Double Workout Time!

So the weight loss isn't happening but I'M NOT GIVING UP!
Did two workouts yesterday, plus work and I'll do two more today, and hopefully two more on both Saturday and Sunday! Of course, I'll only amount to 800-1000 calories burned in workouts each day but if this doesn't result in a 2 lb drop, I won't know what to do! I think I just have to re-prove to myself that if I push hard enough, it will come off again.

GMOs

So I recently read that a large amount of the brands I buy contain GMOs! I know that no brand is 100% sure-proof safe and honest, but after recommendations to eat this specific brands I assumed they were pure food but I was wrong! I guess I'm posting this because I'm slightly annoyed about the level of dishonesty that occurs in businesses and marketing. I read this article, which is about California wanting the right to see if the products they are buying contain GMOs. My favorite quote:

"In the US, polls indicate that over 90% of citizens support labeling and the right to choose if they have not been deluged by misleading advertisements paid for by biotechnology corporations. But both Republicans and Democrats in Washington have been unwilling to address the issue, likely due to massive campaign contributions from the biotechnology and agribusiness lobbies"

 Most dissapointing to me? Larabar, Morning Star, Kashi, R.W. Krudsen, Silk, Odwalla, and Naked because these are brands I buy often.

Brands I'm happy to see are safe? Pacific, CLIF, Amys, Annies, Eden, Earthbound Farm, Natures Path, and Applegate.

Fit Friday

Vacation

More Seattle Packing

original planning

Official with two pairs of size 8 jeans! They're still a bit tight but I couldn't find 9's, and the 8s will fit comfortably soon enough! 

Sneak Peak into Fall!

• Vegtember: Vegan/Vegetarian for all of September
• Yogtober: Join a yoga class for the month
• Newvember: try something new all month
• Detoxember: Juicing & detox focus all month

 ++ Yoga Friday!

29!

It's not the right day for this, but my excitement is too high to contain it. I peeked at the scale today and.....

• 29.9% fat
• 33.7% muscle

I"M OUT OF THE 30's!!! for fat% .That was in my June goals! I'm so excited I actually was able to complete a goal!!! I was worried that the calorie uppage wouldn't work, but it is! I'm so insanely thrilled!

• Decision to up my calories  ((TIU Greece Week)) thanks to TIU sisters
• 1st Calorie Uppage Assessment
• Calorie Uppage Assessment 
• Recap of my fat %s
• June Goals

Fit Friday

So I worked out more this week than I have been but still not at the level I was at a few weeks ago. It's a good and bad thing but I've been spending more time on book editing than I have on fitness. I just need to find a better balance. This week I am starting to. I did some yoga before work today, which is good since it's been awhile. I'm hoping to make this a power weekend of good eating, workouts and book editing. Going to try for no drinking and no meal splurges. If weather permits it, I want to run both Saturday and Sunday and if not, I really want to challenge myself to try a class tomorrow at the gym. I'm scared to go alone, but once I go at least once it wont be so bad.

Fitness Friday

I said this last night to my boyfriend. I have been working a lot this week on book editing, and sadly not working out. I'm sorry only to myself because I know I won't see any progress this week. But I loved the quote I said. I've probably heard something like it at times, but I didn't expect it to come out of my mouth. lol. I was talking about how the most motivating thing to get me to book edit is to think about working in retail for the rest of my life. The same applies to my weight loss journey though and I'm hoping to channel that motivation towards my health goals since I've fallen behind a ton. My alternative to working out and eating healthy to get fat again. Not the best alternative. I'll lose confidence, lose energy, and probably get depressed. I need to get off my bum and at least still try! Even if results aren't happening, like the scale doesn't budge, the point is that I still need to be doing something to work towards my goals or what can I say at the end of the day when I have nothing to show for my work? NOTHING, because I wasn't working. Anyway, this week was a total wash. I'm going to six flags today, just going to try to eat light and make up some of those over spent calories from the week.

T minus 2 days

 T-minus 2 days until my monthly comes back as just as expected, the water retention has begun. I knew it was coming because my mood shot down around Wednesday. I thought it might be due to working 8 days straight, but my back also was aching and I started having really weird dreams on Tuesday. Now the water retention started, and I checked my period tracker app.. SURE ENOUGH. Ha. I hate being a lady sometimes. :) I got 5 lbs tacked on right now since yesterday. This is the worst feeling, seriously. lol.

We are headed to the Cubs game today! Hoping to get our free Cubs gnome! :) Eek! My boyfriend picked this game for us hoping I could get a cubs gnome, since I kind of collect gnomes.  Well, if weather permits. Right now it's nice out, but the weather says scattered storm that will become more severe in the afternoon.

Update:
 Wow, well my monthly actually came today. And after it came the 5 lbs came right back off. Isn't that so weird?!! I'm glad though. I hate waiting for it to come. 

Yoga Poses | 7DSD Day 2

I wanted to give a recap of my nutrient intakes since I started compared to my fat/muscle percents. As carbs and fat decrease, so does my fat (slowly, but surely) and as I increased my protein and workouts, the muscle is even more slowly going up. I'd really like to see these have more dramatic changes, but at least they're still mostly going in the right directions. I just know that with how little I was eating and how hard I was working out, something wasn't working right.

I'm still struggling to understand what my calorie intake should be per day. My BMR is around 2200, so I switched my daily goal from 1200 to 1700 per day, hoping that cutting 500 from my BMR will be one pound per week. If I work out, too, then that other 500 calories will be a 2nd pound per week. Since the beginning I had my calories cut to 1200, then I'd work out 500-700 calories a day and end with only 500-600 calories. I thought this was how I would lose 1 lb a week, but apparently that has put my body into a starvation mode and it is holding onto fat and burning muscle instead. I was told we need to eat more to fuel the new muscles, and assured that the new muscles will burn off those extra calories anyway. I'm trying to steer a bit away from counting calories and more just listening to my body, but I don't want to get too lax so I'm still tracking daily.

And here is where I'm at for my workouts this week (not going well but still doable!)
Sun - Get active w/ friends at zoo
Mon- none/sick
Tues- none/sick
Wed - Yoga +  Santorini Bikini X2 + Malibooty X3
Thurs - Surfers Paradise X3 + Cowabunga X3
To do:
Fri: Surfers Paradise X3 + Bikini Cardio
Sat: 60 jog (to make up two missed 30 min cardios) + Bridal Babe w/o

Fluctuations

My weight is down to 161 today. I need to not weigh myself till Wednesday now. The detox lost me 2 lbs, but I ended the detox at like 4pm yesterday. Um, I think I'll do a 7DSD starting Saturday or Sunday. This is just getting ridiculous because I cant figure out where that weight came from. I did not eat 10,500 extra calories to gain 3 lbs!!!!! But that aside, I'm just trying to stick to my workouts and clean eating. Last night I did have 1 margarita and popcorn to watch the season finale of Greys Anatomy. Today I'm hoping to get lunch with a good friend and possibly go for a walk if the weather permits it.

Tonight, instead of indulging I really want to take a walk or catch up on my TIU toning routines. I'm a little behind this week but only by a couple so I should easily be able to make them up. It'll be okay. This week, and pretty much since I started dieting, my mantra has been "It's a lifestyle, not a race!" and I just have to keep remind myself of that.


*Update

So I went for a little walk with my sister this afternoon then I went for a 40 min. cardio jog/walk afterwards. :) Nearing the end of my jog, I was pushing really hard to keep jogging, watching my feet hit the pavement and singing "Just around the river bed" in my head as I rounded a bunch of trees and a lake. For some reason that line always comes in my head when I'm jogging in the forest preserve. lol. Anyway, so I look up and stop in shock.... there is a deer standing 10-15 feet in front of me, at a dead stop! He looked just as shocked to see me! Ha. And he was stopped dead center of the pathway. Of course this is the very first time I did not bring a camera with me... I figured everyone was sick of seeing my workout pics in the park. Of course this time I would have had something to shoot! Ugh, I could kick myself. But I had a really great moment with nature and with this deer. I motioned at it to move as if it would understand what the motions meant. It jumped over a few feet, I saw it's poofy white tale. Then I started walking past and it took a few more feet into the trees. I watched it and it watched me. It was a really cool moment, seriously!

After I got home from my jog, I checked my weight for the last time until Wed... and I am back down to 159. My sister had speculated that this fluctuation is due to me ovulating and I can assume she's right, being that I am ovulating right now according to my period tracker app.  lol

End of Drinking Fast

So today was officially supposed to be the end of my drinking fast. I didn't stick to it pretty much at all. Um, I am disappointed that I didn't finish but overall I'm just trying to minimize the amount I drink and for that I think I've been successful. I have continued to have a few drinks every weekend (boo me!) but I have for the most part cut back on how much I drink every time that I do, and I've made better choices about what to drink! So instead of beer I'll choose a vodka-diet or something. Eh, I tried! I'm going to continue trying to minimize my drinking because I think that's overall a really great goal to try for.

 I didn't do any workouts yesterday. I've had this awful headache since early on Wednesday. I pushed through it for my workout on Wed, but I couldn't yesterday and I went to bed at 5pm last night! Stayed in bed for 12.5 hours. I just took some migraine relief... I don't know why I have it but I want to get rid of it because It's MY BIRTHDAY!

I know I'm going shopping with my mom to pick out an outfit for my Bday dinner tonight with my boyfriend. I also have to give her her mothers day gift ((a nonspillable mug, dark chocolate bar, a ginger ACV drink, and a sweet almond bar of soap)) Sadly it's 50 degrees and raining so I'm not even excited anymore. We had 75 and sun all week, except today. :/

Right now I'm watching  "Into the Wild" and trying to relax with a cup of coffee. Just finished some Bday morning yoga to relax as well.

Yogi Friday

Today I did 45 minutes on the elliptical machine.+ Malibooty workout X3


I try to do a little yoga every week so any improvement I make doesn't fall to the side by lack of practice. I didn't do it Sunday like usual because this past Sunday I had to work so I actually did the yoga last night. I'm really glad I committed (in my May goals) to posting about yoga on Fridays this month because it holds me accountable to continuing to do it every week. If it weren't for that, I know this week I would have skipped it. I didn't do any routines this time (like Tara Stiles youtube channel). I just tried to relax and practice the poses I've learned. I couldn't get up on the back bend at all so I'll have to practice that one more. I balanced on my head for awhile, though.

Bikini Series

I have continued to work on my yogi poses. :) I'm not progressing yet but I think it's important to keep on it and train my muscles. I have progressed from holding my knees on my elbows to floating my knees in the air. Eventually I will be able to hold my legs up for more than 20 seconds. The back bend... Well that has a very long way to go. I can't really lift my head off the floor yet. My arm muscles aren't strong enough!

This week I focused on upping my protein intake so every day I was, give or take a few, 111 grams. I felt so much more awake and energized. I slept better. I was more pumped for workouts. My attitude was better. I wonder if I have been needing more lean protein all along! I always felt like I ate enough (then I upped it when I started dieting) but TIU recently informed me via their Protein calculator that I need 111 grams per day! I was averaging about 70 so it was quite a jump and I feel amazing.

Anyway, for fit Friday I wanted to express my excitement for the TIU bikini series! On Wednesday we did 45 minutes of HIIT (I did it on the elliptical, level 5 for moderate pace and level 8 for harder pace) and we also did Sunkissed Abs routine X3. Then on Thursday we did 30 minutes of cardio (I did 30 minutes on the elliptical as well as 30 cycling) plus the bikini strap workout X3. Loving it!!

Yoga & Arms

 

Just click the image for direct links to the youtube videos I've been doing! :)

/// Did 1/2 of the 30DS today, plus 65 min. cardio

Booty Call!

I'm no where near my goals so this is motivation to keep me going! I'm thrilled with my results so far, but I can keep pushing until I look like that! :) I have continued to do Jillian Michael's "Killer Buns & Thighs" in addition to all my other workouts.

I also found two amazing, AMAZING fitness trainers to follow. Tara Stiles for yoga and Blogilates

I am absolutely loving these videos for my morning BC's! It gives me so many options and every morning I can just click a link and get it done!

Fit for Friday 39-36-40.5

Calf: 15"
Thigh: 21"
Neck: 14"
Arm: 12" 
Hips: 40.5"
Waist: 36"
Abs: 40.5"
Bust: 39"

I took measurements again to follow my TIU plan which wants me to measure calf, neck, and abs as well. 

I've lost 1.5" bust (go figure), Waist is the same this week,  and I lost 1 inch on the hips. So the only thing I lost from is my butt and boobs. lmao. Oh well, the rest will follow suit.The biggest news is my thigh is down 3 inches!!! 3 whole inches. Woot! Thank you Jillian Michaels; my pants definitely feel baggy and a couple people at work mentioned I was looking smaller, so yay!

Workout Binder

So March is just about over and it's time to focus on April! More cardio, more HIIT, and switching my focus from my thighs to my arms. I'm excited for April because the warm weather is finally approaching and that is the most motivating thing!

I will be doing this TIU Arm workout everyday of the month. Yes, EVERY DAY! If my muscles are too sore, I will decrease the amount of weight or do no weight at all, but I want to make it a habit to do a workout every single day. It will help me get in the habit of morning Bootycalls as seen on Tone it Up.

I also made this binder of workouts from magazines. A lot of times I have to flip through a stack of magazines to find the one I'm looking for... this way, they're all in one spot. I just ripped my favorites from the magazines and added them to my workout binder. It'll be really cool when I have more... Each morning I can wake up, flip the binder open and do whichever workout I flip to. Right now I end up doing the same few.

Drop 10

For fit Friday I wanted to post about a challenge I've accepted from Self magazine and TIU's Karena and Katrina. Drop 10! It's a challenge to drop 10 pounds the healthy way in 5 weeks. I made a couple info graphics to show more about the challenge.. This is all quotes from the magazine:


Do 2 fat blasting HIIT sessions per week. Add one moderate-intensity 45 min. cardio session.


Do 3 sets of 12 firmers/sculptors (toners)3 days a week. Space em out, don't do 2 in a row. 

Firmers: The magazine I have on my Nook says the firmers are: Conch Shell, "Oh Hey", Split and Reach, Bottoms Up, Get Tipsy, Kick It Off but the website lists these so, I guess I'll do these!

Soo, 3 firmers, 2 HIIT, 1 45 minute cardio wild card. 

As far as food goes, they suggest to start with 1600 calories. 350 for breakfast, 450 for lunch and dinner and 150 for a snack. Each Drop 10 dish has foods to target belly flab (eggs, yogurt), quelling hunger (apples, olive oil), or revving a sluggish metabolism (steaks, lentils).  In addition to the core meal plan, you get 200 extra calories a day to spend on whatever you want. Happy calories. You can bank up to 4 days worth, 800 calories total, for something special.

I will stick to this for the most part but I don't plan on aiming for 1600 calories. I may not be AS strict about not exceeding 1200 though because it doesn't seem to be working anyway and I find myself getting the munchies very, very often. (especially before bed!) So I'll aim for something in between 1200-1600 each day and then I'll burn some off with exercise. We'll see!