Starting Over

So I put up a post about a month ago where I claimed I was starting "insanity" again. However, that didn't really happen the way I had planned (it really is just so hard and I am so so out of shape).  So I started again last week but this time, I'm doing what I can with the program, and not forcing myself to do an entire dvd a day. I'm doing away with the "I need to do this in 60 days" and instead, using it as a way to build my way back into intense exercise. It has really taken the pressure off and I have been doing better than when I started, so that is definitely progress.

 

 

So yes, I'm starting again, but I am also including a sugar-cautious diet.  Every monday, I used to tell myself that I would be watching my sugar intake for the week, but the problem was, I was not surrounding myself with anything that would allow me to do that. So as a result I was pounding away the pastas and desserts and sugar-full items.

So today I made a run to the store and splurged on the pistachios and lean meats and some yummy veggies. I've been struggling with removing all this pregnancy weight and so I'm sort of excited about this. I'm also doing it for 3 weeks and then starting again. It'll give me some reachable goals, keep me away from making excuses and focus my energy on maintaining a healthy lifestyle again. Again, I'm not cutting sugar out completely, but what that means is reaching for the strawberries instead of the ice cream or using quinoa instead of the penne.

So there you have it. I've posted it. Now I can have you turn me around towards the spinach when I try to sneak some reeses under the table =)

Recipe: Green Monster Smoothie

So I am at it once again. A pointless endeavor to get rid of this pregnancy weight that simply refuses to let go.  Or rather, the daily after-dinner-ice cream-delight that I refuse to let go. Let go, woman!

Let it go...

So once upon a time, I was able to eat no sugar at all, and I was fine.
{ See health~crazie here.... }

I mean, the diet recommended a 2 week cleanse, but I was able to go for about 2 1/2 months (yah not exactly the most healthiest of choices BUT it did prove to me that I could do it) before I moved forward with phase two. So, ever since then, my thought process has always been: ahh, i'll just do that again, you know, whenever I want to. However it hasn't been so easy to do. I mean, first of all, at that time I was participating in the sugar free lifestyle with a few co-workers who I spent most of the day with, so it became part of our culture. It's not so difficult to do something when it's part of group-think {that's right, there's some of my psychology minor classes coming back in full swing}. Whereas, today, there's no sense of accountability since I'm at home with the boys, well except for Colin but he couldn't care less what I ate, as long as it's not chocolate because then he has to have some.

So I'm going to watch my intake. Starting today. And you all can hold me accountable. Seriously.

Today's lunch: "Green" Monster Smoothie delight =)


I used to have these all the time, about 2 years ago. I just love smoothies and in this case, adding my fav veggies {spinach} to it was just an added bonus. So today I made it again and it was delicious and even Colin got into it and devoured about half of mine after he had already ate his own lunch! But how could I complain? Oh all those wonderful vitamins he was adding.... { A, C, K, iron, fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, protein, calcium...just to name a few }

So here's my recipe (there are a million out there) that I have found to provide just the right amount of sweetness. (Also, I add berries which you don't need, but if you add them, it will change the color to be more purplish hue rather than green).

my pinkish-purplish 'green' smoothie

Green Monster Smoothie


Ingredients:

• 1 small frozen ripe banana, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen berries
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 tbsp Peanut Butter (I used Skippy's Natural)
• 1 cup vanilla Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)
• 1/4 cup milk 

{make it a skinny and feel free to substitute the milk with almond milk and use fat-free greek yogurt instead}

Instructions:

Throw all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. {If you don't use any frozen fruit, you will need to add ice}.

Try it out and enjoy! =)

Note: You can throw anything you want in there really, so you should experiment. You can use kale, or add flax seed, chocolate; try other fruits, some even throw in protein powder or a little coffee for a morning pow-wow. Again, there are TONS of recipes online, but I think this is a good place to start.

Am I ...Insane?

Yes. Its insanity!

Most of you know that I was able to do this 60 day workout program last year (I was actually pregnant with Travis during the last two weeks but didn't know!) Here's the deal: it's really, really intense. I mean it. Last year, on my first day, I thought I was going to pass out so I promised I wouldn't do it again. But then I broke that promise and completed 60 days. So much for making promises. Well, it IS nice to finish something at least...

But honestly, I hated it. I mean, yes I still went down every day during lunch to torture myself one more time but here's what the problem was: I was losing weight and feeling wonderful afterwards. I was able to accomplish so much because of it but during those 45-50 minutes, I wanted to pass out. It was so hard.

It was a true love~hate relationship... and today was the first day of my second go around.

{Really?!}

Ahh, sooo, this time, instead of being surrounded by sweaty shirts and the adrenaline pumped few, I'm alone in my work-out gear, shouting at the television while Colin jumps up and down beside me thinking we are finally living life. He's loving it and honestly, I don't want to stop because he's loving it so much.  If I fall to the ground to breathe a little, he's right behind me pushing me to get back up and get at it again!!  It's pure motivation.

Ohmigoodness, but I am so out of shape. I had to take a break after the 10 minute warm up (but for those of you who know, it's a ridiculously insane warmup...yes I said it. It's insane...)

::sigh::

So for those of you who have never gone down this crazy path to wonderland, the first day is what they call the Fit Test where you have a minute to perform each set of exercises. They hit you with this test every 2 weeks to mark your progress. It's genius, but it's not easy.

Here's the rundown (there's a lot of jumping involved, thus Colin's amusing excitement)

• Switch Kicks – Basically kick straight up with one leg and alternate while keeping your back straight, trying to get your kick at waist level each time.
• Power Jacks – jumping jacks except going into a squat position when you go down.
• Power Knees – Standing up with your hands interlaced above your head; bring 1 knee up at an angle across your body and while bringing your interlaced hands down to slap your knee each time.
• Power Jumps – Starting in a squat position then leaping as high in the air as you can.
• Globe Jumps -  Kind of squat-jumping 'around the world' ; start in a squat and jump right, back, left, and front.  One rotation is one globe jump.
• Suicide Jumps – Start by standing, then down into plank, jump your legs to the front then jump as high in the air as you can with your hands stretched up, back to plank and over again.
• Push-Up Jacks -  Like a regular push up, except that you spread your legs on each downward bend of the pushup like a jumping jack
• Low Plank Oblique – Get on your forarms in plank position and then drive your knee to your armpit, alternating knees each time.