Dogs are great accountability partners

Oh how I love my SASHA! I will admit that we spoiled her in Texas, letting her get away with anything. But she’s really progressed since we moved to Oregon. She hasn’t settled down at all. She still wants to play 24/7. But she obeys better here. She has to. We live in an apartment where she can’t be loud or go out whenever she wants. So we’ve been on and off leash training her. She knows to sit to go outside. She’s learned “patience” when she wants the window down in the car. She knows “no bite”, she’s playing with tug toys, she’s learning when to cuddle and when to stay away. We’re still working on “go to bed.”

But this morning she amazed me. I was taking her out to go to the bathroom and decided we would just keep walking. For the first time, she literally stayed right next to me. She didn’t sniff people passing us, she didn’t chase squirrels, she didn’t whine for the other dogs, she just stayed next to me. So I tried out a jog. Again she stayed next to me. I went for a faster pace, she stayed next to me. Uphill… next… downhill… to… off the trail… me. Before I knew it, 1.5 miles was done and we were coming up the driveway to our apartments. I NEVER thought she would be ready to run with me. But I think she is.

Over the last few months I’ve been stressed, eating horrible, and not working. The weight has slowly jogged right back on. Now my pants are all tight (some I can’t even wear), I have back pains when I sleep (even before I hurt my back), I’m feeling insecure, and getting depressed again. I prayed and prayed for the motivation to come back. Sometimes God answers in ways you wouldn’t expect… Like a weird dog not being weird for 17 minutes.

Let me mom you for a while. How many calories should you eat in a day?

“This week I am going to lose 2 lbs. In total, I am going to take in 8,400 calories (1200 a day) and burn off 15,400 (2200 a day)… that’s too much a day… Well we need to at least burn off 1000 a day if we don’t eat anything right? So I’ll just eat 500 cal a day and burn off 1500… I can do that right?”

I want to shake people that think like this. I really do. Then I want to take them to their mom, put them right in front of her and say “Here you go, fix it the right way this time. Tell it to read a book and facebook doesn’t count.”

Your body burns calories every second. It really does.

Calories= energy

Energy= organs working

Organs working= eyes blinking, lungs breathing, stomach devouring and breaking down and the rest of the digestive tract furthering the process, heart pumping, nails growing

So even if you were to lay down all day long you would still be burning energy (calories).

But you don’t lay down all day long. You at least have to get up to go to the bathroom right? Get some food or water? Some people even go to work a few days a week and have to face the dreaded sunlight. Because our bodies are complicated, they’re still elevated from moving even after we’re done. Our heart rate is slowing down, our muscles and organs are repairing from the movement, the attack to eat more energy is still on. So you have to look at how active you are in your lifestyle.

Then you put in if you do long stents of exercise or short stents because the longer you go the more calories you burn a minute. Can I explain this to you? No I cannot. But I can tell you based on my HR monitor and a few websites (this one for instance) this is how it work.

Where is your heart rate when you do all of this? Is it lower and in a fat burn mode or higher and in a cardio mode? Why do I ask? Because cardio mode will keep that metabolism at “above and beyond” or “teachers pet” levels for a longer period of time.

Did you eat before or after the workout? What kind of food was it? How slow will your body process it? Will your muscles easily eat it after the workout?

Muscles bring me to another topic. Are you flabby or not too shabby?

Who are your parents? How did your ancestors eat? Yes, even your blood type has a say in how many calories you burn each day, each hour, each moment.

So please do not tell me you have to burn more calories IN THE GYM than you eat each day.

And if you still disagree with me, I hope you enjoy your metabolism shut down while I enjoy this banana on the couch.

Moving on-

Your BMR a.k.a. your basal metabolic rate can help you get a little closer to following the annoying code of “calories in vs. calories out” (a buttload of crap if you’re not willing to eat good calories but that’s just my opinion). Your bmr is how many calories you burn if you were to lay in bed all day and not move a muscle.

It’s pretty easy to find this if you go to a website like This.

Aren’t you happy when I do all the googling for you?

But if you’re a super nerd- here’s the maths for it

Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) – (6.8 X age in years)

Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) – (4.7 X age in years)

For instance I put in that I am 5’10”, 240 lbs, and 29 years old.

It says based on those three factors that I burn 1861 calories a day doing nada.

But I can’t just rely on that to see how many calories I can eat because I don’t just lay down all day.

So we add on to that the harris benedict equation.

I’ll do the steps with you. My stats will be in parentheses.

Find your activity level on this list and then put your stats in with it. (I’m sure there’s a calculator site for this one but this is basic math people… do it!)

Harris Benedict Formula

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

1. 1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
   2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
   3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
   4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
   5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

(1861×1.55=28844.55 for me. So I on average will burn 2884 calories a day if I stay with my regular schedule)

Does this include the actual workouts I do? I’ve found people arguing that. Some say you have to eat back the calories you see on the screen. Some say you don’t. This is like sparkpeople.com and myfitnesspal battling it out. But I can tell you this, if I work hard hard hard on my workout and I’m in there for more than an hour a day… I’m not going to put myself as moderately active even if I only do it 5 days a week. I would put myself as very active because that’s my fit level. But right now I’m in the gym an hour 4 days a week. Nuff said. And if I burn 100 calories extra a day… it’s an extra 100 calories. Tada. I just stick with this formula and forget what that screen says unless I want to overeat that day.

MOVING ON-

Now to see how much you need to eat a day…

To lose 1 lbs a week eat 500 calories under your answer from the Harris Benedict Equation.

To lose 2 lbs a week eat 1000 calories under your answer from the equation.

For females- do not eat under 1200 calories a day. If you do, I will mentally smack you.

For men- do not eat under 1500 calories a day. If you do, I will mentally smack you.

(eating too little will cause your metabolism to slow by up to 50%, same goes for not eating in over 12 hours for all you “I only eat once a day”)

Are all these formulas spot on? No, they aren’t. Like I said, your body is unique and complicated. But this is a step up from Cal in vs Cal out. Yes yes? Yes yes.

 

Daily Challenge- July 26

New week, new start. I’m actually counting calories and hitting the gym today. So back to the new improved… shorter… challenges.

Your food challenge for the day is to post a picture of a healthy meal you eat in a blog or on facebook or somewhere your friends will see it. Make it interesting, make it a food you don’t normally eat. I’m making mine butternut squash or spaghetti squash. It will be delicious!!!!

Exercise challenge is to kick your butt. BUTT KICKS! This is jogging in place but brining your back leg swing high enough to kick your butt. I used to do this for fun as a kid. I didn’t realize how many muscles it worked until I jokingly did it with my kids on a jog. Set your time for 3 minutes and I bet you anything you will feel it in your arms, your calves, your hams, and under your saggy butt. I’m not saying your butt is saggy because I’ve never seen it. I’m just saying gravity will not always be your friend. IT WILL BE YOUR ENEMY!!!  Show it  your grr face and kick your butt into shape… literally…

If you want to take it a step higher, do the kicks 10 times then do a high jump and kick your butt with both feet and repeat that for 5 minutes.

DOOOO EEEEEEET!!!

Things are a-changing around Heeah (here)

You may have noticed no daily challenges for the last few days. Why? Because I have been one stressed out mama. I thought with being a stay at home mom I would have more time, but it turns out working from home uses up more time than working a 40 hour workweek. I know it should get easier when the boys are in school and I’m not trying to keep them entertained and get bracelets and workouts done. But I’ve decided I’m going to start back at the post office when school comes around again. Workouts I can do. I have 30 min a day for that. But then you add on the blog and it’s an hour and a half. Bracelets I can do and have fun doing, but my kids are only willing to watch so much tv before becoming zombies and I’m my mothers daughter, if I do the jewelry anywhere but the house I realize I’ve forgotten a ton of stuff I needed back at the house.

So first off- stay at home moms- I SALUTE YOU. Entertaining kids and keeping up with the house and still trying to bring in an income is hard work. It’s much easier when you know you’re going to get such and such each hour you work at job and everyone in the house helps maintain it because you all worked.

Second off- I have a new plan.

Daily challenges will be just that- a daily challenge. It won’t be this long drawn out “blah blah blah happened today and I had an epiphany so here’s your workout.” It will be “Go for run, do situps, touch your nose and rub your belly, eat 6 fruit.” And I will be posting them the day before so you have time to prepare for it.

I will be doing 10 minute trainer. I start next week. The blogs will not be huge. I will update throughout the day so it will be:

“Workout-

Cardio

• Insert picture or video
• Describe how I felt
• Note if I’ve made progress
• Cal burned

Abs

• Brief description
• Progress
• Complain about pain

Whatever the third workout is

• Progress
• Quirky little note
• Remind everyone how much I love the cardio workout and how I wish I was doign that one”

See, isn’t that easier than reading my blah blah blah about everything. And as I eat, I will update my blog with my lovely little wordpress aplication.

So MUCH EASIER!

And when I feel like I’ve done something worth noting I will make a little blog about it that is short and sweet and to the point.

My main focus is to spend more time being a mom and doing my actual workouts and have time to sit down and read through my nutrition book that I still have from my freshman year in college, and just not stress over this. This is supposed to be fun.

How did I come to all of this?

I went to Church and I had a little talk with God about how I wish my life was less work and more enjoyment. I felt like I was just barely living. Then my pastor said something about feeling like your life has been held together with duct tape because you were spending time here and there and here and there and not really doing what you love.

I LOVE WORKING OUT. I do. I love the adrenaline. But I don’t have time to practice hustle like I want to. I felt like if I did hustle on top of the 10 minute trainer my results wouldn’t be proof that 10 minute trainer works. Well here’s a little side note. 10 MINUTE TRAINER WORKS. It’s a workout that works every part of the body, gives you at least 10 min of cardio each day, does strength training, and its made by a guy who knows what he’s talking about. Duh, it works. So if I do hustle with it, you’re still going to know 10 minute trainer works. And if I go for a run, I’m going to tell you I went for a run. So basically what I’m saying here is SCREW YOU GUYS, I’m working out. I just need more than 30 min a day sometimes.

So here’s the deal I made with God- I’m going to follow my heart and be happy and trust that He will provide. If I have to go back to the post office, who knows, maybe there’s something there he needs me to see or He knows I just need that stucture.

Last but not least, I want you guys to know I’m going to include my faith in all of this. I want you guys to watch God work in my life. I had made a promise to Him that my weight loss would be a vessel for others to see how He can change someone for the better and He lived up to His side and I didn’t. Instead, I made it all about me.

 

So if any of these changes bother anyone.

I’m sorry… now go away because that’s how it is and neener neener.

K, I spent an hour writing this so I’m ending it here.

Thank you, God for giving me peace on this.

Love all you weirdos. Have a great day. NOW GO BE ACTIVE!

 

 

I love to bounce!!!! Day 4

I love this cardio program. I know I sound like an idiot but I love love love love it! I get so excited that I have it as much as I do in the program.

Day 4  I started with cardio and then took a break to talk to you guys about why I do this part of the program not in the apartment.

I don’t say this stuff to deter you from getting the program. I say it as a warning that in cardio, your feet will leave the ground. You will love it but people downstairs will know it’s exercise time. Upper body and full body have a little loudness to it, but not enough that you would really bother someone else. Cardio… tons of bouncing. BUT I LOVE IT!!!. You need the belt for cardio only. And honestly, you don’t really need it. It just adds a little fun to the workout… and makes it more resistance on your body… but mostly I think it’s there to let you bounce around and have fun 🙂

Abs was next. I hate you Tony. Not really but I do when I’m doing abs. The weakest muscles in my body. Even if my muscles didn’t separate with my pregnancy with the boys, this would still be a hard workout. But I never took care of my muscle separation so this is basically torture. Anyone else have this problem? Anyways, it’s an ab workout that actually gets everything. And it’s only 10 minutes. But lets be honest here, 30 seconds is enough to make me pout. The main focus is that its a program that is going to help you, not matter how much you dislike that 10 minutes. It could be longer Laura! Stop complaining.
 Best part of situps

 Not best part of situps

Then I did Yoga (soft serve) which actually hurt more this time than the day before. I’m thinking its because I had stretched those muscles a little bit more than I normally would with the yoga the previous day. Sounds bad, but it’s a good thing because that means I USED them. You know what makes me happy? I actually finished it. I felt the burn and I grrrrrr’d my way though it. That makes it enjoyable. And again, it’s not a hard workout. It works everything in 10 minutes without making you feel uncomfortable about the pretzel you’re stuck in. He makes it avaialable for people of all stretchy and unstretchy levels. He comments on how he used to be Mr. Stiff guy and now he’s more flexible. Guess. what, I’m gonna keep working at it and get flexible too. Thank you for the note of encouragement Tony.

As for food today… don’t ask. I didn’t take my shakeology that morning because I left the house not even thinking about it and ended up eating sweets from Burger King and having a soda. That’s kind of a hint hint that I was no where near staying in my calorie range. Ughhhhhh

Daily Challenge July 10- Take it as a learning experience

You learn every day right? It’s impossible to know everything unless you’re God and I’m just not that perfect. I think maybe I know .0000012% of every lesson people should learn out there. So don’t judge me unless you know .00000121%.

That being said… I don’t know jack sometimes. I decided it was a good idea to take an inexperienced dog out for a run around a duck pond this morning with two kids who just woke up.

I did what I was supposed to do.

I woke up at 7:15. Got the dog out for a potty break. Took my stuff to the gym to get in my 30 min of 10 minute trainer. Came back to the apartment. Ran back to the gym because I forgot my phone. Came back to the apartment again. Ran back to the gym to get my bag that I had sat down to get a drink on my way back out the gym the second time. Came back to the apartment AGAIN. Woke up Josh, told the kids to get their shoes on, put the dog on the leash, AND WE WERE OFF!

The kids were saying they wanted to go around the pond 3 times but my mommy intuition should have told me they didn’t really mean it when they both groaned at the beginning of the run. And when your dog isn’t very good at not sniffing everything when  you walk with her, she may not be ready for a run.

So you would think I wouldn’t be suprised when my dog almost pulls me into the lake while she chases a group of ducks. And you would think I wouldn’t be suprised when my kids aren’t behind me when I turn back to tell them they’re doing a great job. Instead, they’re pretty much still on the other side of the pond. I would have noticed if I didn’t have a dog trying to run between my legs for most of the run. They said they were upset because I said jog and then started running. Me thinks they were having an off morning because normally they’re outrunning me.

So I learned today.

What did I learn?

1. Sleepy kids will find any excuse to not run.
2. Sasha does not have an athletic drive unless you count her constant wagging tail.
3. I had a pretty friggin hilarious morning if I really think about it so brush it off my shoulder instead of being upset.

I ended up dropping the kids and dog off back at the apartment and headed out for another lap around the lake myself.

Tomorrow will be better.

So I didn’t learn a life lesson, I just learned for today. But it was learning, not failure.

Your challenge for the the day, FOR THE WHOLE DAY NOT JUST YOUR WORKOUT AND EATING TIMES, is to take it as a learning experience. If you would see it on a big screen and laugh about it when someone else does it, then you should laugh about it. If it just didn’t go your way, you now know better for next time. DO NOT GIVE UP because it sucked once. Let it be your drive to work out the kinks and be awesome at it. You’re not failing, YOU’RE WINNING!

Yoga- soft served!

Yes, I know, I’m behind on these. I will be doing 2 a day to try and keep up. Day 3 of 10 minute trainer was Yoga. Can I tell you how happy I am about this yoga? Day 3 I was only supposed to do this program instead of 30 min. So it was 10 min of stretching and relaxing. Me? Relax with yoga when I’m the stiffest person I know? Yep! It’s like 30 seconds of holding things instead of “Now turn into a pretzel and hold until you pass out.” I never did good in hour long yoga classes and I’ve had some of the best yoga instructors I’ve ever known of. I just don’t do well with it. But this yoga program still has to cover the same amout of body in half the time so I was moving again before I thought my leg was going to rip out of socket. I love it. I’m all loose and happy and relaxed afterwards. Of course Tony instructs while a dancer/gymnast does the exact moves. But while he’s instructing he talks about how he used to be stiff and forget to breathe and you realize he’s just as human as the rest of us. If I really wanted to I could turn up the temp in the house and do hot yoga, but ummmm, I moved out of Texas because of the heat, I’m not going to make something hot for no reason other than to burn off a few extra calories. I can sit in a sauna for 10 min, relaxing, and sweat out toxins while not bending like a pretzel.

As for food, I really sucked that whole week. I was doing good the first few days but then we were bringing home ice cream and I was eating the kids leftovers. It was a bad week on food. So I’m going to remind you all that as for food- this day was my downfall… and I still managed to lose weight that week.

I like to do yoga at my house instead of at the gym because I have bay windows and they let in light and bird noises and I know my kids aren’t running around an unsupervised apartment ripping things apart. So HERE HERE for a change of scenery.

I am a warrior! And yes I know I have saggy elbows. That’s what happens when you lose 100 lbs and it takes up to a year for your skin to go back to normal.

And proof to how NOT flexible I am. And most of my non-flexibility is in my lower back and inner thighs. But I WILL get there. MMhmmm I will.

Daily Challenge July 10- Be Random

The plan this morning was to get up at 7 in the morning, go do my workouts before the kids were up, come home, and get them for a run before breakfast. I’ve been wanting to run so much lately which is weird for me because I hate running.

On a side note, every time I say running it comes out like Forest Gump “Rhunnhinguh”.

But my plans got sideswiped. How? Because for some reason, my apartment complex finds it completely acceptable to run a water pump spray thing at 3 in the morning. Whether some random person just turned the pump on or whether they were actually spraying the moss off of rooftops, I don’t know. What I DO know is that it woke me, my kids, and our animals up. The kids were able to go right back to sleep once the animals were out of their room and not jumping at the window, curious at what stupid people were doing outside. I ended up sleeping on the couch with the animals. Ughhhh

So my 7 am workout didn’t happen. I’m still going to do it. I’ve already missed one day of it so I’m a day behind. Those things happen. But I’m not going to have to delay my end date because I woke up late. Instead I’m going to enjoy my banana oatmeal breakfast, type this blog, and once my food has been gone for an hour, head over to my workout room. And guess what, the run will still happen too. Just not by our house. Instead, I’m taking my kids to a path I’ve been wanting to run on for a few weeks now. We can, because we will completely miss morning traffic now to get there. Why? Because my day has been delayed. Sometimes a delay isn’t a huge bad thing.

So your challenge for the day is to scrap your workout or change it. If you’ve already done it, save this for tomorrow. Just don’t stick to the plan. Be on your toes. If you’re used to the eliptical for an hour, hop off after a half hour and get on the bike.  If you workout in the morning, workout at night. If you head to the gym. head outside instead. What I want you to know is that if a gym is closed for the day, if your kid gets sick and can’t go with you, if your mother in law pops in for breakfast when you’re headed out for a run, don’t give up on working out. Don’t give up on eating right because you dove into a full pint of ice cream. Challenge! Be a little weird!!!

Daily Challenge July 9th- Random workout, random recipe

Yesterday I was sick. I had G.I. (Joe, GO JOE!) problems and I’m not afraid to say that because G.I. problems (and injuries) are the only thing I won’t workout through. I’ve worked out through a cold, I’ve worked out through throat infections, but if my stomach is bubbly, I refuse to workout. Why? Because I’m a baby about my tummy. Seriously, I’m 29 and feel like calling my mom and going “Ughhhhhh mama” over the phone. That AND your immune system is mostly in your intestines. So when anything in that area says “Woman, sit down and put your feet up!” I obey.

Did you know that about your intestines? I didn’t know that’s where most of my immune system was until about 7 months ago. I dunno. I find it interesting that the part of you that deals with #2 is also the part that deals with no achoo. IMMA NERD! So yes, that is why I stress that the prebiotics and probiotics in Shakeology that no other meal replacement offers is worth the extra.

Onto the challenge!

Since I’m feeling better, I’ll throw these in with my 10 minute trainer.

I’m in a cardio instead of muscular mood today so pick as many of these as you want.

1. See how fast you can do a mile. Push until your legs want to give out and your lungs feel like they’re on fire. I dare ya!
2. See how many burpees you can do in a row.
3. Side shuffle around your house until people wonder if you’re losing it.
4. Find a basketbal court and do suicides (Run touch inside line of key, run back to start, touch top of key, run back to start, touch 3 pt line, start, halfway, start, ect.) We do this with the rackeball court in my gym also. Or just find a place and put lines down yourself to touch.
5. Play 52 pickup with some cards. Only pick up one card at a time.
6. Take my dog for a walk. She’s wanting to go out constantly.
7. Put on some spandex and ride your bike like a professional racer.
8. Swim like you’re trying to escape a country.
9. Play freeze tag with your kids.
10. The OCD in me needs a 10 so lets add in climb a tree.

And while you’re doing it, take a picture of yourself so you can remember you took the challenge 🙂

 

As for a random recipe, I chose fish tacos because I’ve had a craving for fish lately. My mom would probably pass out if she heard me say that because I refused to eat fish as a kid. Now I eat it once a week. So here’s the recipe on sparkrecipes.com

At my grocery store I found flax and fiber cold tortillas that taste and have the texture of the floppy corn tortillas. I’m addicted to them. I ran out so I don’t have the bag but next time I grab them I’ll give you guys the name.

HAVE A GOOD DAY EVERYBODY!

Daily Challenge July 7- no equipment required

Woke up this morning and weighed in. 235. I have lost 3 lbs this week with 10 minute trainer. If I had eaten better instead if crap on the fourth of July and on our mini vacation it would have probably been 4. But oh well. Weight gone is weight gone!!

We went to Seaside, Oregon yesterday. So fun!!!!

I can’t wait to go again and actually get higher than my knees in the water. I had done my 30 min of 10 min trainer program ( challenge packs only 14.95 for the first month right now), a half mile jog, and 10 min of hustle practice in the morning. I burned about 650 Cal doing all that. But I bet you my pinky toe I burned more calories running from freezing cold waves and walking up and down the boardwalk for a few hours than I did in the gym that morning.

So your challenge today is to burn more outside than inside without equipment. That’s right, just you, your body, and the sunshine. Doesn’t mean you can’t do an inside workout though. Just burn more outside. And while you’re out there, grab some watermelon and enjoy it on the grass with your shoes off.