A festive workout

I was laughing so hard when I saw this. I totally need to try it!

Happy Anniversary

So today is the 1-year anniversary of starting this blog. I had my 6-week post-baby checkup the Monday after Thanksgiving and got the ok to start exercising again. So I've been at this for a year now. I'll be honest....I'm not where I wanted to be when I started out a year ago. This blog hasn't exactly turned out to be what I envisioned it to be either.

BUT...in the past year, I have:

-lost about 30 pounds
-lost about 12 inches
-ran a half marathon
-finished a triathlon
-started heavy strength training (which I am loving, btw)
-been part of 3 health challenges, which have motivated me to do more and try new things
-started doing yoga (which I am also loving)
-finally got back to waking up early to exercise 5 days a week (I started with 1 day and worked up)

So, even though it hasn't been everything I had originally hoped for, I feel like I've made some good progress that fits into my life and that I can sustain. And I feel like that's what is important...finding things you can fit into your lifestyle and sustain.

So I'm gonna keep trying to add small healthy habits into my lifestyle a little at a time. And one day, I'll get there. Happy Anniversary! And, to make it even more exciting...this is my 100th post!

Put spinach in your smoothies!

Seriously, I can't even taste a difference with 2 big handfuls of spinach in there!

The key is to blend it for at least a full minute so you don't have any spinach chunks in there.

Now, when I was pregnant, I could not gag it down if you paid me...maybe I just couldn't get over the color or I didn't blend it enough, but everything's different when you're pregnant!

But now, I'm back to embracing the green smoothie. My favorite right now is peanut butter, banana, milk, ice, vanilla, and spinach. Mmmmm....

Meal planning for 2 weeks

I hate grocery shopping. I also hate spending money on groceries. I've been trying to save money on groceries and I was reading that the fewer times you go to the store, the less money you spend. So I decided to cut my shopping trips in half. I only go grocery shopping every other week.

Here's a few things I've learned in the process...

1. You HAVE to have a meal plan for 2 weeks. Otherwise you will not get enough stuff to last that long. I made this simple sheet that helps me. I plan each dinner, but only plan general lunches and snacks that can be had on any given day. I always make sure to have cereal, eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, and bread on hand for breakfast stuff.

2. I have to go by myself. It takes about an hour and I cannot do it with children in tow.

3. I use Bountiful Baskets to get most of my produce. It lasts 2 weeks.

4. I have almost always been able to get milk that doesn't have an expiration date before the 2 weeks is up. If I can't, I will go back to the store to get milk only.

5. I try to stock up on things when they're on sale, especially meat, so that I'll have it on hand when I need it.

6. Eat the stuff that will go bad sooner first. Apples and oranges and stuff will last...eat the ripe peaches and stuff like that the first week.

7. Someone recommended Zaycon foods for bulk meat buying. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to for chicken at least.

8. I've been trying to price match at Walmart too so I can get everything in one stop.

I have liked only having to go shopping every other week! I'm still trying to cut down on my spending, so I would love to hear anyone else's tips on cutting down on grocery shopping and saving money!

Health, Fitness and Happiness Blogs

Need some inspiration? Check out the Top 50 Health, Fitness, and Happiness Blogs. My old spin teacher Janae (I love her blog, BTW) is on the list, and some of the rest of these blogs look pretty cool too! I'm definitely going to check a few of these out for some new ideas.

30-Day measurements

So, in the past 30 days since starting Chalean Extreme, I have lost a total of 4 lbs and 6.25 inches. (Although I think one of the measurements was not done right because I have not lost 2 inches in my left thigh! Even though that would be fantastic if it were true.)

Anyway, here are my 30-Day stats:

Weight: 166 (-4)
Waist: 31" (-.5)
Hips: 40.75" (-.25)
Abductors: 42" (-0)
Chest: 33.75" (-.75)
Bust: 40" (-1)
Right Arm: 12.5" (-0)
Left Arm: 12.5" (-.5)
Right Thigh: 23" (-1.25)
Left Thigh: 22.5" (-2)

I was hoping for a bit better, but losses are losses, right? And, in the past 30 days I have done ALL my workouts, planned my meals on most days, cut my eating out almost in half, and gotten up early to exercise almost every weekday.

Things I could work on: ramping up my cardio, portion control, better snacks.

Let's hope for some more progress next month!

Dealing with stress

I've been having a rough past few days. I need to remember this...

I've been dealing with some things and I'm still struggling to find ways besides eating to deal with my stress, frustration, disappointments, etc. I was about to lose it with my kids today and I ate a bunch of Emmy's Halloween candy. But I resolve to stick to my healthy dinner plan for tonight, and I still did my workout. And I will try to find other ways to deal with stuff.


How do you deal with stress and other crap?

Chalean Extreme

I have a dozen posts in my head that I want to write about, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Ugh! Someday I'll catch up! Or not! Haha!

But I do want to talk about the strength-training program I'm doing. It's called Chalean Extreme. It's a Beachbody program, which means it's from the same company that puts out P90X and Insanity. Those are the ones everybody's heard about, but there are a ton more! Erika (remember, the fitness coach I told you about?) is a Beachbody coach and can help you pick a program that is right for you.

Anyway, she recommended this one for me, and I'm almost 4 weeks in and I am really liking it. I tried P90X before and I didn't love it. I like some of the workouts, but overall I wasn't a big fan of it. But this is different. The workouts are pretty short and go by quickly.

Each week, you are supposed to do the following:

-3 weight-lifting workouts
-2 cardio workouts (I don't really like the cardio videos so I replace these with my own cardio...running, biking, gym class, whatever).
-1 ab workout
-1 yoga workout (I don't do this video either because I go to a weekly yoga class at church)

Every 30 days, you get a new phase of weight-lifting workouts. I'm nearing the end of Phase 1, so I'll be moving to Phase 2 next week. I haven't taken any official measurements yet (I will on Day 30) but I can fit into all my pre-children pants now!

The idea behind this program is to develop more muscle, and when you have more muscle, it burns more fat and you get leaner. I'm not even 1/3 of the way through it, but I'm noticing some changes (like my pants fitting).

Normally, I am not a big fan of doing workout videos, but I am actually really enjoying these for the most part (except I'm really bored of the warmup...it's the same in all the videos.) You only do the same video once a week for a month and then you get a new set, so it hasn't gotten boring yet.

Here's my normal schedule as of the past 4 weeks:

Monday: Weight-lifting video 1
Tuesday: Cardio (usually a run or kick-boxing class at the gym)
Wednesday: Weight-lifting video 2 + abs
Thursday: Cardio (usually a run or eliptical) + Yoga class at church
Friday: Weight-lifting video 3
Saturday: Make up day (for anything I missed M-F) and sometimes a Zumba class or spin class
Sunday: Rest

I'll be posting progress pics next week!

Comparison

 

I came across this quote today and loved it. How true is that? I am definitely guilty of comparing myself to others. But even more so, I am guilty of comparing myself to my past self (you know, the one who ran the marathon and was great at her job and did this and that, etc. etc.). And that's not healthy either. I am in a different stage of life now and I need to remember that. And just focus on being the best I can TODAY. Even if it's not better than I was yesterday. Because some days are just like that. But if I can be the best I can TODAY, I think there is real joy in that.

How do you avoid comparisons?

5 lbs and goals

So I've been doing the strength-training program for 2 weeks now, and I have lost 5 pounds! But more importantly, I feel stronger and smaller.

I've decided that my goals for this 3-month program aren't going to be how many pounds or inches I hope to lose, but I'm going to make goals for my efforts.

So...here are my commitments:

1. I will complete all the workouts each week (3 weight-lifting sessions, 2 cardio, abs, and 1 yoga). I'm giving myself 2 rest days a week, so if I miss a workout on one of my scheduled days, I can make it up on a rest day.

2. I will at least plan all of my meals and snacks the night before for the next day (at least 5 days a week). I probably won't stick to it 100% all the time, but at least I'll have a plan.

Meal Plan Monday

I am SORE! This weight-lifting thing is going great and I am really enjoying it so far. I've also been planning every meal & snack each night for the next day, and that is working out great.

This week's meal plan:

M: spaghetti w/ brocoli
T: potstickers w/ stirfry veggies
W: salmon w/ brussel sprouts
Th: chicken veggie penne
F: date night (Matt's turn to pick)
S: chili (@ our neighborhood Halloween party)
S: Fam dinner at my parents' house

This weekend I had 3 social events. So I came up with a plan to stay on track. I filled at least 1/2 my plate with fruits and veggies and the other 1/2 could be whatever else. And no seconds. It worked pretty good I think and I will be using it for this weekend's parties too.

Lunches:
-grilled chicken & spinach wrap
-tuna sandwich
-leftovers
-ham & bean soup
-chicken salad wrap
-ham sandwich

Snacks:
-hummus or Laughing Cow cheese w/ celery sticks
-popcorn
-fruit (pears, grapes or apples w/PB)
-Triscuits w/ cottage cheese or Laughing Cow cheese
-string cheese
-yogurt
-smoothie

For breakfasts, I usually do a smoothie with toast or an omelet or scrambled eggs or something. Or oatmeal.

Teamwork

Remember my neighbor Dean? The one who won the Kona Inspired contest thanks to your votes? Well, the Kona Ironman race was held last weekend and Dean was there! Despite his recent brain cancer surgery, he was there...ready to race! He completed the swim (2.4 miles) and here he is at Mile 106 (of 112) on the bike.



They have cutoff times for each portion of the race, and if you don't meet them you get pulled off the course. Dean got pulled off at Mile 107 of the bike. He was only 5 miles short! He didn't get to complete the run portion (a marathon...26.2 miles), but I think he is amazing! He still did the full swim and 96% of the bike of the most elite IRONMAN course. This was only 4 months after having brain surgery, and while living with brain cancer. Talk about inspiration.

Since Dean could not do the run portion of the race, the next day his family members each took a portion of the 26.2 miles and ran it for him. I love this!



I love the spirit of teamwork that the entire Bullock family has shown through this experience. Thank you Team IronDean for your awesome example of pulling together and showing us that "anything is possible".

Let's get this party started

I really can't believe I'm going to post these, but I really want to have some motivation for my strength-training program that I started today. So, here are my "before" pics. I decided to wear tighter clothes than I normally take these pics in so that I could really see some differences throughout the next 3 months.

I can usually cover up those rolls and my thunder thighs with different clothes, but these are the areas I need to target here. Anyway, so here it is...mostly for my own motivation and benefit.

I did the first workout this morning, and it went pretty well. I'm actually excited to focus more on strengthening my muscles and toning up these next few months.

Join me

So I am doing one of Erika's challenge groups that starts Monday, Oct. 14. I mentioned I had been talking to her about a strength-training program, and I am going to do it! Who wants to join me? You don't have to do strength-training program to be part of the group....Erika can help you pick a program that is right for you.

The challenge is 3 months long, so it'll get us through the holiday season with support, motivation, nutrition plans, workouts, etc. It's kind of like having an online personal trainer!

I think the last day to sign up is next Monday, and it does have a cost. But it's much cheaper than a personal trainer and you get workouts, meal plans, etc.

I have seen awesome results from people who have done these challenge groups, so I am excited to join one! I know that I have much more success when I have someone to motivate me and hold me accountable. If you're interested, check out her FB page and message her for more info.

My workout room

In our new house, I actually get to have a room dedicated to be a workout room! I actually prefer to get out of the house and go outside or to the gym to work out, but that's not an option for me every day (I have to trade gym days with the hubby) so it's nice to have this space.

In our workout room, we have an elliptical, a bike trainer, a punching bag, some free hand weights, yoga mats, an exercise ball, and we store our bikes there too. We've got a TV mounted on the wall, a DVD player and our stereo.


Sometimes I tape up workouts to the wall. One of these days I want to paint it a fun color. Or maybe do some chalkboard or magnetic paint to post things on the wall.

But this is my favorite part of the exercise room...our race wall! These are all our numbers and medals from races we have done. It makes me happy every time I see it.

Where do you work out? Do you prefer the gym or exercising at home? What color should I paint my workout room? :)

Garden goodness

I've been using all the produce from our garden this week. Yesterday I made homemade salsa, chocolate zucchini bread, and we also had a watermelon from the garden. Yum!



The recipe for the skinny chocolate zucchini bread can be found here. It's not super sweet because it is made with applesauce, zucchini, whole wheat flour, no butter, and not a ton of sugar. But I think it's delicious.

Homemade salsa is one of my absolute favorites!!!! We have almost eaten that whole bowl full in one day! I put in: 1 onion, 1 pepper, 2 jalepenos, 1 bunch of cilantro, about 8-10 tomatoes, juice from 2 limes, and salt. I just chopped everything up in my food processor and mixed it together. It is amazing!

What are your favorite recipes using stuff from your garden?

Ab challenge recap

So in the past 30 days of doing this ab challenge, I have lost an inch in my waist! I haven't really been focusing on anything else, so I'm pleased with these results. I loved doing this challenge and having someone to be accountable to. I did every single exercise on that list. I missed 2 days, but I made up the exercises the next day.

I'm excited for my next strength-training challenge!

They fit!

Today is a big day for celebration...a pair of my pre-children jeans fit!!! I don't know why this pic is blurry, but who cares...I can zip up a pair of my size 8 jeans again!!!!

Yeah, they're still tight, but I can wear them and still breathe. I still have a few more that I can't zip up, but this is a major milestone! And hopefully I'll be posting pics of those ones soon. :)

And here's just a fun pic of a mom and her stinkin' cute boy....

I have been talking to Erika, the fitness coach, and she recommended that I try a strength-training focused program to help me lean out and lose some inches. I'm nervous because although I do some strength training, it's never been my main focus. And I don't want to lose the cardio endurance I've built up. But I'm also excited to try something new and see how I like it! I'll let you know how it goes.

The tri recap

Last weekend, I did my first triathlon since having kids. It was the Ogden Valley Triathlon up at Pineview Reservoir. It was a "sprint plus" distance, so it was a 3/4 mile swim (1000 meters), a 15.4 mile bike, and a 4 mile run. I've only ever done regular sprint distances, so this was longer than any other tri I've done before.

It was hard. But I finished. And I beat my dad and won $100. (He offered any of his kids $100 if they could beat him in a triathlon before he turned 60. And he turns 60 in Feb. so this was my last chance.)

Anyway, it wasn't a pretty showing by any means, but at least I did it right? :)

Here we are getting ready for the swim.

About 30 seconds after I started swimming, the zipper on my wetsuit broke and started to create this huge drag. And I had a panic attack about swimming in the lake, so needless to say, my swim was AWFUL!!! I don't know what it is about swimming in open water like that because I do just fine in the pool, but I totally panicked in the lake.

Anyway, after the swim I was totally dead and I thought that for sure I would not win my $100.

But then I recovered on the bike and did really well on the bike portion. It was fantastic...we biked around the lake and it was beautiful and I was cruising along. Then came the run. My legs felt like bricks for the first mile or so. Then the next couple of miles were on a muddy trail. So my run wasn't so great either.

But I finished! And I didn't die.

Matt finished as well.

And so did my dad. We were watching the clock intently to see if I won (since his wave started about 20 minutes after mine.) But I still beat him!

There was a group there that was racing for their handicapped family member. They pulled him in a boat, a trailer, and then a stroller so he could do the race too.

Pretty cool.

Anyway, I'm glad I did it even if it was hard. I could definately feel the extra weight I'm carrying since I did my last tri, and I'd really like to lose the rest of it. But I did come in first place in the Athena category (girls over 165 lbs.) I hate that I'm big enough to be in the Athena category (even if it's only by a few pounds), but I was still first! (Even if I was last in my age group.)

My final time was:

Overall: 2:35:44
Swim: 36:21
Transition 1: 6:00
Bike: 56:50
Transition 2: 3:38
Run: 52:53

And so I accomplished my New Year's resolutions of running a half marathon and doing a triathlon this year.