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...

more recipes

thanks to all that shared some of their green monster ideas yesterday... if you check-out angela's website - she has posted a ton of recipes from other bloggers... i also read about salba and ordered two bottles last night so i can use that in my smoothies (amazon had the best deal)... here are just a few of the healthy benefits it offers:

• nature's highest source of omega-3s and fiber
• controls food cravings
• supports digestive health & detoxification
  
• source of natural energy & stamina

i promised to post the results of my 1st 30-day challenge - here are the results:

1. 30-min cardio (min) daily - 29/30 days
   
2. do the "belly-off" program 3x/week - check!
3. take a class at the gym 1x/week - check! most weeks i took 2 spin classes
   
4. do better at tracking points (esp. sat/sun) - didn't track anything :(
   
5. cut-back on sugar - check!
6. lose 5 pounds - lost 3.8
   
7. not feel guilty about putting myself first - work-in-progress
   

starting weight: 164
ending weight: 161.2
loss: 3.8 pounds

starting measurement (total): 160.5"
ending measurement (total): 157.5"
loss: 3"

i believe my next 30-day challenge will involve a different smoothie, every morning - there are endless possibilities as far as ingredients go, so that should be an easy one... then again - i'm going on vacation at the end of the month, so that may pose a problem, but we'll see... i also may sign-up for a kick-boxing class - i just need to look at the gym calendar (as well as my own) and see if it will work... :)

happy hump day...

ouch

ugh, i am tired and VERY sore (got in two workouts today) but feel pretty good so far... the workouts are challenging, to say the least, but they are nothing i can't handle... it feels good to be doing something new so i feel this is just what i, and my body, needs... i had wanted to do the 6am spin class this morning but with the rain, i opted not too (even though i magically woke up at 6 anyway - grrr!)... i will try one of the spin classes this weekend for sure, probably on saturday before hitting some yard sales with the boy... :)

question: would pilates be considered cardio? i'd like to work in some different things, besides the usual treadmill/eliptical...

work has been very busy again - we launched our new website today so there was (and still is) much to format and fix... there's a whole new process to learn and it makes me miss the simpleness of using FTP - such is life, learning will do the mind some good! :)

weekend plans will be going to the gym, hitting some yard sales, picking strawberries (they're finally in season here though the rain hasn't been kind), and the usual house/yard work... it's been raining for 2 days, but they say it will be clear by saturday - can't complain about that... our garden, if anything, is totally LOVING it though... :)

happy thursday...

30-day challenge

there have been a lot of people doing some sort of new challenge/plan/workout these days - kathleen, anne, sizzle, and hilly are just to name a few... and since i've been struggling with getting back into a decent workout routine myself - i decided to start my own 30-day challenge... this is what i came up with so far:

1. 30-min cardio (min) daily
   
2. do the "belly-off" program 3x/week (more info here)
   
3. take a class at the gym 1x/week (min)
   
4. do better at tracking points (esp. sat/sun)
5. cut-back on sugar
6. lose 5 pounds
7. not feel guilty about putting myself first!
   

the list seems a bit daunting (the hardest ones will be the top 3) but i CAN do it for 30-days and i NEED to do it... i miss having structure and something to work towards, so hopefully this will get my lazy-ass up and moving again... though i won't post right now - i'll also take my measurements and see what progress, if any, is made after 30-days... i'm kind of excited! ;)

anyone else out there doing a challenge or thinking about starting one? if so, please share... :)

happy tuesday...

update: holy shit-skies! that first workout was H-A-R-D! i haven't sweated like that, during a weight-workout, in ages - so i have a good feeling about this... :)