Butt Buster!

I was surfing the internet to try and find a way to kick up my exercise routine, and I found a number of wonderful tips. My gym routine previously had consisted of running on the elliptical for 30 min to an hour (depending on how much time I had) and then do my balance ball work out. And while this routine works for me (as I hate running) I really felt like I should be seeing greater and faster progress. So I went on-line and low and behold I learned something new about Cardio training! The secret to get the most out of cardio workouts is interval training. Now what does that mean…well it means you got to mix it up every now and again during your cardio work out! Rather than steadily running at one pace for 30 min…try inserting bursts of Sprinting! Here’s what I read:

The best way to burn fat is high intensity interval training (HIIT), especially when combined with high intensity (low rep) weight training and proper nutrition. Interval training burns more calories than aerobics and elevates your metabolism significantly more after you finish exercising, while your metabolic rate recovers back to pre-exercise levels.
In a recent study, researchers Trapp & Boutcher put 45 overweight women through a 15 week study where one group was a control, one group did intervals (20 minutes of eight seconds of sprinting on a bike followed by 12 seconds of recovery at a slower pace), and one group did 40 minutes of aerobics.
The researchers found that the interval group lost an average of 2.5kg in the 15 weeks and the steady-state group gained .5kg. In other words, the interval group lost three times as much fat doing half as much exercise.
These results really speak for themselves!
http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Women-and-Cardio&id=855793

So, I’ve decided that since I like the Elliptical, I'm going to change my work out accordingly:

Strech: 5 min
Warm up: 1min

Moderate pace: 0.89 miles
Fast pace: 0.90 mi – 1.00

Repeat Moderate, Fast pace interval-

Cool Down for 5 min

I also take a drink of water at every half mile point. After all that I go and do my AB routine. I have also decided to incorporate more calisthenics to sculpt my arms legs and butt. Well, people it’s a brand new day!! I’m going to kick things up a notch…hopefully I can sustain it. Here’s an awesome article to help get y’all’s butt in shape for the holidays!

http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Get-A-Tight-Toned-Butt-In-Time-For-The-Holidays-With-These-Great-Exercises&id=856218

Turkey Day After Shocks!

So, it is the Monday after Thanks Giving, and upon rising from my left-over induced slumber, I slumped over to the bathroom to perform the weighing in ritual….***drum roll please*** and the results are in: 185lbs! That’s a gain of 2lbs…now I have a sneaky suspicion that that’s just the start of it! How soon I wonder does it take for fat to form??? The way I ate, I see a couple more pounds being added on before the end of the week!! Okay that’s terribly pessimistic of me. Actually, today is the day I get back on the horse…and get my rear to the gym! I am really looking forward to it. I also am going to tighten up my diet a bit. I’d like to work off enough weight to enjoy my self come the Christmas holidays. Then of course after the Christmas holidays, it’s back in the saddle again.

More interestingly, this Thanks Giving was the first Thanks Giving I have ever hosted + the first Thank Giving in my new home! Oh my goodness I was so nervous! I created a traditional menu, and challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone and cook things other than desserts. My menu consisted of the following:


Herb butter turkey (15 lbs)
G. Bean Casserole
S. Potato Casserole
Cranberry Relish
Pumpkin Bars
Ginger Cranberry Bread
Cayenne Roasted Corn
Corn Bread
Stuffing
Gravy

Spanish Rice (guest prepared)
Potato Salad (guest prepared)
Macaroni Salad (guest prepared)
Pumpkin pie (guest prepared)

The only dishes I had ever made before was the Sweet potato Casserole, the Cranberry Ginger Bread, and Corn Bread. Everything else on the menu—other than the guest prepared dishes-- I had never prepared before. I only had four guests—not including my husband and I; and the smallest turkey I could find was 15lbs!!! I didn’t want to buy frozen so I had to compromise and get the larger bird! To my delight and thanks to watching a weeks worth of Food Network everything turn out great! I had loads of left over as a result of my over grown bird and extensive menu, which I quite happily put in my freezer. I also sent my guests away with plenty of glad-ware containers filled with leftovers so that they may enjoy the delight of Thanks Giving left over’s as well. I hope you all had a very wonderful and safe holiday!

So, there I was...

So, there I was….it was just me, the dog, and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” Oh and a TERRIBLE MIGRAIN!! My husband had to pull a late shift, so I was all by my lonesome last night getting my reality T.V. fix. As I watched the show I once again was forced to reflect upon myself. I had to completely acknowledge that I have unequivocally fallen off the wagon.

Who was I kidding---I am eating whatever I want for the most part, and I’m not even pretending to exercise! And the kicker---Thanksgiving is just around the corner---like next week! As I wallowed in my migraine induced misery, I wondered just how much I would probably gain during the upcoming holidays. When I decided to get my butt in gear in the first place I noted that I was one holiday away from 200lbs—not exactly a mile stone I want to reach.
















Today- I’m still not that far off, weighing in at 183lbs. Don’t get me wrong---I’m not depressed about my weight---I happen to think I still look hot---and I am really grateful for the boobs that came along with the extra 40 lbs I am toting around. But honestly I am worried. “WORRIED”--I believe that best describes my feeling in regards to my weight. I really am worried about the associated health problems that go along with being “heavy set” (to put it mildly.)

My Grandfather has Diabetes, my grandmother died of complications due to Heart Disease, my mom has plenty of aches and pains mostly joint issues such as arthritis, and my sister is struggling with fatty liver disease and fertility issues. Not a exactly the future I want to be facing. While every condition I have just mentioned is equally serious, the only one that really shakes me is the fertility issue.

The reality of the situation is that I’m 28 years old, over weight and my biological clock is ticking! The only one that can save me is ME! I totally realize this. It’s just so frustrating, because when I get going I’m pretty darn good. I self motivate, stick to my diet, and take care of business….then something always comes up to throw me off track: LIFE. As I mentioned in my last post, nothing but good things have happened for me, but the cost is evident as I step on the scale (my arch nemesis,) and the reality of the situation becomes ubiquitous. I really need to get my butt in gear!