It's In The Bag

First, I'm getting nervous y'all! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and like I'll never be able to firm up my remaining jigglies in three short months! I begin rehearsals for a new show in 1.5 weeks and each night begins earlier and goes later than a typical rehearsal schedule, so I really may not get a lot of opportunity to exercise. I have a good rhythm of cooking a big pot of something for lunches during the week, so I don't think it will be too much of an extra hassle to prepare grab-n-go dinners to have handy as well. Heck, maybe it will be helpful since I won't be home being tempted to snack! I just need to make sure to pack enough-I definitely had to do some trial and error to perfect how much food to bring with me to get me through a  work day. In fact, I'll share with you my typical lunch bag:

AN APPLE

I always eat breakfast at home, but I typically feel hungry again by 10:30am or so and I eat a fiber filled apple to tide me over until lunch.

LUNCH BOWL (I change it up, but lately this is my standard.)

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  I take a big rubbermaid container and fill it up with chopped, calcium rich, figure friendly greens (typically mustard, turnip and/or collard-there are some great pre chopped mixes out there, but fresh is of course magical and there isn't extra waste with packaging and such). I give it a shake or two of sea salt and some pepper, because greens are bitter and need a little something.
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  Then on top of that I layer between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup of a pre-cooked whole grain such as red wheat berries (soooo delicious), quinoa, kamut flakes (so oaty and comforting), millet, or barley.
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  On top of that I layer between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup of beans such as black, kidney, pinto, or if it's today-mung beans (I think the word mung bean is so weird don't you?). Sometimes I use canned beans, but I try to cook them ahead from dry if I can.
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  I'll throw in random seasonings for taste and variation like Tony's Creole Seasoning, cumin, or turmeric. I typically add in herbs and a little olive oil to my grains when I first cook them so they're ready ahead of time.
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  Sometimes I sprinkle in roasted flax seeds for some nutty Omega 3 action.
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  Come lunch time I will put my container in the microwave for about three minutes and the greens get nice and cooked under the grains and beans.

A BAGGIE OF BABY CARROTS

As yummy and satisfying as my lunch bowl is I get hungry again around 3 or 3:30pm. (Apparently I'm a metabolic machine now! Hahaha) So, I enjoy a baggie of baby carrots-more good-for-you fiber! Sometimes I'll bring some hummus along (but just a little bit-no more than two tbsps) My carrots and apple are interchangeable-sometimes I want my carrots in the morning and my apple in the afternoon.I listen to what my body says it wants first.

Get thee to Bed Bath and Beyond and get a couple sets of these I use them all of the time!

What else, what else? I have let two tough broads into my work out life lately. Meet the saucy Jeanette Jenkins and loveably feisty Jackie Warner:

I have done Jeanette Jenkins' Exercise TV 45 minute Kick Boxing workout a couple of times now and it's a great overall strength and cardio routine. I like it very much and feel really bad-ass and cool when I do it! They don't have it available to peak at online or else I would share :(

Did any of you watch the reality show Work Out on Bravo? Jackie Warner and her fierce abs were the star of that show, and I've been doing two of her works outs (one longer and one just focused on abs), because she knows what's she's talking about!

Click here for a snippet from the longer one.

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Be sure to keep me posted if you find a great work out dvd you think I should try!

Happy Monday!

BB30

Is It That Time Again Already?

Here are my latest measurements:
Jan 3rd Waist (at belly button): 30.75
Feb 3rd Waist (at belly button): 30 inches
Down 3/4 inch! Down 3.5 inches total!

Jan 3rd Hips: 36
Feb 3rd Hips: 36
No Change. Down 3 inches total!

Jan 3rd Arm: 10.75 inches around
Feb 3rd Arm: 10.75 inches around
No Change. Down 1 inch total!

Jan 3rd Thigh: 21.75 inches around
Feb 3rd Thigh: 21.75 inches around
No Change. Down 1.25 inches total!

Hey 3/4 inch in my waist ain't too shabby! I am a little surprised that after so much hard work and additional workouts over the past month that I haven't shaved off a little more, but I am seeing tone and definition, so that is awesome and most important.

I am definitely battling some harsh winter blues right now, but I know I would be in an even worse place mentally if I wasn't eating kindly and cleanly and exercising. I've started taking a B-12 supplement in hopes for a boost. One thing about not eating meat and dairy is that you miss some B-12. This isn't a loop hole in the system, it is because our soil today isn't as rich and healthy as it used to be. It's so overtreated now that all of the healthy bacteria that houses B-12 is missing and we're left with animal guts (literally) as the only place to get it instead of in our vegetables. So I take a dropper of liquid B-12 most days. Have the winter blues hit you?

Only three months left folks until I have vowed to feel fit and confident enough to wear a bikini. It's exciting and motivating and terrifying all at the same time! The hardest area is the ol' abs. I feel like I can't do enough ab work! I remind myself that I am working through a lifetime of squish and to be patient and kind to myself about it!!

Makin' Sure It All Adds Up

For well over a month now I have enjoyed a meat and dairy free lifestyle thanks to inspiration from The Kind Diet/Life. I am confident this is the reason my scale has finally moved a bit and why I have the energy to endure extended workouts as well as an abundance of day job and career stress.

Over the last week or so I have noticed a dip in energy so I decided that I should do some calculating to make sure I am getting what I need. I was reluctant to do it at first since I do have indulgences like wine and carob chips (basically vegan chocolate chips) and I really didn't want to know if they were detrimental, because I don't want to stop enjoying them! I also didn't want to know if I was falling short on protein and calcium (thus confirming nay sayers) and if I was taking in too many calories (because who wants to eat less?). However, just because I don't reserach it and avoid the answers, doesn't mean I couldn't be malnourished and/or taking in way too many useless calories. Ignorance isn't always bliss- especially when your health is involved!

So, I've broken down a typical day to see if I am getting the calories, calcium, and protein I need.

Calories: Too high. I would like to stick closer to the 1200 calorie range. This is easily accomplished by cutting out pretzels or eating only half of the bag and bringing more veggie snacks with me to work.

Calcium: A little too low. According to Womenshealth.org a woman between 25-50 should be getting 1000mg of calcium a day. One additional cup of greens a day would easily do this for me, and I have no problems with that-I love 'em!

Protein: Just right. I bet you thought this was where I'd be lacking. I was a little concerned myself, but I am actually getting a little more than I need. Many sites I looked at went with this formula: Weight in pounds divided by 2.2. (This is how many kilograms you weigh). Multiply kilograms by 0.8 and this how much protein you need in one day. See?! I am getting plenty of good healthy protein without animal products!

Things to know:
I do not always eat pretzels.
I do not always eat hummus.
I do not always have a glass of wine.

The past few days I have avoided carob chips and am not buying anymore to make sure I am in control and don't feel like I NEED them. It has definitely been hard not to go on a 9pm run to the grocery store some nights.

I've also started throwing sprinkles of roasted flax seeds into various dishes and even my cereal for extra boosts of Omega 3s since I am not eating salmon.

Seeing my stats has helped me pinpoint my trouble areas, and now I have a better handle of where I am food-wise. Has putting your food intake down on paper helped you strategize?

"My Lovely Little Lumps"

Apparently The Black Eyed Peas put it best when they sing these lyrics.

Early on I noticed that my chest was one of the first things effected by my new lifestyle, but I hadn't measured to see where I stand. My bras are undeniably the wrong size now, so I went to the net today to find the steps to measure just what bra size I am now. The results: I have gone from a 36B to 34A. Woah. While I feel a little blow to my femininity, this is a win and I should celebrate! This Victoria's Secret method seems to be the most typical way of measuring.

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I know I was always too chubby as a kid to wear a real training bra, but C'MON. Haha.

Now on to shopping for new pretty intimates!! (...and comtemplate the fact that I just publicly posted my bra size.)

Has your fitness journey left you a bit flatter?

I Must Out Myself

I cracked a little this morning, and I know that confessing here will be the best way to vent. I don't think "stressful" describes day-job-dom today/this week/the past few months. I think we've surpassed that and are smack in the middle of "blatantly ridiculous." So I ate some potato chips just now. They were here leftover from a meeting I set up, and I caved. Perhaps they contain no animal products, but they definitely weren't good me, haven't made me feel better, and all I want is more (because that's what addictive processed terrible foods do to you!). I won't have anymore though. I vow that here and now . I have thrown away the temptations in a trash can far far away (to prevent a Miranda Hobbes cake moment and pull them out of the trash and eat them). I will enjoy some cleansing carrots and drink some water to get myself back into balance, forgive myself, and move on. (Note: Of course indulgent foods in moderation are key to happiness, but for me, as an emotional eater and recovering food abuser, I've learned that I have to be aware when food is in control of me instead of me being in control of food. There are plenty of times when I can have a chip or two and stop. In this case, the potato chips were in control, and I had to stop them!)

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I have a habit of only focusing on the negative, so I will demand from myself that I post some positive things I have done in the past few days as not to let some moments of weakness take the spot light.

This week I have continued down the path of exercising almost everyday (Tuesday I had a work event until almost 10pm) and making each work out one hour minimum. In addition to repeating some of my Exercise TV faves from last week, I've also hopped on the elliptical twice (but made sure to not make that my whole workout) and tried some of these new routines:

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Bootcamp with Jay Johnson (great for overall strengthening.)
Cardio Groove N'Burn with Jennifer Galardi (fun and really gets your heart rate up if you give your all. If you click the link you can see the clip at the bottom of the page.)
10 Minute Abs and Back with Amy Dixon (the best 10 minute work out I have ever done-you work so hard in these ten minutes!)

TGIF!!!!

The Ladies of My Week

This week I have committed to making my work outs an hour or more. I've mostly been falling short of this goal when I've set it in the past, but I know it's really the only way to produce quality results for the next four months.

Enter the ladies that have helped me along thus far. I'd fallen back on the elliptical-only track and knew that I needed to shine my fitness love on On Demand Exercise TV for some variety and full body work outs.

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So far this week I have done (I've put links so you can see snippets of some of the work outs):

Disco Abs with Cheryl Burke (twice so far, because she is so adorable and you can make this work out crazy high impact if you want. I looove to dance!)

Less Is More Pilates with Lizbeth Garcia (one of my fave piates workouts)

Back 2 Bollywood with the lovely Sarina Jain (another fave)

Power Pilates with Jessica Smith(great for all levels-you use a towel which you can utilize to make exercises both easier as well as more challenging.)

Hip Hop Body Shop with Lia Montelongo (I did not care for this one at all-way too low impact and easy).

Pilates for Weight Loss with Acacia (this was really challenging in an unfun way, most likely won't do it again)

Power Fit Cardio Kick with Stephanie Huckabee (I liked this one okay-the instructor is adorably southern).

Target Tone with Lia Montelongo (this one is a 45 minute circuit training type workout much in the style of Jillian Michaels. Tough, but in a good way.)

Pilates Legs Slimmer and Toner with Nicole Stewart (She's so precious.)

Most of these workouts are between 20-30 minutes long, so Sunday, Monday and Wednesday I chose three. Target Tone is longer so I paired it with a shorter pilates piece. I feel like it's given me variety and a nice blend of strengthening and toning with pilates and full body cardio. I hope one day I will really truly enjoy working out, but for now these ladies have helped get me through it!

December: The Month of Quarters

Quarter INCHES, that is! Over the past month I lost a quarter of an inch in each of my measuring points!
Behold:

Dec 3rd Waist (at belly button): 31 inches
Jan 3rd Waist (at belly button): 30.75
Down 1/4 inch! Down 2.75 inches total!

Dec 3rd Hips: 36.25
Jan 3rd Hips: 36
Down 1/4 inch! Down 3 inches total!

Dec 3rd Arm: 11 inches around
Jan 3rd Arm: 10.75 inches around
Down 1/4 inch! Down 1 inch total!

Dec 3rd Thigh: 22 inches around
Jan 3rd Thigh: 21.75 inches around
Down 1/4 inch! Down 1.25 inches total!

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I am thrilled. Last month was a bummer with progress at a standstill, so I feel some hope knowing I've been given a kick start! What have I done differently over the past month? I've worked hard to incorporate clean eating and removing animal products from my diet. Clearly it has proven to be just what I needed! I have a nice kind diet to thank this month!

How are all of you doing? Did you survive the holidays unscathed?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

~BB30