Category: workout

January 3, 2013

Tone It Up Plan and Love Your Body Update

I finally did it! After all the time I’ve known about Tone It Up and wondered about the Nutrition Plan, I finally bought it. It took the Cyber Monday deal they were offering (and some nicely-timed bonus money) to finally push me over the edge. I got a TIU hat, water bottle, journal, Beach Babe workout DVD, packet of PerfectFit and a TIU decal for ordering that day. You know me, I’m always searching for a good deal! But really, I’m so glad I finally did it. I didn’t quite know what I would be getting, but it’s well worth it.

First, with the wealth of health information and recipes out on the web, I didn’t think I really needed to spend a significant amount of cash on this plan. However, once I got the plan, it was much more helpful and organized than I could have probably mustered on my own. You are given plenty of recipes and meal options for all six “meals” of the day. Plus, the girls have certain food groups timed throughout the day for optimal metabolism-boosting and sports performance. Every new season brings along new updates to the plan–all included for free! It’s super exciting whenever a new update comes out.

The emphasis of the plan is on Lean, Green and Clean foods. In other words, “real” foods or the closest to nature-made foods as possible. So far, I’ve noticed that when I eat on this plan for a week and then indulge in “unreal” foods for one meal (i.e. taco or burger + cookie), I get a stomachache. I guess that could be a good incentive to keep eating as healthy as possible. This is how we should be eating all the time anyhow, so I don’t consider it a “diet” per se.

You can tell that Karena and Katrina put a ton of work and manpower in putting the plan together. Plus, once you’re part of the team, you’re really part of the team. There are so many special “members-only” perks and challenges that once you sign up, you finally feel like part of the TIU “in crowd.” I didn’t quite realize what I was missing until I went all-in.

This week kicks off the Love Your Body series and I’ve been doing everything they tell me to and then some. Here’s a breakdown of what we were supposed to do to prepare.

List 5 Things I Love About My Body

*I should’ve added: “Strong pain tolerance.” I am so thankful for that. This was a tough exercise to do. It was hard to come up with five things and it felt vain, but really, it’s good to be thankful for what our bodies can do. I guess I’m also thankful for strong lungs, powerful abs (my baby doctor almost didn’t make it in time), and a kick-a$$ immune system.

Fitness Goals for 2013

Whoa whoa, what’s that you see? Become a personal trainer? Yep, it’s on my list of things to do before I turn a certain age (ahem) in June. NASM it is! I’ll keep you posted. I guess since I’ve finally written it now, it must happen right? Good incentive.

Workouts so Far

Monday: Rest day

Tuesday: 40 minute Tabata Inferno on the Supreme90Day system + 20 minute barefoot treadmill run (we’ll talk more about this later).

Wednesday:

AM: 35 minute shoulders and arms on Supreme90Day
Lunch: 30 min brisk walk w/ friend
PM: 45 Cupid’s Cardio interval run on treadmill w/ friend.

Thursday:

AM: 40 minute Cardio on Supreme90Day + 1 mile walk to work (in 20-degree weather)
Lunch: 30 min brisk walk with mom and sis
PM: 1 mile walk home + TBD

I already have plans to go with another friend to the gym tomorrow (Friday) at lunch for strength training along with cardio in the morning.
Pre-planning + Recruiting Friends = Success.

How are you doing so far this year? What are you Fit Goals for 2013?

December 27, 2012

On Finding Time to Work Out

When people say that they don’t have time to work out, they’re most likely wrong. I’ve been one of those people. Unless you’re an on-call ER doctor with a family at home and heavily-involved research in progress, it’s probably safe to say you do have pockets of time in your day in which you can fill with movement.

I know from experience that finding time to work out is possible. I’ve been a full-time college student with a full-time job and a social life before who found time to work out. I’ve been a newlywed with a new house to fix up, a new full-time job and a new marriage to tend to who found time to work out. I am now a full-time worker with many hobbies and goals (and at one time a side freelance job) and a son in the same fixer-upper who still finds time to work out. I do have days where I’m finally on the treadmill at 10:00 at night. I do have a million and one projects going on at one time that I have to set aside in order to get a sweat session in. But most days, I do have workouts scheduled into my daily planner–and I do them!

Source: Uploaded by user via Tiffany on Pinterest

How? I make them a priority. After family and work, my workouts are of the utmost importance. Not because I’m vain or obsessive, but because I understand the necessity of exercise for a healthy body. I like the extra energy I get from it, the strength, the endurance and the bodily benefits I get from it. I never sacrifice meaningful time with my family for workouts, but I do sometimes set aside other less meaningful projects to sneak in some treadmill time. I walk on my lunch breaks at work, I walk or bike to and from work, and I also sweat it out after work at least three times per week. This is about growing stronger physically and mentally, breeding good health and carving out a healthy future. Those things are so so important! I would like to share a few personal tips that I’ve used to “make more time” in my day, so I can work out and accomplish other goals.

Really, you can use these tips to find the time to do almost anything that your heart truly desires. If you want to find time to start your own business, learn a new language, go back to school, or some other life-changing event, you can use these same time-savers to tackle your dreams.

1. Cut out TV. If there is one life lesson I’ve learned, it is this: if you have enough time to watch TV, you have enough time to take over the world. I’m not exaggerating. I would like this quote to go down in the quote history books with my name attached. The things you can accomplish in the time it takes to watch two full-length episodes of Grey’s Anatomy would probably astonish you. Honey Boo Boo is not going to get you any closer to your dream body or fulfilling life, believe me! If you do feel the need to watch TV (ahem!), you should pull up a mat or a treadmill and multitask. That’s even a rule that I’ve set for myself. If I’m going to watch some frothy reality show (Big IF), I make sure my butt is being productive while I’m at it. It’s perfectly OK to be a little indulgent if it’s your reward for breaking a sweat.

This is our new giant of a TV that I try not to spend time in front of, unless it’s a workout DVD.

2. Be intentional with your time. Take a good hard look at what you’re really spending your time on. Maybe record every activity you do for a week, or even one day. Then, see where you can prune your free time. Cruising Pinterest, reading gossip mags, and lying on the couch present prime opportunities to get moving. My guess is you’ll find many 1/2-hour or even 15-minute pockets of time when you could take a walk or even dance to the radio. Make a separate list of all those important tasks that would fulfill you, make your dreams into reality, or make your biceps pop. Work on weeding out the time suckers and substituting them for pieces of your wish list. Make a promise to yourself to be more intentional with your time rather than letting circumstances control it. Many of the things we spend our free time on are highly unnecessary.

3. Multi-task: If you really do love those gossip mags, give yourself permission to read them only on the treadmill. Or listen to some podcasts or book recordings while you’re pedalling away. Steal away for a few squats in the bathroom. Do your workout on your work lunch break. Jump rope while your dinner is simmering. Do three laps around the mall before you start your Christmas shopping. Do whatever it takes to blend your workouts into your daily life.

4. Schedule it in: Schedule workouts into your day as you would a work meeting. Then, schedule your other things around it. I usually work out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So, I normally schedule doctor and dentist visits, play dates, dinner dates and other things on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Or I just switch workouts around a bit. They don’t get removed from the schedule, just moved. The point is that workouts should become a non-negotiable item in your planner. Once those habits are formed, they will be difficult to break.

5. Tunnel vision: At-home workouts are a danger zone for some people, including me sometimes. You start tidying up a corner of the house, folding laundry and suddenly you don’t have time to work out anymore. If working out at home is your only option, I suggest acquiring tunnel vision. You need to walk into your bedroom with purpose, change into your workout clothes, and plant yourself in your workout space while ignoring your peripheral vision. Just do it, as Nike would say. Don’t let all those familiar distractions deter you from obtaining a healthier body.

6. Go to bed a tad bit earlier: and then work out first thing in the morning. Check exercise off your list before too many other items overtake said to-do list. We all could stand to go to bed 15 minutes earlier.

7. Incorporate the Kiddos: Mommas, I hear ya. It’s difficult to work out while the kids are around. Well, there’s no reason why working out and spending time with the kids need to be mutually exclusive. Hook up the bike trailer and go for a family bike ride. Have your Peanut throw punches too while you’re doing your TurboFire, like mine does. Sneak in a playground workout while your little one is running around. Find a reformer workout you can do on the trampoline. Or just workout next to your children as they’re playing. You’ll really be doing your kids a favor by showing them that working out is something normal, that we should be doing. My Peanut is learning this well. Fitness is just something that we do at our house. And hopefully one day he’ll never have to “find the time” to do it, he’ll just do it without thinking.

I hope this post has enlightened you to work out with what little time you think you have. This is especially helpful if your New Year’s resolutions are fitness-involved. Do you have any other secrets for sneaking in fitness?

December 22, 2012

Walking Mantra Meditation

Since I’ve been delving into the land of mantras, I thought it would be fun to talk about walking mantra meditations. Now, I’m not a huge meditator. I know all about how good it is for you, and I always have good intentions of meditating, but the practice of silent meditation often falls to the wayside.

After reading an article about walking meditation by friend Nancy Monson, I decided I really like the idea of walking and meditating at the same time. After all, I walk to work a lot, and what’s better than multitasking while doing it?

One day, on my way home from work, I selected a word to focus on for the entire trip. The results were actually pretty amazing. Focusing on the word “beauty” made so many lovely and heartwarming things stand out to me. I had covered the non-picturesque territory so many times before, I didn’t think anything would really strike me as particularly beautiful, but I was wrong. Turning a simple walk into an opportunity for awareness, wellness, and gratitude is just genius to me. It makes every walk quite a bit more special.

I noticed a squirrel carrying a whole corn cob (funny!)
A sign for “Pleasant Street”

A family decorating their Christmas tree in front of the window (so special!)

Particularly aesthetically-pleasing arrangements of apartment electricity lines (weird, I know!).

And interesting architectural details

And I really can’t believe I never noticed this adorable bird treehouse display after living in the same neighborhood for over 7 years!!! It’s amazing what you pick up on while you’re being intentionally mindful.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This type of walk was so energizing, I plan on doing it much more in the future.

I’ve taken walks before where I focused on how fast I was going to the point that my face got really tight. I’ve taken walks where I focused on a recent fight and used the walk to get away from home, process what happened, and prevent welling rage from erupting. This idea of a walking meditation is much more pleasant and productive, don’t you think? And why would you ever take another walk again without focusing on what’s truly beautiful? Just another simple way to turn an ordinary everyday task into something a little more special…

Try it! And then leave a note to tell me what you think.

December 14, 2012

My Favorite Mantra is Everywhere

Now that I’ve declared “Make it Happen” my personal slogan, I am seeing the phrase pop up everywhere. Fate? Or selective attention? I’m not sure, but it sure is cool. Here are just a few of sooo many instances:

1. I keep seeing Mariah Carey’s Make it Happen all over Facebook and in my favorite magazine.

2. I was reading an article the other day about immigrant millionaires, and one of the women gave advice to “Follow your dream and make it happen.” Exactly!

3. In another magazine, a slogan for a personal training certificate program (how perfect!) popped right out at me.

4. At about the same time, I was reading The Art of Nonconformity (great read) and the phrase popped right out at me on many-a-page.

5. In yet another magazine, I was reading a success story, and the woman’s chosen mantra while working out was “make it happen.”

Seeing those words popping up everywhere is pretty nifty. Once you start seeing these words constantly repeating themselves, it’s like perpetual motivation. It keeps me going.

What is your workout mantra?

October 7, 2012

Where it all started

Let me introduce you to the exercise video that made it all happen for me.

Now, my mom is a Richard Simmons fanatic, something that used to make me throw my head back and roll my eyes. However, he was on to something with making fitness fun with good music and positive motivation. It’s just that…Simmons just isn’t for me.

So, I went digging a little deeper in our VHS cabinet for a workout video circa 1980-something. See, my family was not fitness or nutrition-conscious at all. It’s amazing that we even owned a workout video, but that’s another story.

When I decided to begin my fitness journey, this was the only resource available to me, aside from some equally-old Jane Fonda workouts at the library. So, I did it as often as I could, and it provided a nice baseline endurance level for me to make the leap into running. There was a lot of running in place, aerobics and body-weight exercises in that video, like you might expect. I realize now that all I ever needed was a pair of running shoes, but it never occurred to me to run. I thought I hated running. I was still too close to those horrid memories of the ill-fated gym class mile.

I credit this video with getting me started in my fitness quest. I always felt so good after I worked up a sweat and felt that stretched-out feeling in my lungs. This is where the endorphin rush originated for me and got me hooked.

I wonder what the story is behind my mom buying this video in the first place….Ah, another story.

My husband and I recently weeded through our video collection and decided, reluctantly, to let go of our VHS movies (am I that old?). I just had to get one last picture of this hallmark fitness tool before I sent it to the thrift store. What a memory!

October 5, 2012

Personal Weight Loss Update

It’s been almost a year since I made a weight gain confession. At the highest point, my weight crept up 11 pounds. I am happy to say that I am now within about 5 lbs of where I was last year. I’ll take it! Now, I’m not trying to be superficial here about a few pounds, but when you’ve been the same weight for three years and pounds appear out of nowhere, there could be reason for concern.

Let me share with you what I’ve learned:

1. There is nothing medically wrong with me. I went through a slew of tests, including thyroid function, which showed that I am just fine. Thank goodness. I couldn’t be more grateful.

2. I met with an on-site nutritionist that we have at work. She looked over some of my food journals and said “you’re doing everything right.” It is so reassuring hearing those words. I know I am doing everything I possibly can, but I needed to be told by a professional that I’m not seeing something no one else sees. She told me that if she put me in a room with 30 other people my age, I would have the toughest time losing weight. There is something about our genes and the way we’re built that you can’t always just nail down with a simple eat-this-many-calories-per-day-to-lose-weight equation. That doesn’t give me an excuse, it gives me a new reason to work extra hard.

3. I met with an on-site wellness coordinator that we also have at work. I told her what was going on and she suggested adding one extra day of workouts to my regimen. I hate that suggestion, to be blatantly honest (What???? I’m not doing enough already with three 60-minute workouts a week, biking to work and walking at lunch?), but I also know that it’s a must. To push through a plateau (or gain), I need to put in extra work. She also had a hunch that it could’ve been a birth control change last October that might’ve caused some of the weight gain. Well poo, but that won’t stop me either.

4. I was under a heaping load of stress last October. My husband was going to school full-time and with crazy schedules and sometimes having to help him, I was completely stressed out. Add to that the fact that he was unemployed, and it was a doozy of a few months. Happily, my husband has found a new job and is taking a break from school to pursue a new career. The stress has diminished tenfold since this same time last year. Yes, cortisol can really mess you up. But I am so thankful for the peace I’m feeling these days.

5. I started the Supreme 90 Day workout system (I’ll save the deets for another post) to kick through this final plateau and just to try a new fitness challenge. I’ve been used to going cardio-heavy, but this system is strength-driven, with cardio built into the circuits. Plus, it’s a program that gets me working out almost every day–but not to the point of overworking. Its designed to work different parts of the body on alternate days. In fact, it’s been told that it’s a comparable alternative to P90X. I’m noticing differences, but not so much in weight as in inches of fat disappearing. I’ve never measured myself like that before. It’s truly gratifying to see exactly how the work is paying off, instead of seeing the zero progress on the scale.

6. I’ve been really conscious about eating clean and I do notice that it makes me feel so much better. In fact, when I eat clean for a week and then try to eat French fries, I will inevitably get a stomachache. Such a strong motivator to put nutrients instead of crap into my body.
Well, there you have it, a personal look into what’s been going on with my weight and fitness goals these days. I think it’s best to be proactive about your health and take the steps necessary for change. It’s a lot of hardcore work, especially so for a body type like mine, but it’s best to be as informed as possible and rule out all possible hindrances. It’s also helpful to learn as much about yourself as possible. We all lose weight differently, and it’s good to know that so we can make educated changes based on our own bodies.

What have you learned about your body?

October 3, 2012

DIY Mantra Workout Towels

The second mantra project I bring you is my signature hand-embroidered mantra workout towels. I love this idea, because your workout mantra is literally staring you in the face when you drape it over your treadmill or elliptical machine. The bright colors and cute crafty look are motivating in themselves…at least to me!

These mantras are not only cute, but they’re also pretty easy and very inexpensive. I got my microfiber towels from the Dollar Store and embroidery floss is usually less than a dollar at the craft store. See, if you’re resourceful, you can turn anything into something lovely.

Mantra Workout Towel

*Cotton or microfiber towel (mine’s from the Dollar Store)
*Contrasting embroidery floss
*Embroidery hoop (the thrift stores have tons of these for like 25 cents)
*Tapestry needle
*Chalk or fabric pencil

1. Secure your embroidery hoop around the spot you intend to embroider.

2. Draw your mantra or design out in chalk first. The chalk didn’t work great of the microfiber material I was using, so you might try a fabric pencil. I would also suggest using cursive writing, as it’s easier to connect all the lines when stitching.

3. Backstitch along your penciled-in lines all the way to the end.

4. Voila! You have your own handstitched, meaningful workout towel. See, embroidery isn’t something just for old ladies, ya know!

I think a workout mantra that is in writing somehow is a much more potent motivator than a phrase you only keep in your head. You can’t forget those words when they’re smiling back at you from your machine. These colors make me so happy too. Enjoy!

September 23, 2012

DIY Bleach-Painted Mantra Shirt

As promised, I have a few Mantra projects up my sleeve that I’d like to share to bring your favorite mantra with you on your workouts. Having your goals and mantras in writing is powerful!

The first project is a bleaching painting project, adapted from this post at A Beautiful Mess.

I wanted to make a workout shirt that brought my favorite powerful words in front of me at the gym. Seeing the reflection in the mirrors provides an additional reminder to live my life with purpose. I, of course, used my personal tagline “Make it Happen.”

Bleach Painting

Supplies:
*A dark cotton shirt/garment you’d like to bleach
*A couple tablespoons of bleach in a disposable cup
*Q-tips
*A piece of cardboard
*Chalk

*Please take the necessary precautions when working with bleach.

1. Place cardboard between the layers of your shirt so the bleach doesn’t bleed through.

2. Draw your words/design on the shirt in chalk first to get the placement correct.

3. Dip Q-tips in bleach and follow along the chalk lines. Be careful that your Q-tips don’t drip on the T-shirt while you’re working. I worked outside right in the sun, which made the lines show up immediately, and really bright! Be careful though, because the bleach can eat right through the fabric if you let it sit too long or put too much on.

4. Once the design starts showing through, you can go back and fix any parts that need a fixin’.

5. You may need to handwash the shirt several times until the bleach is all washed out before putting it in your regular laundry.

That’s it! Such a cool, simple way to make any ordinary shirt your own. It’s an especially cool way to keep your workout mantra front and center.

*Participating in the following:

August 25, 2012

Running Mantras

I love me a good mantra. That’s why I’ve been studying them lately and testing some to experience their effect.

Mantras can be a powerful motivational tool if used in the correct way. They give the mind a clear focus for a workout, a performance, or a run. They keep you clearly focused on your goals and intentions. They can be used as an important reminder or as intrinsic motivation. They help keep you mentally prepared. For example, if you’re doing a workout to show yourself you can after years of being sedentary, repeating “I can do it” to yourself over and over again can be the difference between failing and finishing. Focusing on the “I cans” is a strong motivator to do just that.

Source: bit.ly via amanda on Pinterest

Mantras also cloud out negative thoughts that could easily mess up our concentration and progress. If you’re completely focused on “I can do it,” negative thoughts about your body, endurance, or appearance are not given any consideration. Drown out those distractions! Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, you’re concentrating on what you can do. Simple, right?

In this same way, you can completely re-wire your own thoughts. If you’re not intentionally focused on anything and you’re working out on autopilot, your thoughts are likely to stray to how much time you have left, how much cuter the girl on the elliptical in front of you is, how hot it is at the gym, how much your leg aches, etc. Taking control of your thoughts with a mantra puts the focus back on your abilities, squeezing out more of your potential than autopilot ever could!

Finding a workout mantra that fits is another thing that shouldn’t be done without some consideration. Mantras should actually have an effect on you, so follow these steps to find a mantra that moves you!

1. Make it meaningful: Your running mantra should have personal meaning to you. Your mantra should really push you to do your best. Say, you’ve been finding lately that the only difference between dreamers and doers is action, you might try a mantra to remind you of that important lesson such as “take action” or “do it, do it.” My personal mantra for almost everything is: “Make it happen.” It has a lot of meaning to me. Whatever changes I want in any aspect of my life, I have the power to make them happen.

2. Make your mantra activity-specific: Your running mantra might not be the same as your weight-lifting mantra. For example, “little steps, big strides” might keep your focus on lowering your stride length, but it has little to do with ekeing out one last rep. Something like “power up” would be perfect for lifting.

3. Make sure it moves you: You might come up with the perfect mantra and then realize that it’s just not resonating with you. Try again! Mantras aren’t static. If you get bored with one, move on. Hey, “move on” would even be a good mantra!

4. Base it on a goal: What are your health goals? If you haven’t already listed them, do so now. Goals take you forward. Now, figure out what mantra would remind you of those goals each time you work out. Say you want to be able to run a 5K by next month, you might choose a mantra such as “Go farther” to serve as a reminder of your goal. Say you want to tone up for a wedding. Chant something related so you keep your eye on the prize. Something like “here comes the bride” or “love and beauty.” Make sure you’re focusing more on the mental/health rewards vs the superficial ones.

5. Revisit Poetry 101: Ok, this rule is optional, but rhythmic mantras are a great way to incorporate your mantras into your breathing pattern, weight-lifting motion, or running stride. I recently took a run and repeated “faster, farther, stronger.” I repeated the first syllable on one foot strike and the second syllable on the second foot strike. The effect was cool. If the words rhyme, even better. Rhyming words roll off the tongue easier.

6. Make it short: It’s much easier to repeat one to three words to yourself than 15. You probably don’t want to quote your favorite Walt Whitman-ism. Focus on something very concise. When you’re breathing heavy, you don’t want to be reciting long phrases in your head. You’ll lose that focus that we were talking about.

7. Make it positive: “Keep going” is 1,000 times more effective than “don’t stop.” You’re focused on moving forward, progress, being a trooper. When you say “don’t stop,” you’re more focused on that word tough “stop.” It’s the opposite of motivating. Re-word your mantra until it says something positive.

8. Use powerful action words: Strong words are more impactful than wishy-washy ones, but that goes without saying. Inject extra energy into your workout mantra and it might just inject more energy into you!

Here are a few mantra ideas to get you started:

Burn it up
All in!
Pound it down
Worn to new strength
Thank you legs!
Guide your bliss
Forward motion
Move ahead
Move on
Fast and furious
Believe in it
Propel forward
Own it
Push it
Power up
It’s all in you! <–I love this powerful mantra from Lucy Danziger of Self Magazine.

Source: google.com via Rachael on Pinterest

Other ideas:

Hypnotics: In the book Born to Run, Jenn Shelton is said to have used a quote from a Kerouac novel to guide her runs. It said to let the ground passing underneath you hypnotize you. It is interesting to try this. When you’re focused on the sidewalk, you lose your train of thought. Interesting concept.

Bible verses: Depending on your faith, you might use scripture or other proverbs to piece together your mantra. Something like “run to You” could have double significance for a Christian runner. Take 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 for example. Basing your mantra on that passage could leave you repeating “run for THE prize.”

Make it Happen is my personal slogan. I favor it so much so that, in the next few weeks, I will be showing you a few DIY projects that incorporate your mantra into the design. I can’t wait to share them with you.

August 25, 2012

Some Healthy Living Obsessions Lately

Lately, I’ve stumbled over some minefields of health and fitness information in my always-insatiable hunger for knowledge. I really will be a student for life, no doubt. Let me share some fun resources for all you other folks who love to learn baby learn:

1. OpenCourseware: The Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food course will have to have a whole dedicated blog post, but I’ve been fascinatingly listening in to Professor Brownell’s class about food. It’s really interesting to see how we’re influenced by keen marketing strategies and social constructs. I mean, we already know we are, but it’s interesting to hear about it more in depth and pinpoint it. This knowledge is really an invaluable tool. If we know when we’re being influenced, we have the capacity to disregard it.

2. Eat-Clean Diet®: Now I know this is no new thing, but I think that this “diet” really has lasting power. This is the only diet that intuitively makes the most sense to me, healthwise. It’s not even a “diet” per se, but more of a healthy way of approaching food in its most undiluted, unprocessed form. Sure, you could manage to eat your daily allotment of calories in sugary cereals and Hamburger Helper, but you won’t be doing your body any favors and you probably won’t even lose weight as easily. I feel like feeding your body the most nutrient-dense food is like feeding it a universal anti-any-illness pill. I think science would agree. Might I add: Tosca Reno is a role model worth emanating!

I’ve been eating as clean as I can lately, and man can I tell the difference! I ate a small McD’s fry one day and it actually made me ill after eating so healthfully. If that isn’t motivation enough…

Source: indg.ca via Krista on Pinterest

3. Healthiest Foods on Earth and Healthiest Meals on Earth: Keeping in the healthy eating vein (the area I admittedly need the most education in), I checked these two books out at the library. These books are just brim-full of food education. I will never look at a piece of broccoli the same again. When you know a food is actively fighting potential cancer cells, you sigh and rejoice a little when you eat it. And hey, whey protein is listed as one of the healthiest foods on Earth. See, it all came around full circle.

Just check out this one snipped from the book: “Recent human studies have indicated that as little as one carrot a day could possibly cut the rate of lung cancer in half” (p. 30). Just reading the section on mushrooms blew me away because of their effects on cancer. Shiitakes could lower blood cholesterol by as much as 45%!!!! Greens have a pharmacy of nutrients. Onions vs. Cancer. I’m all over that!!

4. I’ve mentioned my quest for an ExerciseTV replacement and I’m really happy to have found some exceptional resources. Livestrong Woman and Tone It Up make the transition oh-so-easy and fulfilling. Even though I miss the full-length workouts and variety on E-TV, these resources more than suffice. I will gladly follow the cues of Karena and Katrina and all the trainers on Livestrong.

Also, if you haven’t stumbled upon it yet, BodyRock is super-amazing when you’re feeling hardcore. The workouts are only around 12 minutes long (super do-able) and I imagine they feel a little bit like P90X routines. But they’re missing that $100+ price tag. They’re completely free! And of course, I’ve mentioned Cassey’s POPilates too. Big fan! Now, I’m all set.

Source: bodyrock.tv via Laura on Pinterest

Source: toneitup.com via Samara on Pinterest

Source: livestrong.com via Roo Epic on Pinterest