We've made clean eating a family affair so that I am not cooking two different type of meals. I took recipes from pictures in Pinterest. There are tons! So, don't feel you have to buy a recipe book to start. I also check out Instagram, Pinterest or other blogs to get inspirations or recipes. It's fun for me to look at the calendar and see what's on the menu, and going grocery shopping was super easy since most of my ingredients were on the outside aisles. I think I had to go in the inside aisle for almond butter but that's about it.
Today's Menu
Breakfast: Egg Muffin, Protein Pancake, Pears
Snack: Greek Yogurt
Lunch: Almond butter + strawberry preserves on whole grain bread, strawberries & clementines
Snack: Not very good choices on this one. Taro Bubble Tea, eek! 350 calories
Dinner: Chicken Teriyaki with noodles, samosas
Today's Exercise Activity:
30 minutes Interval Exercise
45 minutes of walking
Well, I do hope to improve our menu as I get the hang of mixing up fresh ingredients. I must say our downfall is when we are out and those darn yummy treats at the mall. The only solution right now is to start packing up snacks when we go out! Till next time!
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
A Year Later...
I started blogging last year (2012) to keep myself accountable of the fitness goals I hoped to achieve. Shaun T's Insanity work outs proved to be the jump start I needed to get me from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active and health conscious one. As I look back into 2012 and look forward into what remains of 2013 I am overwhelmed by the change that has taken place in my life as well as the continued success I hope to achieve (in terms of getting fit and healthy).
I am 5'3 and last year I weighed 175lbs! Scary, I must say because that definitely put me in the obese category. To date, I am 140 lbs, that's 35lbs lesser! Incredible what one year of hard work can accomplish and it's by God's grace, He kept me healthy and focused on my goal so that I can cheer "success!" However, my husband continues to challenge me. My husband knows a lot about exercise since he just completed Army Basic Combat Training, an intense and rigorous 10 week training.
I am 5'3 and last year I weighed 175lbs! Scary, I must say because that definitely put me in the obese category. To date, I am 140 lbs, that's 35lbs lesser! Incredible what one year of hard work can accomplish and it's by God's grace, He kept me healthy and focused on my goal so that I can cheer "success!" However, my husband continues to challenge me. My husband knows a lot about exercise since he just completed Army Basic Combat Training, an intense and rigorous 10 week training.
He enouraged me to lower my %body fat and get in better shape by lowering my BMI. So, I've set another goal to lose 20 more pounds. I intend to pump up my cardio, follow a clean eating program and start lifting weights.
Here are 10 simple things I want to share from what I have learned so far:
- Always carry a water bottle! Drink water and for me, it's one thing I don't leave home without, besides by pocketbook.
- Invest in a heart rate monitor watch! This allows you to check if you are not working hard enough or pushing too hard (depending on the model, some also show the amount of calories burned during your work out)
- Get at least 7 hours of good sleep! No lights, no TV-cellphones-tablets-laptops,etc.!
- Take a multi-vitamin
- Drink a pre-work out and post- work out protein drink
- invest in comfortable work out gear (including a good pair of sneaks)
- Use myfitnesspal App to record your caloric intake
- Do something active for an hour a day even if it's not at the gym or at home working out. Play outside, go swimming, go for a run, play tag, garden, clean the house. Seriously, all these activites use energy and it's better than sitting on the couch watching TV or playing video games.
- Use a mirror to make sure you are using proper form during work outs
- No HFCS : High Fructose Corn Syrup
Well, I'm sure there is more but that's it for now. Cheers!
Current At 5'3 and 140 lbs.
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| JULY 2011- 165lbs. or more Size 12-14 |
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| JULY 2012: 156 lbs. Size 8-10 |
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| JULY 2013: 140 lbs. Size 4-6 |
Guest Blogger in The House: "Exercise Is a Team Sport"
Hello and good day friends!
Allow me to introduce myself, I am the husband of this lovely lady's blog and had recently graduated BCT (Basic Combat Training) from Fort Jackson, SC otherwise known as "Relaxin' Jackson" even though it didn't necessarily feel that way considering we had reserve Drills and CO's come in every two weeks. Nevertheless, this isn't about my quips with BCT since that would require an entire blog entry, or more.
I'll start off by giving you a little insight on my fitness journey and how being fit and healthy has inspired me to do more with my life. Once upon a time in an enclosed office far, far away on a 'dangerous' island known as Manhattan I worked everyday of my life crunching numbers and ensuring the bosses' money was still intact. I often wondered on my frequent 15min breaks if there was ever more to life than this gray office, rugged keyboard and decrepit computer screen. Not doing my part in educating myself, I had fallen victim to the rat race for nearly 10 years! I was going to do 9-5 till retirement, which for my generation won't be 65. I did engage in a few active hobbies such as: BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) basketball, volleyball and the like. However, I was never consistent with these activities. I always made up an excuse ranging from monetary concerns to keeping my wife company as during this time she was in her final trimester. I never realized the damage these excuses did to myself as well as to my family.
I made a lot of excuses that in the end made me feel angry and frustrated. I pointed fingers at anything and everyone, but regretted to not point that finger to myself! After lots of thinking and praying, I said "no more!" I began networking and was able to sit down with my super cool brother-in-law who told me the truth: The line of work I'm in is not for me, that desk job, 9-5 is not for me indeed. Through his encouragement, as well as the support of my incredible wife I thought to myself: "What better way to do something more meaningful with life than to become a public servant?" Gone were the days of reporting to my bosses and expressing some colorful language in my head of how I felt about them. I was excited about this new direction God was taking me. Although, I can't say this adventure wasn't without its hardships it certainly has been a great learning experience. And by God's grace, I was given a second chance to do something more with my life and leave a solid legacy for my children to be proud of.
Now, you're probably wondering what's with the title, "Exercise is a Team Sport"? Well, here's the deal: If I didn't have my wife to push me and tell me to get off the video games and get on the floor and start pushing, I probably wouldn't be here typing about how I'm in the best shape I've been in about 10 years! My wife and I have done some amazing workouts together. A lot of which involves the fitness program INSANITY by Shaun T. but our cooperative activities aren't limited to just exercising. My wife now encourages our family to do healthy eating although we do have our occasional 'cheat' days we make sure we try to keep each other accountable.
I'm not as consistent with the workout as my wife, since I'm following a different regiment that I learned from my Drill Sergeants. We were fortunate in BCT because we had a few DS' who pushed us to our limits, and because of them I reached a threshold in my fitness level that I thought I would never achieve, given my current situation: having a young family to raise. One of the Drill Sergeants is a reservists and owns a Cross-Fit gym down in Charlotte, NC, he is also a U.S. Army Ranger. So, you can imagine the workouts he put us through were the real deal! Another DS who is a BEAST is a highly decorated soldier with 3 Purple Hearts and a ton of experience with the 25th Mountain Division. Yes, they were both 11B Infantry so we did get our butts handed to us, see not so 'Relaxin' after all. Anyway there are a few workouts I carried over from BCT that I also have my wife trying to do and I have them listed below. I hope you enjoyed this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it. For additional references regarding a good military workout I refer to former Navy Seals blog Stew Smith at http://www.military.com/military-fitness/
20 minute circuit
Jumping Jacks 2 min. (warm-up)
Push-Ups 2 min.
Sit-Ups 2 min.
Forward Lunges 2 min.
Squats 2 min.
Mountain Climbers 2 min.
Left Crunches 2 min.
Right Crunches 2 min.
Forward Crunches 2 min.
Reverse Crunches 2 min.
1 min. rest in between each circuit and 10 sec. between each exercise then repeat the circuit and cut it down to 1 min. per exercise then go down to 45 sec. then for the last circuit cut it down to 30 sec. and finish the workout with a 1 min. plank and a 15 min. run. Enjoy and stay strong!
"Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Here are some before and after pictures:
Allow me to introduce myself, I am the husband of this lovely lady's blog and had recently graduated BCT (Basic Combat Training) from Fort Jackson, SC otherwise known as "Relaxin' Jackson" even though it didn't necessarily feel that way considering we had reserve Drills and CO's come in every two weeks. Nevertheless, this isn't about my quips with BCT since that would require an entire blog entry, or more.
I'll start off by giving you a little insight on my fitness journey and how being fit and healthy has inspired me to do more with my life. Once upon a time in an enclosed office far, far away on a 'dangerous' island known as Manhattan I worked everyday of my life crunching numbers and ensuring the bosses' money was still intact. I often wondered on my frequent 15min breaks if there was ever more to life than this gray office, rugged keyboard and decrepit computer screen. Not doing my part in educating myself, I had fallen victim to the rat race for nearly 10 years! I was going to do 9-5 till retirement, which for my generation won't be 65. I did engage in a few active hobbies such as: BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) basketball, volleyball and the like. However, I was never consistent with these activities. I always made up an excuse ranging from monetary concerns to keeping my wife company as during this time she was in her final trimester. I never realized the damage these excuses did to myself as well as to my family.
I made a lot of excuses that in the end made me feel angry and frustrated. I pointed fingers at anything and everyone, but regretted to not point that finger to myself! After lots of thinking and praying, I said "no more!" I began networking and was able to sit down with my super cool brother-in-law who told me the truth: The line of work I'm in is not for me, that desk job, 9-5 is not for me indeed. Through his encouragement, as well as the support of my incredible wife I thought to myself: "What better way to do something more meaningful with life than to become a public servant?" Gone were the days of reporting to my bosses and expressing some colorful language in my head of how I felt about them. I was excited about this new direction God was taking me. Although, I can't say this adventure wasn't without its hardships it certainly has been a great learning experience. And by God's grace, I was given a second chance to do something more with my life and leave a solid legacy for my children to be proud of.
Now, you're probably wondering what's with the title, "Exercise is a Team Sport"? Well, here's the deal: If I didn't have my wife to push me and tell me to get off the video games and get on the floor and start pushing, I probably wouldn't be here typing about how I'm in the best shape I've been in about 10 years! My wife and I have done some amazing workouts together. A lot of which involves the fitness program INSANITY by Shaun T. but our cooperative activities aren't limited to just exercising. My wife now encourages our family to do healthy eating although we do have our occasional 'cheat' days we make sure we try to keep each other accountable.
I'm not as consistent with the workout as my wife, since I'm following a different regiment that I learned from my Drill Sergeants. We were fortunate in BCT because we had a few DS' who pushed us to our limits, and because of them I reached a threshold in my fitness level that I thought I would never achieve, given my current situation: having a young family to raise. One of the Drill Sergeants is a reservists and owns a Cross-Fit gym down in Charlotte, NC, he is also a U.S. Army Ranger. So, you can imagine the workouts he put us through were the real deal! Another DS who is a BEAST is a highly decorated soldier with 3 Purple Hearts and a ton of experience with the 25th Mountain Division. Yes, they were both 11B Infantry so we did get our butts handed to us, see not so 'Relaxin' after all. Anyway there are a few workouts I carried over from BCT that I also have my wife trying to do and I have them listed below. I hope you enjoyed this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it. For additional references regarding a good military workout I refer to former Navy Seals blog Stew Smith at http://www.military.com/military-fitness/
20 minute circuit
Jumping Jacks 2 min. (warm-up)
Push-Ups 2 min.
Sit-Ups 2 min.
Forward Lunges 2 min.
Squats 2 min.
Mountain Climbers 2 min.
Left Crunches 2 min.
Right Crunches 2 min.
Forward Crunches 2 min.
Reverse Crunches 2 min.
1 min. rest in between each circuit and 10 sec. between each exercise then repeat the circuit and cut it down to 1 min. per exercise then go down to 45 sec. then for the last circuit cut it down to 30 sec. and finish the workout with a 1 min. plank and a 15 min. run. Enjoy and stay strong!
"Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Here are some before and after pictures:
2007-2012: Weight- 220 lbs.
2013: Weight-175 lbs.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
4 Sizes Down!- May 2013
I've finally reached a size 6, but my weight goal and BMI goal is about -10lbs away which I'm guessing will bring me to a leaner size 2. It's been a year and I've come such a long way since my first post last April. I thank God for my husband for he is my greatest support through this journey.
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