January 3, 2011

daily fitbattle #1338 (it’s more of a lifebattle right now…)

fitbattle or lifebattle?

My last post was just over four weeks ago and I wrote about how a broken heart may result in weight loss. I’ve decided that I don’t want that post to be the first thing someone/anyone sees when they stumble upon my blog in 2011. So here I go…a new blog entry. Unfortunately the theme is still tied to or related to my broken heart (well maybe that’s a little extreme, let’s call it a breakup).

As a result of my breakup I haven’t been that motivated to blog or do much of anything honestly. The good news is that I’m feeling much, much better now (well except for the relapses that I suffer from now and then, but overall I’m better). When I wrote my last blog my emotions were raw so for those of you who read that post I’m sure you were feel’n for me. It was very sad!

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my lost friendship (relationship) the last several weeks. I’ve also spent a lot of time thinking about my life overall and what I want…what I’m grateful for, what’s missing, what’s changed, and what’s next. I miss my friend (let’s call him MisterX)…but he could not give me what I need from a partner. And like all of those dating advice books tell you…if a guy is really into you (and he’s the one) he’ll do anything to keep you (or not lose you). I’ve had to accept that MisterX was not the one although I did have big hopes for him.

I received several blessings as a result of MisterX being a part of my life for the last several months and those blessings are what I will hold onto as I struggle let him go. And believe me it has been a struggle. I know my friends and family are ready for me to move on and I’m ready too. The challenge is how do you (I) move on?

All of this reflection has made me realize that I’ve found myself in a bigger battle lately…a lifebattle and it has distracted me from my fitbattle. This is not necessarily a bad thing…I believe everything happens for a reason (well that’s what I tell myself so I’ll feel better and usually it works out to be true). There is no doubt, however, that I need to bring 2010 to an emotional close and focus on the new beginning that the welcoming of 2011 brings.

In case you are wondering…that little bit of weight loss I initially had immediately after the breakup did not last. The holidays didn’t help…neither has my frame of mind. I have no regrets. Life’s challenges are how we grow, learn, progress. The last month has provided me some serious growth.

There’s a small whole in my heart waiting to be filled with something or someone new. As I put 2010 behind me and focus on the hope and opportunity that 2011 offers I am committed to approaching my lifebattle with more energy, greater focus, and a renewed passion. I don’t usually declare New Year’s resolutions but I think I will give some thought to what I want to accomplish in 2011 and who knows maybe I’ll even write down a few goals too.

I know what I need to do even if my heart isn’t cooperating. I’m gonna get back to my routine, get my twofers in, watch my nutrition, and get my head back into the battle. Thankfully my fitbattle has provided me with a foundation for the lifebattle I’ve found myself in lately. I have a lot of work to do to get back to where I was in mid-October…hmm that sounds like a goal. There you go…my first goal and it didn’t even hurt. I’m on my way to a 2011 filled with hope and opportunity!

Happy New Year! Kathi

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December 5, 2010

daily fitbattle #1309 (*WARNING* a broken heart may result in weight loss…)

Yes! I have a broken heart and as a result I’ve lost a few pounds…

I don’t recommend it…but apparently for some of us a breakup can cause weight loss. Sorry I’m not going to share all of the sad details of my breakup with you. If that’s what you were hoping for you might as well stop reading now.

This blog is about my fitbattle…NOT love, dating, etc. What I will tell you is that I’ve been dating someone for a little over four months and the relationship ended last week. We hit a rough patch earlier in the week and officially stopped seeing each other as of Thursday night. I am very sad and feeling a bit lost…to say the least. Intellectually I know that I will be okay but it really doesn’t feel that way right now.

Life events often impact our fitbattle. “What (you ask) is the status of my fitbattle as a result of the breakup?” Well at the onset I lost my appetite. This is not a usual response for me when faced with difficulties.

When I woke up this morning my appetite was still lost. I’ve had to really focus to ensure I’m getting enough calories, protein, etc. Several days last week I did not eat enough…eating was the last thing on my mind.

I suppose a little good news…tonight I was out with my friend Sheila and I was tempted by the chocolate molten lava cake. Yep we ordered and devoured it. Not a craving I want to have too often but I’m taking it as a glimmer of hope.

My lost appetite has resulted in a two to three pound weight loss so far. Not the best way to lose weight. Chris (my personal trainer) doesn’t think I’ll sustain this weight loss. Only time will tell. Let me be clear… I DO NOT suggest a broken heart as a tactic to lose those unwanted pounds.

Another challenge has been making sure I get my workouts in. Thankfully…even when I’m on autopilot, which is how I feel right now, my mind gets me to the gym (or Bikram yoga which I started last Sunday thanks to a Groupon…but that’s another blog).

Yesterday morning, although I got to the gym and on the treadmill, at about 9 minutes in I found myself wanting to quit and leave the gym. This was a little surprising since usually the hardest part of the fitbattle is getting to the gym, not staying at the gym. I did talk myself down and finished what I started. This broken heart stuff is awful! So many ups and downs.

I know some of you are feeling oh so sad for me right now and you just want me to feel better. Please do not take this the wrong way… but I’ve not experienced much comfort hearing (the typical cliches we rely on in these circumstances)… “you’ll be okay”, “there are plenty of fish in the sea”, “it gets easier every day”, “blah, blah, blah.”

I know all of this but my heart hurts and unfortunately there’s not much that can be said that would make me feel better. I just need time… time to heal… time to reflect… and time to fight my own way back to me.

If you want to express your concern or empathy please offer up a little pray for me that my heart will heal and while you are at it please say a pray for the guy I lost too. He’s a good man and I miss him.

Later! Kathi

p.s. thank you to my friends and family that have been supporting me as I’ve started the healing process. I really, really, really appreciate your time and patience, your support without judgement, and your encouragement.

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November 22, 2010

daily fitbattle #1296…(valet parking at the gym…say it isn’t so!)

Please say it isn’t so! Valet Parking at the gym…who’s great idea was that?

Okay…let me first address the elephant in the room…yes it’s been many days (actually a couple of weeks) since my last blog. Honestly I’m completely off track and I’m hoping this phase will pass soon. I’m still getting my workouts in (8-9 per week) and I’ve actually been able to use the treadmill without discomfort. My nutrition on the other hand is suffering. I’ve thought about going back to logging my food but I really want to win the nutrition battle (slump) without the assistance of a food log.

I know that I will be okay, but just like anyone else I am frustrated with myself and sometimes frustration leads to a bit of a downward spiral. I’m thankful that this phase I’m going through has not impacted my gym frequency and workouts…only my nutrition. With that said winning the fitbattle is about 60-75% nutrition so I really need to get out of this phase sooner than later. On most days I’ve been doing okay but then I find myself lacking discipline when faced with temptations.

Enough about the elephant! So I arrived at the gym this morning and voila! Inspiration for a blog. THANK YOU!!! As I approached the parking lot I saw a sign for Valet Parking. I thought…”it couldn’t be!” I pulled in and followed my standard route to find a parking space and “yep!” as I pulled around the end of the row there he was…a valet parker and the next row that I would normally pull into was blocked off.

You have to be kidding me! Valet Parking at the gym. Give me a bleeping break! I sure hope this is an experiment that ends up failing miserably. I realize we live in Vegas but we’re talking about SW/Summerlin not the Strip. It did appear that the valet option wasn’t terribly popular…I’m hoping that my fellow gym rats have strength and do not use this new service.

I suppose I should be happy that someone had the brilliant idea to implement valet parking at the gym so I could be inspired to blog again. As soon as I saw it I couldn’t wait to get home and start writing. Valet parking has awoken my inner blogger. Now if something could awaken my inner nutrition soldier so I can win the battle with the scale and get back to my all-time low weight of 130.

What do you think about valet parking at the gym? Leave me a comment…I love to hear from you!

Later… Kathi

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November 4, 2010

daily fitbattle #1278 (slump or simply distracted?)

Hmm…Am I in a slump? Or just distracted?

It’s been nine days since I wrote my last blog entry. I’m not really sure where the time went.

Well a little time was spent being distracted by Halloween and the thought that went into coming up with costumes that appealed to me, my MID (man I’m dating – that’s a code name – hee hee), and one of my best friends. We decided to do a group Halloween costume theme. I was the middle man (or I should say woman).

The rest of the time…where did it go? I have no idea. It’s fascinating really. When I was gainfully employed I used to wonder the same thing… “where does the day go?” Now (unemployed and you would assume having much more time) I still find myself asking the same question.

Yes I do visit the gym two times a day at least three days a week. That accounts for about 3.5 to 5 hours three or four days a week. How did I come up the time estimate? Well it usually takes me about 15 minutes to dress and put my gym bag together, 15 minute for the drive and parking, 15 minutes to visit the locker room and stretch, 45 minutes to an hour for the workout, and another 15 minutes to get home. I suppose you could also factor in time for a second shower resulting from the second gym visit.

Give or take 15 minutes here or there and voila four hours or so. Wow! That’s really incredible when you think about it. It’s no wonder people with jobs find it a challenge to get to the gym. I did it when I was working (well not two times per day). I drove to the gym directly from work. I always had my gym bag stocked and ready to go in the trunk of my car so I would have no excuse to skip the gym. I am (or was) a morning person, but not so much that I would get up early in the morning to go to the gym before work.

So…the rest of the day? Well usually after my morning workout I stop by Starbucks for a triple iced espresso, a spinach wrap, and a little reading or mingling with my unemployed friends. There goes another hour or so. Add in some studying for the NASM certification, blog writing (or not) and some procrastination (web surfing, checking email, etc.) and well the day is done. Fascinating really.

Slump or distracted? I’m going to say that I’m not in a slump…I’m just distracted! Which is better really. It just means I need to get my butt in gear (in more ways than one – pretty much all round) and start prioritizing. Less time at Starbucks…more time for studying and blogging! That’s it! Simple!!!

Until later! Kathi

P.S. I’m making an executive decision… No more stats! It’s time to maintain and be accountable to my regular measurements with Chris (personal trainer). And about my measurements…I’ve been putting them off cause I know that I’m not where I want to be. So now that I’m going to be back on track I’m gonna get rid of these 3 to 4 lbs that I lost and then found. Give me a couple of weeks…I promise!

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October 26, 2010

daily fitbattle #1269 (run Kathi run!)

Run Forrest (Kathi) Run…

I tried running on the treadmill again (after a long time) and so far all systems are go! Yay!!!

My momma always said, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” ~ Forrest Gump

I’m optimistic that I will now be able to start running (or maybe it’s just jogging) on the treadmill regularly as part of my cardio routine. This would be awesome since other than spin class it’s a big challenge to get my heart rate up into the 130 to 140′s on any other cardio equipment. Well…other than the stairmaster (the one like an escalator).

It felt good to run. I kept it simple and only ran 30 second intervals at 6.0 with one minute intervals in between at 4.0 for a total of 17 minutes. That was on Sunday and I think it’s a great sign that as of today I do not have any hip pain. That’s where the pain would be if I were going to have any from my treadmill experiment.

Now…if only my elbow and forearm pain would go away life would be better than good, it would be awesome! I suppose one small victory at a time is a blessing. So I’ll count my blessings and be thankful that my hip is pain free.

You have to do the best with what God gave you. ~ Mrs. Gump

The obvious question is when do I plan to run on the treadmill again? Tomorrow morning I will continue my experiment. Cross your fingers that all goes well. If so, I might just be able to get rid of the 2-3 pounds I gained as a result of letting life distract me in late September and early October. I suppose the good news is that I haven’t gained any more pounds…but I’d really like to get back to 130 pounds and soon!

My Mama always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on. ~ Forrest Gump

My other notable from this week is that I took a BodyPump class on Monday morning. That’s the class that I am “pre-selected” to be certified in when I attended the information session on the BodyVibe class (the class I was not coordinated enough to be selected to teach). I figure if I’m serious about getting certified to teach BodyPump I better make sure I like the class and can actually get through the class. Hmm…

That’s all I have to say about that. ~ Forrest Gump

I’ll save it for another blog.

Until later! Kathi

Here are my stats:

DAILY STATS DETAILS
Workout SAT…stretching, 15 min on the treadmill and 25 min on the stairmaster at level 8
SUN…stretching, 17min on the treadmill doing 30 second and 1 min intervals at 6.0 and 4.0 respectively, and 25 min on the stairmaster at level 8
MON…Morning stretching and BodyPump class. Evening…stretching and spin class

TUE…Afternoon crazy full body workout with Chris
Successes Made it the gym on Saturday and Sunday and also got my twofer in on Monday. Overall good with nutrition (except for Saturday night).
Opportunities Out on the town Saturday night for UFC…which included cocktails and and some unhealthy choices for a late dinner…like the onion rings I ate too many of. Man I love onion rings!
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October 22, 2010

daily fitbattle #1265 (I admit it! I’m addicted to caffeine…)

Is Caffeine all that bad for you?

How can something that makes you feel so good be bad for you? The majority of my caffeine is consumed at Starbucks, typically following a morning workout. I’m pretty much on auto-pilot… Finish workout, start car, car steers itself into Starbucks parking lot (which is about 1000 feet from the Gym parking lot), a few more steps and I’m at the counter ordering my usual.

My usual is a triple iced espresso in a grande cup, an ice water, and a spinach wrap. As soon as I pull in the parking a sense of calm comes over me. I know that only a few minutes are between me and that first sip. I love everything about the experience…the aroma, the friendly regular customers that great me in the parking lot, the associates (the ones that know me and my order), the comfort of the big cushy green chair that I like to plop down in as I take my second sip.

Next I unwrap the spinach wrap and take in a big whiff…yum! Before I take my first bite I open up my Words game on my iPhone and my morning is complete. A cardio workout, a triple espresso, my morning snack, and Words with Friends. What else can you ask for?

When someone (anyone) joins me at Starbucks and they hear my order…they typically gasp and say “three shots of espresso!” I’m constantly informing people that there is more caffeine in a grande drip coffee than there is in three shots of espresso. No one believes me, but here’s the 411 on the caffeine in some common caffeinated drinks:

Coffee

  • Plain, brewed 8 oz = 135 mg (a grande drip is 16 oz.)
  • Instant 8 oz = 95 mg
  • Espresso 1 oz = 30-50 mg (times 3 is a max of 150 mg)
  • Plain, decaffeinated 8 oz = 5 mg

Tea

  • Green tea 8 oz = 25-40 mg
  • Black tea 8 oz = 40-70 mg

Soft Drinks

  • Coca-Cola Classic 12 oz = 34.5 mg
  • Diet Coke 12 oz = 46.5 mg
  • Dr. Pepper 12 oz = 42 mg
  • Mountain Dew 12 oz = 55.5 mg
  • Pepsi-Cola 12 oz = 37.5 mg
  • Sunkist Orange 12 oz = 42 mg

Energy Drink

  • Full Throttle, 16 oz = 144 mg
  • Red Bull, 8.5 oz = 80 mg
  • SoBe No Fear = 158 mg

My source for this info? Medicinenet.com

Am I addicted? Can you be addicted to caffeine? Apparently it’s not conclusive. I’ve gone for a day or two without it and not gone completely crazy. But I gotta admit that my caffeine consumption is somewhat like breathing for me. It just happens with no thought at all.

Until tomorrow! Kathi

Here are my stats for today:

DAILY STATS DETAILS
Workout THURSDAY…Evening was stretching, a quick warm up and lower body (legs) with Chris

FRIDAY…Morning stretching, 15 min on the treadmill at 3.8, 20 minutes on the (escalator) stair master at level 5 alternating speeds and 15 min on the regular stairmaster at level 6. Evening plan is stretching and upper body with Chris.
Successes Two good days with nutrition. I’ve been effective in fighting the carb cravings at night…YAY! And I got 4 days of twofers in this week.
Opportunities Overall I’m feeling good about the last two days.
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October 20, 2010

daily fitbattle #1263… (oh my… my twitching eye…)

It’s not the first time that I’ve had an eye twitch. But I’ve always wondered what the heck causes eye twitching??

To find an answer I started asking google, of course!

The first article I came across had this to say (and most articles agree with this list):

Causes of Eye Twitching

There are various causes of eye twitching in its serious and not so serious formats. The more common causes for eye twitching include:

  • Corneal irritation or injury
  • Stress
  • Lack of sleep
  • Fatigue
  • Prolonged staring or eye strain
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Neurological disorders
  • Possibly Hereditary

As mentioned above, even acute anxiety can sometimes results in eye twitching. Our bodies are remarkable machines, capable of doing extraordinary and unusual things at times. Eye twitching may be nothing more than a sign you need to take it easy, or need a little R&R, as much as it may be a sign that something more serious is going on. Don’t forget, eye twitching is a relatively common phenomena.

The good news? The twitching is getting better today. But I’ve had this damn twitch for a couple of weeks now. I’m taking it as a good sign that the occurrence of the twitch is slowing down, although as I’m typing this line…here it goes again.

So what’s causing my twitch? Well let’s see of the possible causes above I’m narrowing it down to: stress, lack of sleep, fatigue, alcohol, and/or caffeine. Shocking that stress and/or lack of sleep leading to fatigue and/or alcohol and/or caffeine may cause physical ailments! Okay…not so shocking…I know.

I suppose I need to get my fitbattle completely back on track. The upside? I can get rid of the couple of pounds I put back on and get rid of this darn eye twitch. So starting today… more sleep, less alcohol and caffeine, and make sure I minimizing unnecessary stress.

Yep, I didn’t really need to research eye twitches to figure this out…but sometimes I just need to read it to recommit to taking better care of me.

Until tomorrow! Kathi

Here are my other stats for today:

DAILY STATS DETAILS
Workout FRIDAY… stretching and upper body with Chris

SATURDAY & SUNDAY… off

MONDAY… Morning stretching, some of my physical therapy exercises, 10 min warm up on the treadmill at 4.0 and 30 min on the stairmaster at level 8. Evening stretching and spin class.

TUESDAY… Morning stretching, 20 min on the treadmill at 4.0 and 25 min on the stairmaster at level 8. Evening stretching and upper body with Chris.

WEDNESDAY… Morning stretching, 10 min warm up at 4.0, 20 min of abs, and 15 min on the stairmaster (escalator type). Evening stretching and spin class.
Successes Got three twofers in already this week. For the most part I’ve done good with nutrition.
Opportunities Should have gotten to the gym on Sunday. Still need to tweak my nutrition a bit. It’s tough to stay on track. ;)
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October 14, 2010

daily fitbattle #1257 (wowza…leg day!)

It’s a good day for leg day!

Noth’n like a good leg day to keep me on track. So let’s see if I can remember all six exercises that Chris had me do for the leg circuit today???

Check out the videos from Chris’ website to really appreciate my leg day…(I couldn’t find videos for all of them, but I found them for most.)

  1. Single Leg Deadlifts on a Bosu Ball with a 12 pound dumb bell. Ten reps per leg. CLICK HERE to see the video. It’s most like the video titled: “Bosu Ball Single Leg Deadlift” in the bottom right corner.
  2. Next Lunge to a Single Leg Box Jump. I think it was 15 reps per leg.
  3. On to Squats on a Bosu Ball with two 20 pound dumb bells…20 reps. CLICK HERE to see a video. Again it’s the video in the bottom right hand corner titled: “Bosu Ball Squat”.
  4. Jumping Lunges. I have no idea how many reps maybe 20 (the way Chris counts…20 reps…one rep per leg) which when I count somehow Chris’ 20 is my 40. CLICK HERE for a video. It’s the middle video in the right column.
  5. The exercise I struggled through…Single Leg Stability Ball Hamstring Curl. 15 reps per leg. CLICK HERE to see that it’s even harder than it sounds. And I did them with one leg…not two like in the video.
  6. Lastly…Mountain Climbers to Standing. 20 reps of these babies. CLICK HERE to see what a Mountain Climber looks like (bottom right video). I had to stand up and lunge back down in between every five Mountain Climbers.

Two times through and I was good to go. Leg day… check…check!

The interesting thing about getting back on track is that I wasn’t really that far off track. I worked out at least once per day all last week and only took three days off. Honestly my head wasn’t completely in the game last week so I’m sure that also impacted my workouts. I feel like I haven’t been to the gym for weeks…strange! But it’s good to be back physically and mentally.

Until tomorrow! Kathi

Here are my stats:

DAILY STATS DETAILS
Workout AFTERNOON…plan is stretching, a quick 5 min on the treadmill as a warm up and legs, legs, legs with Chris
Successes Back on track with nutrition and workouts
Opportunities Need to get back to my two spin classes per week. I’m really feeling the difference missing spin is having on me.
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October 13, 2010

daily fitbattle #1256 (I’m back! only 14 days later…)

Oh yeah! It’s been a long time since I’ve written a blog!

So when I saw this message from God on facebook yesterday it struck a chord with me.

On this day, God wants you to know

… that it’s never too late to get back on track. Never has anyone gone so far on the wrong path that they cannot return to the right one. Never has anyone become so wayward that they cannot benefit from the true light.

Where have I been the last 14 days? Yes it’s been two weeks since my last blog – unbelievable!

For one… Over a year ago I volunteered to help plan our 30-Year High School Reunion…so we (the committee) spent every spare moment last week preparing for the big event which was held this past weekend. Then of course I spent the weekend at the reunion. The last two days? Well I spent that time recovering and trying to get myself back on track. (All well worth the fun I had at the reunion!)

I’ve definitely gained a few pounds over the last several weeks which is very frustrating! All I can do is do what I know and get my butt in gear…  oh and get my nutrition back in check too. I really didn’t miss much gym time, except for the weekend. I took Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. I was back to twofers the last two days (Monday and Tuesday). I’ll make it to the gym two times today too.

For two… my friends are already aware of this…but I’ve been dating someone for a few months now. Originally dating did not impact my fitness and nutrition efforts… but when you add on the girls’ weekend (when my friends were visiting several weeks ago), a few other out of town visitors (which added more evenings of cocktails), and the reunion prep and event… I desperately need to get myself back on track.

I attribute my newly found dating life to my new found wellness. Not just my fitness but the confidence and satisfaction that comes with being in control and looking and feeling better. I want to make sure that I continue to experience these benefits (happiness, confidence, etc.) of winning the fitbattle. So it’s essential that I get back on track now that I won’t be as distracted.

Does life get it the way of your (my) fitbattle? Yes…of course it does! It’s not the end of the world…a few pounds found…but I need to stop the madness and make sure these few pounds don’t end up being several pounds.

Does dating complicate the fitbattle? Maybe. I’ve tried not to be as rigid with my diet. This is not just good for my new found relationship but also for my relationships with my friends and family who have found me a bit hard to take (to say the least) at times. I’m sure I can find a way to live in the real world, lose the extra pounds and then maintain a healthy weight.

The good news (or should I say “God” news)… “it’s never too late to get back on track.” I’m pretty sure that the facebook message from God wasn’t really referring to my wellness and there are definitely some other areas of my life that could use a little tweaking, but I’m gonna focus on my fitbattle this week.

Until tomorrow! Kathi

Here are my stats:

DAILY STATS DETAILS
Workout MONDAY…Morning stretching, treadmill for 10 min warm up, and 35 min on the stairmaster at level 8. Evening elliptical for 25 min at level 6, and the bike for 20 min at level 8.

TUESDAY…Morning stretching, treadmill for 15 min, stairmaster for 30 min at level 8. Evening stretching and push-ups and pull-ups with Chris.

WEDNESDAY…Morning stretching, treadmill for 10 min warm up and the elliptical for 30 min at level 8. Evening…gonna go to spin class – yay!
Successes Back on track!
Opportunities Many… too many to list. ;)
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September 29, 2010

daily fitbattle #1242 (how do i do that? tips 8, 9, and 10)

“How do I do that?” (CONTINUED – from daily fitbattle #1171, #1191, and #1207)

How do I answer this question when my friends ask? All they want to do is start their own fitbattle and succeed…

I touched on this subject three times in the last couple of months. It’s been more than a month since my last post on this subject…so it’s definitely time to take the next step. If you missed one or all three posts or you just want to review them again CLICK HERE TO REVIEW TIPS 1, 2, & 3 (POST #1171), CLICK HERE TO REVIEW TIPS 4 & 5 )POST #1191), and CLICK HERE TO REVIEW TIPS 6 & 7 (POST #1207). Or you can review the cliff notes below.

As I mentioned in the previous posts on this subject…advice it’s best doled out in small doses. So here’s a couple more pieces of advice for starting your own fitbattle. I’m assuming that you’ve implemented most if not all of the first seven tips:

  1. Eat a high protein breakfast
  2. Eliminate high calorie/carb beverages and drink plenty of water (coffee is okay, but watch the extras)
  3. No more carbs at night unless it’s in the form of protein or a veggie
  4. Start eating 5 to 6 smaller meals per day vs. 2 or 3 big meals
  5. Log everything you eat
  6. Count calories, protein, carbs and fat
  7. Eliminate the food booby traps from your pantry

Did you determine the the total number of calories you should be consuming per day? Have you noticed a difference in how your clothes are fitting? Have you lost any weight? If you’ve followed tips #1 through #7 I’m absolutely sure that the answers to both of these questions is “yes”.

The most important aspect of your personal fitbattle is being honest with yourself. You can be out with friends and talk about how good you’ve been and put on a show when ordering food by choosing healthier options. And your friends will want to believe you and most probably will. But you can’t lie to yourself! You know whether or not you are committed and how it translates into your daily nutritional choices and your workouts.

So how’s your pantry looking these days?

If you’ve been following my blog the last few weeks you know that I recently had friends staying with me for a girls weekend. There were a few food items still hanging around from the weekend that I finally had to chuck. Cheese, crackers, pita bread, etc. I know my weaknesses. I’d like to think that I have restraint but most nights I don’t. So into the garbage it went. Yes a waste but I’d rather it go into the garbage instead of being junk in my truck, if you know what I’m saying. After all…I already gained a few pounds as a result of having a little too much fun that weekend and the following week.

How about tips 8, 9, and 10?

Tip 8…Get moving! Walk/run outside, ride a bike, or use the treadmill. Got a gym membership? Use it. Not only will this help you burn more calories…you’ll feel better too. No Gym membership? That’s okay! Park your car further than normal from the door…at work, the mall, the grocery store, anywhere and everywhere.

Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Ever heard the saying: “two down, one up”. If you are going up one floor or down two floors don’t use the elevator…find the stairs and use them! Not only does this help you get moving it saves energy too.

Join the kids outside for some catch or whatever kids do outside. This will set a good example for them too. Childhood obesity is an epidemic and it’s up to us adults to demonstrate that exercise is important and a priority.

Dust off those old workout DVD’s and give them a try or find a workout channel on your TV. Any movement is better than none.

Tip 9…Forgive yourself when you slip. It’s okay to fail! We are flawed by nature, so don’t quit if you cannot maintain perfection in your fitbattle. Just dust yourself off and start again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had set backs, been in a funk, lost my mojo, or plain old gave up for a day or two. When I came through the other end of whatever was going on with me…I forgave myself and got back to the basics. Being in control is a great feeling. Being out of control sucks!

Tip 10...Listen for negatives and make them positives. Remember we are the biggest enemy we have in the fitbattle. So catch yourself when you are talking yourself out of fighting a good fight. You can do it. You deserve it. You are worthy of the effort. Yes it does matter. Think about it…imagine how great it will feel to lose a few pounds.

This is probably the hardest bit of advice to follow. I’m sure that the person I see in the mirror every day is not the same person my friends and family see. I’m not sure why this is but we are our worst critics. Recently someone told me that I was attractive. Let me tell you “attractive” is the last word I would ever use to describe myself. This got me thinking about one of our most basics flaws. It’s not a physical flaw it’s an emotional or psychological flaw. We only see what we do not like about ourselves.

I stood in the mirror for quite some time searching for “attractive” features…trying to understand and see what this person sees in me. If pressed I can come up with a few features that others might find attractive but those few features do not add up to a whole “attractive” person…at least not to me or should I say not me.

What’s the lesson in this? You are a beautiful person even if you cannot see it! Fight to free the skinny, healthy, happy, youthful person inside of you!

Now…go forth and prosper. Your fitbattle is well underway!

Until tomorrow! Kathi

Here are my stats:

DAILY STATS DETAILS
Workout TUESDAY…stretching and upper body (with some core mixed in) with Chris

WEDNESDAY… stretching and Spin class
Successes My nutrition has been in check the last two days
Opportunities Hmm forgot my sports bra today…fortunately I was going to spin class so I manned up and wore my sexy leopard print bra under my workout top. Otherwise I would have had to bail and I doubt I would have made it back to the gym today.
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