Post Vacation 21 Day Shape Up

Hi all,

I have just returned from a relaxing and indulging vacation. Before I left I was on a 6 week strength and muscle-building program that went great. I had planned on running during my time away but before I left I pulled something in my lower leg from doing sprints so I decided to do a little walking and recovering. It went great but I also over indulged with a few goodies. I do not feel guilty about my indulgences because I was on vacation enjoying myself and having a great time. However, the results of that are me feeling tired, sluggish, less motivated. So enter a new program.

I love the http://www.bodybuilding.com website because it is full of free workout programs and great information overall. I found a program I am going to be doing over the next 21 days. It is called The Bizzy Diet 21 Day Fitness Plan. It is designed for the busy persons lifestyle with a focus on strength and muscle-building which I want to continue and also on fat loss. It incorporates Hiit (high intensity interval training), which I love, at the beginning and the middle of the workout. I like this because you get the strength and cardio in one workout. Perfect for me. Below is the link for an overview of what it is all about. Check it out if you may be interested too. I will be posting about my progress over the next 21 days. The great thing about this program, is that it can be done at home too. You do not have to have a gym membership, just dumbbells and a great attitude. Time to get Bizzy 🙂

 

*Not all exercises are suitable for everyone. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise or nutrition program.

 

 

Effort Equal Results

There is a place that I manage to get to when I am working out, running or practicing yoga that takes me out of my “comfort” zone and I love it! No, it is not easy to get there, but once I am there I have this feeling of great accomplishment and success. What does it take to get there? Effort! This can relate to anything, not just exercise. I have always believed that “the results you get reflect the effort you put in” so if something is done halfway, sloppy or with a negative attitude making up excuses, that is what you will get back. I am not saying strive for perfection (no such thing). I am not saying compare yourself to the next person, what you are doing is not about them. I am saying to put your 100% effort in for that given moment and the results will be amazing.

Why am I saying this? Well, as an instructor and trainer in the fitness industry I can see when someone is focused and giving it their best. It is when I hear negative self talk, bad attitudes, sloppy form, and halfway effort that really annoys me. It is not easy, there is no quick fix, you have to put in the effort and time. Whatever it is you are striving for, set the goal, make your plan of action, and do what you have to do to make it happen. If you want things to change, you have to be willing to change. You have to move away from that comfort zone.

For example, one of my goals is to complete the Salt Lake City Half Marathon in April in 1 hour 50 minutes or below. So that requires following a training plan. Yes, there will be days I will hate it, but in order to make that goal happen, I will have to get out of my comfort zone and probably do my runs in cold and rainy weather, some grueling hill work and speed work too.

This photo is of me doing 40 yard dashes in the cold snow, not feeling comfy, but I felt great when I finished 🙂

My point is, if you really want it, you will find a way to make it happen and it does require effort on your part. I believe there is so much potential inside each of us. Give your 100% everyday and let your potential shine!!!

Do you agree?

Let’s Move The World, 10,000 Steps For Health

English: Pedometer omron HJ-112 user review (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you heard of the term “sitting disease” or “couch potato”? Well, these are terms that are used to describe the sedentary lifestyle. I live in a part of the country that ranks as one of the top 6 states that has one of the highest rates of physical inactivity. On top of topping the list with a high number of people with sedentary lifestyles, we also rank high for diagnosed diabetes and obesity. Sitting disease is killing people. Technologies such as the internet, email, cell phones, video games, delivery services, etc.. have contributed to this prolonged sitting. Humans are meant to move. Prolonged periods of inactivity will raise the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity. I want to change this. I want to take the fight against sitting disease and  I want to encourage and inspire people in my town, my state, other states, and other countries to get off the couch and get moving to better their health and wellness. This is where the 10,000 Steps For Health Challenge comes in. I have read about these types of challenges and it caught my attention to start one.

You may have heard that the Surgeon General’s recommendation is about 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. If you were asked how many steps you take in a day would you know? Approximately 2,000 steps equals a mile. If you follow the Surgeon General’s recommendation and say you do 2 miles of walking which is approximately 30 minutes depending on your pace you will already have 4000 steps. The challenge is to get the extra 6000 steps throughout the day by doing more movement each day. Below is just a guideline I found to give a rough idea of steps per day and activity level. If you are inactive to begin with, you would gradually work up to 10,000 by setting your goal about 500 – 1000 steps above your baseline every week or two.

Steps Per Day                 Activity Level

<5000                                         sedentary

5000-7499                               low active

7500-9999                               moderate active

10,000-12,500                       active

>12,500                                     highly active

Why take the steps challenge? First of all, walking and moving is free. No gym or special equipment (besides a pedometer) is needed. The step challenge is done all throughout the day. Let’s get back to the good old days when there was no internet, cell phones, email, video games etc…Let’s pretend it is 1975 and get up and move. This is how I will start. I am challenging myself, people at my work, family, friends and anyone who wants to make a difference with themselves or anyone who may want to inspire and encourage others to make a positive change for their health. I will officially begin the challenge Monday November 25, 2013. I will log my daily steps everyday up to January 1, 2014. I will post my progress on this blog, instagram, twitter, and facebook in hopes to get the movement out and inspire someone else.

1. Get the pedometer. Follow the instructions on how to measure my stride and how to wear my pedometer.

2. I will wear the pedometer this Thursday and Friday to count my steps for a normal day for me. I will take the average number of steps to use as my baseline. I will then set my daily goal.

3. I will wear my pedometer all day every day for the challenge. I will log my steps at the end of the day into my calendar.

4. I will set up the challenge at work so we can post our weekly steps, keep each other motivated, and engage in some healthy competition.

I have always preached that people who track their workouts, activity, progress in some form on a daily basis have more success at reaching their goals. Tracking your progress keeps you motivated and more accountable.  The pedometer is a simple and highly effective tool to keep on your “toes” 😀 This is a great way to improve your health, fitness, and possibly lose a few pounds if that is your goal.

Ways To Get More Steps In A Day

1. Walk the dog

2. Park far from the entrance to your grocery, gym, work etc..

3. Walk around while you talk on the phone

4. Do more household chores per day (winner!)

5. Yard work like raking, sweeping, etc..

6. Walking meetings at work

7. Email less, cell phone less, text less. Walk down the hall and tell your co-worker the message. Remember, 1975!

8. Move during commercials while watching your favorite show

9. Use the stairs all the time

10. Workout at home or gym

11. Jog or march in place

12. Walk every aisle at the grocery store before you begin to shop

13. Short walk after meals (great timing since Turkey Day and holidays are approaching) Winning!

14. Grab friends for a walk to catch up then go have tea time 🙂

Keep in mind if you are not active, build up to 10,000 steps per day. Start at your baseline and add 500 to 1000 steps per week until you reach your goal. If you are already highly active, set a new goal and go for it. I am so excited about this challenge. I really think being proactive about our own health is our own responsibility. Take action with me!

Let’s Move The World!

Consult your own physician before beginning any new exercise or workout program.

Under Armour WhatsBeautiful SweatEveryDay Is What I Do

Well, this is what I have been doing lately. I began the www.whatsbeautiful.ua.com challenge last year while it was well into the 2nd round.  This is an awesome challenge that is inspiring and so motivating. All the women on the website support and encourage each other to do their best and to reach their goals and dreams. This challenge is a community for all women who want to work hard, sweat, conquer goals, encourage others, and take the journey to show the world What’s Beautiful. I just got back into the challenge and I am ready to #sweateveryday to reach my goals and to support others in reaching theirs. Part of my goal is to inspire as many women as I can to join the What’s Beautiful Challenge with me. If you are looking for a positive change in your life, this is it. It is for ALL women. Let’s #sweateveryday together. That’s What’sBeautiful!!

Photos of a couple of challenges I have posted at What’sBeautiful 🙂

Who is with me? Let’s Bring It!

10 Weight Loss Tips For 2013/Make It Happen

Have you been thinking of your New Year Resolution for 2013? I usually have a couple. One I will be working on is to get organized at home and at the workplace. Since I work in the health and fitness industry, the most common resolution I hear is about losing weight. Most of these people have strong intentions to follow through with their resolution but some are lost or confused on how to begin. This is a list of my top tips for weight loss for 2013.

1. State your goal. I don’t mean just writing it down and keeping to yourself, I think we should state our goals to family, friends, coworkers etc. because having other people’s support and feeling accountable will motivate us more. So shout it out to the world if you have to. Also, set a plan of how you will accomplish this goal.
2. Evaluate your lifestyle. Take a look at your current diet and eating habits. Good nutrition is a MUST if you are wanting to lose weight and make REAL changes. Of course, physical activity needs to be in your lifestyle as well. Find a nutrition and exercise plan that will work for you such as going to a gym or finding a workout group to join.
3. Set a routine with your meals and workouts. Consistency in the kitchen and the gym will pay off.
4. Sleep is very important. Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each day. Make sure you are well rested for your workouts. If you are tired you are more likely to skip your workouts. Lack of sleep also increases the chance of unhealthy eating patterns.
5. Avoid all processed foods as much as possible which means, anything packaged in a box or bag with more than 3 or 4 ingredients such as breads, cakes, cookies, candies, sodas, instant anything, chips, crackers, pastas, cereals, artificial anything, cream sauces, sugar, all junk etc… If your great-grandmother would not recognize it, don’t eat it.
6. Eat whole foods. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, chicken, fish, brown rice, eggs, nuts, healthy fats such as avocados, olives, olive oils, nut butters etc.. Prepare meals at home. Restaurants can sabotage your efforts so visit them sparingly and choose wisely 🙂
7. Drink plenty of water each day.
8. Physical activity will help you accelerate your weight loss efforts as well as helping to keep your body’s systems fit and strong. To see results you are going to have to step out of your comfort zone. Find an exercise program that you like and that you will be able to stick with. Push yourself to be the best you can be at it. Group exercise classes are great because the other people will help keep you motivated, the classes are fun and your workout is already planned for you. You just have to show up with a good attitude 🙂
9. Keep up with your calorie intake. There are apps on smartphones that will help you track your intake. Or, just go to the internet and find a free program to help you track it. Remember to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. Most people do not realize exactly how much is going in until they begin to track it. It may shock you.
10. Find a buddy to join you in your resolution. Keep each other on track and accountable. Start a weight loss contest at your work or gym. Get everyone to put in $5 or $10 dollars, set an ending date and whoever loses the most weight wins the prize money. I have held a weight loss contest at our gym in the past ( I will organize one again in 2013) and it worked well. They all lost weight, so they were winners too.

If you are wanting to lose weight, become healthy and fit, you have to work for it. There is no easy or quick “fix” or pill that will do the trick. Let 2013 be the year you finally accomplish your goals so go and MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Do you want to lose weight? Do you believe in setting goals?

Disclaimer: This blog is written by me. It describes my opinions and my own experiences. Consult your own doctor before starting a new exercise and nutrition program.

I Will Not Fear The Holidays! New Goals, No Meat, Running 200 Miles, Firefly and Scorpion

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Feasting will begin, then on to Holiday parties with more feasting. Blah! I love the holidays with all of the decorations, festivities, meaning, family, friends etc. I do not love the shopping and the excessive amounts of food that always seem to tempt me. I think now is a great time to set new health and fitness goals. Why wait around for the New Year? I will go ahead and work on myself now. Setting new goals will help me become disciplined during these tempting times. So here is what I have been pondering.

I finally watched Food, Inc.  It was eye-opening. I knew what it was about, but I never took the time to sit down and watch. The Husband and I have been talking here and there about cutting back on meat over the past couple of years. I cook a fair amount of vegetarian dishes anyway, so after watching the documentary I thought now would be a great time to challenge myself, however, The Supermodel Piper may not enjoy those 17 days. Let me make this clear, I am not converting to be a vegetarian, I am just going to challenge myself to go meat free for a period of time and get creative with plant-based meals. It will be very interesting to see how I feel after this challenge is over. This is how this goal will go down. I will not eat beef, pork, or poultry for 17 days beginning on October 31, 2012. Why 17 days you might ask? Well, my first Thanksgiving feast will be held at my Dad’s on November 17th and I am sure beef, pork, or poultry could be involved. I would not want to offend the cook. 🙂

Remember at the beginning of the Workout Warrior Challenge when I said “If you state to someone your goal you will probably become more accountable and disciplined to reach your goal? Well anyway, this is my new fitness goal. I will run a total of 200 miles between November 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Sounds exciting, does it not? I will tell you that I have not been running distance mileage since 2010. All of my runs have been usually 2.5 to 4 miles each. I have no desire to run distance so all of my 200 miles will be a compilation of short runs. I will just have to do bunches of them which will be the fun part; short and sweet.

Now I think you all may know I love to practice yoga. I confess I have not been practicing as much as I would like to, so my new yoga goal is to conquer a couple of poses I have said before I wanted to learn but never really followed through with. I will conquer the Firefly and Scorpion yoga poses by December 31, 2012. Whew! I am scared now. This is good though. I believe the way to change and grow, mentally and physically, is to challenge yourself. I will definitely be leaving my comfort zone but I think that is the only way to reach my goals.

Now, how am I going to go about reaching these goals? First, not eating pork and poultry will be easy, but beef is tasty. I will be strong and come up with some delicious plant-based dishes. I may not even miss it at all. I will be glad to share my exciting new meals. Second, if I run 3 miles every day until December 31st that will total 183 miles. Looks like I will have to up some mileage. Now I am not going to run every single day but I will do a few 4-5 milers and probably some short two-a-days:) Note: I do not run on the treadmill, so all of my running will be outdoors. Another note: I hate cold weather so I sure hope we have a mild November and December. Now I am more scared of this than I am of attempting Scorpion! Challenge to Change, Challenge to Change. Now for Firefly and Scorpion (pics are below so you will know what I am talking about). I have to step it up on my practice. I teach yoga 2 times per week now. I am going to practice 3 more days on my own, specifically poses to prepare me for these two challenge poses. I am tired thinking of this, but it is exciting all at the same time.

Some of you may think I am nuts for thinking this is exciting. It is exciting to me because I know the sense of accomplishment and growth I will feel at the end, which will be worth the effort that will go into getting there. I will also take a before picture of myself and document the whole journey to see what happens to me mentally and physically during the next 2 months. Follow my little journey, it may give you a giggle or two.

I had to find pics because I can’t do these yet. The first picture is Firefly. I took the picture from www.yogajournal.com  Credit to David Martinez. The second picture is from www.about.comCredit to Barry Stone. Looks like fun 🙂

Do you make New Year Fitness Resolutions? Are you going to wait or make it happen now?