Archive | October 2011

Slim Down Day 7

Oct31

I made it!!! And this time I didn’t cheat once.  Not even one bite :-) I even survived Halloween and all the sugary craziness around me.  That is such a big difference for me.  Last year, I would have thought it impossible for me to walk away from sugary sweets at a party and on Halloween. I have had a sweet tooth ALL my life and it has been the hardest challenge for me with my new lifestyle.  But now, I know that I can stay away from all that candy.  Not saying that I’ll never have  another piece ever, but I am happy that I am overcoming my bad habit.  That is probably what I am most proud of from the Slim Down.

Today was great.  I felt great the whole day.  Since I was not able to go out for my morning cardio, I popped in P90X CardioX.  I really like it because it has so many different moves from yoga to plyometrics.  I didn’t feel tired at all.  I took the boys to the mall for some last minute Halloween shopping and walked the length of the mall twice.  For my second cardio session I went for 3 mile run since Ben was home from work.  I had a good run.  It was very windy on the way out so it felt like I was in slow motion but I didn’t mind because it kept me cool.  Since it was Halloween, we went trick or treating with the boys.  We got through 3 courts and then walked back home.  I tripped and pulled something in my right knee so it looks like I’ll be taking a break from running :-( I was going to give my knees a break anyways after the slim down.

Meals: Did not feel hungry at all and stuck to the slim down. Subbed steamed snap peas for the asparagus at dinner.  Of course I would forget to pick some up when I went to the store this morning, right? lol.

M1: Grapefruit with stevia.

M2: Slim Down Smoothie.

M3: Lean and Green Salad with Spinach, tilapia, carrots, and cucumbers.

M4; 1/2 cup of berries: blueberries, raspberries, and 2 small strawberries.

M5: Left over lemon pepper chicken with steamed snap peas.

70 oz. water,  30 oz. of green tea, and a Zico.

I will take measurements and weigh myself tomorrow. I am really looking forward to the results.  I can tell that I have toned up a bit.  I don’t think I have a pair of jeans that fit me anymore.  I feel stronger and healthier.

There is definitely a difference between the first time I did the Slim Down in August  and this time around.  I physically could not run every day back then.  My legs were not strong enough and I would have had shin splints like crazy.  I remember taking it easy and not pushing myself because I was worried that I would get hurt. Drinking the required amount of water was such a challenge and I would do little cheats by taking bites of food from my boys.  Planning and being organized with my meals and workouts really really helped me stay on track.  That is the one advice I would give to anyone who is thinking of doing the Slim Down.  This time around, it felt like it went by faster. Most likely because it wasn’t such a chore :-) I am glad that it’s over though. I want to get back to my smoothies and try out some new protein pancakes.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween.  Here’s me in my Halloween Costume:

Panda costume: Shorts and shirt were mine (along with boots). Bought, Vest, ears, paws, tights and fur boot covers.

Mamma Panda, Power Ranger Samurai Red Ranger, and Werewolf

Hulk and Mamma Panda

Slim Down Day 6

Oct30

I’d have to say that Day 6 has been the toughest so far.  I was very tired all day today. My bootycall was a 3 mile run.  Not a fast run but I felt good during the run.  For my second cardio session I did a Nike Training Club Interval Cardio workout. Some of those moves are tough to do for a minute at a time. Even though there wasn’t a workout for today, I did Pop  Pilates Fit 4 Fall workout X 4 sets. I just like to do something light at the end of the day to help relax. Working out does relax me :-)

I wasn’t hungry, but I did have craving for bread today.  It’s really tough when everyone around you is eating food that you can’t have.  The boys were snacking on air popped popcorn and it was so hard to Not take some.  I really have no idea how I stayed away from the bowl, but I did.

Meals: Followed pretty close to the meal plan, except for the asparagus at dinner.  Didn’t  have any so I had green beans instead.

Meal 1: Slim Down Scramble. No Salt and No tomatoes. I don’t like this very much. I like the flavor the tomatoes add.  I forgot to take a pic before I ate it. lol.

Meal 2: 1/2 grapefruit with stevia

Meal 3: Salad with spinach, chicken, celery, and carrots. Balsamic vinegar dressing.

Meal 4: 1/2 cup of berries – used the last of the blueberries I had and 3 small strawberries.

Meal 5: Lemon Pepper Chicken seasoned with Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper and lemon juice with green beans.

After Meal 1, Meal 3, and Meal 5 I had a cup of Decaf Green Tea with stevia. I am not a big tea drinker so getting the 30 oz. of green tea in is a challenge.  I figure if I have it in between my meals, I can get pretty close. I had 70 oz. water and a Zico too.

Decaf Green Tea with Stevia

I could have stopped today… the thought crossed my mind, but I Want to get through this slim down.  I know that I would feel badly if I just quit and that I’d feel great if I finished.  So I’m finishing strong! One Day left :-)

Slim Down Day 5

Oct30

Day 5 was a little tough for me.  I felt tired pretty much all day long.  After doing my 1 hour bike ride in the morning, I didn’t really want to go and do another workout.  I kept hoping to get a chance to take a quick nap but got busy cleaning up the house before my brother and his wife came to visit.  I seriously considered using them as an excuse to Not do my afternoon workout. But I didn’t.  Instead, I took advantage of having Uncle Ed and Lynee around to watch the boys so I could workout.  They took them to the park and I went for a 3 mile run.  Since it’s one of my goals to run 3 miles every day, I was really glad they were there because I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.

My run actually gave me a boost of energy. I didn’t go fast, but I felt good during my run.  The surge of energy helped me get through my total body workout.  I did the One Day Fat Blast workout 1. I need to do that one more often because I’m still not strong enough to keep with those girls :-) I was really tired after working out, but I managed to do  a few ab workouts to end my day.  15 leg lifts, 15 side plank crunches (each sides), 15 tummy tucks, 15 bicycles, and 15 vsit crunches X 3 Sets.

Meals:

Meal 1: Slim Down Scramble without salt.

Meal 1: 1/2 grapefruit with stevia.

Meal 3: Salad with Spinach, carrots, avocado, and tuna. I ran out of cucumbers and snap peas :-( Need to pick some more up.  The tuna was from Trader Joes and had no salt added.

Meal 4: Mango.

Meal 5: Oven baked tilapia seasoned with Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper. Side of quinoa, spinach, peas, and mushroom mix. Seasoned with Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb.

Drank 100 oz. water and 1 Zico.

Besides being tired, I felt great.

Slim Down Day 4

Oct28

Day 4 was definitely a challenge with fighting temptation and cravings.  I was at Seppe’s Halloween party at his preschool and surrounded by candy, chips, pasta, and every possible kind of sugary sweet you can imagine.

Normally, I would have indulged in at least a couple of my favorites (pudding and cookies). What made it even harder was that it was snack time (Meal 4) while we were there and of course, I don’t have one of my handy Luna or Larabars in my purse :-( Luckily it wasn’t too long of a get together and my boys actually didn’t want to keep stuffing their faces full of sweets (I know surprising!) . It was a bit longer than usual between Meal 3 and 4 but I enjoyed my slim down shake as soon as we got home.

And Yes, even though it was my birthday today, I decided to stick to the Slim Down. No cheats :- ) The body I am working hard for is the best present I can give myself.

Meals:

Meal 1: Slim Down Scramble – the one for today is my favorite because I can add sea salt :-)

Slim Down Scramble: with tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach

M2: 1/2 grapefruit with Stevia.

M3: Salad with Spinach, Chicken, cucumbers, carrots, and 1 strawberry.  Half a Mango on the side.

Salad - Added a strawberry for a pop of color :-)

M4: Slim Down Smoothie – so yummy and refreshing.

M5: Chicken, Spinach, Peas, bell pepper and Zucchini mixed with quinoa and seasoned with sea salt. Just had a little bit of quinoa left and I needed to finish it.

I like to put my quinoa mixes in a bowl.

I consider today a big success :-) Only 3 days left!

Slim Down Day 3

Oct27

Day 3 Done! Today went great. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get up for my bootycall because my 4yr. old crawled in bed with us last night. I was so tired that I didn’t even realize he was in bed with us until before my alarm went off.  He had taken the blankets and I woke up because I was cold.  I got up when the alarm went off and got dressed. Drank some water and headed out for a run as soon as it was light enough outside.

My run went great. Did 3 miles at my usual pace.  It’s definitely getting colder out.  Going to need some running gloves soon.  My original plan was to do the Shredmill for my second cardio session but I’ve been really wanting to try out TIU’s new workouts so I did the Ghost Buster Cardio at the gym. OMG! That was a workout!! The 2 minute sprint interval was killer.

Did the spooky workout when I got home. The Black Widow was really tough for me but I got through it. 20 reps each for 3 sets. I planned on doing One Day Fat Blast workout 1 and almost skipped it since I did the Spooky workout, but I didn’t :-)  I ended my night with NTC Ab Burner workout. Yes I am tired! But I feel great.

Meals:

M1: Slim Down Protein Pancake – This one came out bigger and a little messier but it still tasted good. I topped it with a little almond butter, truvia, and cinnamon.

Protein Pancake topped with Almond Butter, Truvia, and Cinnamon

M2: Half an Grapefruit with Stevia. Again, shared with my son. He loves grapefruit.

M3: Salad with tempeh, spinach, cucumbers, snap peas, and carrots. Balsamic Vinegar dressing. Mango on the side. I love Mangos and I could eat it every day :-) I didn’t finish it all. It was very filling.

Tempeh Salad with Cucumbers, Snap peas, and carrots. Mango on the side.

M4: Veggies and Hummus. Celery and cucumbers with Eggplant Hummus. I would have had some carrots too but I foot I had them in the fridge. I wasn’t really hungry during this time either so I didn’t have a lot.

M5: Chicken Breast with green beans and zucchini. I marinated the chicken in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Seasoned it with sea salt and mrs. dash garlic herb seasoning.

Chicken, Green Beans, and zucchini.

I’m feeling great and on track with all my goals. Another 110 oz. of water :-) And a Zico. That Zico was a great pick me up :-)  So bring on Day 4!

SlimDown Day 2

Oct26

Today was pretty good. I did have a few cravings here and there but I’d just go and drink some water. I’m really glad that I planned out my meals this time around.  Being organized has really made it easier for me to stick to the slim down. And I think that since I follow the Nutritional Plan, it’s not such a drastic change from how I do things normally.  It definitely feels easier this time… at least for now :-)

My Meals:

M1: SlimDown Protein Pancake – I got some Brown Rice protein powder and although I don’t like it, I am sticking with it for the slim down.  It might just be I’m not getting a good brand but so far it’s just been too chalky for me.  The pancake did taste pretty good though :-)

SlimDown Protein Pancake Topped with Blueberries and sprinkled w/ Stevia

M2: 1/2 grapefruit with stevia – gave the other half to my son who loves it :-)

M3: Salad with Salmon, spinach, cucumbers, snap peas, and carrots. Balsamic Vinegar for dressing and half of a mango on the side (shared the other half with my son again).

Meal 3: Salmon Spinach Salad

M4: Luna Lemon Zest Bar. I decided to stay away from anything with chocolate while on the slim down.  I planned on having the protein shake but I wound up on the go for Meal 4 and I was glad to have a Luna bar in my purse :-)

M5: Tofu, green beans, and snap peas seasoned with sea salt. I am loving Snap peas right now so I’ve been adding it to everything :-)

Meal 5: Tofu and Green Veggies seasoned with Sea Salt

Workouts:

3 Mile run – Didn’t go as fast as I usually go. I think I was tired from yesterday’s workouts.  I still felt pretty good during the run though. 30 min HIIT workout on the bike at the gym for my second cardio session.  Hump Day is when I like to work on my booty and along with TIU’s 200 bootylifter challenge for today, my booty got worked! I did TIU’s One Day Fat Blast workout 2 – focusing on abs and booty.  I ended with Pop Pilates Hot Abs and Cinch That Waist X 3 sets. I switched off between the two – I did one workout then the next and that was a set.

Drank 110 oz. of water today  :-) I’m really happy that I’m keeping up with my goals that I’ve set for myself for the slim down. Having these goals helps keep me focused.

*Drink 100 oz. of water every day.

*Run at least 3 miles every day.

*Do 2 Ab workouts every day.

Ready for Day 3!

Round 2 of 7DSD

Oct25

Today was Day 1 of the 7 Day Slim Down for me :-) This is my second time doing it. I am hopeful that I will get great results again. I’m not sure if I will lose 6lbs again though. I was heavier the last time I did it so I had more to lose. But I plan on kicking up my workouts this time around so we’ll see how it goes.

Today went pretty well. Stayed on track with my meals and was able to get my 100 oz of water in :-)

My workouts for today:
3.4 mile run
Shredmill – increased my sprint speed to 8.5mph :-)
One Day Fat Blast Workout 1
Lean Abs x2
Itty Bitty x 3

Meals:
M1: Slim Down Scramble
M2: Grapefruit and stevia
M3: Salad with chicken, spinach, cucumbers, snap peas, and carrots. With a Mango
M4: Protein Shake – I used brown rice protein powder that I don’t like very much but I will do it for the slim down
M5: Salmon seasoned with Lemon juice and mrs. Dash lemon pepper. Steamed Snap peas and a small side of quinoa. I’m not sure if quinoa is ok to have during the slim down but I only had a little. Quinoa is my substitute for rice so I like to have it with fish :-)

Here are my Before measurements and weight:

Weight: 111 lbs
Chest: 32in
Waist: 26in
Hips: 34in
Thighs: 20in

It’s going to be a crazy week for me. I have lots to do to prepare for my trip to Vegas. I hope I’ll be able to juggle everything.

Before Pics:

20111025-195611.jpg

20111025-195738.jpg

You can follow me on twitter: @Mia_Butterfly to see my check in videos for the slim down :-)

7DaySlimDown Tips

Oct23

I’ve decided to do the Slim Down again to tone up for my Birthday Vegas trip.  There are also so many of my fellow Tone It Up team members who are doing it at the same time :-) I know it will definitely help me stay focused and motivated.

This will be my second time doing the slim down so I’m a little more prepared this time around. Here are some tips that will help anyone who is doing it for the first time or for those who may have tried it but didn’t make it through.

1. Get the Tone It Up! Nutritional Plan.  That’s the only way you’ll get the 7 Day Slim Down :-)  It is truly the best investment you can make for your health. Get it Here!

2. Once you look over the Nutrition Plan, try to follow the eating tips and exercise recommendations in the Maintenance part for a week or two.  You don’t have to follow the meals on the Slim Down but just get started by eating 5 meals a day and working out.  This way it’s not such a drastic change when you start the Slim Down.  It’s also a good way to figure out a schedule for workouts.

3. Look over the Slim Down.  Yes the meals are pretty much the same for the week But you do have options.  Make a Meal Plan for the week. That way you can mix things up a little bit so it doesn’t get too tedious.

My Meal Plan for the 7DaySlimDown - Day 5-7 is on the Back

4. Make a Shopping List and get what you Need the day before you start. Make sure you have enough to last the week.

Grocery Haul - Most is for the SlimDown but some are for After :-)

5. Prep what you can.  I like to cook my chicken and fish ahead of time. If you work or go to school, it’s a good idea to also prep some of your lunches.

6. Make a workout schedule. Look over the slim down and see what the workouts are for each day.  Write down what you’re going to do for that day.  This helps me a lot. I might change what I plan depending on how I’m feeling.

My Workout Calendar for October - The last week is when I'm doing the Slim Down

7. Write/Tweet/Journal what you eat and your workouts. Keep yourself accountable. I also like to reflect on how I felt I did that day. I will be doing videos again.  You can just write it down if you like.  It helps! With the tone it up community, there is always someone out there to support and motivate you :-)

Weigh and take measurements the night before.  Take pictures if you like.

My most important advice: Listen to your body – especially with your workouts.

The first time I did the slim down I toned up 6lbs and got myself back to what I weighed before I had kids :-)  And I’ve followed the Nutrition Plan ever since to keep toning and maintaing my healthy lifestyle. I have lost a total of 9lbs since I started following the Nutrition Plan(2 months). It REALLY WORKS!!! But you have to WANT to make the change. Only YOU can make that decision.

The Slim Down is a challenge both physically and mentally. I felt amazing once I finished and You will too. YOU CAN DO IT! I hope this helps some of you.  Feel free to ask me questions.  You can also check out Toneitup.com for more information. I’ll have my before weight and measurements up tomorrow :-)

What A Parent Never Wants To Do

Oct22

There are something’s that I come across while I’m online that just inspire me to write. It might because it touched me deeply, sparked an idea or really made me think about Life. And this story is one of them:

http://thestir.cafemom.com/toddler/127474/tay_sachs_turns_mom_into

As different as we all are in parenting, the One thing we all can agree is that We Never Want to bury our children. They bury Us – that’s How it’s Suppose to Be.

But what if the unthinkable happens? I Hate to think about it because it brings me to tears. Losing my boys is my biggest fear. I couldn’t imagine what Emily is going through. Knowing that there is nothing you can do but enjoy the time you have. It’s heartbreaking. If it’s not getting terrible news about a terminal illness, it could be some horrible accident. There are just no guarantees.

And that’s why I worry so much. Why every cough, sneeze, cold, flu, scratch, bump on the head, and mood changes can be nerve wrecking.

I try not to over react and I do a pretty good job of containing my paranoia. But I always worry that it could be something serious. I have no clue how I would handle finding out that one of my boys was terminally ill.

This article really made me realize how easily we take our kids for granted. We are so focused on turning them into “proper” adults and preparing them for the future. How often do we just enjoy them being a kid… our kid(s)?

My boys are with their Grandpa for the weekend but I wish they were home so I could just hold them. Hug them. And tell them that I Love Them with All My Heart and Soul.

I love how she ends her story: “Parenting, I’ve come to understand, is about loving my child today. Now. In fact, for any parent, anywhere, that’s all there is.”

I Love My Boys!

My Kryptonite

Oct16

Ugh!! Today was not the best for me…. Candy is my Kryptonite… and it definitely beat me today. I’ve been really really good about finding alternatives to curb my sweet tooth since I started my healthier LifeStyle.  I LOVE candy. I always have.  What’s not to love? It’s sweet and look at how colorful it all is:

How can anyone Not be tempted??  I take pride in overcoming temptations, but not today :-(  On the two hour drive home with my boys, there was an open bag of Tootsie Pops sitting in the passenger seat.  Grandma had gotten it for the boys and sent it home with them.  Not buying any candy has really helped me battle my sweet tooth, but it was just sitting right there… Bright red and orange.  I was tired from driving (I had already spent two hours driving to pick the boys up). I KNEW the sugar from the candy wasn’t really going to do much good in keeping me awake. In fact I knew I would probably crash from it, but I guess I was just too tired to fight it.

I had 2.  I think just having it in my hand helped a little bit with keeping me alert.  I enjoyed it. It just reminded me of how much I LOVE that sweet sugary stuff that is just absolutely horrible for you. lol.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a place just like the Chocolate Room in the Willy Wonka movie? That would have been heaven for me when I was kid… ok … it’d be heaven for me now too. Hahaha.

And it’s that time of year when there is going to be lots of candy around.  Halloween and the Holidays…. I am kind of dreading it.  My boys are so excited to go trick or treating.  They get so much candy and the last few years I’ve been the one who winds up eating most of it. lol.  Luckily Seppe isn’t too much of a fan so I can toss out most of his.  Gio on the other hand is just like his mamma :-) I think I’ll just have to toss out a few of them at a time so he doesn’t notice.

I’m not too bent out of shape about my slip up today, but I can feel the effects of having that junk in my system.  My body feels sluggish.  I don’t feel Healthy.  So it will be a cleansing and detoxing day for me tomorrow with lots of greens.