Monday, April 30, 2007

Guess who's bikini body hott?

That's right, it's me folks!!!!!!! So as you know I am preparing to head to sunny Puerto Rico in just a few weeks. It has definitely been my goal to be able to wear...and look good in...a bikini. Now I was going to purchase one for the trip b/c clearly there was no reason in hell for me to have had a bikini before. However, as it turns out...I did have one. I don't know where or why, but I actually have two quite cute bikinis. So I tried them on completely expecting love handles and belly rolls to pop up...but guess what...THEY DIDN'T!!! I looked fabulous. I was really surprised and amazed. I had a nice flat stomach and smooth sides and thighs. Oh yeah! So this is the deal. I am still sticking to my eating and exercising schedule. I want to make sure that I continue to look and feel as good as I did this past Sunday. However, it is such a load off to know that I am just maintaining my figure rather than actually trying to alter it. Cheese!!!! I will be smiling for the rest of the week.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Life is good!!!!

I got in 5 great workouts last week, plus a bonus yoga session. The Friday yoga was really more for relaxation and flexibility than exercise, so I'm not gonna count it as a work out. Either way, I was so proud of myself. I also ate really well. I was distinctly aware of my calories, and kept them low. I am completely confident that you must cook for yourself. There is simply no way to keep track of your calories when you eat out so much. I try my best to make good choices...grilled options, steamed options, veggies, etc. However, I am never so confident in my eating as I am when I am preparing meals for myself.

So...lets now talk about what's really important. In T minus 23 days I will be on my way to beautiful Puerto Rico!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah baby! I cannot wait. What's most important is that I look great in a bikini. I've been working diligently to get my minimum of four workouts in per week. This week I have done 2 yoga work outs and a strength training/skills & drill work out. I'm going to get a cardio workout in this evening and perhaps even an early morning workout tomorrow. I am also staying committed to my diet. I find that I slip in space for little cheats that work against me. For instance, this past Monday I got a grilled chicken sandwich for dinner (good), but also ate some of the fries that came with it (bad). Its not that I'm inhaling every bad food around me, but those little things added all together might be working against me. My eating plan for the next month is to maintain my light breakfast, light lunch, 100 calorie afternoon snack, sensible dinner plan. I want to do this up until the 12th of May. Then starting the 13th...its diet time. Yes, I hated my last diet. Yes, I vowed never to do it again. However, I looked great on vacation. Also, I won't be in training or anything, so I will be able to have some good healthy options. The plan is Smoothie for breakfast, Salad for lunch, fresh fruit (or 100 calorie snack in afternoon), and light dinner (grilled fish, steamed veggies, sandwich, cereal, etc). The critical piece of this week (or really the entire month) will be NO CHEATS! I really must choose the 'healthiest' options available, rather than just a healthy option. I'm going to give it my best, so we'll see how it goes.

Speaking of good food choices and being aware of what you eat...I am not so much trying to decrease my meat intake as much as to increase my vegetable and raw food intake. I have come to the consensus that there are tremendous health benefits to eating a mostly veggie and even somewhat raw food diet. At this point in my life I am simply not ready to release meat and cooked foods from my diet. However, I am definitely making more of an effort to try some of the vegetarian options offered when I eat out (or even cook them for myself) as well as to incorporate more raw foods (like spinach salad, veggies w/dip, etc). In fact, there is a veggie/vegan/raw foods restaurant in Chicago that I am hoping to try this weekend. I've heard good things about it, but you never know. I really want to have a healthy lifestyle. So many diseases are preventable when you maintain your health...not to mention the number of diseases possibly caused by the way that we treat our bodies. I hope that I can stick with this. I think my life is heading in a good direction right now, and I want to stay on this path.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Quick update:

Sooooo I'm all about the reality tv. Recently I've begun watching a show called Work Out on Bravo. Basically they rarely rarely actually talk about working out...moreso the drama that goes on in the gym. However, today they did a quick bootcamp and a weigh in w/some people who are participating a 'special project'. Just seeing these ppl work out and then weigh in with disappointment really touched me. I have definitely been there...sometimes I'm still there b/c Lord knows it is always a struggle. It just reminded me how important it is to monitor my diet and stick to my exercise plan. When I fail to do this, then I feel just like the ppl on tv...sad, disappointed, embarrassed, and defeated.

Last week, my diet and workout definitely went to hell. I had waffle fries from Chick Fil A on Monday...a huge sushi dinner on Wed...some other BS on Friday (I forgot), and I only worked out twice. Baaaaaaaaaad me! However, I worked out for an hour on Sunday, 1 hr of yoga on Monday, and 30 mins of a workout video today. I've also been eating wonderfully, so I feel good about getting myself back on track. I am planning to hit up yoga again tomorrow and then 30 mins of cardio on Thurs. I'll let you know if I stick to my plan and commit...well to myself.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Goal Alert! Goal Alert! Goal Alert!

So I hopped on the scale after my Saturday morning workout, and you'll never guess what it said...175lbs!!!!!!! Yay, I weighed in at my goal weight of 175lbs, which means a 25lb loss since last August. Now, scales tend to yo yo, so I'm going to monitor my weight very closely to make sure that I am consistently weighing in at or below 175. Yet, I'm still happy and celebrating today.

I've been successful in getting in my 4 work outs per week. I think that I'll step it up next week b/c my conscience will be away, and I'll have nothing better to do than hit the gym. Also, I tend to eat out less when I'm alone. So my calorie intake will probably decrease as I dine on cereal and sandwiches for the week.

Lets talk about how I've been loving my reflection in the mirror. For the 1st time in ... years I am considering purchasing a bikini. Hey, maybe I should make that my 'treat' for reaching my goal weight. I've been trying to figure out what to get. I was going to purchase a subscription to Shape magazine, but just this weekend I learned that you can actually go to Borders/Barnes & Noble and read any mag that you want for free! This is about to be my new weekend activity! However, either a bikini or new exercise clothes might be just what the doctor ordered. Hmmm, we'll see.

Ok, I think that's all that I have for now. I'll pop back in later this week to post some more tips and info.

Cheers!