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#FitGearFriday 2/15/13

February 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I LOVE Fitness Gear Friday

What fitness gear did I find, hear about or use this week that I am recommending to you?

Well, I am in LOVE with these handheld water bottles for my short runs.

They are by Nathan Sports.

This is the handiest little water bottle and it fits really snug on my hand while I’m running.

It carries just enough water for my 3-4 mile runs.

 Nathan QuickShot

Moisture-wicking, adjustable Wall Mesh hand strap
Unique, adjustable hand strap eliminates the need to grip the Flask and offers alternative hand positions
10 oz. (300 mL) Flask with Race Cap
Power Stretch Mesh pocket with Velcro® closure
Incorporated, waterproof I.D./medical emergency card
Race Cap with high-flow, one-way valve opens and closes automatically and offers a quick burst of fluid
Wide collar allows for easy flask removal and replacement for cleaning
Reflective detail
Weight: 1.6 oz.

What is really cool (and something that I just discovered recently) is that you can

get a little carry pouch for the front of the bottle to carry your money, cards, phone, etc…

Another cool option that Nathan offers is called the QuickShot Plus

QuickShot Plus

Unique, adjustable hand strap elminates the need to grip the Flask and offers alternative hand positions
10 oz. (300 mL) Flask with Race Cap
Dimensional zippered pocket with internal Power Stretch Mesh pocket
Power Stretch Mesh pocket with VELCRO closure
Wide collar allows for easy flask removal and replacement for cleaning
Incorporated, waterproof ID/medical emergency card
Reflective detail
Weight: 3 oz. (.09 kg)

AND, to round out the QuickShot series is the Thermal QuickShot

Thermal QuickShot

Unique, adjustable hand strap eliminates the need to grip the Flask and offers alternative hand positions
10 oz. (300 mL) Flask with Race Cap
Insulated, zippered carrier keeps fluids cool
Dual external Power Stretch Mesh pockets
Power Stretch Mesh pocket with VELCRO closure
Weight: 3.1 oz. (.09 kg)

SO MANY GREAT OPTIONS!!

 

Have you tried any of these water bottles on your runs or walks?

Would you consider purchasing one of these?

What type of Hydration system do you use on your short runs?

Leave me a comment below and share this with other fit friends!

 

Don’t forget to read my other #FitGearFriday picks

~ 2/8/13

Filed Under: #FitGearFriday, About me Blog, Favorites Friday, Fitness, Front Page, Product Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What I Discovered After Taking a Bexlife Gym Diet

February 7, 2013 By 1 Comment

 

A couple of months ago, I read a post by Rebekah at BEXLIFE.com about taking a Gym Diet. She is a fellow blogger and FitFluential Ambassador.

photo-copy-2.jpg

I started to think about this gym diet idea and

after completing my first Triathlon in August

and a Dirty Girl run in September

Dirtiest day of my LIFE! And, one of the most fun :)

I was feeling run-down, tired, possibly overtraining and family/work wise, I found that I was getting REALLY busy!

So… I took a GYM DIET!!

I TOOK A BREAK!

Can you guess what happened from me taking my gym diet?

First thing I noticed was that I lost weight!

Yup, being 5’8″, I like to keep my (goal) weight between 130-135 lbs

It is a SCARY thing to post a picture of your weight!!

 

My weight does fluctuate daily but as you can see, I am within my goal.

I should be happy right?

Well, losing weight is great and all,

BUT, how do I feel?

What do I look like?

Do my clothes fit better or worse?

Do I still have the same strength and muscles?

 What’s the good, the bad and the ugly of taking a Gym Diet?

What did I discover from taking a Gym Diet?

1) I miss Running a lot. It clears my head, relieve stress and help me to focus

Otherwise, I am all over the map. I have the Shiny Object Syndrom just like Kelly Olexa

But, after a scary run this past summer and all of the bad stories I have been hearing

about attacks on women running outside, I am quite nervous to run alone now.

Sad but true.

2) I miss Kick-boxing a LOT too! It helps me to relieve some stress from my daily life

I am a firm believer that hitting a bag is the MOST fun way to feel strong and powerful

3) Eating healthy helps my body function at its peak level.

All of the (excuse me) “crap food” out there (see my past post on GMO’s) can really make you feel like you ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

I do have to be honest and say that it has been nice not worrying SO much about what I eat and letting

myself indulge a little more than I normally would.

According to my family, it is nice to see me eating like a “real” person.

BUT, I NEVER FEEL GOOD AFTER EATING BAD FOOD!!

Eating healthy is REAL and it is ME!

4) Exercise and eating healthy will my body stay healthy and not get sick.

Luckily, I didn’t get sick during this two month “adventure” but being tired all of the time is almost just as bad.

5) Exercise gives me better quality sleep and I don’t feel so tired in the morning or during the day.

It is amazing how you can get up at 5 am, punch out a workout/run/swim, etc…

and physically feel SO much better than if you had slept in until 10am.

6) My clothes fit better.

I have lost weight but my clothes definitely fit worse. They are less comfy… jeans especially.

7) I don’t feel as Strong as I was. I can definitely see a loss of definition in my arms

and I am sad that I let it go. BUT, I will get it back.

So, this past Monday I started doing INSANITY by Beachbody.

Yes, it is that crazy workout program you have seen on TV.

I have heard SO many great things about the program and

I really think that it will help

me get back into my daily routine of working out again.

The daily workouts are between 40-60 minutes and the

really nice thing about it…

I can do them from the comfort of my own home :)

AND, my kids LOVE doing it with me too! Double BONUS!

I also plan to start running again. Maybe outside or maybe

on a treadmill.

The incident that I had over the summer kind of scarred me… okay

it scarred me A LOT.

BUT… I will not let it stop me from doing something I love.

I just have to be really smart about it.

SO…

I have set 10 goals for myself to start this month to get back on track!

1) I will NOT overtrain and get myself run-down again

2) I will start and finish the entire INSANITY

3) I will make my meals as clean as possible each day

4) I will drink my Shakeology each day for breakfast

(the Tropical Berry is SO delicious and Vegan, non-dairy and non-GMO)

5) I will drink LOTS of water each day (something I work on really hard each day)

6) I will keep myself accountable via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

so make sure to follow me @spotonwellness

7) I will post my progress here on my blog as well as in my Accountablity group

on Facebook (Keep Me Accountable… search for it and request to join)

8) I will look ahead at my calendar each week to make sure

I schedule time each day to complete the workouts

9) I will prepare my food ahead of time so I don’t feel the need

to buy unhealthy options when I am starving

10) I will have FUN!

Have you gone on a Gym Diet?

What is your favorite way to exercise?

Now, go ahead and do these 3 things

1) Leave a comment below

2) Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

3) follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Fitness, Front Page, Gym Diet, Insanity, Kids, Workouts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Motivation Monday, Insanity Day 1 Fit Test and a BIG Confession!

February 4, 2013 By 1 Comment

~ Lazy people want much but get little,

but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied ~

Proverbs 13:4

 

This was a verse that I read this morning when I was tired, the house

was quiet after the kids left for school and I decided I wanted to

lay back down for a couple minutes (yeah right… more like 35!)

I had 0% energy.

 But, I did make time to read God’s word

and yeah, He was speaking DIRECTLY to me through the verse above.

I read it and heard, “Get your lazy rear-end up and get moving!”

I am a planner.

For the past week I have been planning to start my new workout program,

INSANITY,

today and boom… yup,

I was “tired.”

You see, there are 2 things that really get on my nerves

1) Laziness

2) Whining

And for the past couple of months, guess what… (Confession time)

I have been REALLY LAZY about working out!

Yes, I have been busy just like everyone else and probably a LOT burnt out…

But, ENOUGH EXCUSES!

Life doesn’t wait until your “ready”

I just turned 40 (cough) in January

and I am going to kick aging in the BOOTAY!

So, I got my lazy buns up,

put on my workout clothes

put in the FIT TEST DVD

WOW!

That was SOOOO incredible!

I am back on track and in the game!

NO MORE LAZINESS!!

Day 2 tomorrow :)

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more updates @Spotonwellness

Tell me:

1) What did you do today to Invest In Yourself?

2) Have you ever tried the Insanity Program?

3) Would you like to join my Insanity Challenge?

 

 

Disclaimer: I am a Beachbody Coach and do receive a small percentage of each sale on my Beachbody Coach website. However, EACH AND EVERY opinion is my own and ALWAYS will be.  :)

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Fitness, Front Page, Insanity, Mamavation Monday Tagged With: , , , , , ,

How to set SMART goals and a Tabata Thursday Boxing Workout for extra BURN

May 31, 2012 By 2 Comments

When I was in the grocery store the other day, I overheard a lady saying, “It doesn’t matter if it is Atkins or South Beach, I just want to do whatever works to lose the weight FAST.”

Now, this isn’t the first time that I have heard someone say this. We all want to lose the weight fast right? But… it should be our ultimate goal to create a healthy LIFESTYLE so we can lose the weight safely and effectively. It is important to remember that to lose weight, you need to incorporate 3 basic things into your life:

  1. Cardio
  2. Strength training
  3. Healthy nutrition (clean eating is the best) at EVERY meal

So, you can start by making small changes to your daily routine OR, if you are the type of person that has to jump in feet first (and you are healthy enough to do this), you can do a complete overhaul right away. It is important to find whatever works for you.  You should realize that the first month can be the toughest but once you get started, you will feel that sense of accomplishment and how great exercise makes your body feel… you will soon be hooked and it will become a habit.

First thing… Start by writing down your ULTIMATE goal.  IE… Running a local 5k in 3 months.

Once you have that goal written down, break it down even further into monthly, weekly and daily goals.

IMPORTANT: One of the most effective ways to structure your goals is by using the SMART goal model.

S   =  Specific

- Make sure your goals are VERY specific.  Yes, you want to run the 5k. BUT, if you have not ran in over 5 years, you have a desk job or you are coming back from an injury, you need to start off slow and work you way up to your goal. An example of how to start by writing down a goal for this week would be going for a walk for 30 minutes each weekday at 9 am. See how specific that is? Once you feel comfortable and after you have had about 10 minutes to warm-up, you can start to incorporate a light jog into your walk. Start with jogging for 30 seconds or from mailbox to mailbox. Walk again for 2-3 minutes (or at least until you feel you are ready to go again) and jog again for another 30 seconds. Repeat this routine for the 30 minutes.*

M  =  Measurable

- Make sure you can measure you goals. IE… Can I measure (keep track of) my goal of walking/jogging for 30 minutes each weekday at 9 am? Yes, that is measurable.*

A  =  Attainable

- Are the goals attainable/achievable? Is walking for 30 minutes a day something that you would enjoy? Is it nice weather out so you are able to get outside? Is it possible for you to run at all or do you have underlying injuries that prohibit you from running? These are just a few questions you need to ask yourself when setting your goals.*

R  =  Realistic

- Are the goals realistic? It is not a good idea to start out on your first day by trying to run a full 3 miles if you haven’t ran in 5 years. Be realistic. Again, start with walking for the 30 minutes (or how ever long you are able) and work your way up to incorporating a light jog when you feel comfortable and ready.*

T  = Timely

- Always remember to set an end time for your goal. We have said that you have the local 5k in 3 months that you are working toward. That is a timely goal with a specific end date. When you have completed this goal, set another goal for yourself and so on and so forth.*

*Always remember to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine.

Finding the best way to create a daily fitness habit and healthy eating lifestyle is what will ultimately help you reach your goals of being healthy, fit and strong.

So, if you are up to an extra challenge, I have created a Tabata Boxing workout to help you get fit in only 4 minutes. This is a pretty intense workout but you can do it to your own comfort and intensity level.

If you are not familiar with what a Tabata workout is, click here to read more about it.

Basically, Tabata is a 4 minute High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout where you follow a set format:

  • 20 seconds of a high intensity interval (IE… sprints, jabs, squats, etc…)
  • 10 seconds of rest
  • Repeat 8 times for a total of 4 minutes

 

 

As I said before… Today’s Tabata Boxing workout is INTENSE!!

  • Jab/Cross RIGHT side
  • Squat jump with RIGHT side kick
  • Jab/Cross LEFT side
  • Squat jump with LEFT side kick

Don’t forget to warm up for 10 minutes before starting this workout and do a 10 minute cool-down at the end. Also, make sure to stretch and drink lots of water when you are finished, too.

Now, for another important piece of today’s workout… the MUSIC!

Here is the video to one of my favorite songs by my favorite guys… NICKELBACK.

How do you set your goals?

Do you have any goals set for yourself right now?

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Fitness, Front Page, Tabata, Uncategorized, Vlog, Workouts Tagged With: , ,

8 Ways to Help You Stop Late Night Snacking

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 



I have a confession to make. I am a… LATE NIGHT SNACKER :( 


You see, every day after I wake up, I get the kids on the bus, workout, eat breakfast and go about the rest of my daily schedule. Later in the afternoon, I get the kids off the bus, shuffle them from here to there, help with homework, make dinner and finally, get the kids into bed. If I am lucky, I have time to do a few more chores, maybe sit down with my husband to watch one of our favorite shows (like Modern Family) and finally, read a few pages of my current book and get some good sleep.


Usually, that is how my “routine” goes.


I eat healthy and I know what I should and shouldn’t eat. I am also a creature of habit. So, I tend to eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch EVERYDAY. 


Wake up:



Post Workout:



Lunch:


    

  • Egg white Puff with Spinach and Franks Red Hot Sauce
    • 

  • Fruit of some kind
    • 



Mid-Afternoon Snack:


    

  • Apple with natural peanut butter
    • 



Dinner is usually a toss-up but I always make healthy meals for my family. I am very mindful of what we are putting into our mouths and bodies.


I also workout… hard. I have a scheduled list of my training and what I will be doing every day of the week. From running to cycling, HIIT and Tabata workouts to TRX. Is what I am doing right or wrong? Well, I am hoping I have educated myself enough to know what I should do and how to do it.


Here is what I did today for my workout:




So, if I am mindful of what I eat and how I push my body to be the best it can be each day, what is the problem right? Well, my “routine” works great … UNTIL… nighttime.


Ugggg.


After the kids are in bed and I am ready to decompress, I am usually on the hunt for a snack. It isn’t the same thing every day. Sometimes it is popcorn, sometimes it is chips and sometimes it is fruit. Sometimes, like tonight, it is a glass of wine and a piece of dairy free chocolate. ;( And sometimes, it is ALL of them together. I just can’t hit the nail on the head to squelch my craving. But I know I probably eat at least 300-400 calories between 8-11 pm. By the time I end up going to bed, I feel crummy and my stomach hurts. I get SO irritated with myself for sabotaging all of my hard work throughout the rest of the day.


So, if am as mindful an eater as I think I am, like I am for the first 3/4 of my day … why do I do this to myself at night?


    

  • Maybe it is because I eat too FEW calories throughout first 3/4 of my day?
    • 

  • Maybe it is because I am bored?
    • 

  • Maybe it is because my body is lacking some nutrient that I missed throughout the day?
    • 



I am sure there are a few other reasons that I missed (and by all means, please let me know your thoughts ;) 


So, after doing a little google search, I came across a post by Peanut Butter Fingers. (Ironically… PB (natural) is one of my FAV snacks ;) 


Here are a few of her suggestions that I thought were very useful and spot-on. 


    

  1. Drink a Hot Beverage – This is something that I do quite often. I like a cup of tea (decaf) so I am going to do this again and be MINDFUL of how it makes me feel
    2. 

  2. Plan to Snack – Many times I will try (her suggestion) of an apple with Peanut Butter and this is a great option. Sometimes, I just forgo the apple and have a spoonful of peanut butter and that seems to do the trick
    3. 

  3. Evaluate Your Hunger – As I contemplate this one, I can honestly say that I am probably NOT hungry and in fact, I am probably just thirsty. I know I don’t drink enough throughout the day so, therefore, this brings me back to the option #1 and #7
    4. 

  4. Entertain Yourself – Oh, this is a tricky one. Isn’t watching a show or working on the computer entertainment enough? LOL
    5. 



A few other mindful eating options that I personally have found to help cut down on the late night snacking are:


5. Chewing Gum - This has always been a way that I find keeps my mind off of eating and my brain thinking that I am snacking. I am also one of those that chews gum while they workout. I HAVE TO. If I don’t, I feel soooo much thirstier. Crazy, I know. But, it tricks my brain into thinking that I am drinking and keeps me feeling hydrated and my mouth busy 


6. Brush your teeth – The minty-ness in my mouth makes any food sound and taste unappetizing 


7. Drink a glass of COLD water – If it is summer and hot outside, a glass of COLD water will make you feel full AND refreshed


8. Kiss – enough said ;) 


Okay, so now you (and I) have 8 different ways to help us STOP late night snacking and be more mindful of what we eat. 




 


Let me know if any of these tricks work for you.


How do you stop yourself from eating those late night snacks? 


 

		

		
Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Fitness, Front Page, Gluten Free, Uncategorized, Vlog, Workouts  Tagged With: , , , , ,