not quite THAT green

today i started another 30-day challenge, but it won't be as elaborate as the one last month... i'm trying to keep things simple since i don't want to feel overwhelmed or really bummed if i can't do something on my list (is that bad?)... i'm also going on vacation at the end of the month, so that will throw a wrench into things anyway... here's what i'm going to do:

• start each day with a green monster
• do at least 45-minutes cardio 5x week
• do at least 2 belly-off workouts a week
  
• do a better job at tracking my food
• lose 5 pounds

this morning was my first attempt (see pics below) at making a green monster - i bought nonfat, vanilla soymilk but am not sure how much i liked it... tomorrow i will try low-calorie orange juice and see if that makes a difference and if not, i'll go back to using skim milk... overall, i really liked it but can't say that it kept me fuller, longer - i was hungry around 10:00 and had my usual snack which was a piece of fruit... eric even participated and agreed that it was rather tasty... i'm excited about trying different fruit combos and using peanut butter since that and bananas is my top smoothie flavor... yummy! :)





i read an interesting article in women's health about why people fall-off the workout wagon... i can definitely say that i've been there, done that more than once and thought i'd share what they had to say... what are your thoughts/comment?

1. take charge of your fitness decisions
   find an exercise that you enjoy because if you force yourself to do something you hate (running, spinning, aerobics, etc.) you probably won't last very long... the more your invested in the exercise, the more you performance will improve and the more you'll want to keep going... and don't let someone else (family/spouse) talk you into doing something you don't want to do...
   
   
2. give yourself props for progress
   the longer you stay w/an exercise because you're comfortable, the longer it will take to see improvement... mixing things up (intensity and/or type) trains the muscles differently and results will show quicker... and keep a work out log so you have a record of how far you've come and what you've achieved...
   
   
3. make it social
   a study has found that working out in a congenial atmosphere helps people stay motivated, and provides a source of encouragement... sign-up for a kickboxing class, join a running group, or start walking with a neighbor - they'll provide support and you can push each other to reach certain goals... plus if you're having a bad day, exercising w/a friend might be just the thing you need!
   

well, i'm off to finish dinner - we're having chicken enchiladas with brown rice and refried pinto beans... i can't wait - me love mexican food... :)

happy monday...