Oh hey there, blog. I am sorry it has been so long. I have a million excuses for why I have not posted. Partly because I am ashamed at my wavering progress, and partly due to legitimate goings on in my life, I suppose. Needless to say, I made a decision (partly due to a desire to live cleaner and partly because I lost my health insurance) to stop taking my adderall. It was an exceptionally difficult choice, to give up the wonder drug that made my life instantly easier. I am severely ADHD. I barely escaped high-school with passing grades, not for lack of intelligence, of course. It takes all the strength to not reach into the back of my medicine cabinet and grab that bottle of instant focus. In terms of my fitness, let's call this a hicup. In the long term I will be healthier without it. The first week was a nightmare. It is like hitting a wall. Constant exhaustion, lack of energy, and magnified appetite. I put on about 5lbs in 2 weeks. I lost my momentum with my workouts. It was to the point where if I ran a mile or lifted for 40 minutes, I would pass out for hours. I could not get out of bed. I have been drinking diet soda for the first time in ages because without the caffeine, I cannot make it through the work day. I have developed some coping mechanisms, I started taking Hoodia supplements for appetite and that definitely helped the first few weeks. I am back in my normal calorie range, and I am slowly inching back to my workout routine. Soon I will have to start cutting back on the caffeine. So much sodium also! Crazy bloating like I have not experienced in a long long long time. Alas, I shall be better for this! The good news is, I'm starting to feel so very alive, so very like the me I always was before. This comes with its share of dark spots, and I've annoyed Tom more times than I can count since quitting, but he assures me he still likes me when I am silly. I have more news, but I am writing on my phone, at work. Attention span....?sod
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Coming Clean
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Fighting My Cravings, CREATIVE and FUN Recipes
FIRST RECIPE
You Know That Weird Jello Desert Your Strange Aunt Makes That is Always at Family Reunions?
yeah, that one... You Can Make a HEALTHY Version.
All you need is:
2 cups of Greek Yogurt (0% fat, plain)
3 cups of Sugar Free Jello (yeah, you've got to make it first)
3 packets of Stevia (like splenda, only better)
A few mixing bowls and some snack size Glad/ziploc/tupperware containers with lids
Some fresh fruit, AND
A Sense of Humor.
Alrighty my Mighty Chefs of Healthy Cuisine, This snack is not to be eaten EVERY DAY, but is a fun replacement for the ice-cream or pie deserts you may feel you are missing out on! This is an Anti-Craving Treat.
Step One: Make Sugar Free Jello (I like black cherry or orange) and Measure out 3 cups. (Give the rest to the boyfriend or kids or hubby, because sharing is caring)
Step Two: In Separate container, mix stevia with greek yogurt and your choice of fresh fruit. (I used strawberries since they are lower in natural sugars)
Step Three: Portion Jello evenly into 4 plastic containers, and then evenly portion greek yogurt/fruit mixture on top.
Step Four: Enjoy, you've got 4 handy little treats for if the hubby/bf/kids have something fattening and you want to feel included! Only your treat is colorful, 0% fat, low sugar, and good for you. (and I bet the Significant other and Offspring will want to try it)
Step Four Point Five...: I really hope it goes without saying that you would have to refrigerate these... but I said it anyways.
ommm nom nom
NEXT RECIPE!
To Defeat The Crazy Cheese Craving!
This one is so easy, So fast, and so simple.... I don't even know what to call it without exposing all the ingredients, so we will call it:
!Fast Breakfast!
You Need:
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons of fat free cottage cheese
A pinch of garlic
A pinch of salt
OKAY, so you dump all this in a MICROWAVE SAFE bowl, and mix it around. Then you nuke it for 30 seconds. Then you mix it a little more, Then you nuke it again for 30 sec, then you mix it one more time, and nuke it till it's fluffy (about a minute more in my microwave) and then you let it sit for a bit and cool off, and then you eat it. It will taste surprisingly like you used actual cheese, and minimize your dish usage. I like to have it with broccoli... :shrug: but I'm special like that.
LAST RECIPE OF THE NIGHT!
Conquer The Chocolate (or peanut butter) Monster
Once again, this is a simple tool for fighting Cravings. It will be lower in fats and sugars than most 'low fat' deserts available, and will be high in Protein.
You need:
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt (0% fat, Plain)
1 Packet of Stevia Sweetener
1 Teaspoon of either Chocolate Hazelnut Spread or Peanut Butter ( I use Justin's Organics)
And you pretty much mix these all together until it is fairly consistent, Pop it in the freezer for about 5min to make it a little more solid, and have yourself a treat.
You Know That Weird Jello Desert Your Strange Aunt Makes That is Always at Family Reunions?
yeah, that one... You Can Make a HEALTHY Version.
All you need is:
2 cups of Greek Yogurt (0% fat, plain)
3 cups of Sugar Free Jello (yeah, you've got to make it first)
3 packets of Stevia (like splenda, only better)
A few mixing bowls and some snack size Glad/ziploc/tupperware containers with lids
Some fresh fruit, AND
A Sense of Humor.
Alrighty my Mighty Chefs of Healthy Cuisine, This snack is not to be eaten EVERY DAY, but is a fun replacement for the ice-cream or pie deserts you may feel you are missing out on! This is an Anti-Craving Treat.
Step One: Make Sugar Free Jello (I like black cherry or orange) and Measure out 3 cups. (Give the rest to the boyfriend or kids or hubby, because sharing is caring)
Step Two: In Separate container, mix stevia with greek yogurt and your choice of fresh fruit. (I used strawberries since they are lower in natural sugars)
Step Three: Portion Jello evenly into 4 plastic containers, and then evenly portion greek yogurt/fruit mixture on top.
Step Four: Enjoy, you've got 4 handy little treats for if the hubby/bf/kids have something fattening and you want to feel included! Only your treat is colorful, 0% fat, low sugar, and good for you. (and I bet the Significant other and Offspring will want to try it)
Step Four Point Five...: I really hope it goes without saying that you would have to refrigerate these... but I said it anyways.
ommm nom nom
NEXT RECIPE!
To Defeat The Crazy Cheese Craving!
This one is so easy, So fast, and so simple.... I don't even know what to call it without exposing all the ingredients, so we will call it:
!Fast Breakfast!
You Need:
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons of fat free cottage cheese
A pinch of garlic
A pinch of salt
OKAY, so you dump all this in a MICROWAVE SAFE bowl, and mix it around. Then you nuke it for 30 seconds. Then you mix it a little more, Then you nuke it again for 30 sec, then you mix it one more time, and nuke it till it's fluffy (about a minute more in my microwave) and then you let it sit for a bit and cool off, and then you eat it. It will taste surprisingly like you used actual cheese, and minimize your dish usage. I like to have it with broccoli... :shrug: but I'm special like that.
LAST RECIPE OF THE NIGHT!
Conquer The Chocolate (or peanut butter) Monster
Once again, this is a simple tool for fighting Cravings. It will be lower in fats and sugars than most 'low fat' deserts available, and will be high in Protein.
You need:
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt (0% fat, Plain)
1 Packet of Stevia Sweetener
1 Teaspoon of either Chocolate Hazelnut Spread or Peanut Butter ( I use Justin's Organics)
And you pretty much mix these all together until it is fairly consistent, Pop it in the freezer for about 5min to make it a little more solid, and have yourself a treat.
The Thing About Lapses
THE THING ABOUT LAPSES... see everyone has them. Even little miss "oh i'm in awesome shape here's my stats blah blah blah" aka me. I had a lapse. I had a bad lapse. It coincided with job training, excuse making, and a loss of focus. So here I sit, 5lbs heavier and feeling generally bloated and annoyed. It makes me disappointed to have let myself down like this, and everyone who has been saying "follow your crazy man-armed dreams!" (those supportive but not really understanding what I mean friends).
And Now We Normalize Our Failures (see following explanations):
What is a Lapse?
Why do Lapses Happen?
What Should be Done About Said Lapses?
What is a Lapse? Well, that's the easy question. A Lapse is that piece of cheesecake that becomes that night of drinking that becomes that hangover that becomes the reason you don't go to the gym and then that guilt that makes you feel awful and depressed so you eat more junk food saying "what the hell I already effed the plan!" and then you don't go to the gym again and then 2 days turns into a week turns into an issue. Lapses are totally normal, and can be any number of things for any number of people. It's a break from the plan, falling off track, stumbling into a coffee shop in a PMS crazed delirium and ordering a cheesecake muffin and a mocha made with real cream and whipped topping... and that brings us to...
Why do Lapses Happen????!!! I WANT IT SO BAD, WHY DID I GO OFF TRACK?? Yup. That's probably part of the problem. You might be going too hardcore ass-kicking workout plus no treats or days off and not only will you be mentally burnt out, but your body will start showing signs of overwork and just give up on letting you continue at that pace. It's science, trust me. You will wake up one morning for your regular 6 mile run plus calisthenics plus cross training, eat your regular egg whites with protein shake and pre-workout vitamins, pop in your headphones for some adrenaline pumping music, and READY.... SET.... feel like shit after 1mile and wind up exhausted and winded despite your training. IT Happens. You need variety. You need to switch up your workouts. You need days off. This applies to the Diet portion too! If you do not allow yourself a reasonable cheat meal here and there (REASONABLE IE: SMALL HEALTHY PORTION ONCE IN A WHILE not a whole tin of brownies) you are going to find yourself feeling extremely deprived. My lapse started with peanut butter. Little by little I went from eating a teaspoon a day to grabbing the container and scooping some out every time I was cooking, and then to just eating half the container one day. Why? Because I had decided that was the only treat I could fit into my diet plan, one teaspoon of peanut butter. I love treats. I love peanut butter. I was not giving myself enough variety in my food. I was not having anything sweet or treat-like. You will have cravings, you will cheat here and there, you do not want to live your life feeling like you don't get to have anything "yummy" ever. So...
What Should be Done About Lapses? Coming out of a Lapse in diet or workout routine can be difficult. I know that I am guilty of throwing my hands in the air and saying, "Well, the plan is ruined. The week is ruined. Let's eat ice cream!" This is wrong. This is where it helps to reassess your goals, your motivation, and talk to your support group. I have to luck of having not only a wonderful understanding boyfriend, a crazy personal trainer, and a bunch of online bodybuilding.com forums, BUT I have a friend who is doing the same kind of crazy stuff I am, and we have a Text-if-you-need-me policy. 24/7 if I am staring at a pie, I can text Lydia and say, "why am I staring at pie?" and she will say, "because you aren't gonna eat it because we are going to be on stage together!" or something like that. What I am saying, in my round-about way, is that you should build a support group. Do not involve the toxic likes of friends who say, "oh well, it's only one night at cheesecake factory, have fun!" or "what do you mean you have to work out? Let's go shopping!" but instead look for someone who understands WHY you are doing this, and that you need them to be there for you! They will help you out of your ruts. The most important thing to do about a Lapse is to get out of it! Do not dwell in your oops and oh well! Close the book on the Lapse and start fresh!
***note, if you have overworked yourself physically, this is a sign to take it easy for a few days and ease yourself back into a routine. Be careful, do not injure yourself!!!***
And Now We Normalize Our Failures (see following explanations):
What is a Lapse?
Why do Lapses Happen?
What Should be Done About Said Lapses?
What is a Lapse? Well, that's the easy question. A Lapse is that piece of cheesecake that becomes that night of drinking that becomes that hangover that becomes the reason you don't go to the gym and then that guilt that makes you feel awful and depressed so you eat more junk food saying "what the hell I already effed the plan!" and then you don't go to the gym again and then 2 days turns into a week turns into an issue. Lapses are totally normal, and can be any number of things for any number of people. It's a break from the plan, falling off track, stumbling into a coffee shop in a PMS crazed delirium and ordering a cheesecake muffin and a mocha made with real cream and whipped topping... and that brings us to...
Why do Lapses Happen????!!! I WANT IT SO BAD, WHY DID I GO OFF TRACK?? Yup. That's probably part of the problem. You might be going too hardcore ass-kicking workout plus no treats or days off and not only will you be mentally burnt out, but your body will start showing signs of overwork and just give up on letting you continue at that pace. It's science, trust me. You will wake up one morning for your regular 6 mile run plus calisthenics plus cross training, eat your regular egg whites with protein shake and pre-workout vitamins, pop in your headphones for some adrenaline pumping music, and READY.... SET.... feel like shit after 1mile and wind up exhausted and winded despite your training. IT Happens. You need variety. You need to switch up your workouts. You need days off. This applies to the Diet portion too! If you do not allow yourself a reasonable cheat meal here and there (REASONABLE IE: SMALL HEALTHY PORTION ONCE IN A WHILE not a whole tin of brownies) you are going to find yourself feeling extremely deprived. My lapse started with peanut butter. Little by little I went from eating a teaspoon a day to grabbing the container and scooping some out every time I was cooking, and then to just eating half the container one day. Why? Because I had decided that was the only treat I could fit into my diet plan, one teaspoon of peanut butter. I love treats. I love peanut butter. I was not giving myself enough variety in my food. I was not having anything sweet or treat-like. You will have cravings, you will cheat here and there, you do not want to live your life feeling like you don't get to have anything "yummy" ever. So...
What Should be Done About Lapses? Coming out of a Lapse in diet or workout routine can be difficult. I know that I am guilty of throwing my hands in the air and saying, "Well, the plan is ruined. The week is ruined. Let's eat ice cream!" This is wrong. This is where it helps to reassess your goals, your motivation, and talk to your support group. I have to luck of having not only a wonderful understanding boyfriend, a crazy personal trainer, and a bunch of online bodybuilding.com forums, BUT I have a friend who is doing the same kind of crazy stuff I am, and we have a Text-if-you-need-me policy. 24/7 if I am staring at a pie, I can text Lydia and say, "why am I staring at pie?" and she will say, "because you aren't gonna eat it because we are going to be on stage together!" or something like that. What I am saying, in my round-about way, is that you should build a support group. Do not involve the toxic likes of friends who say, "oh well, it's only one night at cheesecake factory, have fun!" or "what do you mean you have to work out? Let's go shopping!" but instead look for someone who understands WHY you are doing this, and that you need them to be there for you! They will help you out of your ruts. The most important thing to do about a Lapse is to get out of it! Do not dwell in your oops and oh well! Close the book on the Lapse and start fresh!
***note, if you have overworked yourself physically, this is a sign to take it easy for a few days and ease yourself back into a routine. Be careful, do not injure yourself!!!***
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Joining a Gym and other expensive things...
Well, I joined the 24hour Fitness by my house, it's a Super Sport, which means it was expensive. I luckily get a corporate discount from the weight loss center I work at. Yup, I work at a weight loss center. NO I'M NOT ON THE PLAN, but it's a fairly easy and effective plan for people who need that kind of help, And I have no qualms with helping people. In fact I really want to get my Mom on the plan. Anyways, I am also considering joining a tiny little private gym next door to work that is only $18/month and has personal training for $25/session. The guy in there actually had a pretty good idea for me, since he does not specialize in competition training. He said rather than see a hardcore Competition trainer every week, go to them every 3wks or so, get the workout plan, get the supplement plan, and then bring the workout plan to him and he would make me follow it. This sounds to me like a cost effective way to begin my journey. We could call it the prep for the competition prep! Then, once I've re-comped my body, and have a little savings, I can reach out to someone like this guy to do my final 12week competition prep. There is also a trainer at 24hr who works with competition prep for $50/session. I need to figure out what the best route for me would be.
Tomorrow I have an appointment with the guy at the little gym to kinda do a fitness eval and training intro, and then I have an appointment Sunday with the girl at 24 to do pretty much the same thing. After that I'm going to do an eval with my bank account, my budget, and my schedule. Finally, after crunchy options and numbers and smooshing my braincells in ways that meatheads usually can't imagine... I will probably just ask someone else what to do... or make up my damn mind.
Either way, I'm going to do this. No ifs, ands, or butts.
I also want to add that all workout plans should involve stairmasters and rowing machines. PERIOD. They do amazing things for your endurance, your body, and the stares of the people around you!!!! BUTT, THIGHS, ABS, BACK, SHOULDERS, LATS, AND ARMS. Seriously, try doing both in one day, even if it's just 10min each! You will thank me.
Tomorrow I have an appointment with the guy at the little gym to kinda do a fitness eval and training intro, and then I have an appointment Sunday with the girl at 24 to do pretty much the same thing. After that I'm going to do an eval with my bank account, my budget, and my schedule. Finally, after crunchy options and numbers and smooshing my braincells in ways that meatheads usually can't imagine... I will probably just ask someone else what to do... or make up my damn mind.
Either way, I'm going to do this. No ifs, ands, or butts.
I also want to add that all workout plans should involve stairmasters and rowing machines. PERIOD. They do amazing things for your endurance, your body, and the stares of the people around you!!!! BUTT, THIGHS, ABS, BACK, SHOULDERS, LATS, AND ARMS. Seriously, try doing both in one day, even if it's just 10min each! You will thank me.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
This is What I'm Eating
Sometimes I wonder if I am doing this right, the Diet portion of my chosen lifestyle... So I posted the following in the Women's Forum of BodyBuilding.com. Hopefully I get some decent feedback.
Cut and Paste from my Forum Post:
Hey so although I wish I had a trainer/nutritionist, i don't know how to find a good one, and i've been trying to eat healthy on my own. I think i'm doing okay... I have celiacs and I am kinda broke so I do the best I can. Here's my break down...
weight: 131lbs
height: 5'6"
supplements: l-glutamine, glucosamine, Now Foods b12 energy packets w/ creatine, biotin, and a Multivitamin. I occasionally use Jack3d when i'm having a tough time motivating myself, but never more than one scoop and barely 3 times a week. I also use trader joe's Fast dissolve Chocolate Whey powder (because it is only $10) and a Designer Whey french vanilla (also from trader joes, only $11, it's more expensive elsewhere but it's gluten free) I think they sell it at the vitamin shoppe also. i'm a newb so i can't link, but when i googled designer whey french vanilla it came right up.
generally for breakfast I have either an egg white omelet (non fat cooking spray, 3 egg whites, 1 full egg, 1/2 cup of chopped spinach, 1/8 cup of fat free cottage cheese, a little garlic for flavor, and topped with a sprinkling of low fat grated Parmesan
or 2/3rd cups of strawberry greek yogurt (0% fat) mixed with 1/8th cup of gluten free cinnamon raisin granola, a scoop of vanilla whey protein, and 6 raw almonds.
about an hour later i have either 1 serving of the vanilla whey in 6oz of rice milk or 2 scoops (1 serving) of chocolate whey in black coffee.
around lunch time i eat a tablespoon of low fat peanut butter, 12 almonds, a slice of cheese (small slice about the size of one of those precut cracker barrel snack sizes, usually fontina or low moisture skim mozzerella, helps with cravings) and salad (ice berg lettuce, regular dinner bowl, either salsa or low fat vinaigrette dressing)
or 3 oz of chicken, seasoned with either old bay or lemon pepper, cooked with fat free cooking spray, and always a salad or 2/3 cup of either peas or broccoli, and 5/8ths cup of steamed rice, and 12 almonds
around 3 or 4pm, usually after i work out, i either have a muscle milk or I make a protein shake (1 tablespoon low fat pb, 1 serving vanilla whey, 1/2 serving chocolate whey, 3oz rice milk, 5 oz water) and if i am not working out I have a small orange or banana and a half a glass of rice milk.
dinner is usually about 3 oz chicken or fish, a cup of either broccoli, green beans or peas (or a salad) and 2/3cup of either rice, gluten free pasta, or potato
if i'm still hungry later in the evening i have 3 tablespoons of cottage cheese or maybe some almonds or cashews... and i do occasionally cheat and have a little ice cream or popcorn or some chips (bad me!) but i try to keep it minimal. I'm noticing i am usually still hungry in the evenings, i've caught myself attacking my pb around 8 to 9pm... and i'm trying to figure out why?!
i haven't been super diligent about working out, I try to keep active every day, and i do situps and lunges and use my weights at home to soreness probably about 4 days a week, and I try to keep my rest times low and my heart rate up to keep my endurance, but i barely go running anymore, maybe twice a week. i do stairs also when i run, and when I just work out at home I do a lot of squats and steps on my kitchen step stool haha so i mean i get a decent burn going now and then, but at home i average about 40min to an hour and a half of weights, resistance work, and when i run or bike I do about 20mins. I need to join a gym soon!
Anyways... why am I still so hungry? ghaaa i feel like i'm always eating!
~End Post~
I really need to find a Nutritionist and a Trainer so I can really get some input. I just have no idea where to start, and no money just yet. :(
More From my Internet Reading
I've been following Ali Rosen for about 8wks now and I really enjoy reading her blog/twitter feed. She is one tough cookie, and Oh My God, that butt! I think if I could go into my first competition with her body, I would be so confident! She is a Bikini class, and she has such a gorgeous body! I really enjoyed this article of hers and I thought I should share!
Get it, girl!
Get it, girl!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Originally Posted by oregonchick76 
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