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Tuesday, December 9, 2014

What Changes Have You Made?

From my own personal past failed experiences at attempting to lose weight, I believe one of the biggest reasons that we tend to fail is because we try to change everything at once or go hard from the very beginning and get burned out. I don’t know how many times I started some type of weight loss program, diet, or even join a gym and ended up reverting back to my old ways within a few days, weeks, or a couple times I lasted a few months. And no matter if I lost a few pounds or even about 10 years ago lost 50 pounds, it never lasted and I eventually gained it all back and then some.
 
I knew I was fortunate that the only thing I dealt with as far as medical issues were my allergies and asthma, considering I was 350 pounds. I was taking allergy injections once a week, on prescription allergy meds, and had two different asthma meds I took daily along with my back up inhaler and nebulizer just in case. But, I knew if I didn’t take my health serious and change my ways, I would eventually be diagnosed with much worse considering diabetes and heart disease run in my family. And the great news is, within the first 6 months, not only was I no longer receiving allergy injections, I was able to come off all my daily prescription meds for my allergies and asthma. And I haven’t had to use an inhaler or nebulizer since then either (this means I’ve been off all these meds for almost 3 ½ years).
 
So, what has made this time, with Fitness Together, different from all the other times I’ve attempted to lose weight and become healthier? Well, first, my mindset was different. Before it was about just losing weight, but the day I got on that scale and realized I weighed 350 pounds it no longer became only about losing weight, but about becoming healthier. I also knew I had to approach this differently, mentally, emotionally, and physically. And I think one of the biggest things I did was I didn’t try to do or change everything at once.
 
The first thing I did was I decided I would change a couple things in my diet, and I quit eating fried foods and quit drinking pop. Then after a couple months I realized I needed major help when it came to getting some type of exercise routine into my life, and this is when I found Michael Watkins and my Fitness Together family. But, when I went in I didn’t know if it was something I would stick with or not, so after talking with Michael I asked for the smallest package which was three months. And now, here I am almost four years and I’m down 153 pounds and stronger than I ever imagined! But, when I started, I didn’t try to go every day or try to change everything at once. In fact, they knew I was making healthy choices in my meals, so they didn’t even discuss a meal plan until about four months into it. I started out training with a trainer two days a week, and no cardio program. I think they were happy a 350 pound person was making it in twice a week to their sessions, so didn’t even discuss a cardio program until about two months into the program. When I did start incorporating cardio, it was only about three times a week for about 15-20 minutes. I gradually started to increase my cardio to more time, and then started to increase how many days. Next thing I know I’m asking about adding a third session and then I started doing cardio daily. At this point Michael started to offer small group (PACK) sessions, so I incorporated a couple of those, started to do cardio every morning and in the evenings I didn’t have sessions. And then BOOM, one year later I’m down a little over 100 pounds! That’s right! The first 100 pounds came off in that first year. It has taken me the other almost three years to get the 53 pounds off, but as they say slow results will be permanent results. And today, I train privately with a trainer four days a week at 5:15 AM, every Monday through Friday at lunch with a group, and then I get a minimum of four days where I spend an hour to two hours getting cardio in. Over all this time I’ve been with Fitness Together, I’ve learned so much about fitness and nutrition, that it now has become just a part of my life and how I live.
 
So, what are some of the changes I’ve made besides going from barely being able to breathe as I do simple step ups to working out like what some people would call an obsessed fitness freak? Well, I make sure I’m on time for my sessions and don’t miss for unnecessary reasons. Yes, a couple times I’ve overslept for my 5:15 AM session (even recently, but in almost 4 years that’s pretty good), I’ve been out sick, or work meetings cause me to miss a lunch workout, but when it comes down to it I make sure getting to my workouts and giving my all are a priority. I don’t cancel just to go out of town for the weekend, I leave town when I’m done with my workout. If I need to be out of town, or miss for some reason, I make sure to reschedule my session. I don’t just blow it off. I don’t cancel just because friends or family want to hang out or go have dinner, I meet up with them after my workout (it’s only 45 minutes people…sorry, just gotta keep it real). And when it comes to my meals, I stay focused on my meal plans. I not only plan ahead, but prep for the entire week so I have no excuses. And yes, my meal plans have reward meals built into them, and I have those for special occasions such as birthdays, family get gatherings, holidays, etc. But, even on my reward meals, I still make sure I’m eating sensible portions, I still don’t eat fried foods, and I also only make it a reward meal, not a reward day. It’s okay to enjoy a reward meal from time to time, but what you don’t want to happen is for that to become something you do daily or allow it to become a habit.
 
As I was eating my breakfast this morning, scrambled egg whites with veggies and Eziekel toast, I was thinking about some of the changes I’ve made in my nutrition that are just natural for me now. And this is a prime example of what I mean by gradual changes. I gradually changed from white bread to a whole wheat bread, and then tried Eziekel bread. And even after I tried the Eziekel bread, I didn’t just all of a sudden change to it. I actually ended up going back to wheat bread, but would incorporate the Eziekel bread from time to time; and now that is all I eat. But, not only that, but used to when I would eat toast it had to be smothered in butter, but now I’ll toast my Eziekel bread and eat it dry with whatever protein I’m having for that meal.
 
I can’t tell you how many times over the past few years I’ve seen people come in and from day one try to get a workout in every day and then try to just change everything all on once in their meals, and then start getting discouraged when they go off the meal plan or aren’t able to keep up with all the workouts. I’ve even had people say they are trying to keep up with me, and as much as I take that as a compliment, I then have to remind them that I didn’t start working out two or three times every day or change how I ate completely from day one. Despite the fact we live in a society of “I want it now”, it’s really important that we make changes gradually so we don’t become overwhelmed and discouraged. This might mean our progress may not be as quick as we would like it, but as the quote in the picture says above, “Small changes make a big difference”. What small changes are you making in your health and fitness journey to make a big difference?

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Good Things Come To Those Who.......

You’ve heard that saying, “Good things come to those who wait”, right? Well, that might be true in some situations, but when it comes to your health and fitness I have to say that just won’t work!
 
In about three months I’ll be celebrating my four year anniversary with Fitness Together, and in that time I’ve been able to accomplish so many goals and have become the healthiest I’ve been in over 20 years. In March of 2011 I realized I couldn’t do this on my own and the only option for me was to invest in a personal trainer. So, after a couple weeks of researching local businesses/personal trainers, I made the decision that Fitness Together seemed to be what was going to be the best. And I have to admit, my research paid off and I was right! Michael Watkins and his team of trainers over the past three years and 9 months have changed my life.
 
One of the reasons I’ve been slacking on my blog, besides being busy at work and getting back into my music with the church, is I’ve been focusing on one of my biggest goals and that was to be under 200 pounds. I actually set this goal back in July, and was starting to get really discouraged and frustrated because I just wasn’t making it. I had a few moments where I thought it wasn’t worth it anymore, but also knew deep down that wasn’t the answer. So, despite the frustrations and emotional ups/downs, I kept pushing forward. And this past month both Michael and I (and he’s been a trooper putting up with me) have put in a lot of time, effort, and energy to be able to meet this goal (I’m pretty sure I had a few tears also). And, I’m happy and proud to say I finally did it as of Wednesday December 3rd! I not only broke the 200 mark, but exceeded it by a couple pounds. And, not only am I under 200 pounds, but my total weight loss since starting Fitness Together is 153 pounds!
 
Now, I do give a lot of credit to Michael and the trainers for my success, because without their continued support and encouragement I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today. HOWEVER….all they can do is provide the support and encouragement, along with the tools and knowledge to be successful, but it’s up to me to do it! And that’s exactly what I do! I don’t sit around and wait for them to ask me questions or make them try to figure out what it is that I need or want. I speak up and go to them, I message them, I say hey lets meet and talk, I tell them my concerns, frustrations, what I like, what I don’t like (which sometimes this doesn’t matter…lol), I ask questions and ask for help when I need it; but the most important thing is I take all that feedback and those suggestions and DO IT!
 
I didn’t find the best team of personal trainers by sitting around waiting for them to find me. I didn’t get started on this journey, or even continue it, by sitting around waiting for someone to tell me what to do. I didn’t lose 153 pounds by continuing to eat the same unhealthy diet. I didn’t go from barely being able to use a 15 pound Kettlebell to being able to deadlift 285 pounds (if not more now) by skipping workouts or not giving my all in every session. I was able to get all these amazing results by getting off my ass, working hard, and more importantly NEVER GIVING UP!!!!
 
So, what’s stopping you from becoming the healthiest you can be? Figure it out and then figure out what YOU need to do to change it! Because when it comes to health and fitness, good things don’t happen to those who wait….AWESOME results happen to those who get off their asses, work hard, and never give up! BOOM!!!! There you have it, keeping it real!

December 2014 Challenge - Cardio

Sorry again for my delay in posting the challenge, and for slacking on posting anything the last four weeks. But, don't worry, I still got all the daily workouts in, I just eliminated some of the rest days and rearranged the ones I left in so you have less time between the days! You're welcome! :)

There are four exercises listed below, and you will do each exercise each day for the allotted time. For example: Tomorrow is the 5th, so you will do jumping jacks for 30 seconds, high knees for 30 seconds, burpees for 30 seconds, and then wall sits for 30 seconds. By the end of the month you will be doing each exercise for 5 minutes each! Again, you're welcome! :)

So, here's the challenge for this month. And then here shortly I'll post my most recent update of what's been going on the past four weeks. I might have been slacking on the blog posts, but definitely haven't been slacking with my health and fitness.

DECEMBER 2014 - CARDIO
You will perform the following four exercises daily for the time listed below for each day: Jumping Jacks, High Knees, Burpees, and Wall Sit
DAY
TIME PER EXERCISE
DAY
TIME PER EXERCISE
1
N/A
17
2 Min, 40 Sec Each
2
N/A
18
REST
3
N/A
19
2 Min, 50 Sec Each
4
N/A
20
3 Min Each
5
30 Sec Each
21
3 Min, 20 Sec Each
6
45 Sec Each
22
3 Min, 40 Sec Each
7
1 Min Each
23
REST
8
REST
24
3 Min, 50 Sec Each
9
1 Min, 15 Sec Each
25
4 Min Each
10
1 Min, 30 Sec Each
26
4 Min, 10 Sec Each
11
1 Min, 35 Sec Each
27
4 Min, 20 Sec Each
12
1 Min, 45 Sec Each
28
REST
13
REST
29
4 Min, 40 Sec Each
14
2 Min Each
30
4 Min, 50 Sec Each
15
2 Min, 5 Sec Each
31
5 Min Each
16
2 Min, 20 Sec Each
 
 

Saturday, November 1, 2014

November 2014 Challenge - Burpees

Here's November's challenge....BURPEES!!!! Yay!!!! :)

NOVEMBER 2014 - BURPEE
DAY
# OF BURPEES
DAY
# OF BURPEES
1
5
16
50
2
10
17
55
3
15
18
60
4
20
19
65
5
REST
20
REST
6
20
21
65
7
25
22
70
8
30
23
75
9
35
24
80
10
REST
25
REST
11
35
26
80
12
40
27
85
13
45
28
90
14
50
29
95
15
REST
30
100

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Michael's Mexico Meltdown

Not everyone follows my blog via Facebook, and not everyone is on my persoanl Facebook, and it hit me there are other people who might be interested in awesome specials and opportunities Michael Watkins offers from time to time. The most recent is The Mexico Meltdown challenge. Not only an awesome opportunity to check out Fitness Together, where I've gotten all my amazing results, but a chance to win a trip to Cancun! Click on the Mexico Meltdown link and check it out! If you're interested, contact Michael Watkins at Fitness Together Downtown or Fitness Together Jenks/Riverside.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Stay Focused On Your Goals

"Keep Calm and Stay Focused" is something I keep repeating to myself more recently. I've had the same goal since July and it's starting to become one of the most frustrating parts of my fitness journey. I have weeks I do really well, and then it seems the next week or two I struggle. I know I'm making some type of progress, because I'm getting comments at how much slimmer I'm looking and I'm actually noticing the changes as well when I look in the mirror. The issue for me is I still have a weight loss goal that I just can't seem to hit. A couple weeks ago I was so discouraged I was on the verge of telling Michael I needed a break and was going to tell him I wanted to take the month of October off. But, I knew that wasn't the answer, and I also know what he would say if I came to him with that information. So, I sucked it up, had my meltdown once again, and with Michael's help making adjustments in my workouts, cardio, and meals I'm really focused on my goal. It's the same goal, to get below 200, and as Michael said no more roller coaster rides and I have until Thanksgiving to hit this goal. It'll be hard, but it's doable. The frustrating part once again, is last week I lost over 7 pounds after the changes, but then this week I gained 1.8. And like Michael said, that could be water weight, but frustrating nonetheless. I'm hitting it hard in my sessions, and today for some reason when I went back for the lunch workout I was really having a hard time staying positive. I keep thinking about all I'm putting in, the sweat, pain, tears, and hard work into my workouts, getting an additional hour to two hours of cardio a day, and following my meal plans as written, but seems like I'll never get to my goal. Now, after I did the lunch workout, went back to the office, I started feeling a little better. And in reality, despite that I feel like I'm never going to meet my goal, I know differently. I know if I stay focused on my goal, be persistent and never give up, I'll get there! I want to thank Michael, my friends, family, and my FT family for always being there when I need the support and encouragement the most. Without each of you I would have given up a long time ago, and wouldn't be as successful as I am today.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Weekly Recipe - Quinoa Protein Bars

I've been slacking in the healthy recipe department, and after trying these delicious Quinoa Protein Bars I couldn't help but be inspired to try to start posting a healthy recipe weekly. Many of us at Fitness Together Downtown and Fitness Together Jenks/Riverside follow some type of a carb cycling meal plan, and these would be perfect for one of the snacks on a high or moderate carb day. Even if you're not on a carb cycling meal plan, these are still a tasty, healthy, alternative for a snack when you get that craving for something sweet or chocolate. I found this recipe at skinnyms.com

Couple tips from me personally. I shaped into one big square, about 1" in thickness and then cut into bars. I recommend cutting bars prior to spreading the chocolate on the bars. I actually thought they tasted better after letting them set overnight. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.



Yields: 8 bars | serving size: 1 bar | Calories: 376 | Previous Points: 8 | Points Plus: 11 | Total Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fats: 3 g | Trans Fats: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 3 mg | Carbohydrates: 63 g | Dietary fiber: 10 g | Sugars: 33 g | Protein: 14 g

Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup quinoa, pre-rinsed
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 16 whole (pitted) dates, no sugar added
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds with skin
  • 1/3 cup natural crunchy peanut butter (almond butter is an option) or try SunButter (gluten-free)
  • 1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips, Optional Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
 
 
TIP: Make this recipe into 20 Quinoa Protein Bites at about 1" each, and you've got a snack that's under 100 calories!
 
NOTE: The fats in our Quinoa Protein Bars are healthy fats primarily from the almonds. The calories are mostly from the dates, which is one of nature's sweetest foods. You will find only natural, unrefined sugars in this recipe which contains 4 SUPERFOODS--Quinoa, dates, almonds and dark chocolate. 
 
Directions 
Add quinoa and water to a small sauce, cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook approximately 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate at least 2 hours...overnight will work.
Using a food processor or high powered blender, add dates and pulse until they form a ball. Remove dates and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add almonds to the food processor and pulse until finely minced. Be careful not to turn the almonds into mill. Add dates, almonds, peanut butter and cold quinoa to the food processor and pulse until ingredients are well combined. Return ingredients to the mixing bowl, shape into 6 - 2" x 1" bars, about 1" thickness. Place on a dish, refrigerate until chocolate is set.
 
In a small saucepan, add chocolate chips and honey...melt over low heat or in a double-boiler. Evenly spread a thin layer of chocolate over the top of each protein bar, return to the refrigerator and allow chocolate to harden. Bars can be stored in an airtight container for several days. 
 
Optional, omit the honey and add chocolate chips to the food processor when adding the quinoa.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

October 2014 Challenge - Running/Walking

Here is October's challenge! This can be done outside or on a treadmill. You can run it, jog it, walk it, or even walk with some running/sprinting intervals; because the important thing is you are doing it! Have fun! :)


OCTOBER 2014 - RUN/WALK CHALLENGE
DAY Run/Walk DAY Run/Walk
1 .5 miles 17 1.5 miles
2 .5 miles 18 1.5 miles
3 .5 miles 19 1.5 miles
4 REST 20 REST
5 .75 miles 21 2 miles
6 .75 miles 22 2 miles
7 .75 miles 23 2 miles
8 REST 24 REST
9 1 mile 25 2.5 miles
10 1 mile 26 2.5 miles
11 1 mile 27 2.5 miles
12 REST 28 REST
13 1.25 miles 29 3 miles
14 1.25 miles 30 3 miles
15 1.25 miles 31 3 miles
16 REST