Week 10 Results and How to Break Through a Plateau

My weight has been up and down for the past month, so much so I wasn't making any progress.  I decided that HAD to change, so I became focused again on my goal, made a plan to get there, and stuck with it 95% of the time.  The results are a 4 pound weight loss for the week. Yay!  Now the challenge is not to get lazy and let old unhealthy habits creep back in to my life.

This is how I broke the plateau.  These were my ideal ways to eat and workout:

• Eat some protein at every meal or snack
• Eat a carb heavy meal in the morning or ONLY within 2 hours of working out, otherwise stick to protein and veggies. 
• Don't get too hungry.  I will inevitably lose self control if I get too hungry!
• Drink lots of water.
• No eating after 8pm
• Eat no gluten or dairy
• Workout with cardio and strength training 5 days per week.

These were my guidelines.  Sometimes I didn't meet them exactly, but I made the best choices I could.  My mindset was the closer I stuck to these guidelines, the better my result.  I forgave myself if I made a poor choice and immediately recommitted to this plan.  For me being able to immediately recommit to the plan was key to my success.  I love to experiment like this and study the result.

This week I'm going to relax the plan a little, but really the only difference being the way I eat carbs.  I'm going back to my original plan of limiting carbs after 3 pm, by avoiding or limiting starch at night.  It's worked for Candace Cameron Bure and it's worked for me.  

....my little kiddos at Halloween. Julia was the super hero, American Dream and Ashleigh was a pirate.  The small pic on the right was taken tonight while trick-or-treating in the cool rain.  They had a blast even in the rain!

I had excellent results losing weight this way.  Do you have any tips or secrets that helped you break through a plateau?  Tell me.  Don't be shy.

Remember you're worth loving yourself enough to stick with your plan, see things through, and get results.  We can do this together.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Take care,

Bodyrock It Out!

I didn't have time on this busy Sunday afternoon to go to the gym for cardio and strength, so I improvised at home by walking/running outside for 30 minutes.  Our neighborhood is rather hilly, so it can be a pretty intense workout.  Then tonight after the kids were in bed I did a workout from bodyrock.tv, called Hot Fit & Tight workout.  It was super intense.

While I was working out doing reverse crunches under the sofa table, my husband came in & made me laugh so hard I just collapsed on the floor.  Just picture it...I was under the sofa table holding on to the sides, my knees bent at 90 degrees.  I was pulling myself up to the table and back down, up & down.  Well he came in & said, "what the hell are you doing?  Let me go get the video camera & record, the night my wife made love to the soft table!"   Ha. Ha.  I just fell in the floor, couldn't even finish the set.  After I finished I showed him this video...his response, "she needs a spanking."  Men. Gees.

These were my workout stat totals:

• Dynamic Squats - 137
• Reverse Pull Ups (modified)- 121
• Dive Bomber (modified) - 43
• Prisoner Get Ups - 20

This workout totally kicked my butt....I totally recommend it!  After the workout & stretching, the Black Eyed Peas song, "Just Can't Get Enough" was playing, so I burst into dance.  My husband just shook his head & laughed.  It would be so boring not to laugh & have fun along the way, right? I liked it so much I think I'm gonna incorporate dancing to one song per day...it really lifted my mood.  

I was determined to get a full workout in today, even if it was disjointed.  Getting fit can be done if you want it bad enough.  Just have the WILL to do it.  One of my health goals this weekend was to fit in a complete workout, so not exercising wasn't an option.  

My nutrition was pretty good today.  We went to Quiznos for lunch & I forgot about not eating gluten until I was about a quarter of the way done eat my sandwich.  At least I ordered it no cheese.  I paid the price later though.  Then for dinner, I stuck with steak and steamed broccoli, very yummy.  I haven't eaten anything since, even though I'm hungry.  I just keep drinking lots of water.  I'm really hoping for a 4 pound weight loss, but the sodium today, may have changed that outcome.  

Did you workout today?  What did you do?  Inspire me.

Have a wonderful, healthy Monday.

Take care,

Week 8 update & State Fair

I'm getting ready for bed, but wanted to make a quick update. Officially my weight was down 1 pound.  I was disappointed, but in retrospect it was probably warranted.  For several days last week I was out of town on business and either skipped lunch all together or grabbed a burger.  If I had brought food with me, I would have eaten much healthier.  As far as exercise, I worked out 3 times, which was less than my normal 5 times.  I can tell this week that my fitness level decreased just from missing a few workouts.  Something I didn't expect.

I had a great workout tonight...muscles are already sore!  I've never seen more people than were in the gym tonight.  The State Fair is in town and I think either folks were trying to work off calories already consumed or getting ready to consume.  We're taking the kids out of school tomorrow to attend the fair, so I'll be surrounded by deep fried everything!  I was telling my husband tonight, I think I picked the wrong week to go dairy and gluten free.  But then again, that cuts out most of the junk food!  It's only been one day, but I already feel better!  Here's my healthy haul from Whole Foods today:

I made it the whole day dairy and gluten free.  Tomorrow will test me. The funnel cakes will call my name.  I must just take in the smells and ignore them!  I can do it.

Gotta go!  I'm sitting here, falling asleep like Grandpa. ;)

Oh, I almost forgot!  I started today tracking my body fat percentage as well, as shown on my bathroom scales.  Today it was 40% - awful, I know, but 8 weeks ago it was at least 45%.  

Take care,