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January 7, 2015March 29, 2015

Delightful? Maybe

This morning I tried a new breakfast. People have been telling my about the Jimmy Dean Delightful breakfast sandwiches for some time now. I finally tried my first one this morning.

I decided to go for it when they were on sale during the weekend grocery trip. I figured it couldn’t hurt. Also, I am looking at more ways to get protein so I thought this might be a great alternative to my usual half a bagel and banana breakfast! They meet my requirements: low in calorie, (280 calories) Low-fat, (13 g) and decent protein (16g).

My rating: eh.

Pros:

They are very fast! I put mine in the fridge overnight. Someone recommended this to me so that the bread doesn’t get as hard. So after 1 minute, breakfast was ready!
You can get them everywhere.
Wrap a paper towel around it and you’ve got a great out the door breakfast.
Pretty tasty

Cons:

Lots of sodium. Not TONS but still a lot. 740 mg
It’s a heavily processed food. While Jimmy Dean is on the less artificial side, they are still full of junk. I don’t understand all the ingredients.
Have to remember to defrost it
Not filling. I got hungry again really quickly! I had to have my mid-morning snack early.

Overall, they are fine. I’m sure lots of people like them and eat them regularly but I think I’ll pass in the future. Maybe I’ll keep an emergency box in the bottom of the freezer. For now I’m going to stick to my bagel and banana. I found it’s almost the same about of protein, fat, calories and carbs. Also, the preservatives and processed ‘stuff’ make me nervous. So my vote is to pass but this might be a good option for some of you!

January 4, 2015March 29, 2015

Green Monster

This week I’m back to work! I am greatly looking forward to getting back on my regular eating and fitness schedule! I love being on vacation but I feel like I’ve only been eating crap for two weeks straight. It isn’t true of course but it definitely feels true!

Today I thought I would share a go-to breakfast from the beginning of my weight loss. I still will do this occasionally when feeling off balance or needing a good reset.

The Green Monster

I love smoothies because they feel like a treat. Also, it’s a much easier way to get whole fruits and vegetables. Below is a recipe that I make all the time: The Green Monster. It’s great in the morning! It gives me lots of energy and keeps me full all morning. It is packed with spinach which keeps you fuller longer. Also, since it’s thick, it is easy to drink slowly on your way to work or even in the first hour at work. My hubby even loves this recipe because it tastes like a peanut butter and banana milkshake.

Really Spinach?!?

Spinach is fat free, cholesterol free, low in calories, and very low in sodium
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, K, iron, fiber, folate, and lutein
Leutin is an antioxidant that promotes good eye health, and may help prevent cancer of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate, and even dementia.
Dole lab tests found spinach juice has twice the chlorophyl, eight times the calcium, six times the magnesium, 10 times the potassium, 15 times the vitamin C and 43 times the vitamin A of wheatgrass juice!

Original Source: Pinterest!

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 frozen sliced banana
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup 0% Vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup light Soy Milk
4 cups baby spinach (or more, or less)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutritional stats:

350 calories, 10g fiber, 21g protein

TIPS:

I have a cheap cheap blender and it works just fine!
The bananas really should be frozen. I do mine at the beginning of the week. If you don’t freeze them, your smoothie will be warm.
Use disposable straws or soak and sanitize reusable straws. I love reusable cups and straws but you really can’t clean the smoothie out properly unless you really work at it.

Hope you enjoy!!!!

January 2, 2015January 2, 2015

In the last year……

Today marks my one year anniversary of joining Cole Fusion Fitness here in Denver. So today, I wanted to focus on what I’ve been able to accomplish, fitness-wise, in the last year.

I joined the gym on this day, 2014. I had already lost 80 pounds and was feeling really good about myself but I knew I wanted and needed to add fitness to my routine. On New Years Day I looked at Groupon for local gym deals. I was looking for a smaller gym where I could not only get healthy but socialize. I wanted the owner to know my name and recognize that I was coming in and say something if I wasn’t. I wanted a gym with strong athletes, not skinny bitches and meat heads. That’s exactly what I found.

When comparing what I can do now to what I did before, sometimes I have to guess. I was not very good about recording the beginning process of my journey like I am now. However, I did take measurements in my first weeks at the gym. ***Remember, I had already lost a significant amount of weight at this point so you aren’t going to see 100s of inches lost, even though that’s probably where I started! Also, I’m not very good about taking measurements. I forget to wear the same outfit each time and I’m not very consistent about how I measure. If you are taking some beginning measurements, choose the same outfit to wear every time. (bra/no bra, naked/clothes) Also, I’d recommend someone taking a picture of each tape measure placement so you know you’re always measuring in the same place. Just some advice… Let’s compare! In case anyone was counting, that’s 35 inches! That’s almost a yard stick! I was shocked by a few of the measurements like waist and hips! I had totally forgotten that I wrote these measurements in my food journal but now I’m glad I did!

It’s also important to think about what you want to be able to do when starting a gym. My gym is very intense and does full body workouts most days that focus on strength, cardio and agility. Not all gyms have the same focus and vision so you want to look for one that does. Some gyms, it seems to me anyway, don’t have a focus. There are lots of ‘big box gyms’ that basically provide the equipment and it’s up to you. If you are new to working out, I would suggest getting a few personal trainers sessions before trying to figure out what to do on your own. At this time of year, a lot of gyms offer free sessions when you sign up for this reason. Gyms can be really intimidating if you’re new so make sure to educate yourself on what to do!

Setting goals is about numbers for me. Maybe for you it’s distance or just about the weight coming off. When I started the gym, I wanted to see how far my body could go and what I could do that I never would have imagined. But when I look at the numbers, that’s when I feel like I can really compare. Here’s another chart of where I started and where I am now:

You’ll see a few question marks because in a few categories, I really don’t know! I’ve never tried to see how many push ups I can do and I know I can run 33 minutes because of my last 5K, but maybe I could even run longer! It’s crazy to see it in this chart.

So if you’re starting, remember to track where you are and where you want to go! Below is a more concise list of what was talked about above.

Gym Tips

#1 No what you are looking for Why are you joining? Do you want to be alone or socialize? Do you just want to do your own thing or be part of a class or group? Cardio fitness? Weights?

#2 Don’t be afraid to shop around Now is the perfect time to try a few places or classes. Until a company or gym has invested it’s time and money in you, there’s no loyalty. If one place seems too easy or hard, try another!

#3 if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t I was looking for a certain feeling at my gym. I wanted to be part of a group of athletes that would hold me accountable. I heard a horror story from a friend who joined a yoga studio, where you couldn’t talk……ever! Obviously, that’s not for me. So if it doesn’t feel right, go somewhere else!

#4 Start with a trainer If you don’t know what to do in a gym and don’t have a buddy to show you, ask for a free training session. A lot of gyms offer them when you sign up right now. They know people need education and you might get some for free!

#5 Buy new clothes I get excited about anything that I get to buy clothes for. So don’t forget to buy some super cute new clothes and SHOES for the gym! Get excited and invest in yourself!

January 1, 2015

Redos and Resolutions

Happy New Year Everyone!

I love the New Year because it is just the perfect opportunity to do something new, to try something again, to forget a failure and set new goals!

Last night, we went out with some friends for the traditional crazy-confetti cannon-commotion of New Year’s Eve. Similar to my Halloween post, I wanted to find a tiny dress to wear because I COULD. I didn’t get any good photos of how tiny this dress was but I’m sure you can imagine. I felt so sexy, so confident, so NORMAL to go out for NYE. We went to an 80’s themed party where all the music and outfits were 80s. It was so much fun dancing the night away. I think I danced for HOURS straight based on the way my legs feel today.

All night I kept seeing women that I knew were uncomfortable in their outfit choice. You know what I mean. Either their outfit was too small for their figure and they couldn’t dance. Or they didn’t have the figure to wear something sexy which leaves you feeling awkward. I have been this girl SO MANY times that I recognize it instantly. It was awesome to not only be able to wear a tiny dress but to dance the night away and not think twice about it.

Resolutions

This year I’ve decided not to make any resolutions except to my husband. Every year we write letters to each other on New Years Eve and read them on New Years Day. We make promises to each other about what we would like to do better for the other person. I’m not going to make any of the normal resolutions. Not because I don’t have anything I want to change (my weight was only one area of my life that needed taken care of!) but because I don’t feel like I need to! My self drive and motivation is stronger than ever and I know I’ll be able to accomplish what I want to do this year. Plus, I already set new physical goals for the year.

The New Year is a great marker for anyone ready to start a journey. Don’t forget, you don’t have to tell anyone you’re doing it! Some people need a circle of support before they begin, others build theirs as they go. There is a lot of pressure to start a new healthy lifestyle at the beginning of the year and you can find tons of others at the beginning of their journey too. But now is the best time to purchase diet plans, a scale, diet books, exercise equipment and even exercise clothes. All stores run deals on health related products at the beginning of the year. So now is the best time to start if you’re just beginning!

I found my gym, Cole Fusion Fitness, on this very day last year. I was just browsing Groupon for what gyms were offering deals and one that looked like what I wanted. On January 2nd, I went in and saw the gym and joined. Don’t forget to check local gyms for deals! A lot of ‘chain gyms’ offer no registration fees or even free months right now. So even if you decide it’s not for you later, it’s still the best time to try! If you don’t know Groupon, you should! Check it out. Click the picture!

Another great place to find local fitness deals is Living Social. It works just like Groupon if you are familiar with that. I often register for 5Ks and events through Living Social. Sometimes the two sites have the same deals but not always so it’s worth a look at both sites. If you are just starting out, I would suggest one of these deals. It’s a great way to try a few places or different style classes and then decide if you want to commit. Just go for it!

If you are nervous about joining a gym or fitness class, check out this old post: Gym Goggles.

In the last year, I’ve become the person I always knew I could be both physically and emotionally. This could be your year! On New Year’s Eve 2015, what will you see when you look back through this year? Will you see missed opportunities or that you took control of your life? Will you be happy with the decisions that you made or disappointed for another year? You can do this!

December 31, 2014December 31, 2014

Makeover Madness

About a month or two ago, a friend approached me at the gym. Angela Way, who is a local cosmetologist and gym buddy, wanted to treat me to a makeover at her salon, Apparenza Salon. She was so inspired by my story and journey that she wanted me to have the Hollywood experience of getting a head to toe new look. I put it off for a while, not expecting her generousity to come to fruition, and it seemed to good to be true.

Well a few days ago she had a cancellation and wanted to do my makeover before the New Year. I had NO idea what I was in store for. I agreed to let her make all the decisions and just go with it. I tend to over control my life and I knew this would be difficult for me but an awesome experience. So I decided to let go and sit in the chair!

Before:

I have been growing my hair for a long time and had gotten to the point where I didn’t really care about it anymore. If I can put it in a pony tail, I’m good. I’ve never been a girly girl and find it easy to not care about things like hair and makeup. She told me the colors she was thinking any why. I said, “Sounds great!” and then she made the first cut.

I’m panicking a little at this point because my hair has been so long for so long but I go with it! Now it’s time for color. Wow. I have only had my hair colored at the salon once or twice. Some of you ladies put a lot of work into this! I had no idea how much time was necessary! I got two colors of highlights:

And then dye all over. Not a speck of my old hair left!

At this point I’m excited for it to be done! The whole process took four hours! I couldn’t believe that Angela took four hours of her own time when she could have been doing other clients, to spend with me. We talked about my journey and I was able to share a little with a few other clients in the salon.

The results! Before I post the picture, I first wanted to express my gratitude! The work that Angela did was TOP NOTCH and to have ‘earned it’ with my incredible story is unbelievable. I still can’t believe that this happened to me! I now feel like a movie star and everyone should know who I am. I’m SUPER excited to go out for New Year’s Eve tonight in my tiny little dress and new super hot hair.

Thank you Angela for your work, dedication and generosity. I promise to pay it forward ten-fold! Also, thank you to Apparenza Salon here in Denver for the incredible afternoon.

***Of course I’m in my gym clothes because that’s how I feel the most Sexy!

I feel like I haven’t known what I look like for the last year. Now I keep passing mirrors and have NO idea who that person is. Again, no matter what I look like on the outside, I hope you can see how much I’ve changed on the inside because that is what really counts.

To the gym for a New Year’s Eve workout!

Tomorrow: New Year’s resolutions and pics of the tiny dress!

December 29, 2014

Clothes For Christmas

One of the biggest differences I saw in my presents from previous years to this year was that lots of people gave me clothes! As an overweight person, people tend not to give you clothes as gifts. I think this is for a few reasons. Most people probably don’t want to guess your size and accidentally offend you by it being too small or too large. Which in my case, they were usually too small.

Another reason is that not all stores carry plus sizes. So to get a pair of yoga pants for everyone you know, would require a separate trip to a separate store to get something for someone who is plus size. Most 2X’s in the store would not fit me at my heaviest weight. I needed a 2X from a plus size store. To someone who has been shopping regular sizes their whole life, this is a totally foreign concept. They might not even realize that there’s a difference.

Another reason is because overweight people don’t really request clothes which would require having to give their size. My mom would often give me and my sister similar gifts for Christmas, a like a nice pair of pajamas. She would have to ask my husband what my size was, who would guess, and they would never fit. I remember a particular Christmas she wanted to get us luxurious jammies from Victoria Secret. Nothing from the entire store would fit me so she went to a plus size store. My sister ended up with a cute, silky and sexy PJ set. I ended up with a rhinestone sleep shirt/dress. Now this was not my mom’s intent. She just wanted to get us something we would never get for ourselves. But this is a perfect example of how shopping for plus size people is super difficult, especially if you’ve never been plus size. I ended up returning the jammies that year for something else.

So most people just play it safe and give you a scarf or a book. I have more scarves and books than I could ever use! (Good thing I love both!)

But this year I got all kinds of cute new things! Almost everything fit and a few things were actually too big! I had requested a few shirts for the gym and a nice sweatshirt. There is a brand, let’s call them…….The South Face, that always has super cute sweatshirts. You see them all the time around Denver. They are a great brand but their sizes run small. If I’m a Medium in everything else, I’m a large with them. Large is their largest size as well. So it was kind of a weird goal of mine to be able to own and wear one of these sweatshirts! Santa left it under the tree!

I feel like the gifts you receive for Christmas is the image of yourself you’ve put out into the world. My husband is pretty reserved with his coworkers and friends in life. He ended up with coffee from almost everyone he knew because that’s the image he’s created for himself. I got all sorts of fitness and health orientated things! So that tells me that’s what people see in me now. That’s what they know I enjoy and want to be a part of.

If you forgot to send a gift……….I need new running shoes! Size 10. Must be cute.

December 28, 2014December 28, 2014

I’m 30.

Well it’s finally here. A day that I hoped would never come but I always knew it would; today I turn 30. While there is a giant list of things I was hoping/wishing to do before I hit 30, I’m choosing to focus on all the things I DID accomplish before 30.

Of course I did all the things you’re supposed to do: married the man of my dreams, moved away, went to college, started a career…… but of course what I’m most proud of is that I got healthy and fit.

I was expecting to wake up and feel older than I did yesterday. I know it’s silly but you expect to FEEL different. Well this morning I woke up with all kinds of pops and aches. For a brief second I thought I was ‘feeling my age’ and 30 had arrived to schmack me in the face! Then I remembered yesterday’s workout which was brutal and definitely the reason I’m sore today.

While there are thousands of things I wish I could have done before hitting 30, I’m SO glad I decided to take care of my health. How many people, women especially, can wake up on their 30th birthday the happiest and healthiest they have ever been? I can do things now that I never thought I could do.

I have run two 5K’s.

I attend the gym 4 times away without question and have melted my body fat down to 19%!

I lost 130 pounds for crying out loud.

Most women are hoping to get back into their wedding dress someday.

I’m hoping mine never fits again.

Most women lie on their driver’s license.

Mine is 30 pounds over my actual weight.

Some women are still looking for the love of their life and I already have mine.

So although I’m sad to be in a new decade and say goodbye to the last year, at least I’m the best I’ve ever been! 29 was the best year of my life and I still have many milestones to go. So to repeat what I have said before, (I feel like a broken record lately but apparently someone out there needs to hear it, because I keep needing to say it!) DO IT NOW. Do it for yourself and DO IT NOW. The time is going to pass anyway. I had to turn 30 regardless of how I looked, felt or thought about it. 30 came quicker than I thought it would and I’m so glad I made the commitment a year and half ago to do something about my health. Your next milestone is coming, don’t you want to be the best you’ve ever been?

Here’s to another amazing year!

December 26, 2014

Post Christmas Yuck!

Hey All! I hope you made it through the holidays with healthy choices and lots of laughter! I managed to make it through another holiday with no weight gain! I definitely loosened the straps this holiday. Over Thanksgiving, I was so worried that I probably focused on it more than necessary. So for Christmas, I wanted to let loose and just see what happened.

Granted, my stomach can NEVER eat the kinds of portions that I used to. So even if I wanted to stuff myself, I really can’t anymore! On Christmas Eve I ate two very luscious and rich meals. I kept my portions in control but I could still feel the ‘food hangover’ the next day. So what did I do? I ate more! On Christmas Day I made all sorts of bad choices: candy, Christmas Dinner, movie popcorn, alcohol and even POP. I was very nervous about getting on the scale this morning but my metabolism has been keeping up better than I thought it would.

The weigh in went fine but when I woke up I felt GROSS. All morning I kept feeling the sugar, carbs and yuck floating around in my body. (TMI WARNING!) And I kept having to make trips to the bathroom over and over. I knew I had to get to the gym.

So I went and did The Christmas Eve Workout again this morning and now I feel SOOO much better. I keep forgetting that just because I CAN eat things like candy now and then, my body still doesn’t want them. I’ve re-calibrated what my body craves and needs so much that now when I have a crappy eating day, it’s not worth it. The feeling I had this morning was NOT WORTH eating everything I did! Needless to say I had a giant salad for lunch and will be cooking a healthy meal tonight as well and already feel much better.

I think it’s fine to gorge for the holidays as long as you keep it reasonable. What I have to remember next year, is the morning after Christmas YUCK. For me it was not worth it!

December 24, 2014

Christmas Eve Workout

Today I wanted to workout even though it’s a ‘holiday’ just to put my mind at ease about all the junk I’ll be eating! Also, I feel much better taking tomorrow off since I went today. I usually attend classes where I just do what I’m told. Today was a rare occasion where I worked out all alone. Here’s what I did

Cardio: 15 minutes of running.

Weights: 12 Machines, 12 reps, Twice

Agility: 500 jump ropes

Abs: 50 reps between each 100 jumps

Time: 50 – 55 mins

Cardio: I always start with cardio to get it out of the way. Also, it raises your heart rate for all the other exercises you are about to do.

Weights: When you’re looking to a full workout, it’s important that you do multiple muscle groups and not concentrate on one area. If you are a consist weight lifter, it’s ok to focus on 1-2 muscle groups at a time, but I’m used to full body workouts. I did the following machines, some of these names I might have made up:

Leg Press, Box Jumps, Fly, Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Pull Ups, Tricep Dips, Biceps, Triceps, Shoulder Raise, Chest Press, Lateral Pull Down

Again, 12 reps each and 2 rounds on each machine. I like to do my rounds one at a time and then go through again. Most gyms have a ‘circuit’ of machines already set up. Be sure to adjust machines so you don’t injure yourself. I was lucky enough to be the only person using them so the second round took way less time because each machine was already set up for me.

Agility and Abs: It’s easy to just skip these two things but they make a huge difference. Remember the Ali quote “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee?” Well agility is essential to get the ‘athlete float’. I love jumping rope because it’s also cardio. Here’s the ab exercises I did, again, I think I made some of the names up:

50 Pike leg raise (arms and legs straight, raise to touch at the top), 100 Cross body air bike (alternate elbow to knee), 100 Medicine Ball bounce side to side, 50 per side oblique crunch, 3 minute plank. I did these in between each set of 100 jump ropes.

MODIFIED

Here’s a modified version of my workout. I work out a lot at a high intensity. If you are at the beginning of your fitness, the above workout might be too much for you. Here’s what you could do instead:

Cardio: 20 minutes of walk/run. Try to alternate intervals at 2, 3 or 5 minutes.

Weights: 10 machines, (cut out pull up and box jumps) 10 reps, twice

Agility: As many jump ropes as you can, if you can’t jump rope yet, standing jumps, as many as you can. Or find something (a can of soup, a shoe, anything) and jump over it side to side for one minute intervals.

Abs: Plank for as long as you can, 50 crunches, 50 per side oblique crunches

The point is to do what you can and then do it again! Hope this inspires some of you to get a Christmas workout in before the Roast Beast!

December 24, 2014

The Best Christmas Present Ever

This year I have been shocked by the generosity of family and friends for Christmastime. I keep finding myself wishing I was able to give more or do more for those around me. It hit me just yesterday that I’ve already given all those I love the best present I could have: my life.

My biggest reason for losing weight was to extend my life expectancy. I know I say this all the time, but I want more time on this earth with all the people I love. So this year for Christmas, I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been. While you can’t wrap it with a bow or put it in a stocking, I know my family recognizes my weight loss as not only for me but for them too.

Losing weight can often feel selfish. I hear this all the time, especially from women who have children. Losing weight takes time and energy away from other areas of life. I won’t pretend that it doesn’t. However, learning to be selfish for your own health is a great lesson to learn. Everyone in your life deserves the best version of you possible. This goes for all areas of life, including health. So this year, if you’re short on cash or just want to give the best present EVER, make a commitment to those around you to get healthy, whatever this may mean for you.

Remember, if you are already on your own journey, you can’t force those around you. This year I sent out business cards in my Christmas cards for this very blog. I realized later that this may have been offensive to some. I was trying to boost the views and get more support for those that are looking for advice. But, I realized later that maybe some people thought I was sending them a backhanded clue. But, then I realized I didn’t care. Maybe if it offended someone, they will think twice about getting on this site. You can’t force someone else down the path to health. They have to decide for themselves. But if you’re ready to start reaching out to others, just let them know you are there for support if they are ever needing it.

So for all of those that thought maybe their gift from me was a little light, that’s because it’s filled with years of extra life and time to spend with you! Merry Christmas Everyone!