Improvement Needed March 14, 2010

So this week has been a big fail on the 40 day move every day challenge, but that just means a big marginal improvement this week, right?!  I have done No More Trouble Zones twice (including today),  I did Zumba Monday and Tuesday, and I can not remember doing any other exercise this week 😦  I think I am also going to go for a little jog soon because it is just too pretty not to!

I did order the Meltdown Yoga by my fav Jillian Michales, the Shiva Rea Creative Core Abs, and Zumba Advanced DVDs.  They came in Friday and I need to try them, so they will def keep me busy and motivated this week!  I am also going to try some workouts from New Rules of Lifting for Women.  I am actually really excited about it because even before losing weight,   I would strength train and loved it!  I just did not really know what I was doing, so it did not produce results.  Well, actually I am also hypothyroid and I was not on thyroid meds at that time, so any attempt at weight loss and getting fit would not work until I was treated with hormones but that is a topic for another post. 

I also think I am going to Austin at the end of the week, which should be so much fun!  I went to school at UT and my old roommate still lives there, so we are going to have some girl time.  I think we are actually also even going to try to fit in some of my fav workout classes that I used to take in college.  I had a favorite kickboxing instructor that has never been replaced since moving back to Dallas.  All of the classes I have tried here just do not compare!  He was just so upbeat and fun but hard at the same time!  There is also a Pilates class that I loved that I will def have to revisit as well.  We are also planning on doing some classic Austin things like going on Town Lake and wandering around South Congress looking at all the cool jewelry/ vintage stores.  Should be a nice trip with hopefully beautiful weather!

So, I have also been doing a meditation CD that has really put me in a positive mindset and helps me sleep really well.  Don’t judge, but its the Dan Marino Think and Lose CD.  It just makes me feel more at peace with my body as well.  I think there really is something to having the right frame of mind to lose weight.  Have any of you all read the IntenSati book?  Same concept of positive thinking to lose weight.  I bought the book after seeing it on the Today Show, but I have not really done anymore than skim a few pages.  What do you think, is some of losing weight in your mind?

Ok, well I am kind of all over the place today.  I think it’s from my allergies since I was outside all day for the St. Patty’s Day Parade and block party downtown.  It was fun, but lots of pollen in the air does not do my body good.  I did take all of my allergy meds in the morning and popped nettles throughout the day, so it could be worse if I had not done so.

Happy Sunday!

xoxo Erin

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Food Journal and Exercise Rut March 8, 2010

Goals for this week:

• Start food journal (discussion below)
• Do JM No More Trouble Zones 3 times
• Add more veggies to each mini meal
• Be religious about taking allergy meds
• Send out resumes times 50!
• Get to Zumba at least 3 times
• Go to Hot Yoga
• Make something new and interesting for dinner

 

So, starting tomorrow (I need to find a spiral)  I am going to start food journalling (is that a word?).  I am not going to track my calories, but I feel like I have been doing a lot of unnecessary mindless eating which is not good.  When I lost my 35 pounds, I would track my calories online.  But I found myself a little too obsessed with the numbers (I am a math kind of person) and I would end up eating lower calorie foods that usually contained too many chemicals.  I do not want to get like this again, so I am just going to simply write down everything that I eat and make sure I am getting my daily water and veggies in.  No daily plate, just a plain, old spiral so that number crunching and minimizing does not ensue.

I want to lose 5 to 10 more pounds (not only for vanity reasons but it would also help my PCOS), and I think getting rid of my mindless eating could really help in reaching this goal.  I have also been doing more cardio in order to accomplish this.  Zumba is my new favorite thing, it really is just fun to me!  I am actually thinking about getting the Zumba DVDs because Zumba is only offered 3 times a week at my gym :(.  I know, I sound a little DVD obsessed lately, but I just need a change in routine and do not know where to start.  I think I need more strength training and a better mix of cardio, but I am just not inspired lately.  Does anyone have suggestions for routines?  Help a sista out, lol!

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood! March 6, 2010

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but it has been too gorgeous outside to be indoors despite my terrible allergies!  Here in Texas, it is 70 degrees and sunny, so it is a must that I at least jog the bike path by my house.  My sister is on her way to the Hamptons right now for Spring Break (rough life right?), but it is 50 degrees there and she is a little jealous of our warm weather.  I don’t know I think I would rather be strolling the beach in the colder weather than being in plain old Texas. 

So, I have not really filled y’all in on my allergy history, but I have had terrible allergies since exiting the womb (I was a preemi).  I also have allergy triggered asthma, with my first attack at age 18 months, also the only day I crawled in my entire life.  Needless to say, I have tried every allergy medicine on the market, and I have found that Stinging Nettles a la Whole Foods really work best!  I have to take two at a time to have them really work but they are better than Claritin or Allegra any day!  My seventh grade humanities teacher actually told me this, but it was not until my uncle and fave vitamins department employee at Whole Foods confirmed their love for the nettles was I willing to try the herbal remedy.  I now swear by it and recommend it to any random I meet at the grocery store, a bar, etc that talks about their allergies.  I know, a little out there, but they work so well I feel like I have to spread the news!  My family seriously lives off of these come allergy time!

Dr. Oz (I am a BIG fan!) always talks about the neti pot for allergies.  Has anyone actually tried it?  I have heard great things, but for some reason it just kind of creeps me out!

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This morning before Pilates core fusion aka class of death,  I made some vegan cookie dough a la Averie (of Love Veggies and Yoga) check out the recipe here!  I did not have chocolate chips so I made the recipe without and it was still great!  I made two batches: one with cocoa and one without, also I stuck one batch in the oven for 10 mins at 250 degrees aka made them not raw.  I actually liked the baked ones a little better because the flavors melded together a little better and brought out the sweetness.  Really though, they were both great and I will be munching on them for a while!  I also think they are delish frozen.

I have also been on the hunt for the new Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown.  I have been to Target, Wal-Mart, Dick’s Sports, and a couple of other places,  I think it’s an Amazon purchase waiting to happen.  Has anybody tried it?  I think yoga is a great thing for my breathing, but I can not always handle it in a studio, so I think I need a DVD.  I love Jillian’s training method, so I think that may be a good way to ease me into yoga practice.  I used to do yoga a couple of times a week, but I was just not good at it and decided I needed more cardio in my life.  Does anybody have suggestions for yoga or Pilates DVDs or any other exercise DVDs?  I think I need a break from the gym, I am just kind of tired of it right now.

Ok I am off to eat grilled BBQ chicken and some eggplant, weird combo? Probably, but I think it will be delightful!  I have not had homemade BBQ chicken in years because my sister really does not like it, so I am quite excited to have some tonight!

Goodnight bloggies, have a great Saturday night!  See you tomorrow!