Weekly Tip: The Support System

Much like my advice to find a workout buddy, this week's tip also involves the people around you: the people who encourage you to keep going, the people you can lean on when you're struggling with your progress, the people who keep telling you how great you look and what a good job you're doing even when you don't see it yourself.  These people are your support system, and it's important that everyone trying to lose weight or achieve fitness goals has that in their lives.

Throughout my challenge I've been amazed at the continuous support and encouragement I've received from the people around me.  People have constantly been telling me what a great job I'm doing and how I've inspired them to start working on their own goals.  Comments like that mean the world to me and make me that much more motivated to keep going because I feel like I'm setting a good example.  It also feels good to know that the people around you are paying attention to what you're doing and truly want to see you succeed.  I will be eternally grateful for the people who have been supporting me for the past few months of this challenge, but that's a post for another day...

I also have a piece of advice for those people who make up the support system of somebody who's working on their health and fitness goals:

1) Try not to comment on what they eat.  Obviously someone who's trying to lose weight understands that they need to adjust their diet as part of their plan, so most likely they've already thought about what they're putting in their mouth.  If they decide to have a cheat meal or they know they've worked out enough that day to earn that extra beer, that's up to them.  There's nothing worse when you're trying to lose weight than feeling like the people around you are judging what you eat.  The only exception to this rule is if that person cooks you something.  Then you are definitely allowed to comment, and hopefully sing their praises.

2) You can never compliment them enough!  People who are working hard at achieving their weight loss goals want to feel like other people notice a difference.  You can never tell them too many times how great they look or what a good job they're doing it.  Praise them, and praise them often!  Who knows, your comment might be just the thing they needed to motivate them into the gym the next morning when they were considering skipping out.

3) Don't give them excuses to slack off.  Leave the decision of when/where/how much to work out and what/when/how much to eat up to the person responsible: the person trying to lose the weight.  Telling someone that they can have the loaded nachos at dinner instead of the Greek salad because "you've been working so hard, you've earned it, you have to give yourself a break sometimes" only encourages that person to slip up.  Obviously at the end of the day, someone who's trying to lose weight is in charge of what they eat and how much they exercise, but when you tell that person that it's okay for them to cheat on a day when maybe they weren't planning on cheating, it only makes it harder for them to hang on to their self-control and make good choices.  Be encouraging, but don't give them any excuses.

Week 9 Update

As the weeks continue to fly by during this challenge, I keep trying to challenge myself and make sure that I get the results I want.  Week 9 was another week of dedication and commitment, and I was able to benefit from that in terms of my weight loss.  Here's the recap!

Physical Activity:
-3/30/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 3
-4/1/13: 30 Day Shred level 3
-4/2/13: BODYATTACK
-4/3/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 3
-4/4/13: swam laps freestyle for 30 minutes, 900 meters total

I'm finally done with the 30 Day Shred DVD goal that I set for myself, which was to do each level 6 times, or 3x per week.  Now I can focus on getting more cardio in, but I still may pop the DVD in every once in a while to mix things up.  Overall I can say that DVD definitely kicked my butt, but in a good way.  Jillian Michaels is so motivating, so I might try one of her other DVDs at some point.  Also, I'm up to running 2.5 miles at a time on the treadmill, which I'm super proud of!  It's so helpful to see tangible progress throughout this challenge to keep myself motivated to continue.  I'd like to get the point where I can run at least 3 miles without stopping and then sign up for a 5K!

Food:
Last weekend my mom was in town visiting, and it was Easter.  My mom and I went out to eat Saturday night at Fogo de Chao, which is a Brazilian steak house.  For anyone who doesn't know, that means the servers come around to your table with skewers of different kinds and cuts of meat and slice off whatever you request onto your plate.  Basically it's meat overload, and there's also a pretty extensive salad bar for non-meat lovers.  I did try to stick with the fresh veggies on the salad bar, which were delicious, but I couldn't resist trying the many varieties of meats the restaurant had the offer.  The saving grace was that all the meat seemed to be just drenched in salt, which meant I didn't end up eating a whole lot of it.  On Sunday we went to my cousin's house for Easter dinner, which was wonderful.  I love spending time with my extended family since I don't get to see them very often.  Dinner was wonderful and I made sure to keep my portion sizes in check, and was still able to enjoy a glass of wine or two!  When weekends like this arise where I know I won't have as much control over my food options, I make sure to at least try and stick to normal portions and I definitely make sure to get plenty of exercise in so that I don't end up feeling guilty.  I also kept my calorie counts in check for the rest of the week to make up for any splurging I had done.  

Cooking:
My cooking experiments continued in week 9, and I tried out a skinny recipe for Chicken Florentine.  It was a delicious casserole with chicken, spinach, and pasta.  Two of the most voracious eaters in my friend group helped taste test this for me, and one of them wanted seconds, which I know is a good sign!  I think I'm becoming more comfortable in the kitchen, but I'm still a beginner, so I don't want to toot my own horn too much.  I'll post the recipe later this week, since this is one that everyone should try!

Weigh-In:
I'm happy to report that my weight loss continues, and this week I lost...

1 POUND!!!

I'm steadily working my way toward my goal, and I'm now down 11 pounds in 9 weeks.  Taking this challenge 1 pound at a time has made it so much easier, because my goal is reasonable and I've been able to see progress pretty steadily throughout the last 9 weeks.  I'm so close to the end I can taste it, but I know there's a lot more work to be done.  Here's to week 10 being just as much of a success!

Workout Song of the Week: The Bravery

Sometimes all you need to get you moving is the thought of some rough sex.  This week's song is the perfect example of that sort of motivation: "Hatefuck" by The Bravery.

Passion and intensity is sometimes all you need to go that last quarter of a mile or lift that last set of weights.  This song is perfect for that since it's quick, upbeat, and to the point.  Overall message: violence can be thrilling and sexy.  The Bravery perfectly captures that lusty, heat of the moment, rough-you-up kind of sexual attitude that we all need once in a while.  In addition to the song's overall sound being great for working out, the lyrics are pretty scandalous, and sometimes thinking about getting sexy can be just as big of a motivator.  It gets your blood pumping and your legs moving, just what you need kick some ass in the gym!

Workout Song of the Week: Icona Pop

What's not to love about an electro synth pop female anthem with a rebellious spirit and an upbeat tempo?  Nothing.  Icona Pop's "I Don't Care" is one of the best workout songs I've heard lately and that's why it's the workout song of the week!

The beat stays the same throughout pretty much the entire song, which makes it easy to listen to and helps you keep a steady pace.  It's the perfect example of some badass chicks singing about how tiny of a crap they give and that I don't care attitude can give you a huge push during a good cardio session.  For me, good workout songs are usually upbeat, with a powerful sound and motivational lyrics.  This song meets all of those requirements and then some.  Give it a listen and let me know what you think!

Week 6 Update

Wow, hard to believe it's already been 6 weeks since I started this!  I feel like it's all still so new and I'm still learning so much.  I think under normal circumstances, most people get bored and give up on their resolutions after about a month, so I'm proud that I've stuck with it this far and will keep pushing myself until I reach my goal.  This blog really helps me stay on track, so thank you for reading!

Physical Activity:
-3/9/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-3/10/13: ran outside for 30 minutes (I went 2.5 miles total and ran for about 1.75 miles of that)
-3/11/13: used the elliptical for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/13/13: 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/14/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes
-3/15/13: 30 Day Shred level 2

I'm now doing the 30 Day Shred workout 3 times a week, which is so much easier to handle!  This week I moved up to level 2, which is SO MUCH HARDER than level 1!  I was expecting it to be a little more challenging, but wow.  Jillian Michaels really knows what she's doing.  I can only imagine what level 3 will bring, but thankfully I don't have to worry about that for another week.  Also this week I finally got a chance to run outside!  Spring weather is really making an effort to break through this long winter we're having in DC so last Sunday I took the opportunity to change things up and take my workout outside.  Running outside is completely different than running on the treadmill, and more challenging in many ways, including trying to keep a steady pace, but it's much more enjoyable and the change of scenery made me not hate my run so much that day.  Also I'm still working on being able to run for longer distances at a time, and worked my way up to 1.75 miles without stopping.  I know that doesn't sound like much, but considering that a) I hate running, and b) I'm still a beginner, I think 1.75 is pretty darn good.

One day on the treadmill I tried out a pyramid-style interval workout that I had found online (this is the one I did).  Interval training is great because by constantly changing your intensity you prevent your body from getting used to any one speed, which increases fat burning and prevents plateaus.  The workout I tried was only 30 minutes, but it seriously kicked my butt.  The sprints really take the wind out of you!  I'm definitely going to incorporate more interval training into my workout, especially since I'm 6 weeks into my challenge now and I don't want to get into a slump with my workout routine.

Food:
I did very well with food during week 6, but what I really wanted to focus on was my alcohol intake since I had been struggling with that in prior weeks.  I decided to challenge myself to something new that week: to not drink a single alcoholic beverage all weekend.  I stopped consuming alcohol during the week when I started this challenge, so bye-bye went the occasional glass of wine after work or with dinner.  On the weekends though, I found I was having trouble sticking to my 3 drink maximum so I wanted to take a break.  I also think alcohol was a contributing factor to why I gained a pound after week 5, which is why I decided to do a detox for week 6 and see what would happen.  I must admit my social life seriously declined last weekend, since in order to avoid drinking I ended up staying in Friday and Saturday night, but in the end I completed my challenge and I managed to not drink all weekend.  For anyone who knows me or my friends, you understand what a feat that is! 

Cooking:
Thanks to the nice weather in DC last weekend my friends and I were able to have a cookout for family dinner on Sunday.  My contribution was a Chicken Orzo Salad that I had been wanting to try.  It's a fresh, light salad that turned out to the perfect addition to a grill session.  Recipe coming soon.

Weigh-In:
I had really been stressing out about my weight last week since I gained a pound in week 5.  I know that I'm trying very hard and I'm making a lot of positive changes in my life, and I understand that weight loss is a process and my weight will fluctuate a lot and I won't always lose pounds, but it's still hard to not feel discouraged when you don't see the results you want on the scale.  I managed to use that as motivation in week 6 and it paid off.  Last week I lost:

1 POUND!!!

I'm finally back on track after wavering a little last week and I'm very excited, I just need to stay focused.  All together I'm 7 pounds down and I still have 9 weeks to go.  I can do this!

Weekly Tip: Buy New Gear!

Buying new workout gear can have an immediate and significant impact on your desire to stay fit since you get excited to try it out!  Obviously we're not all rolling in dough and can't afford to be constantly buying new stuff just because our motivation has dwindled a little, but every once in a while spending a little money on things that will encourage you to continue can be very helpful.  My recent purchases include:

New workout capris!  (You can find really inexpensive ones at Target)

New Swimsuit and Goggles! I blend right in with the water ;)

A Heart Rate Monitor, the Polar FT4F (yes, I burned 643 calories in an hour! I AM SUPERWOMAN!)

A Crock Pot!

 All my new swag has encouraged me to keep going.  In my opinion, you can never have too much workout gear, especially since it takes away the excuse of "I can't go workout, all my workout clothes are in the laundry."  The swimsuit was actually a necessity, I can't exactly glide through the pool when I'm worried about my bikini falling off.  The Heart Rate Monitor is one of my favorite purchases because now I'll be able to track my heart rate to make sure I'm in the right zone for burning fat and have a more precise idea of how many calories I burn during all my different activities.  Last but not least, my new Crock Pot will motivate me to learn how to cook even more delicious, healthy meals.  Hopefully my next purchase will be a new pair of sneakers!

What are some things you've bought recently  or want to buy soon to contribute to your health and fitness goals?

Workout Song of the Week: Young the Giant

Alternative rock can be a great motivator fitness-wise under the right circumstances.  The perfect example of this is my latest workout song of the week: Young the Giant "My Body"

This song is great for getting motivated because in addition to its steady, building beat, the very lyrics of the song embody what a lot of us need during our workout, that push to continue. "My body tells me no, but I won't quit, 'cause I want more..."  The chorus alone is enough to give you that extra push you need!  It's a great song to have blasting when you're trying to run off your stress on the treadmill or do that extra set of pushups.  In doing a little research (and by research, I mean Wikipedia) it turns out the song actually came about due to the band letting out their frustrations during a particularly challenging time.  That message definitely translated through and made this song a great motivational jam to turn on when you're ready to really work!

Sidenote: It doesn't hurt that this song was used in one of the very first episodes of the show "Teen Wolf" on MTV (Don't judge me!), so every time I hear it I can't help but picture a super hot, buff lacrosse player/werewolf working out and getting fit, which is great motivation!

Workout Song of the Week: Jason Derulo

Great music is so key to staying pumped up during a cardio workout, especially running on the treadmill.  It gives me the extra energy I need to keep going.  That's why it's so important to pick the right jams for your ultimate workout playlist.  Each week I'll be highlighting my "workout song of the week" to give you guys suggestions for songs that keep you pumped up and ready to work!

This week's favorite is: Jason Derulo "Breathing"

 

I love listening to really upbeat tunes that make me want to dance, that way even when I'm tired I still find the energy to continue.  This song is great because it keeps a steady club beat the entire time, but the energy really picks up for the chorus, so that's a great time to speed up or kick up the intensity of your workout.  The tribal vocals in the background add a unique sound that you don't get with a lot of other club music.

I know not everyone likes to listen to music when they workout, but personally I need music to keep me motivated, and songs like this really help.  What do you guys think?

Weekly Tip: The Workout Buddy

A great way to make sure you keep up your exercise regimen is to have a workout buddy!  If you're the type of person who will give yourself excuses to skip the gym, a workout buddy can really help you stick to your plans.  That way, if you try to miss a workout, not only would you be letting yourself down, but you'd be letting your partner down as well, so it helps to keep you accountable.  Your buddy should be someone who encourages you to do your best, but not someone you feel like you're competing with.  They're also the one who drags you out of your house to exercise when all you want to do is sit at home watching TV.  The two of you can keep each other motivated, push each other when you think you've hit your limit, and help each other discover new activities.  I know who my workout buddy is, who's yours?

Motivation

Motivation: a driving force that compels or reinforces an action toward a desired goal. What's yours?

Let the Challenge Begin!

Yup, here it is:  Another blog by a mid-20's, small town to big city transplant writing about her life.  Sorry if you're sick of these, but haters gonna hate, right?  This blog is mainly for tracking my weight loss journey, but I may also be writing about other topics eventually, as this blog could evolve into something much more over the next 15 weeks.  I'd like this to be a place for me to share my story but also for other people to see that we all face a lot of the same challenges.
 
So here we go!  My weight loss goal: lose 15 pounds in 15 weeks.  This idea originated from the fact that my friends and I will all be celebrating Memorial Day on a beach somewhere this year and I'd like to accomplish my goal by then, which is exactly 15 weeks from now.  Wish me luck!  I'll fill my readers (if I have any) in on my progress with weekly updates by posting how many pounds I lose each week (assuming I lose pounds, which is the ultimate goal...).  My week actually started last Saturday (2/2/13) when I went to the gym for the first time in months and weighed myself, so my weeks will run Saturday-Saturday and then on Sunday or Monday I'll post the progress.  Each week I'll also try to highlight a specific area that I focused on and how it worked, i.e. number of workouts, portion control, calorie-tracking etc.  At the end of the 15 weeks, there may even be before-and-after photographic evidence of my progress (maybe!  I'm not promising anything!), so stay tuned!

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way doing this because I hate my body and I'm a miserable cow who cries into her Ben & Jerry's every night on the couch.  For anyone who has doubts about my confidence levels, see here.  I'm doing this because I stepped on the scale last Saturday and I cringed.  I recognize that my weight has gotten out of hand for someone my height (I'm barely 5'4") and it's just plain unhealthy.  My BMI is officially at 28, which means technically I'm overweight.  While I realize that BMI alone is not the best indicator of physical fitness, I know that I want to take action now in order to prevent my situation from getting worse.

I won't be using any official diets or crazy cleanses during this journey, just trying to do things the old fashioned way: eat less, move more.  I'm going to try to be realistic about my goals and know that I have limits, and that I can't go from couch potato to skinny spinner overnight.

Here are my basic guidelines (these may change through the course of my journey):
-Perform physical activity of at least 30 mins 3-5 times per week.
-Track my food intake to become more aware of what/how much I'm eating.
-Drink less alcohol (anyone who knows me understands this may be the biggest challenge).
-Rely less on prepared foods, which are typically really high in sodium, and try to make meals myself more often.
 
I can already foresee many of the of the struggles I will face over the coming weeks, but I believe that it's time for me to get my health in check, and knowing that there are people out there keeping track of me will serve as even more motivation to get results.  Also, all feedback is welcome, so feel free to leave suggestions or tips that you've tried or heard about, or just leave me some friendly encouragement!

Now, step 1: join the gym.  No more excuses about money or time, just do it.  I plan on tackling that before this week is over.  Here goes...