Week 6 Day 3

Weight: 171 lbs

Distance: 2 miles at 5.2 mph

Meals:
Breakfast: 1 Gala Apple

Lunch: Turkey Sandwich
9 Pita Bites
1 package of 100 calorie Cheez-its

Dinner: Chicken Breast with Wild Rice and Veggies
1 Smirnoff Raspberry Burst Drink

Snacks: 1 serving of grapes
1 Fiber One Oats and Chocolate Bar

Health Tip of the Week: Get in at least 30 minutes of cardio training a day. Whether it's running, walking or riding a bike those 30 minutes are essential for starting to leave a healthier lifestyle

Exercise of the Week: Oblique Reaches
Description: Lay on your back with knees bent and feet resting on the floor. While keeping
abdominal muscles engaged lift your torso so you shoulders are slightly off the ground.
Keeping you head a fist distance from your chest, exhale and reach for your left ankle with
your left hand. Inhale and return to center. Then exhale and reach for you right ankle with
your right hand. Repeat this alternating sequence taking breaks when your neck muscle start
to burn.

Duration: 3 sets of 10 reps on both the left and right sides.

I kinda flaked out last week and got home pretty late last night which is why I'm doing yesterday's blog today. I continued with my workout plan of walking on Friday, running on Saturday and taking my pilates class Sunday morning but I really dropped the ball on my weight training. I felt like the end of my week last week was rushed and I didn't have any time to do anything but the bare minimum. On the upside we got a new scale which is awesome since our old one was weighing us 2 pounds heavier. They really encouraged me to continue being good which resulted in me weighting 171.4lbs this morning! I think it's funny how simple things in life keep me motivated to carry on with my plans. So far this week I haven't taken a day off from exercise although I haven't picked back up with the weight training. I might have a chance to do that today because my pilates instructor let us know there might be a chance she won't be there tonight and if that is the case I think I'll walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes and then pick up all the weight machines to make a full hour. Running yesterday was pretty difficult for me and I think it's because I ran a little later than I usually do and also I have no fuel for my body to use. Tomorrow I'm supposed to step up the speed so I want to make sure that I don't help in the fatiguing of my body by not eating enough before hand. Well, it's about that time to start heading to work. Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Health

Megan : )

Week Five Day 4

Weight: 177 lbs

Distance: 2 miles @ 5.2mph with hill program

Meals:
Breakfast: 1 Gala Apple

Lunch: Turkey Wrap Sandwich
28 Pita Bites

Dinner: Taco Salad

Snacks: 1 cup of carrots
4oz of Fat Free Activa Yogurt w/ Kashi Go Lean Honey Almond Cluster Cereal mixed
in
1 package of 100 calorie Fudgeshoppe cookies

Health Tip: Drink at least six 8oz glasses of water a day. The increase in water intake helps lose weight, cleanse the body and also keeps you hydrated on these hot days.

Exercise of the Week: Military Press

Equipment Needed: barbells, soup cans or milk jugs with water for weight

Description: With weights in hands, hold arms out to the side at shoulder height. Bend your elbows in to make an "L" with each arm and have your palms facing front. To ensure you are at the correct starting position, you should look like a football goal post when looking in the mirror. Next extend arms straight overhead being careful not to knock the weights together. Then return to starting position.

Duration: 3 sets of 10 reps


So today was another good day. After work I did not feel like going to the gym so I made myself go because I recognized my normal pattern of putting the gym off until the next day....and then the next day...etc. I think I was intimidated by the fact that I was running on a hill program instead of just a flat surface. I know it takes a lot more energy to be able to run the same speed while going up an incline. After the first mile I felt like giving up but my goal was to run between 1.5-2 miles so I pushed myself. Shortly after giving myself a little pep-talk I started to feel the begining of a cramp in my right side. I tried slowing down my breathing to help decrease it's intensity but it still got stronger. The key combination I found to combat that type of crap was to concentrate on the breathing but also take longer strides. By slowing down the movement I was able to slow down the breathing a little easier. Also taking longer strides helps when running on an incline so I'll start to pay more attention to my stride length. I was pretty beat afterwards and after having lunch and reading my book I took a good hour nap. Since I pushed myself on the treadmill I thought I would give myself a day off of weight training. Tomorrow morning I'll go and walk the treadmill for 30 minutes so I get my daily cardio in and really concentrate on all the weight machines as well. I don't run again until Saturday and there aren't any hills planned so it should hopefully be an easier day.

Good Luck and Good Health

Megan : )

Introduction

My first post yesterday was pretty short and I felt that I needed to do a post describing what to expect from this blog. First, a little about me. When I started my weight loss journey I weighed 223 lbs. I joined a weight loss program and lost fifty pounds in a year and a half. When I started to plateau I left the program feeling I knew what I needed to do to keep the weight off. I ended up gaining twenty pounds and felt miserable. I joined a gym and attended pretty regularly but I didn't change my diet so I was staying in limbo. I then got frustrated and it was really hard for me to get going to the gym. I ended up joining the weight loss program again so that I had the access to the tools I needed for a better and healthier me. I solved my gym problem by making a goal I needed to reach. I found that if I was working towards something instead of just working out I was more successful in my visits at the gym. The goal that I have chosen for myself is to run a 5K race. The training program that I'm following is a three months program and I have just entered into the second month of training. I also try and attend yoga and pilates classes that are given at my gym to change up my routine.

I want this blog to be used as a tool for people who are struggling in losing weight or staying in shape. I know how hard it is to do things on your own and with the economy as it is right now it is even harder to join a weight loss program or a gym so I will try to give both gym advice and at home alternatives so that everyone can participate. With this blog I hope to give useful health tips, home exercises and healthy recipes. I plan to post at least three times a week and share my own weight loss story with all of you out there. I will post things such as my current weight, meals I ate that day and anything else that pops into my mind. I'm a full-time student and work part-time so I understand how hard it is to make time to improve your health. If you feel that this blog lacks information you need or if you need clarification on anything I post please feel free to contact to and I will help you the best that I can.

Week 5 Day 2

Weight: 177 lbs
Distance: 2 miles @ 5.2 mph
Meals:
Breakfast: 1 Gala Apple
Lunch: Turkey and Wheat Tortilla Roll-Up
1 Serving of green Grapes
Dinner: Taco Salad (Romaine Hearts, Fat-Free Cheese, Ground Turkey Meat, Salsa, Onions)
1 Bicardi Mojito

Wow. The first month of this training went by so fast and seemed kinda easy. Today totally took the easy out of it. The actual running was fine but my energy was zapped afterwards. I had a yoga class this evening and I was dragging bad. But I will struggle on and conquer this training program and get to my goal weight.