Posts
We’ve talked about nutrition, healthy wholesome foods and entertainment foods. Now let’s talk about alcohol.
We all know those fabulous island drinks are filled with empty calories. The same goes for beer and wine. But what you don’t know is the real reason trainers tell you to watch your alcoholic intake…it’s not just the calories.
Alcohol slows down your metabolism for up to 72 hours.
Say what?
It’s true.
So if you go on a little drinking binge with your friends on Saturday night, then spend some quality time on Sunday and Monday trying to burn off those calories, your workout isn’t as efficient. Bummer!
The rule of thumb: alcohol is an entertainment food to be enjoyed 1-2 times a week and in moderation. Keep to that rule and your metabolism will thank you.
4.16.2010
4.14.2010
Famous Last Words
Didn't the end of my post yesterday say that I would pace myself for the next few days?
Liar, liar, pants on fire!
I went in this morning and hit that gym like lightening. So much for taking care of myself.
Today I went home even earlier than yesterday...I missed the last 2.5 workouts due to allergies. They're making me feel like I have the flu.
I can deal with it.
What I really love is when I look at myself in the mirror I can see that my shirts and shorts are getting big on me. I have to throw out my sports bras...don't worry...the girls won't be flying around loose...I already have sports bras the next size down so the girls are taken care of.
Speaking of the girls...I have always had fibrous breast tissue and was told years ago not to worry about it because it's usually caused by caffeine. Well I've been caffeine free for 2 months now and 90% of the fibrous tissue is gone. I'm amazed!
If you recall, back in February when I began this blog my daily goal was to burn 300 calories during exercise. Today I burned 2000 calories during exercise. Imagine what I would have burned had I finished up the day...
I know when I return home that lofty 300 calorie burn goal will be out the window and the goal will be more like 1000. I know it's a lot, but remember, when I get home I'll still be many, many pounds away from my goal weight.
What are your daily calorie burn goals? Don't have any...then I urge you to begn thinking about them. Start out at 300 for the remainder of this month, then work your way up to 350 during the 1st half of May. Baby steps will get you where you want to be.
Power on!
Liar, liar, pants on fire!
I went in this morning and hit that gym like lightening. So much for taking care of myself.
Today I went home even earlier than yesterday...I missed the last 2.5 workouts due to allergies. They're making me feel like I have the flu.
I can deal with it.
What I really love is when I look at myself in the mirror I can see that my shirts and shorts are getting big on me. I have to throw out my sports bras...don't worry...the girls won't be flying around loose...I already have sports bras the next size down so the girls are taken care of.
Speaking of the girls...I have always had fibrous breast tissue and was told years ago not to worry about it because it's usually caused by caffeine. Well I've been caffeine free for 2 months now and 90% of the fibrous tissue is gone. I'm amazed!
If you recall, back in February when I began this blog my daily goal was to burn 300 calories during exercise. Today I burned 2000 calories during exercise. Imagine what I would have burned had I finished up the day...
I know when I return home that lofty 300 calorie burn goal will be out the window and the goal will be more like 1000. I know it's a lot, but remember, when I get home I'll still be many, many pounds away from my goal weight.
What are your daily calorie burn goals? Don't have any...then I urge you to begn thinking about them. Start out at 300 for the remainder of this month, then work your way up to 350 during the 1st half of May. Baby steps will get you where you want to be.
Power on!
4.13.2010
Frustration Sets In
It's spring here so the tree pollen is having a hey day! Unfortunately, that means I'm feeling a little under the weather. It doesn't matter that I take Singulair nightly, sniff my steroid spray every morning, and today I even used the albuterol inhaler the doctor gave me last week. That pollen still loves to bug me.
Ask Terri. She's been with me when I ran out of my allergy meds and the tree pollen back east actually gave me pneumonia! It's crazy!
In L.A., I see no smog...just pollen. And it's slowing me down. And that's frustrating me.
I'm in my 3rd week and ready to step it up another notch. I started running last week and I'm ready to continue running longer and stronger.
But my body is rebelling.
My coach Arleigh told me today that during the 1st week my fitness went from A to M on my abilities. That's not typical. In other words, my fitness improved exponentially in that 1st week and I keep expecting those same results, but my body won't let me get those same results every week. I need to learn to pace myself for the next couple of weeks and let my body catch up. She said in my last 2-3 weeks I'll really be able to step it up and make huge improvements.
Bronson reiterated to me that I'm working harder now than I ever will again. He said what we do here is way more than he did playing college football.
I guess I just have to be more patient and stop expecting so much from myself.
On a good note, it was a gorgeous sunny day and I stretched, then did a walk/run on Venice Beach, immediately followed by an hour of circuits and 30 minutes of abs/core work. Lunch was yummy - pan seared sea bass with brown rice risotto and green beans...yum! I had a visit with the chiropractor then did an hour of partner training with Gorgeous Schuyler of the cute butt! That's where I hit my wall.
My heart began to race, I became light headed, my breathing was messed up, my face was flushed. I finished up with Schuyler then went to lie down and rest. It took almost an hour to get my heart rate and breathing back to normal. 2 hours later my throat started getting scratchy and I realized it was allergies taking control of my body again.
I sat out of the cardio interval class and continued to rest. I ended the day after doing an hour gym boot camp, but I was very slow and very careful so I wouldn't pass out. Getting back home was an adventure. A few of us were injured so Trainer Jonathan offered to drive us back. Roberto got to sit in the front; Tom, Kathy and I sat in the back and we had Desi laying across all of us. Desi is such a trooper...she was totally willing to walk home, but she has a bad limp from an injured hamstring we wouldn't let her walk. We laughed all the way back...good thing it's only half a mile otherwise Jonathan would have probably gotten a ticket! Desi's feet were sticking out the window!
I'm gross, sweaty, wet, just plain yuck. So I'm headed to the shower, then planning to lay on the couch and watch TV for the rest of the night. I've got to let my body rejuvenate itself so I'm ready for tomorrow.
Night all!
Ask Terri. She's been with me when I ran out of my allergy meds and the tree pollen back east actually gave me pneumonia! It's crazy!
In L.A., I see no smog...just pollen. And it's slowing me down. And that's frustrating me.
I'm in my 3rd week and ready to step it up another notch. I started running last week and I'm ready to continue running longer and stronger.
But my body is rebelling.
My coach Arleigh told me today that during the 1st week my fitness went from A to M on my abilities. That's not typical. In other words, my fitness improved exponentially in that 1st week and I keep expecting those same results, but my body won't let me get those same results every week. I need to learn to pace myself for the next couple of weeks and let my body catch up. She said in my last 2-3 weeks I'll really be able to step it up and make huge improvements.
Bronson reiterated to me that I'm working harder now than I ever will again. He said what we do here is way more than he did playing college football.
I guess I just have to be more patient and stop expecting so much from myself.
On a good note, it was a gorgeous sunny day and I stretched, then did a walk/run on Venice Beach, immediately followed by an hour of circuits and 30 minutes of abs/core work. Lunch was yummy - pan seared sea bass with brown rice risotto and green beans...yum! I had a visit with the chiropractor then did an hour of partner training with Gorgeous Schuyler of the cute butt! That's where I hit my wall.
My heart began to race, I became light headed, my breathing was messed up, my face was flushed. I finished up with Schuyler then went to lie down and rest. It took almost an hour to get my heart rate and breathing back to normal. 2 hours later my throat started getting scratchy and I realized it was allergies taking control of my body again.
I sat out of the cardio interval class and continued to rest. I ended the day after doing an hour gym boot camp, but I was very slow and very careful so I wouldn't pass out. Getting back home was an adventure. A few of us were injured so Trainer Jonathan offered to drive us back. Roberto got to sit in the front; Tom, Kathy and I sat in the back and we had Desi laying across all of us. Desi is such a trooper...she was totally willing to walk home, but she has a bad limp from an injured hamstring we wouldn't let her walk. We laughed all the way back...good thing it's only half a mile otherwise Jonathan would have probably gotten a ticket! Desi's feet were sticking out the window!
I'm gross, sweaty, wet, just plain yuck. So I'm headed to the shower, then planning to lay on the couch and watch TV for the rest of the night. I've got to let my body rejuvenate itself so I'm ready for tomorrow.
Night all!
4.11.2010
It's All In Your Head
Today I was back in the gym. Our trainer was Bronson and he had a few words of advice for us. It was great advice.
Primarily, he told us going to the gym is a mind game. "Get your head in the right frame of mind before you even walk in the gym." That way, you work your hardest for the amount of time you're there then you leave it behind you.
Secondly, he told us that what we are doing here at L.I.F.E. is the hardest work we'll have to do. When we leave here and go back to our real lives we'll know how to workout hard to get the results we want at home.
Third, he said we must combine all the facets of our life to be successful at weight loss: workout, rest, nutrition, water consumption, ice, heat, recreation, etc. When we focus on being balanced then the real change has taken place and we begin to reap the rewards.
Fourth, he told us that most of us would never be selected for the show The Biggest Loser. Bronson said all the contestents are screened for a 9-month period where extensive testing and bloodwork is done. In other words, someone with a slow thyroid like me would never be selected because my weight loss wouldn't be fast enough to make "good TV".
So we spent our workout doing 2 circuits: cardio and core work. We'd spend 5 minutes on a cardio machine (minute 3-4 was pushing to our limit), then we'd head over to the mats to do various ab/core work like crunches, shadow boxing, planks, squats, etc. for 4 minutes, then back and forth. It was a great workout.
The one thing I know for sure: when I leave L.I.F.E. I will be much closer to the athlete I used to be in my teens and twenties. I see changes daily which is very exciting...like my balance is greatly improving and I'm much more graceful now getting up and down on the mats. I'm so glad I made this decision...it's one of the best in my life to date.
Rock on!
Primarily, he told us going to the gym is a mind game. "Get your head in the right frame of mind before you even walk in the gym." That way, you work your hardest for the amount of time you're there then you leave it behind you.
Secondly, he told us that what we are doing here at L.I.F.E. is the hardest work we'll have to do. When we leave here and go back to our real lives we'll know how to workout hard to get the results we want at home.
Third, he said we must combine all the facets of our life to be successful at weight loss: workout, rest, nutrition, water consumption, ice, heat, recreation, etc. When we focus on being balanced then the real change has taken place and we begin to reap the rewards.
Fourth, he told us that most of us would never be selected for the show The Biggest Loser. Bronson said all the contestents are screened for a 9-month period where extensive testing and bloodwork is done. In other words, someone with a slow thyroid like me would never be selected because my weight loss wouldn't be fast enough to make "good TV".
So we spent our workout doing 2 circuits: cardio and core work. We'd spend 5 minutes on a cardio machine (minute 3-4 was pushing to our limit), then we'd head over to the mats to do various ab/core work like crunches, shadow boxing, planks, squats, etc. for 4 minutes, then back and forth. It was a great workout.
The one thing I know for sure: when I leave L.I.F.E. I will be much closer to the athlete I used to be in my teens and twenties. I see changes daily which is very exciting...like my balance is greatly improving and I'm much more graceful now getting up and down on the mats. I'm so glad I made this decision...it's one of the best in my life to date.
Rock on!
4.10.2010
Today I Feel Like a California Girl
I spent the morning at the Starbucks across the street from my apartment. I’ve also spent some time at the Starbucks in Venice right near the gym. It’s interesting how the Starbucks out here are staffed by typical-looking people. All the Starbucks back home are staffed by young people fully tattooed and fully pierced. I wonder why that is…
The Starbucks out here have really stepped up their game. They have a very large variety of food: sandwiches, healthy food options (like a whole wheat bagel with low fat cream cheese, fruit & a hard-boiled egg), and they even have begun to carry some gluten free sweets.
Buyer Beware
Out of curiosity I looked at an innocent little package of Starbucks Madeleines. You know those cute little shell-shaped mini cakes sort of like a lady finger? This package had 3 Madeleines in it. Buyer Beware!!!!! When I turned the package over and read the label I was shocked! The number 1 rule when reading a label is you must read the serving size - 1 Madeleine is 1 serving. Only 1 teeny weeny Madeleine. And to make matters worse, that 1 teeny weeny Madeleine is 230 calories! That one innocent package of Starbucks Madeleines is twice the amount of calories the average woman should have in 1 meal! And we all know the amount of sugar and white flour in the snack will spike our insulin and we’ll be hungry in an hour. So that Madeleine really isn’t worth it…is it?
If you’re not reading labels, you’re not informed! And you’re consuming way more calories than you think you are.
Out Today
You may be wondering why I’m not at the gym today. I’ve been sick. If you recall on Thursday I overdid it a little. I had a very difficult time going to sleep that night - I couldn’t get full breaths. Yesterday I woke up the same way…couldn’t fill my lungs to their capacity. So I was sent to the doctor. He did several tests and determined that I’m completely fine. It’s allergies. On the East Coast my allergies affect my sinuses. On the West Coast the different pollens affect my lungs. So I’ve begun taking my singulair again. I feel much better today, but since our workouts are outside today I’m taking 1 last day of precaution. My breathing is much better and I’ll be at the gym in full force tomorrow ready to take on the world!
The Starbucks out here have really stepped up their game. They have a very large variety of food: sandwiches, healthy food options (like a whole wheat bagel with low fat cream cheese, fruit & a hard-boiled egg), and they even have begun to carry some gluten free sweets.
Buyer Beware
Out of curiosity I looked at an innocent little package of Starbucks Madeleines. You know those cute little shell-shaped mini cakes sort of like a lady finger? This package had 3 Madeleines in it. Buyer Beware!!!!! When I turned the package over and read the label I was shocked! The number 1 rule when reading a label is you must read the serving size - 1 Madeleine is 1 serving. Only 1 teeny weeny Madeleine. And to make matters worse, that 1 teeny weeny Madeleine is 230 calories! That one innocent package of Starbucks Madeleines is twice the amount of calories the average woman should have in 1 meal! And we all know the amount of sugar and white flour in the snack will spike our insulin and we’ll be hungry in an hour. So that Madeleine really isn’t worth it…is it?
If you’re not reading labels, you’re not informed! And you’re consuming way more calories than you think you are.
Out Today
You may be wondering why I’m not at the gym today. I’ve been sick. If you recall on Thursday I overdid it a little. I had a very difficult time going to sleep that night - I couldn’t get full breaths. Yesterday I woke up the same way…couldn’t fill my lungs to their capacity. So I was sent to the doctor. He did several tests and determined that I’m completely fine. It’s allergies. On the East Coast my allergies affect my sinuses. On the West Coast the different pollens affect my lungs. So I’ve begun taking my singulair again. I feel much better today, but since our workouts are outside today I’m taking 1 last day of precaution. My breathing is much better and I’ll be at the gym in full force tomorrow ready to take on the world!
4.08.2010
A Bevy of Information
L.I.F.E. owner Eric Viskovicz gave a talk on nutrition yesterday. It was very enlightening.
Calories and Women
The average woman needs about 300 calories every 3-4 hours in order to keep her insulin levels even and prevent her body from going into “starvation mode”. Anything over and above the 300 calories is stored as fat.
It seems as if the writers of the Game On! Diet know this fact. 300 calories is approximately the size of a legal Game On! meal my team the Wonder Women have been consuming for 5 weeks.
For those of who diet by not eating all day, then just eat dinner (which usually leads to nighttime grazing until bedtime), your body is going into starvation mode. When you finally decide to give your body the calories it’s craving it will hold on to all those calories and store them as fat because your body doesn’t know when it will get calories again. 5 small meals every 3-4 hours will alleviate this.
Eating Out
Eric shared some tips on how to eat out and he had real food from The Cheesecake Factory to use as examples. He showed us a portion of the Chicken Carbonara. If you’ve ever eaten at The Cheesecake Factory you know their portions are obscene. The Chicken Carbonara is 2200 calories - more than a Big Mac, fries & coke. Eric’s advice: if you really love the Chicken Carbonara, then order it with extra chicken and separate it into several meals (5-7) and eat it for your next several meals until you get tired of eating the same thing and dump the rest. That’s a smart idea. Think about it, now we’re not depriving ourselves of our favorite foods, but we’re eating them in moderation. I love it!
Having Dessert
How often do we go out to eat and only get an entrée? Most people also order an appetizer and who can forgo the cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory? Eric suggests deciding right up front whether or not you’ll be eating dessert. If you are, then the dessert is your carb for the meal. So order protein and veggies for dinner, then get the dessert. BUT get the dessert to go. While at the restaurant eat only 2-3 bites of the dessert and take the remainder home. Enjoy 2-3 bites for the next several evenings. Yet another great idea. Again, we’re not depriving ourselves, but we’re enjoying our favorite foods in moderation. AND it’s easy to stay on track during the day when we know we have a few bites of our favorite dessert waiting for us at the end of the day.
Game On! Scores - Week 5
1) Wonder Women-- 3780 points (765 points week #5)
2) Ga Ga Girls-- 3771 points (741 points week #5)
3) Sassy Sunrise Divas-- 3687 (707 points week #5)
Total pounds released to date: 199 lbs in 5 weeks by 23 women
If you haven’t checked it out, I strongly encourage you to do so:
http://www.thegameondiet.com/
Overdoing It
Today I was sent home at 1:30. I was feeling great and ready to take on the world. At 9am I had 50 minutes of cardio intervals and Jonathan had me running on the treadmill for up to 90 seconds. I had done just a wee bit of interval running at the park yesterday and decided I was up to the challenge to add more running today.
At 10am a bunch of us walked over to Admiralty Park for boot camp. In between each exercise I would run to the next station. By the end of the 90 minutes I was running for 3 minutes. As we walked back to the gym I led the way dancing to my ipod to keep my heart rate up. I immediately filled my water bottle and sucked down all 28 oz. in 5 minutes, then refilled it and started on more. I ate lunch at noon - chicken spinach salad - then relaxed on the sofa and almost fell asleep. My cheeks were red and my face was warm to the touch.
At 1:30 I got back on the treadmill to burn more calories before heading out to volleyball on the beach. Within 5 minutes I began feeling a little woozy. They sent me home. I had already burned almost 2500 calories and they told me my body was fighting back. I pushed too hard today. So I was back in the apartment by 2pm. I showered, napped, had a yogurt with granola, then a protein bar. My face is just beginning to get back to normal.
Tomorrow I have the Santa Monica Stairs. I’m planning to go down the 2nd set of stairs - a concrete narrow maze. I plan to have one of the trainers walk down in front of me so I can see his back and not the descent.
Only a small section of the stairs.
I will be victorious tomorrow!
Calories and Women
The average woman needs about 300 calories every 3-4 hours in order to keep her insulin levels even and prevent her body from going into “starvation mode”. Anything over and above the 300 calories is stored as fat.
It seems as if the writers of the Game On! Diet know this fact. 300 calories is approximately the size of a legal Game On! meal my team the Wonder Women have been consuming for 5 weeks.
For those of who diet by not eating all day, then just eat dinner (which usually leads to nighttime grazing until bedtime), your body is going into starvation mode. When you finally decide to give your body the calories it’s craving it will hold on to all those calories and store them as fat because your body doesn’t know when it will get calories again. 5 small meals every 3-4 hours will alleviate this.
Eating Out
Eric shared some tips on how to eat out and he had real food from The Cheesecake Factory to use as examples. He showed us a portion of the Chicken Carbonara. If you’ve ever eaten at The Cheesecake Factory you know their portions are obscene. The Chicken Carbonara is 2200 calories - more than a Big Mac, fries & coke. Eric’s advice: if you really love the Chicken Carbonara, then order it with extra chicken and separate it into several meals (5-7) and eat it for your next several meals until you get tired of eating the same thing and dump the rest. That’s a smart idea. Think about it, now we’re not depriving ourselves of our favorite foods, but we’re eating them in moderation. I love it!
Having Dessert
How often do we go out to eat and only get an entrée? Most people also order an appetizer and who can forgo the cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory? Eric suggests deciding right up front whether or not you’ll be eating dessert. If you are, then the dessert is your carb for the meal. So order protein and veggies for dinner, then get the dessert. BUT get the dessert to go. While at the restaurant eat only 2-3 bites of the dessert and take the remainder home. Enjoy 2-3 bites for the next several evenings. Yet another great idea. Again, we’re not depriving ourselves, but we’re enjoying our favorite foods in moderation. AND it’s easy to stay on track during the day when we know we have a few bites of our favorite dessert waiting for us at the end of the day.
Game On! Scores - Week 5
1) Wonder Women-- 3780 points (765 points week #5)
2) Ga Ga Girls-- 3771 points (741 points week #5)
3) Sassy Sunrise Divas-- 3687 (707 points week #5)
Total pounds released to date: 199 lbs in 5 weeks by 23 women
If you haven’t checked it out, I strongly encourage you to do so:
http://www.thegameondiet.com/
Overdoing It
Today I was sent home at 1:30. I was feeling great and ready to take on the world. At 9am I had 50 minutes of cardio intervals and Jonathan had me running on the treadmill for up to 90 seconds. I had done just a wee bit of interval running at the park yesterday and decided I was up to the challenge to add more running today.
At 10am a bunch of us walked over to Admiralty Park for boot camp. In between each exercise I would run to the next station. By the end of the 90 minutes I was running for 3 minutes. As we walked back to the gym I led the way dancing to my ipod to keep my heart rate up. I immediately filled my water bottle and sucked down all 28 oz. in 5 minutes, then refilled it and started on more. I ate lunch at noon - chicken spinach salad - then relaxed on the sofa and almost fell asleep. My cheeks were red and my face was warm to the touch.
At 1:30 I got back on the treadmill to burn more calories before heading out to volleyball on the beach. Within 5 minutes I began feeling a little woozy. They sent me home. I had already burned almost 2500 calories and they told me my body was fighting back. I pushed too hard today. So I was back in the apartment by 2pm. I showered, napped, had a yogurt with granola, then a protein bar. My face is just beginning to get back to normal.
Tomorrow I have the Santa Monica Stairs. I’m planning to go down the 2nd set of stairs - a concrete narrow maze. I plan to have one of the trainers walk down in front of me so I can see his back and not the descent.
I will be victorious tomorrow!
4.06.2010
It Keeps You Running
I had a lightbulb moment today during a discussion with Eric V, the owner of L.I.F.E. He said Healthy food is fuel; the rest (sweets, chips, alcohol, soda, etc.) is entertainment. You get entertainment twice a week.
That means one day you can have a couple of cookies and a few days later you can a glass of wine. Then you're done for the week. That is true moderation. How often do you spend time on entertainment: going to the movies, playing golf, etc? Well, that's pretty much how often you should have "entertainment food".
So remember, healthy foods are the fuel we need to sustain our bodies. It keeps you running. No food should have power over us. We actually are the ones to give the food the power, then we are its servants. Not a good place to be.
Don't give any food your power! You have all the power you need inside of you to make the right choices and drop the pounds you want to be rid of. Just do it!
On another note, today I was able to do something I haven't been able to do in a very long time. I was lying down on a workout bench and in one swift move pulled myself into a sitting position. I know many of you take that for granted, but I haven't had a strong enough back or stomach mucles to do it. In 9 long days I was able to accomplish a simple goal. Go me!
Oh yeah, and I noticed today my workout shorts are very, very loose. When I look in the mirror I can already see that I'm thinner. That just gives me motivation to work even harder at the gym.
So tomorrow I want everyone to go out there and MOVE your bodies and begin taking control of your food. You can do it!
That means one day you can have a couple of cookies and a few days later you can a glass of wine. Then you're done for the week. That is true moderation. How often do you spend time on entertainment: going to the movies, playing golf, etc? Well, that's pretty much how often you should have "entertainment food".
So remember, healthy foods are the fuel we need to sustain our bodies. It keeps you running. No food should have power over us. We actually are the ones to give the food the power, then we are its servants. Not a good place to be.
Don't give any food your power! You have all the power you need inside of you to make the right choices and drop the pounds you want to be rid of. Just do it!
On another note, today I was able to do something I haven't been able to do in a very long time. I was lying down on a workout bench and in one swift move pulled myself into a sitting position. I know many of you take that for granted, but I haven't had a strong enough back or stomach mucles to do it. In 9 long days I was able to accomplish a simple goal. Go me!
Oh yeah, and I noticed today my workout shorts are very, very loose. When I look in the mirror I can already see that I'm thinner. That just gives me motivation to work even harder at the gym.
So tomorrow I want everyone to go out there and MOVE your bodies and begin taking control of your food. You can do it!
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