Sick

So, I NEVER get sick.  I literally had not been to the doctor in 8 years.  However, this year in November I started getting the crud and pretty soon I was at the doctor's office with pneumonia.  It took my until after Christmas to get better.  I have been well for about two weeks and now I am sick again!  This time I am hoping it is short lived and just a bad cold but seriously??

It stinks to be sick when you have goals to work on.  Now that I am teaching classes it is harder too because I can't breath.  I think I fake it pretty good though.  Anyways, I sure hope I get feeling better soon; that way I can crank up the workouts even more.

Diet is 80% of it though, so I can't let this be my excuse.  I just have to keep chugging along.  Doing good so far!  I'll be weighing in on Wednesdays.  Hold me accountable to telling you my results.  I am really looking forward to Saturday's zumba class, I hope I feel a little better.  My good friend who is visiting from Nashville has challenged me to make her sweat.  She is in great shape.  It should be a challenge for all of us.

Today was great!  I wasn't supposed to teach but ended up having a class this morning at 9:30.  The class pushed me!  I took requests and I think they saved the 5 hardest songs for the very end.  It felt good though!  It was just what I needed too.  Last night we had went to my grandparents for dinner and they made a meal of salad, pasta, bread, and dessert.  It felt satisfying to burn it off.  Did I mention that I skipped the bread and only ate half my dessert?  I had also ate very light all day so I could account for the bigger meal.  I am eating light again today!  Here is the menu:

Breakfast
Fiber One Bar
String Cheese

Lunch
Tuna sandwich with double fiber wheat bread

Dinner
Baked Salmon with dill sauce
1/2 baked potato
Green Beans

Snacks
Cup of hot tea with agave nectar
Apple
Fiber One Brownie

More Education: Why Fad diets don't work

HCG, master cleanse, juice diets, cabbage soup, liquid diets...we've all tried one of them.  However, you're probably heavier than you were before you started it.  If you are thinking about doing one of these crazy fad diets, read this first.  Why don't they work in the long run?  Here is the reason why. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to maintain its lean muscle mass. When you go on these low calorie diets you DO lose weight but you are not only losing fat. You are losing fat and muscle. This is a big problem, because the more muscle you have the more fat you burn.

So lets say you go on this type of diet for 30 days. Most people can't stick to them for much longer than that. Lets say that best case scenario, you lose 30 pounds (5 pounds of water, 15 pounds of fat, and 10 pounds of lean tissue). Then you go off the diet and now you have 10 pounds less of lean tissue, which burns fat, you gain 10 pounds back almost immediately and those pounds are fat pounds. Now you are actually a higher percentage of fat then you were when you started. So while you might be a few pounds lighter, you are actually fatter! It is also virtually impossible to meet your nutritional needs for carbs, protein, fat and fiber while eating 500 calories. It is also highly likely that you will be deficient in your vitamins and minerals. These crash type diets lower your metabolism because it does not give your body enough calories to fuel it.

This article found on cardiopump.com puts it well and explains the science in layman's terms:

"It’s easy to understand why this phenomenon occurs when you understand the science behind body fat. When you gain weight, your fat cells expand. A fat cell is able to grow to about three times its normal size before dividing. There is no limit to the amount of times a fat cell can divide; it is not able to swell greater than about three times its normal size so as long as you continue to gorge excess calories into your mouth, your fat cells will continue to grow in numbers. Once you have new fat cells, they are there for life. The only known way to get rid of the cells is through liposuction. That’s not to say that after you have these additional new fat cells taking residence in your body that you will forever be overweight. Weight loss is not the reduction of fat cells, but rather the shrinkage of them. Like taking water out of a water balloon, that is what happens when you create a caloric deficit (either through diet, exercise, or both). The body fat stored in the cells will be metabolized out of the body. (I am often asked what happens to the weight? Where does it go? Well, it is excreted through sweat, urine, and carbon dioxide that you expire from your breath). Like a water balloon shrinks down to a flat, flimsy piece of empty balloon when you open the hole and pour out the water, same thing happens with your fat cells when you lose weight. However, that balloon is still fully capable of expanding again if you put the opening back on a faucet and fill it up again. Same goes with your fat cells. They are still sitting in your body like limp balloons, ready and able to swell if you allow caloric intake to outnumber caloric expenditure. This gets me back to why yo-yo dieting makes it difficult to keep weight off permanently. The more fat cells you have, the greater potential you have for gaining weight: the cells already exist so all they need is the calories to plump themselves up again. It’s easier to lose weight and keep it off if the number of fat cells in your body is less. So, instead of jumping on the next fad diet to lose weight quick, and setting yourself up for a feast fest that is sure to fill up your fat cells, multiply them, and leave you in an uphill battle when it comes to achieving a healthy physique long-term."

Hate to break it to you but there is no magic pill, there is no magic diet! In the past I have tried these techniques only to fail miserably. Many of these diets have been around for over 50 years, if they worked...everyone would do them and we wouldn't all be so obese. The only way to lose weight and to do it in a healthy manner is to make lifestyle changes and reduce your calories and become more active. Trust me, I know how hard it is, I know how frustrating it can be when you look at the scale week after week with no results. I want there to be a magic pill; I do... and maybe someday there will be something but for now stay away from all these fad diets and crazy unhealthy low calorie plans. You'll just end up fatter later.


Not trying to offend anyone. These are just my opinions. If you are currently participating in any of the diets listed...best of luck to you...I truly do wish you the best :)

One-derland

Well, today is exactly 3 weeks since I started on this new journey.  I had started the day after Christmas and I am proud to report that I have lost 7.8 pounds during those 3 weeks.   Today I met a huge milestone too.  I made it back into one-derland....that is when the first digit on the scale is a 1.  Woot woot.  Three weeks ago I weighed 207.6 and today I am 199.8.  I never want to see a two in the front, EVER again.  I was in one-derland about a year ago and some how had let myself slip.  Here is a commitment to NEVER see it again.

I am not going to lie.  For the first time it seems to be much easier.  Every other time I have done weight loss I have felt hungry and deprived.  I am not sure why it feels different this time, I can't quite put my finger on it.  The truth is that I really like healthy food.  I enjoy fruits, vegetables, lean meats and limited carbs.  I think the trick has been planning.  I love to cook and I have been making some really good meals.  I have made them lighter by tweaking some of the ingredients but they have been yummy.  I have still allowed myself small indulgences.  I still drink one coke zero a day, I also eat one small piece of dark chocolate.  I have also found these new fiber one brownies that are 90 calories and actually taste really good.

I have began to enjoy a cup of hot tea in the afternoon.  3PM is my weakness, it is when I start to get hungry and want a snack; lately I have been eating my 90 calorie brownie and a cup of hot tea with agave nectar in it.  It fills and warms my belly and makes me feel full and satisfies my sweet tooth.  What are your healthy indulgences?  I have also really been loving the small cutie oranges that are in season right now.  They are so easy to peel and only 45 calories; my kids love them too!

Starting a new week today!  Hold me accountable.  Those of you planning to come to Zumba on Saturday, bring your A-game, cause it is going to be a tough workout....I plan to BRING IT!

Dance, dance, dance

I have danced my whole life.  I started when I was 3 and took lessons thru high school.  When I was 14 I joined a competitive traveling team and got to experience some really awesome stuff.  I even took some dance in College.  Dance was a huge part of my life and a huge part of my exercise.  At one point I was in lessons for 4-5 days a week, 2-3 hours a day.  When it all stopped, it seemed like I didn't know how to exercise.  I took some aerobics but found it to be boring and just wanted to dance.  I actually dreamed about being one of those dorks that are in the shows at places like Dollywood.  I got a taste of it when I got to dance in one of the parades at Disney and for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

However, I got married when I was 18 and put myself through college and there was no dancing.   My days looked like this:
7AM-Get off work, take shower
8AM-Go to your first class
3PM-Get done with school
4PM-Answer calls at the College IT help desk
5-11-Sleep, do homework, eat dinner, get ready for work
11-7-Wait tables at Denny's Restaurant

If any of your kids want to tell you that they have it hard (while you are paying their way to school), remind them that lots of people have it a lot worse.  It really wasn't so bad and I only did that for a year and then I got a different job with better shifts but I have had two jobs almost my ENTIRE life.  Even now if you count teaching Zumba as a job.  So why would I want to add another thing to my plate?  I have 2 kids to play with and a CPR business to run...Zumba really?

Well, let me just tell you that teaching Zumba has been such a blessing.  You are all blessings.  I have made some great friends and knowing that you all will be there hold me accountable.  I am doing something that I truly love.  Dancing again!  And in the process getting in better shape.  I could have done that by being just a participant right?  I don't think so.  For me, I am very motivated by being in the front.  Who wants to be the teacher and be the biggest girl in class.  Not me!  It also forces me to be there.  For example, yesterday I was so SORE.  I had worked out with Travis on Saturday and he had trained me to do some squats.  There is no way that I would have went to Zumba yesterday.  Yet, I had to go.  So I did, and something magical happens as soon as I turn on the music and look at all your faces.  It also makes me happy to see people that remind me of how I was 2 years ago; and I hope that I can motivate them.

It is great to have instructors that are in awesome shape.  It motivates me but it can be overwhelming and make you feel like crap when you have a weight problem.  It makes it seem like you have SO FAR to go.  I want everyone to feel comfortable in class.  We are all at different levels.  However, don't underestimate this big girl...cause you're all about to get your butt kicked on Saturday.  Keep coming, I love you guys!

Exercise Plan for this Week

Here is my exercise plan for the week.  Hold me accountable to it!  It is easy to put other things first but exercise is so important.

Sunday: 60 minutes on treadmill
Monday: Teach Zumba
Tuesday: Go to evening Zumba/back & biceps weight workout
Wednesday: 20 minutes elliptical/chest & triceps weight workout
Thursday: off day
Friday: Jillian Michael's 30-day shred video at home
Saturday: teach Zumba

I recently read an article about diet and exercise.  Here is an interesting fact.  For weight loss, diet is hands down the most important.  For mental well-being, exercise wins by a landslide.  However, for overall health & longevity you must have a mixture of the two and both are equally important.  Makes sense, right?

Good luck sticking to your exercise goals this week!  You can do it.

Creating Small Goals

I love, love, love the Biggest Loser.  I have watched every episode of every season.  I hated last season because of all the drama and back stabbing but with the return of Jillian Michaels this season, I knew I'd be watching.  To be honest, I rarely watch TV.  I think it is a time sucking, fat making machine.  I do watch occasional movies on Netflix and sometimes spend too much time sitting and doing the internet but for the most part I try to be moving.  I love playing with my kids, making dinner and even though not my very favorite I even enjoy running errands and picking up the house.  I really don't have time for tv...between CPR classes, running a business, planning meals, taking care of kids, teaching zumba, learning new dances, etc there isn't lots of extra time.

However, lots of people watch tv.  Sadly I can't tell you a single thing about Grey's anatomy or Downtown Abbey.  I have never seen Sex in the City or Lost but I bet you have.  Have you?  What's your favorite?

I am fortunate enough to have a treadmill.  For one of my small goals I decided that I would not allow myself to watch the Biggest Loser unless I was watching it from my treadmill.  I guess if I like the show well enough then I will put in the work to earn it.  The season premier was 2 hours long and I walked 6 miles that first night.  It was really hard, actually.  Yet the time seemed to go by really quickly.

Too many people get sucked into the television and especially kids.  We don't even have a tv on the main level of our house.  If you want to watch tv you have to the basement.  When my mother-in-law came to visit, this practically drove her crazy as she loves her shows like Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars.

I encourage you all to be more active with your kids.  Limit the TV time.  Set an example.  While I was on the treadmill my kids were watching.  You may not have a treadmill but you have a body that works so work it.  Here are some ideas for you, if you don't have a treadmill.  During your favorite show challenge yourself to exercise during all of the commercials   Here are some things you could do: jumping jacks, push ups, sit ups, high knees, speed skaters, butt kickers, pretend jump rope, burpees, lunges, air squats, etc.  Are you in??  Let me know how it goes!

What have I been eating for breakfast?

For the first time ever, I haven't felt deprived while trying to lose weight.  I have still enjoyed many of the foods that I love.  I also notice that when I am not eating junk, I don't crave it but when I do give in to the temptation it usually isn't good.  I have ate very yummy food but not any junk!  I'll need your support when I eat that first dessert and it ends up being 3.  Yikes.

Anyway, I have been logging all of my food so I thought I would share what some of my days look like.  On mornings that I zumba I can't eat much for breakfast.  May sound silly but I am not sure if it is nerves or what but I never feel like eating much.  Today I am going to focus on breakfast.  I will do another post for lunch, dinner and snacks.

Day 1 
Coffee with FF creamer
Oatmeal w/ 1 TBSP brown sugar & pecans

Day 2
Coffee with FF creamer
Fiber One Protein Bar
24 seedless grapes

Day 3
Coffee with FF creamer
1 C Raisin Bran w/ 1/2 C skim milk

Day 4
Coffee with FF creamer
Banana & Cutie Orange
String Cheese

Day 5
Coffee with FF creamer
Chobani Greek Pineapple Yogurt
Handful of roasted almonds

Now if you are a big breakfast eater, these probably don't look like much.  I hate breakfast and only eat it because I know it gets your engine going.  I force myself to eat something but don't like to eat much.  Another thing I like to eat but haven't recently is a homemade egg mcmuffin.  I make these with two egg whites and a little deli sliced ham and low fat cheese.  They are yummy and have lots of protein.

Maybe, you are one that doesn't eat breakfast.  This used to be me!  I never used to eat breakfast and I wouldn't really get hungry until after noon.  When I first started eating breakfast I noticed that I was starving by like 10:45 or 11.  I couldn't figure it out...shouldn't it be the opposite?  Well, let me tell you why.  When you don't eat any breakfast your metabolism is running so slow; however when you eat breakfast it revs it up and makes your body burn more.  It literally is just like a car.  If you filled up your tank with gas and then ran it at 5mph it would take a long time to get empty but if you filled it up and then ran it at 50mph it would run out of gas a lot sooner.  That is pretty much how your metabolism works.  When you don't eat breakfast your metabolism is going 5mph but when you fuel it up and eat it runs better and faster, hence why you get hungry faster.

This week I am encouraging you all to eat SOMETHING for breakfast every day.  It can be small but within 45 minutes of waking...eat a little something to get that fire burning!  Good luck.  What do you eat for breakfast?  Please share in the comments (unless its biscuits & gravy) then you better keep that to yourself. ;)