Tight Tooshie Thursday :)

Are you ready for your weekly dose of all things fitness?

I have to say that this part of my health journey is beginning to be

the exciting part for me.

When I'm on that treadmill, or doing those crunches,

I can feel myself getting stronger and my body changing.

The more I do it, the more I want to do it.

It's addicting in a way.

I was pretty athletic growing up.

I danced for 10 years, I played softball, volleyball, basketball, threw shot put & discus on track-- well, let's be honest, I wasn't very good at shot put or discus, but I did get to work out in the weight room with the football players {perk!}--I'm just being honest :)

I have great memories of playing club volleyball and

playing at a level that I could push myself.

Pushing yourself gives you something to reach for.

And when you succeed, it's the best feeling!

One of the greatest accomplishments of my life so far {besides my husband and children} is when I was certified on the high ropes course at The Pines Camp back in 1999.

It was something I had no desire to do when I was first asked,

but I decided to try something out of my comfort zone.

It was the most physically and mentally challenging thing I have ever done.

I was terrified at the beginning.

But in the end, there I was, climbing 30 ft. trees, setting up belay systems, and encouraging kids to fall forward off a 20 ft. platform to zip line down.

I not only earned my certification, I was 2nd in my class.

And I was in the best shape of my life.

I used every single muscle in my body to the max that summer!

{here I am the summer of  '99 in all my high ropes glory!}

I think the key to fitness is to find something you like to do.

Working out shouldn't be boring.

If you enjoy it, you will do it.

It's different for everyone.

I am not a runner, but I have friends who love it.

I am not into riding a bike for long distances, but some people find it cathartic.

I like to dance, so I do a Zumba class.

I also like to watch TV, so I do a cardio climb on the treadmill.

It's like being a couch potato with benefits :)

I also have come to realize that I like to sweat.

When I sweat, I feel like I accomplished something.

So I like to do a lot of cardio.

I haven't done a jumping jack in forever.

I am now up to 2 sets of 40 jumping jacks, mixed with some pop ups where you bend down to touch your toes and then pop straight up in the air and back down again.

I am sweating a ton after some sets of those.

These are just a few of my fav things.

I'm not an expert on fitness.

I'm just a mom who's gonna lose it!

Weigh in Wednesday with Hope

Ugh! I feel like a horrible blogger.

A few of you have messaged me today asking where my weigh in post was.

You said "Isn't it Weigh in Wednesday?"

It made me feel bad for not getting a chance to post until now,

but also made me smile that you all are coming to expect it each Wednesday!

So cool!!!

Well, it was one of "those" weeks.

I know I should focus more on the results I feel than the weight, but honestly, I fully intended to get on the scale and be down 3 lbs, at least.

I mean, I have worked out every day this week, except one, and I haven't been that bad on my calorie intake. Of course, the Girl Scout Cookies did come this week... 

 

So, today I weighed in and I haven't gained, but I haven't lost.

I am still the same weight as last Wednesday.

Total loss of 12 lbs...still...

Now for the GREAT news, because you all know me a little by now and you should know that I can spin anything from a negative to a positive.

Well, I did my measurements and there was the success I was looking for; the validation that all my hard work is not in vain!

 

I am down 3 1/2 ins. on my waist, 2 3/4 ins. on my hips, 1/2 in. around my thighs, and 1/4 in. around my upper arm

(not going to say bicep, because that just sounds silly right now)

So, that is pretty awesome!

I have noticed that my hips have gone down a lot.

I don't know if anyone else notices that, but I do.

Oh, and who went down a size in her jeans? This girl!!

Now that shows me how hard I've been working.

I'm thinking that I'm losing fat and gaining muscle right now.

And I'm sure my metabolism is still trying to catch up too.

I'll get there...just slow going right now.

This is usually the time when most people give up on their diet or their workouts because they aren't seeing the results on the scale. If that's you, I encourage you to NOT do that.

Getting in shape doesn't happen over night. And anything worth doing is worth the effort.

 

My thought for this week:

 “All great achievements require time.”

~Maya Angelou

{me after a quick 45 min workout}



Tasty Tuesday: Orange Teriyaki Beef

Orange Teriyaki Beef

Ingredients:

- 1 pound thinly sliced flank steak

- 2 cups uncooked rice

- 3 cloves garlic

- 2 green onions

- 1 orange

- 1/2 cup soy sauce

- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

- tsp corn starch optional

-1 tbsp safflower oil (or whatever oil you choose)

Combine soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, diced bulb of green onion, crushed garlic, and whisk together. To thicken sauce add a tsp of corn starch. Add juice of one orange and orange zest to sauce. Set sauce aside. Cook rice as directed. Chop green part of onion to your preference and set aside. In a large saute pan or wok heat safflower oil to just below smoke point. Add meat and cook until mostly brown. Add half sauce to browned meat to deglaze pan, be sure to mix well. Bring to simmer. Add the rest of sauce. Simmer for 5-7 mins. Add half green onion, stir. 

Serve meat on top of rice, garnish with remaining green onion.  

Serves 4     1/4 of meat is 6 WW points and 1 cup of white rice is 5 WW points. 

Courtesy of my healthy chef: my hubby

I love this, it is so yummy! I'm not a huge fan of green onions though, so I leave off the garnish. :) Enjoy and let me know how you like it.

Motivation Monday ::: Guest post by Dwight Jordan (my hubby)

Introducing Motivation Monday: to help us get motivated. A guest post from my hubby. I love him!!!!!

Motivation is an interesting thing. It comes only after a deep realization of truth and then, leaves so easily. That's why so many of us struggle to stay motivated.  That is especially true when that motivation involves health and fitness. One of my favorite jokes is from the comedian Jim Gaffigan. He asks the questions “Have you ever come across a picture of yourself and it just ruins your day” or “Have you ever seen a picture of yourself and said, I better call my wife and tell her how much I love her”? Ok, I have answered yes to those questions and have found motivation in that instant. But very soon that feeling leaves me, usually as I arrive at the gym. That’s why true motivation must come from within.  To be successful at anything, one must find the desire within the soul.

Along this line of thinking I ask you to recall the greatest basketball player of all time. Michael Jordan was great. Yes, he was physically gifted and had all of the athletic gifts to become an NBA player. However, it was not talent alone that propelled him to be the greatest. It was his drive to be the best. Something inside him did not allow failure.  It was that drive, that lead him to find motivation in press clippings and little things. So every game he would perform regardless of the circumstances.   Nothing could stop Jordan when he was at his best. In fact, sports casters would often say “you can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him”.  And I would sing the song from the commercial … Sometimes I dream, that he is me… Like Mike … If I could be like Mike” .  Well, there are lots of reasons I can’t be like Mike. But in one way we all can be like him. We can all refuse to quit, refuse to lose, and refuse to fail.

Back to that picture I was talking about above.  Or even the latest glance in the mirror. These items can awake that winner inside us. Awake the desire to be more and live up to our potential. For me those pictures have brought me to this point. I decided that I didn’t want to be heavy any more. I wanted to be healthy. I wanted to live along time on this earth. I want to see my Kids grow up. I want to hold grand babies. I want to grow old with my wife.  So when those fleeting glances at pictures fade away. The desire to do, to be, to live, drives me back to the gym. What drives you ?

Before

This morning: 100 + pounds down

                

Fat Be Gone Friday ::: Robyn's weigh in

Real life happened this week...... my birthday!!!! It just so happens that in this little city I live in there is lots of free food on your birthday. I thought a lot about it before hand. I tried to sort of strategize and to remind myself that although the food was free the calories weren't. :) At the same time though, I didn't want to worry too much about diet and calories on my birthday. So, we went for the yummy free food. I ate small portions. My hubby and I shared dessert. I sent pictures of everything I ate to Hope. It somehow made me feel accountable if she knew what I was eating. :) I was really proud of my self-control. I didn't finish anything. I also gave myself my birthday off from the gym. I opted for a bubble bath instead. :)

I had some great work outs this week. I am also really making an effort to be more active in my daily life. We are parking farther away and walking. When I take the kids to play at the park rather than sitting and watching them I will walk around the park. If I have a couple of free minutes I’ll do squats, crunches, or push-ups. I have made this shift in my thinking to always consider how I can be more active.

I still am really working on my attitude and self esteem. The fact is that it is not easy to be a chubby girl in this world. We have the world bombarding us from every direction telling us how we should look and dress. I did a work out with my hubby and ventured to the dreaded weight side of the gym. I nearly talked myself out of it several times on our short drive to the gym. I easily could have found myself in tears. But, I told myself that if I work hard I will see the results. I told myself that I could care less what other people think of me.  I tried not to look in the mirror. If I did I focused on my pretty face rather than my jiggly body. I tried to ignore all of the brawny men lifting weights. In my mind they were laughing at me. But, I did it. I worked out like a man. I did everything my hubby told me to do and sweat like crazy. I’m still sore. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy for me to return to that side of the gym. It’s not!!! But, I’m going to do hard things so that I can become the girl I want to be. It won’t be long before I will be proud of the reflection I see in the mirror. I will remind myself daily that I am a daughter of God and that this body is a miraculous gift from him. It has given me 4 beautiful children. It’s time for me to take care of it. It’s time for me to take care of myself.  Whew, I feel better now that I got that off my chest. J

So, this week, my birthday week, I am

down 1.6 pounds

for a total of 13.6 pounds down

Man did I work for every ounce. Slow and steady wins the race. But, it’s not a race, it’s a journey and I am enjoying every moment.

Tight Tooshies Thursday ::: Squats on Crack

Hope and I have decided to blog more often in an effort to keep ourselves committed and motivated. Thursday we have decided to dedicate to all things fitness related. Since one of our major motivations is jeans with booty bling and we mention it to one another often, we thought Tight Tooshies was a perfect reminder for Thursday. Plus it's silly and makes us laugh and we like a good laugh.

So fitness, where to start? It can be overwhelming. We both have gym memberships and work out hard. One of the things I have learned is that you really have to work for it. You shouldn't leave the gym looking the same as when you walked in. You have to sweat, to really  push your body. One of my problem areas is my thighs and booty. I think lots of women can relate. This week I discovered some amped up squats. They'll really leave your inner thighs burning for days. I'm calling them Squats on Crack.

The first ones are really simple. You do a regular squat. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Your toes should point out slightly. Bend way down. Your butt should stick out and your back should be straight. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor and your knees should not go past your toes. Here's the crack part, rather than standing back up to repeat, push hard through your thighs and jump as high as you can. Lift your knees as your jump. Don't think about how white men (or women) can't jump like I do. Think light as a feather, Air Jordan kind of jump. Start with reps of 10. Do as many as you can. This will get your heart rate up too. Believe in yourself and don't wimp out.

The second one you have to imagine a pit of lava. It's about 3 feet wide, or wider if you're strong. You are going to jump back and forth across the lava. You do a squat with your right leg slightly lifted off the floor. You are going to jump to your right as far as you can. I sort of kick my right leg out. You will land on your right leg and go into a squat with your left leg slightly off the floor. Then jump back to your left and land on your left foot. This takes lots of core strength.

Squats are great for weight loss and strength training. I challenge you to add some Squats on Crack to your work out this week.

Weight In Wednesday ::: Hope

Well, it's that day again.
Weigh in Wednesday!

I feel like I did really well this week.
My calorie intake wasn't bad and I had a couple killer workouts.
A couple of times this week, I left the gym shaking.
I think my body was revolting! But I felt great!

Here is an example of one of my workouts form this week:
 

1.5 hrs at the gym.

30 min on the treadmill doing a cardio incline of 15.0,

50 crunches on the exercise ball,

2 sets of 30 jumping jacks,

2 sets if 12 dips,

3 sets if 10 ab extensions,

2 sets of 12 pop ups (those are killer),

and just when I thought I could do no more,
30 min on the elliptical which was a HUGE mind game the whole time.
I wanted to stop so bad, but so proud I didn't!

Over 800 calories burned!!

 

So, I got on the dreaded scale this morning and I lost another pound from last week.
I will admit that I thought it should have been 5 lbs from the way I worked out.
But I also know that with girls there are certain times of the month that they may retain more water than others, so I really can't be upset
when my body may have been working against me this week.
I am super proud that I lost this week and I know that next week will be a great week!

So what do you do in a gym when there is no one else there? Workout super hard, do exercises you would never do in front of another human being, and...
take pictures of yourself in the mirror, of course.
Here I am down 12 lbs!

 

 

And one more thing I must do today...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBYN!!!

I hope you have a fabulous day!!

By the way, Robyn will now have to up her

age on the elliptical...hehehe ;)