IIFYM

I don’t really need to do much shopping for myself today.  I did some fiddling with my menu for the next few days trying to use what I already have in the house.  All I really need for ME is some salad and Walden’s Thousand Island Dressing.  You ever tried that stuff?  It’s awesome!  Their ranch dressings are horrid.  Seriously, I threw an entire salad away because of yuck dressing.  But that’s not the subject right now.  I am ready to start this!

Goals:

Stick to my Macros

PiYo 4 times per week
Callanetics 3 times per week
Walking 5 times per week (over my lunch break – weather permitting)

 

STOP THE INSANITY!

Oh my gosh, my brain has had enough of this food/diet/macro/calorie/carb/points/container counting business!

So last week I did the Nutrisystem thing.  It worked pretty well because I didn’t have to think.  Portions are kind of small but I found that didn’t really bother me by the end of the week.  But it is pretty pricey, especially when you are feeding a family.

My never ending quest has been to just eat like a normal person.  Which, to me, means to not stress about it, not have to really think about it, eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re satisfied and be able to have regular family dinners, dinners with friends, etc. without the “ohmygod, my diet!” Anxiety!

I’ve done the low carb/high fat eating.  Love it and hate it.  I love the results, I love butter, I love cream in my coffee, but it is probably the least sustainable because I, and the rest of the world, also love carbs.  I’ve done Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, 21 Day Fix, Slim Fast/Shakes, etc.  Pretty much, if you can name a diet plan, I’ve tried it or some derivative of it.

Then IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) comes along and catches my attention because a friend of mine competed in a bikini competition and she looks amazing!  I asked her what she did and she said IIFYM/Flexible dieting.  Of course, I scoured the internet.  I bought a few kindle books.  Problem is that when I calculate my macros, I come up with results ranging from 1550 calories per day to almost 2000 calories per day with carb and fat percentages ranging from 21% to 40% of daily calories.  The protein recommendations stay the same.  After doing some fiddling on myfitnesspal to figure out what a typical day may look so that I can do some meal planning, I made the determination that the 21 day fix/Portionology/container counting is pretty damn spot on with my macros.  The difference being that flip flop between fat and carbs.

Seriously, the difference amounts to about a tablespoon of butter and/or an extra banana per day.  Pick the higher fat option and you can have the butter but not the banana – pick the higher carb option and forget the butter but eat that extra piece of fruit. (both options include fruit…higher carb option I budgeted for 3 fruit – lower carb 1 ½ fruit)

See why I’ve been buying Lean Cuisine for a 2 weeks?  My head hurts!

Ok, whatever, sorted!

So!  My birthday is 2 weeks from today.  I always have these goals that I never follow through with about what I want to accomplish by X date, and my birthday and New Year always trigger the creation of these resolutions.  This is probably another one of those.  NO…let’s be positive.

Fit by 50!  I have 3 years and 2 weeks.

Chosen way of eating – IIFYM/Flexible dieting.

Chosen exercise method(s) –PiYo, Callanetics, Barre, Yoga and Walking. Low or No Impact!  Protect those joints.

On Strike

I’ve gotten so frustrated with planning, shopping, prepping, cooking…blah blah blah, that I’ve gone on a cooking strike. If I only had to cook and prep for me, I’d be fine.  However, you’ve got the teen, the hubs, and the Marine who all want to eat as well, and for some reason, the teen and I are the only ones who seem to be self sufficient.  I work full time.  So do the hubs and the Marine.  So why am I the one who has to do all the domestic stuff???  I’ve about had it. So I told the fam that I’m not cooking for a while. I’m not sure how long the strike will last as prepackaged meals are expensive and not the healthiest, even when you go with “healthy choice” type options.  I’ve been kind of a low carb girl for a while.  I suck at sticking with it.  Let’s be honest, I love my carbs.  I’ve seen the Nutrisystem packages at Walmart for a long time…you know the ones with 5 days of food for $45?  I wanted to try it out but was put off by the “dry mix” meals.  What exactly is that?  So I did a little research, crunched some numbers, and figured out how to kind of do Nutrisystem on my own.  The average Nutrisystem plan for a female is 1200 calories.  So cool.  I grabbed some Nutrisystem cinnamon buns, shakes, and little cookies then headed to the freezer section for lunches and dinners.  No Nutrisystem there.  Now worries, we have Weight Watchers smart ones, Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, etc.  Loads of options.  Grabbed some yogurt and fruit, salad and veggies and I’m all set to try this no cooking thing.

I started out with it yesterday.  Opened up my box of cinnamon buns and was like “Hey, cool.” Pulled out a package and opened it.  Ok, you will lose weight on Nutrisystem because it was full of air!  This is the tiniest cinnamon bun I’ve ever seen.  They should call it a CinnaMini because that is what it is.  That being said, it’s really dense.  So I warmed it up for a few seconds and nibbled at it so that it would last longer.  Pretty decent taste and it kept me satisfied until almost lunch time, so it did it’s job.  Well, that the half pot of coffee I usually drink daily.

If you are into macros or low carb or anything other than calorie counting, you really don’t want to see my macros for this week on myfitnesspal.  It’s like ridiculous carb overload.  But boy was it nice to NOT have to meal prep yesterday.  I didn’t spend several hours in the kitchen to be ready for breakfasts and lunches this week.  And I don’t have to worry about “what’s for dinner”.  Y’all are on your own.  There’s food.  Cook it!

If only that would work with the rest of the housework.

Labor Day

I keep starting and stopping blogging because, well, I’ve never been much on keeping journals or diaries and that’s essentially what a blog is. The thing I do like about them is not feedback from others, but being able to look back at certain memories…like when Brian and I got engaged.  That’s here.  I like that.  Today’s memory is just walking the dog. He loves walks and we have a great walking trail here in Goddard. Tiger is a great dog.  He’s big, he’s powerful, he’s strong…he’s a baby.  There is not a vicious bone in his body.  I mean, seriously, he won’t even bark when someone comes in the house late at night. Not much of a guard dog is he?  He loves to sit on your lap.  He thinks he’s a lap dog.  75+ lbs pit mix thinks he’s a lap dog.  I never thought I would like a pit.  They scared me.  But this goofy guy is such a love.

Beginning April 20, 2015, I will be teaching PiYo twice per week at the Flow Foundry in Wichita, Kansas.

You can sign up for classes with me here:

http://www.flowict.com/apps/webstore/products/show/5834547

Challenge Pack is Here!!!

So the other day I posted that I finally “bit the bullet” and signed up as a Team Beachbody Coach. And yesterday my 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack and new Coach info all arrived! Hooray!!

Of course, I tore into the box like a kid at Christmas. I’m not gonna lie…I was disappointed. The Shakeology was the biggest thing in the box. The 21 day fix dvds are not in any kind of jewel case or anything…just tiny little cardboard sleeves. No neat little packaging to keep the written materials and the dvds together. Nope, everything was just loos in the box. The food containers that came with the 21 Day Fix are very small. But this is Portion Control and so you really shouldn’t expect some super sized stuff. Well…the Shakeology container is super sized. Still, let’s be honest, the reason I got 21 Day Fix Challenge pack is because the cost of the Shakeology and the New Coach sign up fee were the same as the Challenge Pack with the new coach fee waived. Woulda been silly NOT to get the challenge pack and this way I get cutesy barbie sized colored containers. WIN!

I perused the new coach info and the DVD. Not what I expected. The booklet reminds me of a CD “box set”. Small, cardboard, with a place to insert your before and after photos. I’m sure there is a lot of useful information, but the writing and pictures are so small that I could’t be bothered really reading it. Thankfully, my coach called last night and we chit-chatted for quite a bit and she guided me through some material that is actually helpful. Really, what I need is a “Blondes’ Guide” to this Beachbody Coach thing.

So back to the Shakeology thing. I’ve heard amazing things about it and have been hemming and hawing and trying to decide how to fit this into my budget so that I can give it a try. My coach advised me to keep a diary or blog of the day to day with Shakeology so that I can note what benefits I get from it. I can already say that the taste is awesome. I’ve used whey protein for a long time but the chocolate Shakeology is really creamy and smooth. This morning I made my shake with:

1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
1 cup nonsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
5 cubes frozen coffee (I pour whatever is left in the morning pot into an ice tray and freeze it for shakes.)
Peppermint extract – just a few drops or to taste. A little goes a LONG way.

Put it all in a blend and blend till smooth.

The cool thing about using the coffee ice cubes is that the shake doesn’t get watered down or diluted. Some people say to make the coffee double strength if you are going to use it in shakes. I suppose you could and that would be really good, I just can’t be bothered and I don’t like dumping out that little 1/2 cup of coffee each morning, so I just freeze the leftovers and move on with life.

I’ll be 45 in less than 2 weeks. I’m happy with my life and my size. Well, ok, we all want to look like the fitness models, but I’m realistic and that is not a priority for me. I don’t want to work THAT hard. My main objectives are to be healthy and remain active as I age. I’ve reached the age where little things are hurting…my hips, my knees, my shoulder, my back…it’s only going to get worse as time goes on and the only way to fight it is to remain as active as possible. I have no interest in being “hard-core” and ending a workout feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus. It looks good in videos and the idea of it is awesome, but again, I’m more realistic. I’m a Libra. I’m all about balance.

Healthy Meatball Sub

Whaaaat???? A Healthy Meatball sub? Shut the front door! It’s 21 Day Fix Friendly? Hmmm…This is something I could get my husband and kids to eat and they won’t even notice it’s part of my “healthy eating master plan”. Thank you so much for sharing this!

Team Beachbody Coach Baby!

Yep, I did it. I signed up, paid my money, ordered my challenge pack…I even went a step further and registered for PiYo Certification class on November 2. Super excited, but I honestly have no idea where to start with this coach thing. On to today’s blog…

I have all of these wonderful aspirations of getting up early and working out in the morning. I’ve been listening to Chalene Johnson’s podcast and in one of them her guest is Melissa McAlister who talks about her ebook 8 Hour Abs Diet, which is available FREE on her website http://www.melissamadeonline.com.

I loved listening to her and realized that what she does is pretty much what my husband has always done. They eat in an 8 hour window. Even Hugh Grant – yes Wolverine – follows this edict when getting in shape for his hard body movie roles. However, it isn’t the easiest thing to adpat to or implement when you work an 8-5 office job. But I’m trying.

The thing she talked about that really made sense to me is that when you exercise in the morning, your body is forced to reach for the stored fat for fuel. Your last meal was HOURS ago. So you’re exercising in a fasting state and therefore, your body has to burn the excess.

Well, it’s a nice idea idea and it did cross my mind as I hit snooze. So I came home after a long day at the office and did PiYo Drench!

You’d think that since I have that “coach” by my name that I KILLED it. No no. Don’t fool yourself. I huffed and puffed and did a lot of child’s pose. But I kept going. I said a few expletives when my shoulder started singing. But I kept going. And I managed ONE kinda-sorta-wanna-be PiYo Flip!

Yeah baby! I’m a beast!!!

A little hint…I have carpet and have discovered that my feet stick a bit TOO much to the yoga mat, so I toss it aside during standing work and beast and do those on the carpet so that my feet will slide a wee bit better and not stick to my mat and tangle me up. So if you find that you are having some trouble, it really can be something as simple as “your yoga mat is too sticky”. Don’t worry. You don’t have to use it if it isn’t working for you.

48 Hours

Wow.  It’s been a month since I blogged?  I so totally suck at this.  It’s been an emotional month.  But I’ll be back on Monday with with a crazy update and pics!

Syd has been out of the country for the past month.  She got back on Sunday and this weekend we are going to the anime festival in Wichita. My bestest most precious friend and soul sister, Melissa, and her hubby JC and nephew Micah Moo are coming up for it too.  YAY!!!

“Soul Mates”

Ok, so I totally bailed on the T25 Challenge.  I feel bad because it is led by my friend Tera.  But I just couldn’t stand it.  I didn’t click with the workouts at all and dreaded doing them.  So after a few days of beating myself up and feeling like a quitter, I decided to take the advice of a very dear friend…

“Ok, Cookie, take a deep breath. Take a few deep breaths. Don’t let the scale mess with your head. Just don’t think about it. Focus on making good choices and remember every good choice you make gets you closer to your goal. As long as you do that, the scale will eventually move the way you want it to. But the numbers on the scale don’t matter. Make the right choices for your physical and mental health. You know you feel good when you make good choices, so try to remember that and don’t let those numbers bring you down…Hang in there, enjoy this wonderful time in your life, and move on.”

While cruising the internet during some down time at work, I came across another Beachbody Coach who talked about her mission being to help people find their “Soul Mate Workout”.  She had tried P90X and Insanity but she found her “soul mate” in Body Pump.  I used to take body pump classes in France and can see how. They really are fun.  But her mission made me think.  

I didn’t connect with T25.  That doesn’t mean I’m a failure.  It just means that it is not my “soul mate” workout. And I’m only a quitter if I stop trying.  

I’m getting married in September.  Not my first marriage.  Not his first marriage.  Neither of us regret having married the people married because that is part of who we are.  Because of those marriages, we each have awesome kids that we love.  Because of my previous marriages, I’ve traveled extensively, lived in Europe twice, speak French pretty fluently, and have friends worldwide.  Just because they didn’t last does not mean they were bad.  We had not yet found our soul mates, but we didn’t give up. 

I have worked at jobs I love and jobs I hate.  I don’t know anyone who has only ever had one job in their entire life.  You try something.  If you hate it or find that it isn’t working for you, you find something else.  You didn’t find your “soul mate” vocation on the first try, but you didn’t say, “forget it.  I’m gonna be a bum and not work for the rest of my life.”  You went and found something else.  Maybe you’re still looking.  Who knows.  But you’ll keep looking because it’s necessary.

Same with diets and fitness.  There is no “one size fits all”.  Sometimes you have to try hundreds of combinations to find the right fit.  It isn’t easy.  But you have to love yourself and respect yourself enough to put in the effort.  If I were told that my child had special needs, I would go to any lengths to meet those needs, to find a way.  We need to treat ourselves with that kind of love.

By the way…I haven’t stopped exercising.  I stumbled upon Gaiam TV’s streaming service.  10 day free trial.  I was going to try it out just because they have a workout that I used to own…Squeeze by Tracy Effinger.  There is a 30 minute express workout that I used to love/hate.  When perusing their videos, I stumbled across the FIRM Express.  The first workout video I ever bought was a Classic FIRM workout.  I used to love those. I wasn’t too sure about this new FIRM thing but decided to give it a try.  There are 12 workouts…20 minutes each….you do one 20 minute workout 3 times per week for 4 weeks.  If you follow it according to the suggested rotation, you’ll never repeat a workout in those 4 weeks.  Ok.  20 minutes.  I’ll give it try.  It was part of the 10 day free trial.  ZERO risk!!!  And…I love it!  Ok, I’m only on day 3.  But still.