Friday Weigh-In

How has it gone this week? Has the scale budged for you?

Workout Wednesday

Have you been working out this week? Tell us all about it!

If you are like me, you probably spend a few hours each day either sitting watching TV, sitting at the computer, or doing some other sitting activity. These are a few tips from e-how on some simple exercises that you can do while sitting.

Step 1
Practice good posture. This, alone, is one of the best exercises you can do for your body. By keeping your spine as straight as possible, it puts less pressure where pressure doesn't belong.

Step 2
Stretch. Make sure to regularly stretch your muscles. By stretching your calves out, you increase blood flow, reduce the chances of blood clots and increase the strength of your muscles. Stretch your neck by moving it slowly forward and backward and side to side. Stretch your back by stretching your arms out wide and then lean back, pulling your arms back.

Step 3
Roll your wrists. This will help reduce chances of carpel tunnel syndrome and general stiffening incurred from arthritis.

Step 4
Contract your stomach muscles. Tighten them up, hold them for a few seconds and release. Do this five or more times.

Step 5
Exercise your knees. Place a rubber ball behind your knee and squeeze it eight to 12 times. Switch knees and repeat.

Step 6
Do leg lifts. Lift your legs using the balls of your feet. Repeat this as many times necessary to make your legs feel a little tired.

Step 7
Lift weights. Using one- to three-pound weights, lift them with your arms. Do lifts to work your biceps and triceps. Lift the weights above your head.

Step 8
Move. While working, talking on the phone or typing, move your body. This could mean bouncing or swinging your foot while sitting. Switch your weight in your chair. Do things to increase your movement while sitting.

Friday Weigh-In

Did you meet your weightloss goals this week?

Workout Wednesday

So have you been exercising? How has it been going?

Did you know that for most people, if you are not exercising regularly, you begin to loose muscle mass at age 25? The loss can be as much as 1/2 a percent of muscle weight per year, which can add up quickly as you age.

One of the best ways to maintain or build muscle mass is weight or resistance training. Do you include weight training in your exercise program?

Reward yourself!

One good way to motivate yourself is to come up with rewards for specific goals completed. Set a reasonably attainable goal and then reward yourself with something special when you attain it! Some examples might be:

1. If I loose 10 lbs then I will buy myself a new pair of shoes!

2. If I eat healthy every day for three weeks then I will buy myself that new book I've been wanting to read.

3. If I exercise 4 days a week for 4 weeks then I will treat myself to a pedicure.

4. If I loose 1 inch off my waist I will have a night out at the movies.

Just be sure to make your intermediate goals reasonable and very attainable. And make your reward something that you've been wanting to have/do that will make you feel happy when you get it. So now tell me, what are somethings that you would like to reward yourself with?

Do the right thing FIRST

Well, after a grand last week where I jump-started my walking goal and dropped 4 pounds I have hit a wall. Bummer!!!!! I developed Ilio Tibial Band Syndrome!!!! So I've got to lay off the walking until the inflammation goes away. Of course there are other things I can do meanwhile. Eat right but less and include anti-inflammatory foods. Stretch, stretch, stretch. Something I should have been doing all along but wasn't. Looks like a lot of water and a prayer will be in my health program this week :) But.....I'LL BE BAAAAAAK.

You guy keep me inspired with your results and I will be joining you shortly. I hope we all have a great week.

Advice from a professional about exercise

I got this email from a website I subscribe to and thought I would share:

Hey Becky,Over the last few days I've been thinking about the ridiculous excuses most people make for not exercising.

Do you fall into this trap? I know I certainly do at times!Perhaps you sound a bit like this..."I've no time to exercise, I have to pick the kids up at school, cook dinner, tidy the house - there's simply not enough hours in the day!"Or, maybe you say, "I've got a demanding new job, I simply can't balance my career, my family, AND my workout needs."In truth, these or variations of these, are challenges most people face, and exercise seems to be one of those things we can easily put on the back burner.But, be assured there **are** ways to have a family, career AND good health, WITHOUT losing your sanity!

=================================
How to Make Exercise Part of Your Routine
=================================

Here are my top 3 tips for making your fitness routine work with a busy schedule...

#1 Level with yourself
Isn't it possible that if your spouse, your kids, or your job didn't give you a reason to skip your workout, someone or something else would?So, let's get to the bottom of this...what is REALLY standing in your way?~ Taking on too much responsibility?~ Trying to please others at your own expense?~ Feeling stressed or emotional?~ Perhaps you just don't care enough?~ Or, maybe it's something else?? Once you've worked out what's **really** standing in your way,
you'll be able to start making progress in the right direction.So, what **has** been holding you back?

#2 Choose family-friendly workouts
If you have young children, try to find activities that will allow you to watch them while working out. For example, brisk walking or jogging with your child in a stroller or baby jogger, or pop a fitness DVD into the player at home. Or, if you have older kids, try combining exercise with some family bonding. Choose a time on the weekend, or in the evenings and plan a family outing, such as a bike ride, a walk at the beach, or some outdoor games in your backyard.Check out my previous article on this subject, Fitness Fun for the Whole Family.


#3 Don't make excuses
Most of us are full of excuses for doing or not doing things, wouldn't you agree?So, next time to go to excuse yourself for not exercising that day, remind yourself that EXERCISE IS NON-NEGOTIABLE!

This will help you stay on track and make you think twice about making MORE excuses.The added bonus is that you'll be setting a great example for your children and other family members.

Friday Weigh-In

Time to weigh-in! How did things go this week? Did you eat all your veggies?

Progress not perfection

Well, I have made progress this week. It has been a concerted, conscious effort. Today will be the day that I finally reach my walking goal of 10,000 steps per day. Thanks Too Le Fit for getting me back on track (so far). I am doing better on my eating, too so I should see some results when we weigh in Friday. Come on gang...lets do together what we could not do alone.

*From Katheryn

Let's just make this our exercise check in post. We know Aunt Becky is doing pretty good this week. How about you?

GREAT resource

Katheryn's post inspired me to visit Dr. Ann's website (I've been meaning to for a while). I listen to her program on Your Day, and love the advice she gives. She agrees with the path Katheryn was talking about this morning, that feeding yourself the healthy way will take care of the majority of weight issues. She has a book about it, but you can also read the "Cliff Notes" version for free of her website, here. I read it this morning and I feel recharged on my goal of eating healthy. Check it out, I think you will all love her too!

Feed the Machine

I have now read several different articles that suggest feeding your body what it needs first and then allowing yourself a treat as a diet strategy.  The idea is if you eat all that you are supposed to eat first and are then still hungry you allow yourself to have a little something that you are craving.  It’s kind of like what you tell little kids, “Eat your veggies and then you can have dessert.”

Based on what I’ve read, for many people, after they eat what they are supposed to eat, they often find that they are not even hungry anymore and very often can easily make the choice NOT to have the treat at the end of the day.

We all know essentially what we are supposed to have each day to make our bodies run properly, right?  But just as a review, this is the minimum of what a 30 something women is supposed to have daily.  Your specific minimum may be different depending on age, gender, height, weight, and activity level.  You can find out at mypyramid.gov. 

 

8 – 8 oz glasses of water (or more if you are exercising)

6 – 1 oz servings of grain  (a minimum of 3 servings should be whole grains;  a serving is 1 slice bread, 1/2 cup cooked rice, pkg instant oatmeal, 1 cup ready to eat cereal, 3 cups popcorn, etc.)

5 servings of vegetables (a serving is 1/2 cup of most veggies or 1 cup of leafy vegetables)

4 servings of fruit (a serving is 1/2 cup of fruit, i.e. a large banana or apple could be considered 2 servings)

3 servings of dairy (8 oz milk, 1.5 oz cheese, 8 oz yogurt, etc. – or get your calcium from some other source)

3 oz of protein (=88 grams, try to get at least half of your protein from plant sources such as beans or nuts)

 

So after you have eaten all that, you might just find that you really aren’t that hungry after all!

Ready, Set, Go!!!!!

OK!!! Watch out gang, I am feeling like this is going to be a successful week for me. I have been gradually adding 500 steps per day and am almost up to my goal of 10,000 steps per day. I just made a large bowl of fresh mangos, peaches, pears, and strawberries that I can grab instead of some type of heavy sugar. I also made a huge bowl of marinated veggies (tomatoes, cukes, vidalia onion, celery, cauliflower and broccoli) that I can just eat or throw on top of some lettuce, add an egg and some cheese and voila...a great low calorie salad. I use any type of Kraft's Lite done right. I have tried the fat free and don't care for it. By the way, when the veggies are placed in marinade in the fridge they last up to 10 days and still taste fresh so make plenty. I find that if I have "grab food" ready I will eat much more sensibly but if I have to make something I will go for something quick that is usually much higher in calorie.

Good luck to all you friends.

Water and a Prayer

Many times I feel like I am hungry and start craving something - especially sweets. If I take the time to drink a glass of water and say a sincere prayer and resolve that if I am still hungry in 20 minutes I will eat something, I usually forget that I am hungry at all.

Friday Weigh-In

Time to report your progress! Have you met with success this week?

Recovery Cookies Recipe

First let me tell you that I did an experiment with the Chicken and Dumplings I served for dinner last night. I defatted all broth used but made one pot of C&D with the Fat-Free dumplings and the other with the dumplings that had fat in them. Those that taste tested said that they could not tell any difference.

This cookie recipe is a little labor intensive so I always make a double or triple batch and freeze them...actually they are better after being frozen. I just reach in and get 2-3 and eat the frozen. I also make up "mixes" that contain the dry ingredients so that I don't have to drag out every thing in the kitchen again. Caution....these are very high fiber so don't eat too many!

CACA COOKIES x2 x3
Sift together:
¾ C All Purpose Flour 1 ½ C 2¼ C
1 C Whole Wheat Flour 2 C 3 C
¾ C Oat Bran 1 ½ C 2 ¼ C
¼ C Ground Flax Seed ½ C ¾ C
1 teasp Baking Powder 2 teasp 1 Tablespoon
½ teasp Baking Soda 1 teasp 1 ½ teasp
¼ teasp Salt ½ teasp ¾ teasp

Combine:

¾ C Smart Balance Oil 1 ½ C 2 ¼ C
½ C Brown Sugar 1 C 1 ½ C
½ C (equivilant) sugar 1 C 1 ½ C
Substitute
Add:

2 Eggs (or eggbeaters) 4 eggs 6 eggs
1 Tblsp milk (FF or Soy) 2 Tblsp 3 Tblsp
1 teasp Vanilla 2 teasp 1 Tblsp

Beat well and blend in dry ingredients gradually. Batter is VERY stiff

Add:

1 C Coarsly Ground Pecans 2 C 3 C
1 C Finely Chopped Dates 2 C 3 C
(or raisens)
Drop by teaspoonfuls into crushed dry cereal (corn flakes, bran flakes, etc)
Roll into a ball and place on parchment paper or non-stick sheet. Make thumbprint and fill with jam or cherry.

BAKE AT 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Workout Wednesday

Time to check in again with how your exercise is going. Have you been meeting your exercise goals?

After exercising you are supposed to have a small snack composed of protein, a small amount of fat and a larger amount of carbohydrates. If you eat it in the 30 minutes after you exercise it can help your muscles recover better from the work that you just put them through. So what is your favorite "recovery" snack?

Veggie Couscous

Someone mentioned that they were looking for some vegetarian recipes. So am I. Not that I plan to become a vegetarian, I just want to reduce the amount of meat that I eat to only a few times a week. I found this one here.

1 box plain couscous

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 zucchini, cubed

1 can diced tomatoes, including juice

1/2 can drained garbanzo beans

1/2 cup craisins (optional)

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

salt to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large sauté pan. Sauté garlic, onions, and red pepper for 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini. Sauté until tender crisp. Add diced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, craisins, and spices. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Make couscous according to package directions.

I really liked this recipe. Nathan liked it too, but said that he probably would have liked it better without the craisins. Personally, I loved the burst of sweetness and flavor that the craisins added. The only thing I think I will do different when I make it again is increase the spice level. Maybe double the amount of cayenne pepper or perhaps add some curry.

Nutrition Facts

4 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories
291.8

Total Fat
1.7 g

Total Carbohydrate
69.4 g

Dietary Fiber
8.5 g

Sugars
13.9 g

Protein
10.7 g