30 Day Ab Challenge - Again

Anyone else in or is it just me and Penny?

http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/30-day-abs-challenge/

Day 1
15 situps
5 crunches
5 leg raises
10 second plank
(I may need to do this for a few days....) :)

Funny Friday

When is this going to happen? Does anyone want to do 30 day abs for Feb? :)

Don't Ignore the Reseach

The research keeps showing the same data which is amazing.

People who have lost 30+ pounds are TWICE as likely to plan their meals and snacks ahead of time.
You lose 3X as much weight when you share your food diary.
1/3 of the people who lost 40+ pounds exercise 6+ hours a week.

Plan.
Track.
Exercise.

Cookie Monster

I LOVE baked goods, especially American cakes, cookies and pies. (Yes, there is a difference between an Australian or European cake or cookie.)

Today at lunch I ordered Subway for my team and it came with free cookies. The old me would have had 4 or 5. I LOVE those soft yummy chocolate chip goodness cookies. But, today....I don't want to say I didn't notice them, but I just stayed really positive and said "no." And that was that. I just knew that I wasn't going to have one. End of story.

It felt great and powerful to not give in to temptation. Something I would have NEVER done in the past.

How do I explain my workday?

Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words and since I spend 50-70% of my day in cafes and restaurants with clients...this is what I get to see. I'll stay strong. I have my mojo back.

Sunday Weigh In

I thought I had done so well....I am not getting into it but I weighed in at 233.8.

Every week that I lose a pound, I get flowers. If I lose but it is not a pound, I get carnations. :)  (That was Ant's idea. Very funny.)

Running Club

The boys have gotten together to start a Saturday morning running club around the Tan. This is great for me as it takes me back to my old routine. (Unless I am doing sprints with Penny and Tim.) Doing more exercise with others is one of the things that I think will really help me stay on track.

I haven't run the Tan in a year. I think I didn't try because I didn't think I could do it, but I did! WITHOUT STOPPING! But, I did have some pain in my throat as I ran up the hill. When I got to the top, if felt like someone had taken and scratched fingernails up and down my throat. It was really painful. And I am still dry coughing 6 hours later. Could it be an asthma type thing? Not sure, but it has never happened before.

The team then had a quick bite to eat. Everyone beat me by a lot of course, but I was really, really happy with my time of 36:01 minutes. And, not everyone made it all the way around without stopping. And, not everyone made it up the hill. And, I did not stop AND made it up the hill, so yea for me!

Then I got home and Sugar and I went to the park so I could do some core and strength workouts. She was the cutest training partner.

Funny Friday

To honor Tim and his possible Star Wars 1/2 marathon, I give you Star Wars quotes for health and exercise inspiration! :)

"Never tell me the odds!"
"I never doubted you! Wonderful!"
"STAY ON TARGET."
"Try not. Do...or do not. There is no try."
"All too easy."

Hidden calories???

How do you get a final count on sushi? I think I am eating healthy, which I probably am, but I think the calories are higher than I believe because of the rice.  I think this 10 piece of sushi pack is probably around 700-800 calories. WAY more than I am normally allotted for lunch. If anyone knows a good way to figure it out, let me know.

What is a good excuse NOT to exercise?

I arrived back in the country and am going from 20*F to 100*F! What a change for my body! Also, the jet lag has been atrocious. It gets worse with age. My body clock will just not tick over. It is very frustrating.

With that comes a new excuse. I have been too jet lagged to get up and get going. I am sure I just need a few days but I don't want to lose the momentum from fat camp.

The good news is that my home scale is very close to my fat camp weight so I feel like I have started fresh and am ready to go.

And...the sunshine is GLORIOUS!

I'm so close!!!!!

So after 6 months of working on my boy push ups....I am almost there. I started in June (I think) by doing push ups against the wall.  I started 2 or 3 times a week. In September, my friend Guz told me to do 5-10 every day. So, I have been doing 5-10 every day plus 20-30 twice a week. Now, I am hoping to have a full push up by the end of February. That would be awesome!

Early Weigh In

Weigh in is early this week because:
1 - I'll be in the air on my way back to Australia
2 - This is my last day at fat camp and just weighed in

Of course, I am not happy with my weight loss. I never am. But I have to be positive that this is what my body did for these two weeks.

Start - 239.6 lbs, 118 lbs of body fat
End - 231.7 lbs, 108 lbs of body fat

So, I only lost 7.9 pounds which is my lowest ever. But I did lose 10 pounds of body fat, according to this random machine. I still get to work out today so there is an opportunity for me to lose a little more before getting on the airplane so that is what I will concentrate on.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

One more day left at this interesting place. :) I am a little bit nervous about tomorrow's weigh in. I came here to kick start so that is the important thing. I know when I get back I can do this and keep it up. I already have lots of dates with my friends to do exercise and eat well. But that doesn't stop me from wanting 10 pounds of fat off of my body. How great would that be? It is in my head and I can't get it out.

Here is my last day schedule:

5:45 Weigh In
6:00 Dynamic Stretch class
7:15 Breakfast
8:00 Fitness Assessment (this is a 90 minute full on cardio)
10:00 Nutrition Counselor
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Planning Strategies lecture
1:45 Burn It Cardio class
3:00 Become Your Own PT lecture
4:15 Zumba
6:00 Dinner
6:31 In a cab!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday is gymnasium day

We were back to the gymnastics center today and once again, I couldn't keep the smile off of my face. Very hard workout but very fun.  We did lots of exercise on the gym mats, both core and cardio and then it was back over to the trampoline. I am a master! :)

This week we spent time on the balance beam learning some skills and improving our coordination and balance. We started off on a line on the mat. Once you could walk on the mat, you graduated to a beam that was about 18" off the ground. Once you could walk on that, you went up to the next level. WOW! It looks a lot higher when you are standing on it than when you are watching it on TV.

50 pounds!!!!!

Today was a better day. Maybe the days are getting better because the countdown is on to be finished!

I mentioned to one of the trainers that I think it would be good for me to occasionally wear 50 pounds of weights to remember where I came from and she designed a workout around that today.  We all had to:

wear 50 pounds back and forth across the gym
carry 50 pounds back and forth across the gym
push 50 pounds back and forth across the gym
six times!

WOW! I can't believe that I had all that extra weight. It has inspired me to get a weight vest when I get back to AUS or get weights to wear once a week. I need to remember how hard it is to carry all of that extra weight around. I checked the blog from three years ago and I think I was 35 pounds heavier than I am now when I did that first run on the treadmill. I can't imagine running with 35 pounds on my back! But I was so happy and motivated on that day! (I should read my old posts more often.)
http://www.iwantcandy88.com/2011/09/i-fucking-rock.html

The super good bit about today....chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.

Snacky snack snack snack snacks

I believe one of the reasons I am not hungry at all here is the number of snacks we eat. I have always looked at snacks as a bad thing but I am going to seriously try and eat my snacks at home.

What usually happens is I get sooooooooo hungry that when I go to eat, I overeat as I am famished. I am really hoping that snacks will help me with this pattern.

I am having trouble even getting them in here. These are all of the snacks that I have not eaten so they just keep piling up in my room!

What are good snacks? A carb+ a protein pairing.
Apple with peanut butter. (1 tbsp!)
Carrots or celery with bean dip (1 tbsp!)
Nuts (10) with an apple
1/2 cup cottage cheese over sliced tomato
Cheese stick with strawberries
Tuna with crackers

NY Goals

I am very inspired by all of you! Everyone is doing so well on their goals and keeping up with their habits.

Todd's running goals have been really inspirational. His 2014 results: 
885 miles
124,000+ calories burned
New personal best 1/2 marathon time in 2014
More than 100 mores miles run in 2014 than 2013.
(We started running at the same time!!!!)

And, Ricky just had his first run in over 35 years! And he nailed it running for over two miles!

FANTASTIC INSPIRATION from my friends. I love it.

Motivation Monday

After that Packers win...I had to post a quote from Vince today.

Sunday Weigh In

I didn't weigh in at camp this week but I am assuming that I got my average 4.5 - 5.5 pounds.
Fingers crossed.

Goal for Friday - 10 pounds

A few recipes

The meals continue to provide some yummy nutrients. Yesterday for lunch we had a cheeseburger! And dinner was Cincinnati Chili. The cheeseburger was a high quality meat with one slice of cheddar. The bottom bun was a 1/2 wholegrain english muffin.  It tasted just like a bun. No top.

Sirloin Burger – Serves 6

22 oz organic, grass fed, ground sirloin, raw

½ cup minced Spanish onion

1 tsp chipotle base

6 tbsp Worcestershire

sea salt & course ground pepper, to taste

6 slices English muffin

3 oz cheddar cheese

3 oz red onion, caramelized

6 slices tomatoes

6 pieces green leaf lettuce

6 each pickle spears

Sauté Spanish onion, mix it with meat, chipotle, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Caramelize the red onion. Cook the burger on flat top or on the grill. Toast the English muffin and top with the burger then the caramelized onions, lettuce and tomato. Serve with ketchup and pickle on the side.

Nutrient info per serving: 433 calories, 23g fat, 31g carbohydrate, 26g protein, 3g fiber

Gluten Free:                  SUB gluten free English muffin

Vegetarian:                  NO beef, SUB veggie burger; Cheese OK

Vegan:                                    NO beef, SUB veggie burger; NO cheese, SUB Daiya Cheese

The chili was great. Here is the recipe. You could skip the quinoa if you wanted. Fat camp served it as a dollop of quinoa on top after the chili was dished.

Turkey Cincinnati Chili with Quinoa Pasta– Serves 6 (serving size 1 cup over ½ cup pasta)

30 oz lean ground turkey

¾ cup Spanish onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 ¼ Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp chipotle, canned to taste

⅛ tsp ground allspice

⅛ tsp ground cloves

1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

¾ Tbsp paprika

1 ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp chocolate chips, unsweetened

1 bay leaf

12 fl oz low-sodium un-chicken broth

1 ½ cups tomato sauce

2 ¼ tsp red wine vinegar

3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

6 oz gluten free quinoa pasta, dry

Put the meat and onions in a stock pot or large deep pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add about 2 cups of broth and mix and chop with a spatula until ground turkey is well broken down. Then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 45-60 minutes. While the chili is simmering cook your pasta till al dente.

Nutrient info per serving: 429 calories, 19g fat, 35g carbohydrate, 36g protein, 7g fiber

I don't like Sloppy Joes, but these were good.

Turkey Sloppy Joes – Serves 6

1 cup low sodium un-chicken broth

24 oz lean ground turkey breast, raw

2 cloves minced peeled garlic

1 cup diced green bell pepper

½ cup diced Spanish onion

½ cup diced canned chilies

1 ¼ cups tomato sauce, low sodium

½ cup sweet chili sauce

1 ⅔ tbsp Worcestershire sauce

6 slices whole grain gluten free bread

In sauce pot brown the turkey. Then add the onions, peppers and garlic and cook till veggies are soft, add Worcestershire sauce, the broth, chili sauce, chilies and tomato sauce. Simmer for 1 hour. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve 1 cup portion on whole grain gluten free bread.

Nutrient info per serving: 372 calories, 13g fat, 33g carbohydrate, 26g protein, 2g fiber

Gluten Free

Vegetarian:                  NO turkey, SUB egg salad plate

Vegan:                                    NO turkey, SUB veggie burger plate with vegan bread

I am struggling....

I must admit that I am really not doing well at this new fat camp. They are placing all the emphasis on burning calories and nothing on what to do when you leave. It is really playing with my head. I am exhausted, sore and much more crabby than usual.

I am not the only one struggling. Yes, I am contemplating not coming back for the second week. I don't want to get into all of the nit-picking but I just don't think I can mentally do another week of this. It has been hell.

The good news is that dinner was delicious again tonight (Cincinnati Chili with fudge for dessert).

And for those of you wondering, yes, once again I asked the nutritionist which is better... to drink 5 teaspoons of sugar in a regular pop or have sweeteners in a diet pop? She said "no pop is the best but regular if you have to have it."

Nadia, Olga and Victoria

I have always really, really disliked participating in gymnastics. This goes back to 7th and 8th grade when we had to do it for a grade. Well, if you can't even get up on the uneven bars, how are you going to do any skills on them? This was also the same time when we had to do the American test of the bent arm hang. I did it for 4 seconds. Even in 7th grade I had no upper body strength.

So, imagine my trepidation when we went on excursion to a gymnastics gym for our morning work out.

The first thing you notice is how bouncy the floor is. No wonder the girls can fly around so high! We did a few team drills which were fun and very cleaver. You always work harder for a team than you do yourself. Then, we went to the running trampoline where a gymnast learns to vault. And guess what? It was FUN! It didn't even feel like exercise. We bounced all over the place.  After doing a few more drills we were allowed to play on any equipment we wanted. I did the balance beam because my balance is awful and I thought I could use some practice.

Really fun and interesting morning....

Delicious

Yum. The food continues to be excellent here but...I am positive we are eating smaller portions than in Utah. (stingy chef) At least that is good for the weight loss.

I had oatmeal for brekkie, turkey sloppy joe for lunch (which isn't my favorite but it was good) and for dinner we had a lovely steak with grilled vegetables and a 1/2 a chocolate covered banana for dessert.

Spin class courtesy of Jerry and Estella

This afternoon was very interesting. Today I met Jerry and Estella from Season 7 of the Biggest Loser. They are gorgeous!

First, I had a class with them where they tell their story and get you pumped up. If you haven't seen it, they were the oldest people ever on the show, 63 at the time. They were eliminated the first week so they lost ALL OF THE WEIGHT BY THEMSELVES even though they were on the show.

Jerry weighed 369 pounds and Estella weighed 242.
Jerry, doing it on his own AND being a senior who could barely walk, won the at home competition at 192 losing 48% of his body weight.  Estella, as a post menopausal senior, weighed 159, losing 34% of her body weight. They were truly inspirational.

Next, Jerry taught a spin class which he loves and which I hate. Biking hurts your butt so bad. Spinning is my absolute least fav but Jerry and Estelle were very fun, compassionate, and inspirational.

Here is a little blurb on Jerry.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOjmSo-gd3o&index=24&list=PLZpNVweKKPUl7doiY14FXz0RYIHuiB3gY

New fat camp

Today was day one of a new camp for me and I am struggling. The classes are longer (1 hour) and harder. It is a little more boot camp-like which I am not enjoying.

The classes are fine.
They brought out the old 10 pounds of fat vs 10 pounds of muscle. That muscle was so heavy I could barely lift it.   Maybe it was 20 pounds? Either way, it is a great representation and a fantastic reminder of what I have lost.

The food has been good. Today for lunch we had chicken salad with pita and soup. Tonight for dinner was a jerk pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes and spinach.  It was delicious.

All of the people are really lovely but it is a very, very small group! There are only 7 of us! (Fannie is below showing off her Bears hat which she removed for my sake.) :)

 I think it will be a tough 2 weeks but I am excited to get back on track.