Tag Archive | fitness

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.

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:

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20111025-195738.jpg

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

PreRace Thoughts

Oct14

Tomorrow I run my first 5k!! I’m excited and also nervous. I honestly can say that I never thought I’d be doing a race. I have 2 brothers who are runners and I pale in comparison to them. I resisted running. I don’t really have a reason.

If it weren’t for Karena, Katrina and the whole Tone It Up Team/Community I wouldn’t have even considered running a race. In the last 3 months of joining the team and truly committing to my new Lifestyle, I’ve gained the physical and emotional strength to do a race. Most importantly I have the confidence :-) I am not the fastest and I have no delusions of winning or even placing.

My goal: Complete my first 5K without stopping :-) And have fun!

Since it is a race, I am a little nervous. It’s hard to not have a competitive mind set. I have no idea how many people will be there. I don’t have a running partner so it’ll just be lil ole me. I want to do well but not sure if I’ve trained enough. So many thoughts and worries…. I have to get there early to pick up my race packet. Race starts at 8:15a.

Luckily I will have one supporter there to cheer me on – even if he is not thrilled that he can’t sleep in on a Saturday. Lol.

Got my clothes and gear ready. Music for my phone is all set. Hopefully I can fall asleep so I can get enough rest for tomorrow :-)

Day 5: TIU 7 Day Slim Down

Aug2

Day 5: Well it was another tough day today. No headaches, so I’m pretty sure that yesterday’s was due to being up so early. The toughest part about this Slim Down is the discipline to eat pretty much the same thing the whole time. When I do it again, I will plan my meals out ahead of time so I can get some variety. I am the type of person that can’t eat the same thing over and over.

I am frustrated that I can’t have the things I want.  Yes, it would be easy to just quit, but I don’t want to. I want to do the whole 7 days so I am staying focused. But I’m not happy about it. lol.

Today’s food was pretty much the same as yesterdays – probably why I wasn’t too thrilled. Slim Down Scramble with no sea salt wasn’t as good for me.  I have come to love grapefruit though. I look forward to it :-) Lunch didn’t go too well. I had Tofu with spinach, green beans, and cucumbers. I am definitely over the lunch time salads. I couldn’t eat it all. I added some extra greens to my dinner – Chicken seasoned with Balsamic Vinegar (No Salt).

I was up at 6a for my bootycall – much better than 4a :-) Did a fast pace 40 min walk. Then, I walked my son to school, walked home and walked to pick him. Did I mention that there is big hill that we have to walk up and down both ways to get to his school??  I am really proud of my boy for walking to and from school today. He was pretty tired on the way home – and so was I. For snack time, I made him a mini fruit salad.  It looked so good: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes. I wasn’t sure if it was ok for me to have some, so I stuck to having an apple.

For my second cardio session, I hit the gym for a 30 min HIIT workout on the Elliptical. My resting resistance was 5 and  8 for the working resistance. My total body workout was Lean Legs, Lean Abs, and Lean Arms Pyramids. I ended it with the new workout for the booty, lower abs, and love handles :

I did 3 sets with 10 reps of each exercise. My booty is definitely feeling it. I want to do it again tomorrow when I do my usual booty workout.

I love the pyramids. You work up to a high intensity – almost maxing out – then you come back and down. My whole body is sore :-)  Only  two more days to go. Hanging in there.

*My YouTube video above has all the links to Tone It Up :-)

Getting Toned and Healthy!

Apr28

I don’t consider myself to be unhealthy, but I am prone to weakness (candy and rice). There is always room for improvement. One of the hardest things for me was getting exercise.

As a mom, it’s easy to use my kids and my busy schedule as excuses to avoid exercising. But I’ll be 30 this year and I wanted to get active! I know that it will only get harder as I get even older. I’ve been trying different exercise programs and diets over the last couple years, but nothing really worked for me. I’m not a fan of diets anyways. I want something I can incorporate into my life, not just for a few months. Plus, I’m not concerned with losing weight.

My main focus is to tone up and I finally found something that works for me: Tone It Up!Two ladies,  Katrina and Karena based out of L.A. who are trainers that focus on toning, strengthening, and living healthy.  I found them through Twitter and was instantly impressed by their YouTube channel(ToneItUpcom). Free workouts!! I decided to sign up for their Bikini Challenge Series to get 8 weeks of  workouts, tips, and motivation.

My Awesome Trainers: Katrina & Karena

I have been doing their workouts for the last 3 weeks.  They are challenging but fun. What I love about the Bikini Challenge is that there are new workouts every week – keeps it interesting. The emails are motivating and I’ve learned so much from my trainers. What stands out is that foods can claim to be “natural” or “healthy” but really aren’t.  The key is to read the Ingredients. I make sure that I can pronounce what’s on the label and keep chemicals out.

They also have a Nutrition Plan for a reasonable price.  It’s a one time fee for a Life time membership to the Tone It Up Team and there are so many amazing perks to becoming part of the team.  For details check them out: toneitup.com. I’ve tried the LarBars and ChoBani Greek yogurt as alternatives to my Fiber One Bars and Activia. It’s different, but not bad. In fact, they taste pretty good.  The biggest difference is the sweetness. You wouldn’t believe how much sugar is in a lot of  health foods. I plan on joining the Tone It Up team very soon.

My favorite tip from my awesome trainers: Get in tune with your body and listen to your body. Tone It Up works for me.  Find what works for you and get Healthy!