Happy New Year 2014!

Happy New Year!!!

I just wanted to share a bit of what I have been up to the past few days.  I know that a lot of people make new year's resolutions to work out more, lose weight, and eat healthier.  There are many options to do this the healthy way.  This year I have decided that I am going to make a goal for myself to get healthier as well. 

I have done many different paid weight loss options in the past.  With some success, but ultimately it was not a long term solution.  I have decided to take what I learned from those "fad diets" in the past and use healthy options and exercise to try to get myself back into shape. 

When I was in college I played NCAA Division II volleyball.  I was in good shape!  Since college I would say I have bounced back and forth between being in shape and not exercising or dieting at all.  I am in graduate school right now and taking time to diet and exercise is HARD work, but I really want to try to be more conscious about making healthy choices in my diet and trying to get a work out in as many days/week as possible.  

My husband and I are both in school and working pretty much full time at the same time and time and money are hard to come by.  I unfortunately cannot afford a gym membership at this time so I am going to try to use some of the tips I have posted on this site before to try to exercise at home.

Today I tried using one of the YouTube video sites that I posted and found this work out by celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels.  I will be completely honest with you...about 15mins in to this work out I was DYING!  I looked at the time left on the video and about died when I realized I had only done about 15mins.  It was hard.  But I stuck with it and finished the video and I was proud of myself. 

Tonight I am making dinner and have decided to make this recipe that I found on Pinterest. 

Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken & Brown Rice:

Doesn't it look YUMMY!  I am excited, and brown rice is a good grain! 

I have decided in order to be more transparent about myself and be more committed to losing some weight and eating healthier that I should post my progress on this blog. 

Here are my stats today:

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 181.0lbs
BMI Today: 24.5

Free online workout videos!

So a little while ago I posted this post on tips about how to work out at home and not spend a lot of money.  One of the tips I gave you was about workout videos that you can find for free online.  Well, I decided to expand that post a bit and give you guys more links to free online workout videos! 

1) Fitness Blender
- Fitness blender has a whole section of free workout videos that you can do at home!  Anywhere from videos on how to workout with your baby to upper and lower body workouts with weights.  Remember my post about how to create your own weights at home if you don't have your own!

2) Diet.com YouTube Channel
- Free workout videos as well as videos with tips on how to lose weight, how to eat healthy around the holidays, and many more!

3) Livestrong.com YouTube Channel
- Several different types of workout videos from the popular LiveStrong foundation.

4) eHowFitness YouTube Channel
- Videos on how to do certain workout routines, how to start a workout regimen, correct form while working out, and many more!

5) StartFitness YouTube Channel
- Military style free workout videos

6) DoYogaWithMe.com
- Free online yoga classes (videos) that range in difficulty level.

7) BeFit YouTube Channel
- 30-90 Day workout routines, videos from celebrity trainers, and much much more, seems like a great YouTube Channel!

Do you know of any more online workout videos that you like?  If so, leave me a comment and share!

Healthy Eating on a Budget!

I am all about saving you guys money today!  Healthy eating can be really hard because buying healthy food is not cheap.  However, I was doing some research and found out that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a page on their website ChooseMyPlate.gov about healthy eating on a budget which I think is pretty cool.  It is also nice to know that our government is thinking about us and our budgets!

The USDA recommends following the 3 P's of eating on a budget:

PLAN

• Plan meals and snacks for the week according to an established budget.
• Find quick and easy recipes online.
• Include meals that will “stretch” expensive food items (stews, casseroles,
  stir‐fried dishes).
• Make a grocery list.
• Check for sales and coupons in the local paper or online and consider discount stores.
• Ask about a loyalty card at your grocery store.

PURCHASE

• Buy groceries when you are not hungry and when you are not too rushed.
• Stick to the grocery list and stay out of the aisles that don’t contain items on
  your list.
• Buy store brands if cheaper.
• Find and compare unit prices listed on shelves to get the best price.
• Purchase some items in bulk or as family packs which usually cost less.
• Choose fresh fruits and vegetables in season; buy canned vegetables with less salt.
• Pre‐cut fruits and vegetables, individual cups of yogurt, and instant rice and hot cereal are
  convenient, but usually cost more than those that require a bit more prep time.
• Good low‐cost items available all year include:
• Protein — beans (garbanzo, black, cannellini)
• Vegetables — carrots, greens, potatoes
• Fruit — apples, bananas  

PREPARE

• Some meal items can be prepared in advance; pre‐cook on days when you have
  time.
• Double or triple up on recipes and freeze meal‐sized containers of soups and
  casseroles or divide into individual portions.
• Try a few meatless meals by substituting with beans and peas or try “no‐cook” meals like salads.
• Incorporate leftovers into a subsequent meal.
• Be creative with a fruit or vegetable and use it in different ways during the week. 

ChooseMyPlate has some awesome advice on healthy and affordable eating on their website.  Check it out to find advice on how to afford fruits and vegetables and more advice on eating better on a budget!

Any other tips to offer?  Please share by leaving a comment below!

What if I can't afford a gym membership? Affordable ways to work out and burn calories at home!

I am very aware that not everyone in this world can afford a gym membership.  Gym memberships can cost anywhere from $20 to over $100 a month.  Which is expensive!  If you do have a gym membership, USE IT!  Don't waste that money!  If you don't have a gym membership I have found a few lists of easy and cheap ways to work out at home.  The lists are here, here, and here!  I have summarized the tips offered on these sites below:

1) Take advantage of free streaming workout videos online.  
Both Hulu and YouTube have free workout videos available.  Gaiam has a Hulu page and Yoga Journal has a YouTube channel available.  Plus I am sure there are many more out there available for free use.  Do you know of any?  If so please share in the comment section below!

2) Make your own weights!  
This is a great tip.  Take empty water bottles, fill them with water, rice, or sand to give them some weight.  You can adjust the weight of the bottles by using more or less filler.  Another option is using canned food items as weights.  Strength training is an important aspect of any workout.  It is recommended that you strength train at least twice a week.

3) Climb stairs.  
According to the New York Times running stairs may be the single best exercise of all.  If you don't have stairs in your home take advantage of local buildings or malls that have steps.  This is an excellent way to get your recommended cardio for the week done.

4) Get out and walk (or run)!
Getting outside is free!  Which is awesome!  Get out and take a walk, jog, or run.  If you don't want to walk or run on the roads outside your home, you can go to a community center or school that has a track available.  Bad weather?  Head to a local mall and take some laps around the inside.  There also may be some walking trails available in your area for you to take advantage of.

5) Use your local library
Get a FREE library card and check out some work out videos, or books with healthy lifestyle advice.

6) Jump Rope
Jump ropes are excellent and cheap workout options.  Make it fun by jumping to music or switching it up by learning different kinds of jumps.  Here is a 10-minute jump rope exercise regimen from Fitness Magazine.

7) Make housework a workout
Mowing the grass, weeding the garden, doing the dishes, raking leaves, shoveling snow, vacuuming or scrubbing your bathroom can count as a workout as long as you increase your heart rate.

Additional Weight Loss Strategies

Ok, I am not going to lie to you, weight loss is hard!  It may seem easy for the first couple of days, but sticking to it can be difficult.  But the reward is so great when you start seeing the pounds come off! 

I have compiled a list of some strategies to help you be successful in the long term with a healthy lifestyle and weight loss!

• Reward yourself when you achieve your goals!
• Set short and long term goals when you begin a weight loss plan and reward yourself when you achieve them!

• Make small and gradual lifestyle changes to achieve your goals.
• Just because you start an exercise program does not mean you have to go to the gym 5x a day for 3hrs every day.  Start by going 1-2 days a week and work your way up to your ultimate goal.  

• Keep healthy foods (fruits/vegetables/lean meats) in your home and make them readily available for consumption.

• Have an at home physical activity plan
• jog in place while watching commercials
• dance around the house for 30mins while listening to music
• do push-ups or sit-ups after getting up in the morning

• Set up and keep a good social support system to aid with your healthy lifestyle goals.
• Tell friends or family members about your goals and have them keep you accountable for what you would like to achieve.
• Post on social media when you achieve your short and long term goals.

• Identify the barriers in your life that could prevent you from achieving your goals.  Work to be aware of those barriers and try to avoid them to achieve what you want to achieve.

I hope these strategies help you to achieve your goals of having a healthier lifestyle!  Do you have any more suggestions?  If you do, leave me a comment, I would love to hear about them!

Thanks!

Healthy Weight Loss Apps!

I found this list of healthy weight loss apps that I thought were interesting and helpful and thought that I would share them with you all!

Disclaimer: I have an iPhone and therefore most of these Apps and links to them come from the Apple App store.  I am not promoting these specific Apps because I am getting paid for them (I am not!), they are just what I have found to be helpful.  I am also not trying to promote the Apple iPhone, please feel free to use whatever phone or brand of phone that you would like and download whatever Apps you find to be helpful or whatever you would like to have on your personal phone :)

1) A good BMI calculator:

 

 I like this one from the company Data Supply

2) MyFitnessPal

  

Free Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker

3) Lose It!

 

No magic pills, no crazy diets - just a simple, easy-to-use program that helps you stay in your calorie budget.

4) Weight Watchers App

 

You have to pay for a membership to Weight Watchers, but you'll receive the latest recipes, obesity news, exercise information, and much, much more. Working in tandem with their popular PointsPlus program, this app allows you to track your points and make smarter food choices.

5) Noom Weight Loss Coach

 

You'll receive new daily food and exercise tasks to keep your program fresh, an exercise tracker with real-time GPS, and a pedometer to record all your activities.

6) Fitness Buddy

 

Exercises are divided into eight categories: core, lower body, chest, shoulders, back, arms, cardio, and stretches. You can quickly find your favorite workouts with a search function.

7) Cardio Buddy

 

Forget counting and checking your pulse while you run or during a cool down. This app can do it for you. Using your phone’s camera sensor, the Cardio Buddy app can check your heart rate or your friends’ heart rates. The app also tracks and plots your heart rate measurements so you can get an idea of how your heart is handling your workouts.

8) Nike + Running

 

The app uses your phone’s GPS and accelerometer to record the distance, pace, and time of each run. It tells you when you’ve completed each mile, and you can sync your app with your Facebook account to get in-ear encouragement from friends monitoring your run.

9) RunKeeper

 

Use your phone’s GPS to monitor your running, walking, cycling, hiking, and biking. Each entry shares your total time, pace, and calories burned.

10) Nike Training Club

 

Take Nike’s most popular personal-training app with you to the gym, on the road, or in the privacy of your home, and get a complete workout from head to toe. Full-body workouts are either 30 or 45 minutes. Abbreviated workouts or those that target only certain areas are 15 minutes. 

Again I got this list and edited it down to my top 10 favorite Apps.  Do you have any more that you would like to suggest or that I could add to the list?  If so, please leave a comment and let me know!

Source

Ok..How do I lose weight?

Alright...so almost everyone out there would like to lose weight.  The first thing that you need to do is calculate your BMI and determine what a healthy weight range is for you.  What is the weight range that is in the "normal" BMI category for your height?

I will use myself as an example:
I am 6'0" tall- therefore using the BMI calculator my healthy "normal BMI" weight range is 137lb-183lbs

You should never make a goal to try to lose weight below this "normal BMI" range for your height, that is unhealthy and should never be recommended.

The next thing you should do is set a goal for the weight you would like to be.  Post it somewhere that you can see it and make it a motivator.

Next... here are the CDC recommendations for maintaining weight and losing weight using healthy exercise:

To maintain your weight:
Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity can help you maintain your weight over time. However, the exact amount of physical activity needed to do this is not clear since it varies greatly from person to person. It's possible that you may need to do more than the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to maintain your weight.

To lose weight and keep it off:
You will need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your diet and reduce the amount of calories you're eating and drinking. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan.

Here is what the CDC says about why physical activity is important:

Regular physical activity is important for good health, and it's especially important if you're trying to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight.

• When losing weight, more physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses for energy or "burns off." The burning of calories through physical activity, combined with reducing the number of calories you eat, creates a "calorie deficit" that results in weight loss.
• Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake. However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity.
• Most importantly, physical activity reduces risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes beyond that produced by weight reduction alone.

Physical activity also helps to–

• Maintain weight.
• Reduce high blood pressure.
• Reduce risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and several forms of cancer.
• Reduce arthritis pain and associated disability.
• Reduce risk for osteoporosis and falls.
• Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Source