High Five!

Day #5

FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK! I love lazy Fridays. My sweet mother-in-law just so happened to take the kiddos during the afternoon, so I got to go shopping (by myself) at my most favorite establishment….Any guesses? GOODWILL! I love it there. It's random-you never see the same thing twice. I could spend hours there. (I did, but I’m not saying how many!) Looking at everything from clothes to dresses to knick knacks! I consider it therapy. It’s cheap, effective, fun and a good day if I leave with absolutely nothing! I've mentioned before that I’m weird, right?

As far as exercise goes, I took the day off. I didn't mean to, but when I was ready to go in the morning, I had repair men at the house. So, I figured I would give it extra oomph on Saturday! 

Not true, but made me giggle!

My total calorie consumption for the day was 1165. A little low, but since I didn't do any exercise (unless you count goodwill shopping) I was ok with the total.

Name	Type	Quantity	Units	Calories
Egg Whites, Large	Breakfast	2	Each	50
Egg, Whole, Large	Breakfast	1	Each	78
Bacon, Cooked	Breakfast	2	Pieces	87
Cream	Breakfast	3	Tablespoons	60
Coffee, Brewed	Breakfast	16	Fluid ounces	5
Baby Spring Mix	Lunch	2	Cups	10
Egg Whites, Large, Ckd	Lunch	1	Each	25
Balsamic Vinaigrette - Light	Lunch	2	Tablespoons	45
Beef, Brisket, Whole, Cooked	Lunch	2	Ounces	165
Broccoli, Stmd, Chopped	Lunch	1	Cup	55
Cabbage, Shredded, Cooked	Dinner	1.5	Cups	52
Onion, Yellow, Chopped	Dinner	0.25	Cup	16
Chicken Breast, Skinless,	Dinner	1	Each	142
Peas, Green, Cooked	Dinner	0.25	Cup	34
Egg Whites, Large, Ckd	Dinner	2	Each	50
Soy Sauce, Low Sodium	Dinner	1	Tablespoon	5
Olive Oil	Snacks	1/3	Tablespoon	40
Coffee, Brewed	Snacks	8	Fluid ounces	2
Peanut Butter, Natural, Creamy	Snacks	1	Tablespoon	95
Almonds, Coco Roast	Snacks	1	Ounce	150

I made awesome Chinese food for dinner! Cabbage, onions, chicken, peas, egg whites, soy sauce, olive oil and red pepper flakes! Stir fry that up and you will be one happy camper! I just bought some sesame oil and I am anxious to use it next week on my Chinese concoction!

At this point, you might have noticed a small trend, ie. Cocoa Roasted almonds and Peanut butter. Depending on how many calories I’ve saved up at the end of the day, I love to finish my night off with that tasty treat! It’s so delicious and so satisfying!

OOOOH--I almost forgot. My tangible motivator "secret" picture from Day #4. If you guessed swimsuit, you were right! And I just got to thinkin'.... what a great excuse for you to buy a new purse...gotta have one with extra space to store the new swimsuit! Woo-hoo! Let's go shopping!

This is what you say when you are out with your friends...
"Sorry, I'm not having  "......." because I'm wearing this super hot swimsuit in 42 days!

Is anyone out there? Am I just typing into cyber-space or what? Please leave a comment below if you have made one (or more) change(s) this week! Other's might benefit from seeing your decision to jump on this 47 day challenge too! I’d love to hear from you! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

God Bless You today!

Trisha

Day #4 - Thirsty Thursday

Day #4

WOW. It’s already Thursday. (I usually find myself saying this.  Sometimes it feels like I blink and the week is almost over.) Thursdays are typically a very busy day! Lots of great things I get to do. Work, Play (run children all over tar-nation) and go to Bible Study!

Thirsty Thursday? I haven’t mentioned much about water…Water is so vital to our bodies. Did you know water COMPLETES the fat burning process? Well it does!! Water carries the fat out of our bodies though our sweat and urine. Caffeinated beverages dehydrate (remove water) from our bodies. So, for every caffeinated beverage I drink (ie. Coffee with cream) I try to match with a glass of water! That way, I’m continuing to re-hydrate and flush the fat from my body!  

My total calorie consumption for today was 1244. I taught a 55 minute ZUMBA class, so I get to count that as my exercise! YAY for ZUMBA!

Name	Type	Quantity	Units	Calories
Cream,	Breakfast	2	Tablespoons	40
Fit Frappe	Breakfast	1	Scoop	60
Peanut Fudge Granola Bar	Breakfast	1	Each	210
Chicken Fillets (Mesquite)	Lunch	3	Ounces	110
Baby Spring Mix	Lunch	3	Cups	15
Egg Whites, Large, Ckd	Lunch	1	Each	25
Balsamic Vinaigrette - Light	Lunch	2	Tablespoons	45
Swiss Cheese	Dinner	1	Serving	80
Ground Beef, 90% Lean	Dinner	0.25	Pound	246
Beans, Green	Dinner	1	Cup	34
Guacamole, Spicy	Dinner	2	Tablespoons	54
Bacon, Cooked	Dinner	1	Piece	43
Baby Spring Mix	Dinner	3	Cups	15
Bacon, Cooked	Snacks	0.5	Piece	22
Pickle- Dill spear	Snacks	2	Servings	0
Peanut Butter, Natural, Creamy	Snacks	1	Tablespoon	95
Almonds, Coco Roast	Snacks	1	Ounce	150

I had one of those delicious leftover hamburgers for dinner! In case you can’t tell by all the ingredients…It was a cheesy, bacon, guacamole burger! (My mouth re-waters as I type that out!)  I ate extra early because I have a ladies bible study in the evening (which is absolutely fantastic) but I had to make sure I wasn’t the slightest bit hungry or I might have broken down and eaten a “treat!” With the current diet program, I’m trying to stick as closely to primal/ketogenic as possible; meaning no carbohydrates (unless they are mostly green veggies and nuts), no sugar, no grains, etc.  Which brings me to conversations I usually end up being a part of:  “It doesn't matter-just eat this tiny bit” or “You aren't allowed to?”, or “It’s just one piece of cake, cookie, etc.” I am often reminded of the bible verse “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 Of course I’m allowed to eat whatever I want. I’m just choosing to eat in this manner, for this time frame! Would one measly nibble of “—insert sweet product here—“ ruin me? No probably not.  But when you eat just one nibble, your judgment can often get skewed and so can your self-control.

There are so many dietary programs I recommend. One’s that are WAY less strict! I’m not wanting to lose a ton of “weight”, (although this can definitely do that) I’m wanting to strip away body fat! I will go over other diets that I like or recommend in upcoming days. (I've got to have something to talk about the next 43 days, don’t I?)

Can you guess what that is in my purse?

This is a little motivator I use. Something real and tangible. I'll fill you in tomorrow!

Is anyone on Day #1 yet? Motivated to make a small change? Sometimes the best way to start is to get in the habit of writing down your food. I’d love to hear your feedback!

Day #3 -- Self-Control

Day #3
First day of real temptation. I get to go to bible study and these wonderful women bring all sorts of delicious concoctions; of course every kind of bread and danish and stuffed French toast you could ever imagine! But I brought my breakfast bar along, munched on it and was optimistically satisfied! (Thank goodness it tastes like a Butterfinger!) Wednesday night used to be make a pizza night…but not for the next 7 weeks! It was a beautiful evening, so instead we grilled out delicious hamburgers, with swiss cheese and spicy guacamole! Yummy-delish! Today I did 35 minutes on the elliptical. I tried to use my heart rate as a guide. Going very high intensity (80% of my max heart rate) and recovering every 2-4 minutes. It’s quite effective! I also watched Food Network while I “Ellipticized” DON’T JUDGE! I love cooking. I love learning about cooking. It makes no sense that I watch it while I exercise though-but I did. Like I said, No judging! J My total calorie consumption for the day was 1280. I went a little over my 1250 limit, (probably Food Network’s fault) but I’m not going to let it get me down! My content for the last 3 days has overall been very good.

	Name	Type	Quantity	Units	Calories
	Cream,	Breakfast	4	Tablespoons	80
	Peanut Fudge Granola Bar	Breakfast	1	Each	210
	Chicken Fillets (Mesquite)	Lunch	3	Ounces	110
	Baby Spring Mix	Lunch	3	Cups	15
	Bacon, Cooked	Lunch	0.5	Piece	22
	Egg Whites, Large, Ckd	Lunch	1	Each	25
	Balsamic Vinaigrette - Light	Lunch	2	Tablespoons	45
	Swiss Cheese	Dinner	1	Serving	80
	Ground Beef, 90% Lean	Dinner	0.333	Pound	328
	Beans, Green	Dinner	1.5	Cups	51
	Guacamole, Spicy	Dinner	2	Tablespoons	54
	Fit Frappe	Snacks	1.5	Scoops	90
	Peanut Butter, Natural	Snacks	1	Tablespoon	95
	Almonds, Coco Roast	Snacks	0.5	Ounce	75

As I get settled in to my new routine, there are some moments when I have to remind myself what my goals are. Why am I doing this? What is my reason? Well....my wonderful husband and I (and our 2 children) are going on a vacation. WOWZA!! A real 7-day vacation! I want to look and feel my best. I know we will take many pictures and I want to be able to look back at those and be proud of myself.   I have to be honest…this program does take self-control. But during my latest bible study, I was asked to review the fruits of the spirit. You know what? Self-control was one of them! That has given me the inspiration and motivation to keep pushing forward. Thank you Jesus!

What is your goal? Your motivation? Your reason?

Day #2

Day #2
It’s Tuesday. I ALWAYS start on a Monday? Why? Because of my weirdness. No scientific reason. Just because. You should feel free to start whatever day you get your mind right. First, you get your mind right and then your BODY TIGHT!!

Not only is it Tuesday...It's "Taco Tuesday @ Trisha's!" My total calorie consumption for the day was 1243. I did fairly well…minus all the coffee and cream consumption. (In all honesty—I was so embarrassed that I almost erased it! But then I thought….that wouldn’t be very transparent, now would it?)  I did 35 minutes of high intensity circuit training today. A full body workout with no rests. VERY CHALLENGING! (for me) 

	Name	Type	Quantity	Units	Calories
	*Cream, Half & Half, Traditional	Breakfast	5	Tablespoons	100
	Peanut Fudge Granola Bar	Breakfast	1	Each	210
	Salad With Chicken, Greens	Lunch	1.5	Servings	353
	Bacon, Cooked	Lunch	1	Piece	43
	Egg Whites, Large, Ckd	Lunch	1	Each	25
	Guacamole, Spicy	Dinner	2	Tablespoons	54
	Cheese, Cheddar, Shredded	Dinner	0.25	Cup	114
	Ground Beef, 90% Lean	Dinner	3	Ounces	184
	Sauce, Mild, Taco, Original	Dinner	1	Tablespoon	10
	Cream, Traditional	Snacks	2	Tablespoons	40
	Pickle- Dill spear	Snacks	2	Servings	0
	EAS Chocolate Shake	Snacks	1	Serving	110

*I didn’t have 5 tablespoons of cream in the morning. It’s just simpler to add on tablespoons throughout the day when I have more coffee.

Weird Quirk #179 Coffee is kind of like my husband. Same man every day and yet I soooooo look forward to being with him, seeing him, talking to him! Coffee (for me) is exactly like that! I love coffee(with cream). No, I mean I really love coffee(with cream). I love it hot or iced or blended. I love that first sip in the morning. YUM!  I know it’s going to taste exactly the same way tomorrow, but I don’t care. As I sit here and think about it… It really is a good reason for me to get out of bed in the morning! There you go. All of that to say. I’m NOT, I repeat, NOT giving up coffee(with cream). It’s just not going to happen. I will gladly write down my 2, 4, 6, etc TBSP of cream everyday.  It’s not horribly detrimental to my program. It’s not horribly detrimental to my body. It’s natural. I love it! If you don’t—you get those extra calories to spend elsewhere…just not on SUGAR!

The diet I like to stick closest to is ketogenic. It’s kind of like Atkins or South Beach. It involves no sugars(or VERY, VERY few) and it allows your body to use stored fat as energy instead of glucose. In the beginning you might feel a little foggy or sluggish. (HENCE ALL THE COFFEE!) It’s ok. It will get better. It’s just your body switching over its “fuel” consumption method. If you don’t feel like hard core exercising the first week-DON’T! Just do moderate exercise or start by taking walks while your body is getting accustomed to this new process. It is highly effective and you will love the results!

One last important thing to mention: If you choose to eat this way, then you MUST stick to it! If you find yourself “cheating”, ie. Sugars, breads, grains, alcohol etc—this will NOT work. You would be better off just counting calories.  You can still follow along with me though!

BTW--Do you have any weird  unusual food quirks?

47 Days to the New You!

Hey everybody! -It's Trisha Lee here and I thought I might try to do something special with the world wide web. I'm going to take you along on my latest diet/fitness journey. It’s time for a “lean-out” cycle. I normally go through cycles with my diet and fitness regimen. (My concentration and ability to stay “clean” and SUPER focused can only last for about 6-8 weeks at a time. During the time when I’m not “Super-focused,” I am basically relaxed and just maintaining.) Get ready for a LONG first post.

On this current cycle, I’m trying to get the best results I can in 47 days. Weird number. Who cares. It’s on like Donkey Kong! My hope is that by journaling through these next 6 weeks and 7 days, you will see how I go from “Ordinary and OK” to “Fit and Fabulous”! I hope to inspire you all to see how easy, difficult, challenging, fun and rewarding a 47 day challenge can be. My hope is also to be as transparent as possible, giving you encouragement, food tips, exercise tips and motivation to start this 47 day challenge with me.

Let’s get started! This is how I roll: I need to get a starting point. There are so many ways to measure progress. I usually use Body Fat %, Weight, & Measurements. If you know someone who can take your %Body Fat-you should ask them to do it. If you don’t, you should ask me to do it! I would be happy to help! The two easiest methods are by using bioelectrical impedance or skinfold calipers.    

Get a sticky note and write this down and then fill in the blanks.

After you fill in all the blanks-take that sticky note and stick it to the underside of your keyboard! (Or a nice safe place that only YOU know where it is!) Next, I take one day at a time. The very first day is probably the hardest and most exciting. Usually, I’m trying to decide if I’m really going to throw down, if I really want this. Once I’ve fully committed in my mind. IT IS ON! No backing out. No CHEATING! (There will be a planned day or two or three for that in the future.) No compromising. Be true to this one thing and it will empower you for so much more. Resist temptations to eat things you aren’t supposed to or to not exercise. Those days will come…turn your back on “the yuck” and find support. Even if it is just leaving the kitchen!

Preparations: First thing is first - Get a food tool. No, Not a fork…a tool to help track your diet! I LOVE  the app “Lose it!” It’s free. Awesome. It’s Easy. Awesome. It does all the math for you. DOUBLE AWESOME. It can be on your smart phone and/or on your computer. Awesome.  It also allows you to take a snap shot of daily meals –so that I way I can show it to you and give you a very clear, detailed picture of what I eat! (And keep me accountable.) You could also use an app like “My Fitness Pal” or even use a journal. The important thing is to keep a VERY detailed record of what you are eating. Using measuring cups, spoons, scales, etc. will also be helpful in getting the best results. Sometimes when we “wing it” it gives us bigger “wings” than we would care to share in a sleeveless top!

DISCLAIMER: This is my journey. This is inspiration for your journey. This is not a medically supervised diet plan. Please consult your physician before starting any diet program. I try my best, through research and trial to consume foods that I feel would be nourishing, filling, high in fiber, LOW in carbohydrates, and allow me to feed my muscles and sustain my body ALL while stripping fat! It is not extreme. I don’t feel HUNGRY all the time. (I do feel hungry though, when it’s time to eat.) Important note there…It’s ok to be hungry; so many of us are accustomed to never feeling hunger pangs. We’ve trained our body to eat even when we aren’t hungry.

Let’s go to the store(s). I go to Sam’s and ALDI’S and Walmart and Dillons and Target….I love to grocery shop. Basically anything that involves “shopping” I love! However, 90% of what I buy comes from Sam’s and ALDI’S. This is my journey. I have to be able to afford to feed myself and my family. Do I buy organic? Some things I do. Do I wish I could all the time? Yes. But like I said….I’m keeping it real here. In the beginning of this said journey, I like to keep my diet very simple, tasty and repeatable. I don’t mind eating the same things a lot. It makes it easy and quick. So, the main staples in my diet during this time are as follows:

SAMS:
-Organic Spring Mix ($5.Gigantic box of spring mix. You could eat six cups of that and it’s only 30 calories)
-Rotisserie Chicken ($5)
-Fit Frappe (Coffee Protein Drink mix.)
-Emerald’s Cocoa Roasted Almonds ($12. My family LOVES these. You can buy smaller quantities elsewhere, but we have proven it more cost effective to just buy the large container at SAMS.)
-Atkins Peanut Fudge Granola Bars ($15. Tastes like a Butterfinger. I eat these for breakfast on days I have  to leave the house early. Once again…smaller quantities are available at your local grocer.)
-EAS Advantage Shake ( I get the chocolate. Smaller quantities are available at other stores. I advise to purchase those first until you find your favorite flavor.)
-Mesquite Grilled Frozen Boneless, skinless Chicken fillets (in a bag)

Just a few of the items on the list...

ALDI’S

-BACON. Nuff said.
-Eggs. (I buy lots. Some to hard boil and some to cook for breakfast. An egg white is only 25 calories with nearly 6 grams of protein! Super tasty in my scrumptious salads)
-Light Balsamic Vinaigrette (I sometimes make my own dressings from lemons and olive oil, but currently I’m totally digging this dressing. I only use 2 TBSP though!)
-Frozen “fancy” green beans. Because I’m fancy.
-Frozen Broccoli (steamable) or you could buy fresh—very affordable!
-Spicy Guacamole. (You could buy avocados and make guac- I’ve done that. A lot. But I really like the flavor, convenience, and spiciness!)
-Dill Pickle Spears. Crunchy, yummy, cold, sour, 0 calories….what’s that? ZERO!!!!
-Fresh Garlic (3 pack is usually a buck or less. I usually mince it and throw it in when I roast my veggies!)
-Fresh Lemons (19 Cents/lemon. Totally worth it! Lemons allow you to add so much flavor, to veggies, meat, etc.  without adding calories.)

Are you with me still? I know, changing the way you do things can be difficult. You can do it! You are worth it. Here is what Day #1 looks like. Total calories for the day 1163. It’s a little low. I’m shooting for 1250 calories/day. I don’t ever recommend people go under 1200/day. As I look back, there are several things I would change. First of all. BREAKFAST. I was out of my bars. I work on Monday mornings and I just didn’t have time to make an egg. (I did go to the store after work and get the Atkins bars though, so I’m set for tomorrow!) My exercise for the day consisted of 2 (55 Minute) ZUMBA classes. Do you need to do 2? Nope! It’s my job on Monday’s though. So kudos to me for getting extra cardio!

Name	Type	Quantity	Units	Calories
Cream, Half & Half, Traditional	Breakfast	2	Tablespoons	40
*Salad With Chicken, Greens	Lunch	1	Serving	235
Egg Whites, Large, Ckd	Lunch	2	Each	50
*Salad With Chicken, Greens	Dinner	1.5	Servings	353
Egg Whites, Large, Ckd	Dinner	1	Each	25
Almonds, Coco Roast	Snacks	1	Ounce	150
Pickle- Dill spear	Snacks	1	Serving	0
Medium Iced Coffee	Snacks	1	Serving	120
Peanut Butter, Natural, Creamy	Snacks	2	Tablespoons	190

*Anytime it says salad, I have computed all my ingredients together. Spring mix, sliced fresh onion, two mushrooms, 2 TBSP of salad dressing.

Biggest tip of the day: Measure and record.  BEST THING ABOUT DAY#1??? IT’S OVER! Yay! Stay tuned for day #2. See you tomorrow!

Myth #2-If you're not sore, your workout didn’t count?

Myth #2 If you’re not sore, your workout didn’t count- I hear this one all the time. By this logic, when I sit in my chair too long and my back gets sore, then I just had a killer “sitting session?” J Soreness can be a side effect of a tough workout that has produced muscle tissue breakdown. This is a good thing; however that should not be happening all the time. If it is, your body is not getting enough time to recover. If you help someone move or work in the garden, you’re likely to be sore the next day. Mainly because you overtaxed some muscles that didn’t have the ability to work at that capacity for that amount of time. I get results for people all the time with workouts that don’t make them sore. Don’t read that wrong. You will get sore sometimes, but the point is it should be more seldom than more often.

So, if you do get sore, the following are tips to reduce your soreness:
1.      Stretch and massage. You should stretch after you workout while your muscles are warmed up. Manual massage or foam rolling will help as well.
2.      Drinking plenty of water can help get rid of the byproducts (mostly lactic acid) of your workout that are making you sore. As a side note, water also flushes the remnants of the fat burning process through our sweat and urine.
3.      Biofreeze or a similar product is also great for relieving soreness temporarily.   

     
 Questions, Comments or Concerns? Please let me know if you have any health, fitness or nutrition topics you would like to hear more about! Are you participating in a workout program and just not getting the results you want, maybe there is something that just needs a little tweaking-I'm here to help.

Common Fitness Myths

What you believe about exercise may be your undoing!

Have you ever thought that you would like to workout,  but reconsider because, "Who has all that time and energy!?" If you have, you’re not alone. Many people believe your fitness routine has to be absolutely grueling and take at least an hour or more daily. In today’s blog I want to address some common fitness myths that I see other “fitness gurus” promoting.

Myth #1 Boot Camp Style-   TO ACHIEVE RESULTS, YOU MUST: RUN. FLIP TIRES. RUN MORE. DO 50 BURPEES. DO 100 HANDSTAND PUSHUPS. PUSH AN SUV ACROSS THE PARKING LOT. HAVE A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE! Let me clear up the confusion: You don’t have to kill yourself working out to get an impressive physical transformation. Then why would so many "fitness gurus" work you out this way? Honestly, it's because that’s the way they train themselves. You think to yourself, "But that must work because they appear to be in such great shape, right?" Wrong! I’m not saying you won’t have to do some work, because you will. But, if you’re looking for long term sustainable results, you don’t have to kill it (or yourself) every workout to get there. It’s all a matter of expectations. If you want to look like a fitness magazine cover model, then you do need to train more often and more intensely. However, if you truly just want to lose weight, look better in your clothes and be healthier - then it doesn’t need to totally consume your life. Will you have to make changes to your current lifestyle? Most likely. Will you have to switch to eating precisely every 3 hours broccoli, rice and chicken? Nope.

Click Here to view some more of our transformations in 2012.

The people in those before and after results didn't live at the gym. They made changes. They had accountability. They got great results. They appllied a balanced long term approach. The average workout time to achieve those results? 30-40 minutes a day, 3-6 days a week.

At Premier Fitness, we try to design something that is fully comprehensive, but doesn't require you to dedicate your entire life to the program. Fitness should become "part of your life" and NOT become "all of who you are."  If you're going to make a change this year, you really need to examine exactly what you want and what you are willing to sacrifice to get there.

STAY TUNED FOR MYTH #2: "If you're not sore, your workout didn't count?".