I would still be lifting until I couldn't lift anymore. It's about passion. Whatever ignites that passion within us, what drives us and motivates us and gets us out of bed early every morning.....THAT is what matters.<br />
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I want this blog to be a source of inspiration and motivation, not negativity. I will always promote fat loss and getting into the best shape of your life with strength training over any other form of exercise out there. But it isn't the end all be all and never will be. So I will try (really I will) to post with more helpful and positive insights into the weight lifting world, rather than name all the reasons why you should stay away from the treadmill.<br />
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There are a lot of people who can't run or lift weights for various reasons. And so they walk. Which is a GREAT way to workout, especially if you do it daily. Even if you could do other things but choose to walk instead, that's OK! We all have different goals. The goals of a walker are probably very different than the goals of a weight lifter. But the<b> </b>one common link is that we want good health, vitality and weight management. As some-what of a fitness professional, I need to be encouraging and supportive, no matter what platform you choose.<br />
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My mother can't run. But she can lift, and does. She goes to the gym twice a week to lift. If the tables were turned and she could run but not lift, I would be behind her 100%! I would cheer her on, despite the fact that it wouldn't be <i>my</i> first choice for exercise. Everyone is different. Every situation is different.<br />
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I will probably never change my mind about running. The way it affects your body good and bad. But the good part about that is, I don't have to care on a personal level. Because it's not MY body. Don't get me wrong, I care about everyone, but what you do to yourself is your own business. Being a fitness instructor and working in a gym environment daily, I have to promote all kinds of fitness, even the stuff I don't particularly enjoy.<br />
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All that being said, remember this, lift others up, even if what they do is not what you would do.<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-52211704062787804162013-10-24T12:57:00.000-07:002013-10-24T12:57:00.379-07:00UffdaOh dear Lord. I just came from boot camp a little while ago and apart from my very first class last summer, this was probably the toughest one yet. I really thought I would either pass out from exhaustion or puke. I'm SO thankful that I did neither. Guess I'm tougher than I think.<br />
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He warned me today - it was going to be cardio. Not your run of the mill cardio! We started with lines. Or suicides. I'm not sure what you call them, we just call them lines. It's on the basketball court and you run to the first line, back to start, second line, back to start, third line, back to start, all the way down, back to start (touching the floor each time). We did 3 sets - 3 times. OMFG! I know you know what these are. You did them in school. How long has it been since you've done them? Yeah. By the 3rd set, on the 3rd round, my quads were so tired I thought I might just collapse because it felt like my legs just couldn't hold me up any longer. CRAZY!<br />
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In between that we did a lot of plyometrics. Like frog hops up and down the court. It's basically a moving jump squat. Then Lemur jumps, which is basically a jump squat sideways. Burpees. And crunches. It. Was. Hell. I know plyos are killer. I used to do a lot of jump squats. They are EXCELLENT for building your fast twitch muscles - which make you stronger and faster. And I can handle intense exercise pretty well. The thing that sucks about this class is that it's an hour long, and he doesn't give us breaks. We move right from one exercise to the next. I've never pushed myself this hard. Ever. For a straight hour, to do those types of exercises, one right after another, I would never have thought it was even possible for my body to do it. But I did it. I always hear, "you are stronger than you think" and now I believe it! Next time I go to grab a set of dumbbells, I'm going to reach for 5lbs heavier than I think I can handle ;)<br />
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I am going to finish my last session of boot camp next week Tuesday and then I'm going to start personal training. I like boot camp, but there is just too much cardio work for my needs. I get enough cardio dancing every week. Time for heavy squats again! They scare the crap out of me. They are so hard. How heavy do you go??<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-11821279420740286392013-10-07T08:44:00.002-07:002013-10-07T08:44:35.614-07:00Still Killing It!!Day 4 - I can't believe it! Only 3 days to go of my depletion week!!<br />
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I have to admit though, yesterday was the toughest day so far. I was energetic and going strong the first part of the day but I could tell, my mood was starting to deteriorate a tad towards evening. I was hungry. And my husband decided to make Danish pastries from scratch. I had to smell them cooking and watch everyone eat them. They looked fantastic. He even asked me if I wanted a bite. Nope!<br />
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I prepared him before he started baking. I said, don't freak out, but I'm doing a no carb glycogen depletion right now so I won't be eating any fabulous pastries. However, it's only 7 days and by Thursday, it will be all over. He said, OK. And that was it. Of course he still had to try and get me to take a bite, but that's just him.<br />
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Last night, I was NOT thrilled about dinner at all. I barely ate anything because it just wasn't at all appealing to me. I couldn't wait to get up this morning and have my eggs. I love eggs. I think the real test has yet to come. I have boot camp tomorrow and I'm not sure how good I'll do after having not a single starch for fuel in 4 days. And boot camp on Thursday again. I don't get my "cheat meal" until that evening. And I have a feeling it's going to be the best meal ever!!<br />
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I do find that I really had good energy after my ground beef with peppers and onions dish. So I might have to make that again. But I'm just a beef lover in general. I'll take that over chicken any day.<br />
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It's been extremely helpful to have a supportive group of friends through this experience. One of the first things my girlfriends said to me this morning was, "How are you doing with you no carb thing?" and that they were thinking of me over the weekend, hoping I wasn't suffering too much. Which I thought was so sweet. Usually you'll get the, "Why are you doing that? It sounds so extreme. That can't be good for you." speech.<br />
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So diet yesterday was:<br />
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#1: 1 whole egg, 2 whites, sprinkle of raw cheese<br />
#2: raw veggies (mushrooms, cucumbers, radishes) dunked in my homemade ranch - made with veganaise<br />
#3: boiled chicken, with broccoli, celery, radishes, dressed with veganaise "ranch"<br />
#4: 1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese flavored with pumpkin pie spice and stevia (this definitely helped with my craving for something dessert like!) and I know I'm not supposed to have any protein bars this week but I had half of a Quest bar. It only had 5 active carbs so I figured it would be alright. These are THE go to bar when you absolutely NEED to eat clean and healthy. A whopping 19 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein in the whole bar.<br />
#5: boiled chicken and salad - very blah to me. I could never live on chicken and salad.<br />
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Are you starting to see my pattern? I've been sticking to the same stuff for breakfast and snacks. My lunch and dinner meals are usually the ones that change. Not sure what I'm making for dinner tonight. Probably my "go to" vegetable - cauliflower mash with something beefy ;)Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-31810543027087334272013-10-06T06:40:00.003-07:002013-10-06T06:47:10.021-07:00Day 2 Also A Success!Now that I have 2 days under my belt, I feel unstoppable! I survived the theater surrounded by my children eating candy. And a candy gorge-and-barf-o-rama at home (something that typically happens here on weekends).<br />
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Yesterday, I took the kids to see Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2. Before we went, we stopped at a gas station to buy our treats because I hate how they gouge you at the theater. $4 for a bottle of water? Really? It's insane. So I bought junior mints, peanut butter cups, and sour gummies. Oh, and Eden had to have pop tarts. I was sitting in the middle, doling out the junior mints and unwrapping mini peanut butter cups, without even licking my fingers afterwards. I was SUPER proud of my level of willpower. But I'm totally serious about this. Going no carb is extremely hard and I do NOT want to have to start this week over. When I've set my mind to something, there is nothing getting in my way. Plus, after today, I only have 3 full days left. And I'm celebrating on Thursday night with wine, pasta and good friends!<br />
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Of course, by habit, while at the grocery store I bought 4 bags of candy to fill the empty candy jar at home.<br />
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Incidentally, this is the same candy jar our dog ate from the time we had to take her to the animal ER. She had eaten almost the entire contents of this jar, and when they made her vomit it up, some of the candy was still whole in the wrapper. What a pig! Funny thing is, she has never seemed interested in the candy until I bought peanut butter filled Treasures. She must have REALLY liked the smell of those!</div>
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Anyway, this is THE JAR. Our infamous candy jar that is usually always stocked with Hershey's Nuggets. The toffee almond ones. These are my husband's absolute favorite. But I also like to fill it with caramel kisses, mini snickers and various other little candy bars. This time I got 3 musketeers for my kids to try but they didn't like them so much. I used to love them as a kid. Now, I'm all about the snickers.</div>
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I haven't gotten a candy this time around, despite everyone around me constantly hoarking them down. I don't know if that's a word, but we use it all the time around here.</div>
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So, enough about my super human will power. On to yesterday's diet. </div>
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#1: 1 whole egg, 2 whites, mushrooms cooked in organic butter, sprinkle of raw organic cheese</div>
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#2: leftover ground beef, onion, green pepper from the previous day</div>
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#3: tuna, celery, green onion, radishes, broccoli (all finely chopped) mixed with veganaise (0 carbs and tasty) with curry powder. The curry powder makes this! It's a very tasty dish.</div>
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#4: 1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese</div>
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#5: sirloin steak, cauliflower mash with organic butter and raw cheese, small lettuce salad</div>
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The goal of each day is to stay at 20g of active carbs. Active carbs are total carb count minus fiber. Each vegetable that I'm allowed to eat has a certain carb amount. Like cucumbers are zero, so I can really eat all I want of those, but cauliflower is 3. I can't eat carrots, peas, corn or zucchini. I really don't care about that except for the zucchini. I love that stuff :(</div>
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So there is day two. Surprisingly, I am not starving to death or very dizzy. I read some tips online and one thing that I think has helped a lot is making sure to drink lots of water and adding a little salt to it. Apparently the dizziness is usually the lack of potassium. I'm boiling a chicken today so I can have yummy home made broth to sip on the rest of this week. Yay!</div>
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I'm really interested to see how my clothes fit by the week! My pants are already WAY looser! </div>
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Today, I'm dancing with a friend again. We usually go about 2 hours. It's going to be about a 1200 calorie burn day again today! </div>
<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-86061934330365945322013-10-05T07:14:00.001-07:002013-10-05T07:14:38.053-07:00Right on trackToday is the 2nd day of my depletion week. Going well! Way better than anticipated. But it's still early.<br />
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Here is what I ate yesterday:<br />
#1: 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites<br />
#2: 1 large cucumber with tsp olive oil<br />
#3: 1-3oz can tuna in water with chopped celery, green onion and 1 TBSP Veganaise<br />
#4: 3 oz portion of left over pork roast<br />
#5: extra lean ground beef with green bell pepper and onion and a sprinkle of RAW organic sharp cheddar<br />
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Nothing eaten past 6pm. Success!<br />
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AND, I had energy to dance with a friend for nearly 2 hours. We have a time set up to practice for a couple hours 2 days a week. It's so much fun!<br />
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My dance class with the kiddos went well also. I taught them some jazz steps last night and we incorporated those moves into a routine. At the end of the class, we invited the moms in to watch and got them to join in! It was super fun! I choreographed the dance to You Spin Me Round (like a record) by none other than Alvin & The Chipmunks. It was too cute. I really do like teaching this class, although I don't think I would have the patience to teach as a career. Uff da!<br />
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My body has really gone through a lot in the past couple of weeks and there are days when I am literally just laid out. I am usually pretty good about keeping up with everything but Thursday was one of those days where I was just DONE. So I told my boot camp trainer that I was taking the day off and came home to do nothing. Except that even when I'm "doing nothing", I'm still working. Design duty on the computer still calls. Gotta keep my clients happy :) But it's relaxing and fun, so it seems almost wrong to call it work.<br />
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Ok, gotta go. Mom duty calls! I'll keep posting my diet and how it's going with the energy levels. Later!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-3820873384081244522013-10-02T09:43:00.002-07:002013-10-02T09:43:50.231-07:00fluid levels affect weightThe count down: 2 days! Two more days of eating whatever I want. I opened one of my favorite bottles of wine last night to celebrate the last days of my dietary freedom. I'm scared. But it's ONLY 7 days of scary before a lifetime of good, right?!<br />
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Today, I'm shaking it with a couple of awesome girls at the gym. We are going in to use the studio for practice. It'll be fun! Then tonight I teach the kiddos at 6:30 and XaBeat at 7:30. After tonight, I only have one co-teaching class left and I will be officially certified! Hopefully I can get a class started within the next two weeks. SO excited!<br />
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I've got my material all printed out and ready to go for lesson one of my dance class tonight. Intro to ballet. Going over the 5 basic steps, some terminology, and learning how to stretch. I can't wait to meet all the little ones! Hopefully I do OK! I've never had to teach little ones before. It's kind of freaking me out, to be honest. But I signed my own daughter up so that might make it a little easier for me.<br />
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I'm a little sore in the legs and butt today from all the squats Keith made us do yesterday. It's always such a great feeling. It makes me aware of the muscles I've worked and reminds me that I'm doing something great for my body. It's also a constant reminder that right now, I'm burning more calories than the folks who don't strength train their bodies. Therefore, I can eat more (and drink more wine!) without gaining weight. However, when it's crunch time, and I want to lose extra padding, I will have to buck up and eat only very nutritious foods in the proper proportions. That's always going to be the hardest part.<br />
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Don't have a whole lot to say. My mind is swirling with the 50 million things I've got going on this week so I can't devote a lot of time into researching for a very informational post. But as far as the feeling of gaining weight once you start a new workout/diet routine, here is some information that I found:<br />
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When you start a new exercise routine or ramp up the one you're already on, your body builds new muscle tissue. Muscle tissue is denser than fat, meaning it weighs more per square inch -- so even if you lose fat, any muscle gain may increase your weight. <br />
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Most of your body is composed of water, and fluctuations in fluid levels may affect your weight even as you lose fat. When your body adapts to a new workout, you may experience a condition called delayed onset muscle soreness. This causes tenderness for several days after exercise and also results in fluid retention within your muscles. In addition, newly pumped muscles store more glycogen, a form of sugar used for fuel -- and for each gram of glycogen, muscles retain about 3 grams of water.<br />
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So there you have it! :)Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-538922069847879032013-10-01T12:42:00.003-07:002013-10-01T12:42:52.898-07:00get skinny without exerciseI bet that got your attention!<br />
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Don't you love those ads you see in places like the Facebook sidebar that say stuff like "Snooki is skinny! And she didn't even have to exercise!"<br />
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Uh huh....<br />
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Ok. You are either A) lying or B) promoting anorexia<br />
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Because if you are getting "skinny" without exercise, my guess is it's probably not very good for you.<br />
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But we are a lazy society and of course it's appealing to hear that we can have a great body and not have to work hard for it.<br />
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By the way, I didn't click on the ad, so I can't elaborate much beyond that. Sorry.<br />
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I'm going to try something to "reset" my metabolism but I'm a little scared to start it. It's a carb cycling program but before you start it, you need to deplete yourself for 7 days. Yikes! 7 days without ANY starches. No fruit. No bread. No beans. Even some veggies are a no-no. NO WINE!!! OMG - that right there is going to KILL me! I think part of the reason I stayed so lean all those years is because I rarely drank. Now I'm pretty much a wino! <br />
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But after the initial 7 days, you get a re-feed meal and then you start to incorporate certain foods back into your diet. I love the concept. I've known for a long time that carb cycling works well. The problem is that it doesn't allow me to shove my face into cake every day. (hehe) No, actually it's quite nice because you can always see that light at the end of the tunnel. Versus "dieting", where certain things just aren't allowed. Ever. <br />
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I'm trying to decide when the best time to start it would be. I'm thinking Friday (after wine night Thursday). That way, I can rejoice at the end of my depletion week with (what else?) a glass of wine! Although it's always been hard to do low/no carbs over the weekend. Ugh, it's just never easy, is it. However, with my husband always working, it might be easier than ever. He is typically very sensitive to my eating habits, especially when I deprive myself of certain things. The trick is not to point it out. If I sit down to dinner and whine about not getting to eat potatoes, it's blaringly obvious that I'm omitting something from my diet and it's making me miserable. On the other hand, if I just don't take a potato and eat the rest of my food without complaining about not getting potatoes like everyone else, it may just go undetected. BaBAM! I'm smart, right?<br />
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We'll see. I'm sort of pumped about getting into my new jeans. And today, I noticed that I can pull my fat pants down without unbuttoning or unzipping them. So I am definitely shrinking! It's always fun to realize that moment when you are actually making improvements. You know, it's true what they say about feeling fatter just before you get smaller. I was just complaining not two weeks ago about how I didn't understand how I could feel bigger with all the extra activity I was squeezing into my day. But something about "shifting" and blah blah blah.... I don't remember exactly, but if I come across that information again, I'll share it.<br />
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p.s. Today, boot camp was kind of fun, except he made us do push ups on the curb and now the bottom portion of my palms are on fire. Who knew curbs were so rough! I could have done way more push ups if I had a towel or something to cushion the palms of my hands! Ouch!<br />
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4195205194145136512.post-38004005701528803852013-09-30T10:17:00.002-07:002015-01-07T08:04:36.544-08:00Motivation. Running. Weight Lifting. Cycling. Oh my!<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's a little motivation for anyone looking to perk up their booty. It's not perfect by any means, but I was very happy with the change I saw. See, you can be skinny and still have an unattractive physique. Flat saggy butts are NOT sexy! </div>
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I will always have knees that turn slightly inward even when I'm standing straight. I don't like it but I can't do anything about it. So I focus on things I CAN change - like my booty!<br />
As JNL would say, "Glutes on salute!"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L2cFevDZomgs7RDtS3HIimVAuMc0MTokwYZ_YF7iSw29yyvl18zEbb_j6YG15M7eujgPqS_tIr279oVpJ5aj6J5dJ48BcEg30x__ACfY0ah0l5Si4ovdqBD2rzWQY7M55qNNuZwhYUEb/s1600/meba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L2cFevDZomgs7RDtS3HIimVAuMc0MTokwYZ_YF7iSw29yyvl18zEbb_j6YG15M7eujgPqS_tIr279oVpJ5aj6J5dJ48BcEg30x__ACfY0ah0l5Si4ovdqBD2rzWQY7M55qNNuZwhYUEb/s320/meba.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's pretty far out of my comfort zone to show you pics of my rear, but I just want you to see how much of an improvement you can make if you are doing the right kind of workouts. I still have a long way to go to get to where I would <em>like</em> to be. But I'm definitely happy with where I'm at. Of course, if I had the will power to eat properly all the time, it would help out a lot. </div>
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I'm proud of my butt! I worked hard to build my backside. How? Heavy squats and lunges. I used dumbbells for a few years before graduating to a barbell. And it wasn't until I started using heavier weight that I noticed a significant change in the shape of my backside. The dumbbells are still great for you in terms of lean muscle and fat loss. But to really build it up, it's going to take many months, even years of heavy lifting. At least, in my experience that was the case. I read one time that it can take up to 2 years to build a butt. However, I've seen before and afters of women who have completely changed the shape of their butt in just 4-6 months. This requires extremely hard work and dedication to both heavy lifting and strict diet.</div>
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If you are willing to put in the work, pull up your big girl panties and lift the weight, you WILL reap the rewards! And you will have to get used to dealing with muscle soreness. Because it's just part of the package. But it's totally worth it. Don't underestimate the power of ice. I never ever used to ice my sore or pulled muscles until recently and it's been a life saver! </div>
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Oh, and here's something else. A couple of posts ago, I posted a link about overrated exercises. Well, I think I can tell you what a very <em>under</em>rated exercise is.....cycling! I kid you not, if you try a cycling class, it will kick your ass! And I bet you would get some pretty nice legs as a result. My trainer is also a cycling instructor and he gave us a taste at boot camp last week. Holy shit! It was very tough! You burn and burn and burn some more. It's not for pansies! But seriously, if you want to firm up your legs and get a good cardio blast while doing it, cycling is where it's at! </div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com1