Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
I just wanted to post some "pick me ups"
I just posted the pictures below as a little bit of a "pick me up" for anyone out there who might need a little "pick me up."
Have a great weekend!
Jamie
I just realized....
That I had not posted yesterday. I spent the day running around doing some house work and laundry mostly. Burn up some calories that way. Laci and I went for a good 30 minute walk around the neighborhood yesterday afternoon.....Walks are much more fun now.....Got her in a regular harness and the pulling hasn't been sooo bad. The downside was we are having some troubles with Laci....She just wants to be difficult about being housetrained!
1. I love my body flaws and all.
2. I AM going to get my butt into shape.
3. I really need to get myself on a regular workout schedule.
Jamie
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Because of my New "Master Plan"
I have once again taken up my knitting needles and I'm going to be knitting and working out like the wind! My brother's fiancee taught me how to knit in one lunch break a few months ago and I've been doing it on and off since then. But now that I'm trying to put as few miles as possible on my vehicle until I get it paid off and can get rid of it I've got to have something to keep me busy or I might get myself into trouble!
Another Challenge
I also joined Grumpy Chair's "Why Drive When You Can Walk Or Ride Your Bike" Challenge. I do enough walking already why not add some more!
Blog Makeover....
I am going to be re-doing the layout of my blog again. I'm getting pretty bored with this one. I think that has been part of my "bad blogger" problem. I'm just bored with the same old layout and think it's time to change things up some.
Jamie
In addition...
In addition to Shari's 30 Day Challenge I have joined Scalejunkies Healthy You Challenge and Thinking Thin "Blogger's Biggest Loser" Challenge. I can hardly wait to check out how these challenges really work and check out some of the other participants too. From what I have read about these challenges so far they are a giant support group and sometimes I need all the support I can get to keep myself on the straight and narrow on my quest to lose all my "extra" pounds.
So here are my affirmations for today:
1. I am going to get my butt in shape.
2. I AM THAT SKINNY BITCH!
3. I am going to come up with a whole new list of mini rewards for myself!
4. Losing weight can be FUN!
Jamie
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Changes
When I started this blog on March 29th I was wearing a size 14 pair of pants....Now, I down into a size 7/8! I just want to thank all of my cheerleaders out there for keeping me motivated! When I started this blog I didn't feel very good in my own skin....Now I feel like a completely different person....I feel like I could take on the world! I'll be honest I'm not seeing a lot of weight come off but I am happy that I am down 16.5 pounds from where I started!
Thanks again cheerleaders!
Jamie
Today's Affirmations
1. I have been holding steady for TWO WEEKS now!
2. I am a strong confident woman!
3. I will get myself into shape!
4. I love my body flaws and all!
Friday, May 23, 2008
My New Plan!
I just wanted to stop in and say good morning, and say that I have a new "master plan." My new plan is to put some of each of my paychecks towards paying off the vehicle that I currently own and get rid of it once it's paid off. I've had nothing but trouble with it and the dealership that I bought it from since I got it. So I'm starting to do the reasearch on new vehicles now and try and get an idea of what is good in the gas mileage area, a good warranty and add affordable on top of those and we have what I'm looking for in a new vehicle. I think what i'm going to do is do my homework and then make a "list" and have you all help me narrow it down. I went with my gut this last time and got sold down the river so I'm hoping a little more input will help me make an informed decision.
Today's Affirmations
1. I am a strong confident woman (if I keep telling myself this maybe I'll start believing it)
2. I love my body flaw and all
3. I am NOT focused on the numbers on the scale
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Today's Affirmations
1. I am a strong confident woman!
2. I love my body, flaws and all!
3. I will not make a big deal out of the numbers on the scale!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
What are your work out tunes?
I'll share mine if you share yours with me...I'm always looking for new tunes to put on my IPod. Here is my workout playlist:
RedBull and Vodka - Sunny Ledfurd
Real Good Man - Tim McGraw
How Do You Like Me Now - Toby Keith
She's a Hottie - Toby Keith
I Got My Game On - Trace Adkins
Low - Flo Rider ft. T-Pain
Let Her Cry - Hootie and the Blowfish
Play That Funky Music White Boy - Wild Cherry
Walk This Way - Aerosmith
Cyclone - Baby Bash
Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
Loud - Big and Rich
I Like The Way You Move - Body Rockers
Hillbilly Deluxe - Brooks and Dunn
Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen
Last Name - Carrie Underwood
Candyman - Christina Aguilera
All Jacked Up - Gretchen Wilson
Redneck Woman - Gretchen Wilson
Wild Ride - Kenny Chesney
Hell Yeah - Montgomery Gentry
Maneater - Nelly Furtado
Over and Over - Nelly/Tim McGraw
Life Is A Highway - Rascal Flatts
Me and My Gang - Rascal Flatts
Here's something a co-worker told me to try....
One of my co-workers gave me a little weight loss "secret" yesterday that I am seriously going to try. The "secret" is to take 1 tablespoon of Light Olive Oil 1 hour before you eat. Take it straight and you can't eat or drink anything for that whole hour. Don't mix it into anything either....She says that it tastes absolutely HORRIBLE if you do. Your supposed to do this twice a day. If done correctly it will make you feel fuller meaning you'll eat less and lose more pounds. She says it also works to strengthen hair, helps with joint pain, helps keep your skin in good shape, and so much more.
Jamie
P.S. I'm down another 1/2" on my waist!
Monday, May 19, 2008
A NEW all time LOW!
I put myself on the scale this morning a little bit worried about what I was going to see for numbers. I thought I was going to see that I had gone up but since my last weigh in I have gone DOWN....The scale said that I weighed in at 160.5 pounds....That's a whole pound lighter than I was a few days ago!
Today's Affirmations and some "stuff"
1. Being sick sucks....so I'm not going to let it keep me down!
2. Being "good" all the time isn't always a good idea....Sometimes it's ok to be "bad!"
3. I'm not going to be discouraged by the numbers that show up on the scale!
I've been "bad"! Milk Duds have been my unglueing. Ever just start jonesing for chocolate and once you start you just can't seem to stop yourself? That was me yesterday. I feeling pretty miserable on top of my chocolate craving so right now I don't even want to know what the scale says....but I've decided that I'm not going to sweat it. Being "bad" every once in awhile isn't sooooo bad.
Jamie
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Today's Affirmations
1. I have no idea how I'm doing it but I keep getting skinnier!
2. I've been taking in a lot of fluids.....OJ and Water are god for me!
3. I am MUCH more confident than I was even at the begining of this month!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Today's Affirmations
1. I am a strong confident woman!
2. I'm melting!
3. I'm going to work out today!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tips to Take Off Pounds
By Melissa Gotthardt, Prevention
For more than 50 years, Prevention's been creating, collecting, and perfecting advice to help you slim down. That's because we want you to look and feel good about yourself.
By achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer, back pain, joint problems, and more. In other words, you can maximize all the goodies that life has to offer! Here's our best advice to get you where you want to be.
10 Reasons to Lose Weight
1. Live to see your grandchildren, great-grandchildren—even great-great-grandchildren
2. Be able to romp with all those kids
3. Keep your mind sharp
4. Increase your energy level
5. Protect your immunity
6. Reduce your risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke
7. Manage menopause more easily
8. Reduce stress
9. Breathe easier
10. Feel fabulous!
10 Foods That Fill You Up
These foods will fill you up with the fewest calories:
Potatoes
Fish
Oatmeal
Oranges
Apples
Whole wheat pasta
Grapes
Air-popped popcorn
Bran cereal
Soup
10 Fun Ways to Burn Calories
Here's a list of activities with the calories you'll burn per hour doing them.
Jumping rope, 544
Roller-skating, 476
Bicycling, 408
Swimming, 408
Hopscotching with the kids, 340
Ballroom dancing, 296
Coaching your kid's soccer team, 272
Paddling a canoe, 238
Walking in the woods, 238
Playing Frisbee, 204
(Calorie figures based on a 150-lb person)
10 Easy Ways to Flatten Your Belly
1. Eat a bowl of raspberries. Packed with fiber, they fight constipation (that can swell your midsection like a balloon).
2. Drink lots of water. It's filling, calorie-free, and keeps your metabolism running in high gear.
3. Skip the cocktails. Sure, alcohol may be fat-free, but it's loaded with calories. It can also raise your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that helps your belly store fat.
4. Sit up straight. Hunching forward makes your belly look bigger. For a slimming effect that actually trains the stomach-supporting muscles to stay taut, sit with your shoulders back, chin up, and lower back supported against the chair.
5. Plant a garden. All the bending, lifting, and twisting help shape your middle, and you'll burn about 350 calories an hour.
6. Move your hips. Hula hooping works on the same calorie-burning, waist-whittling principle as gardening—but with less dirt.
7. Hit the greens. Ditching the golf cart earns you a walking workout; whacking the ball tones and tightens your midriff.
8. Get a leg up. Crunches with your legs off the floor tone the upper portion of your ab muscles. Lie on your back with your legs propped up on a bed or chair. Curl up slowly, raising your head, shoulders, and upper back off the floor, then slowly lower. Do 10 to 12 repetitions, two or three times a week.
9. Reverse that crunch. To tighten your tummy from a different angle, lie on the floor with your arms at your sides, feet off the floor, and your legs and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Contract your abdominals and press your back into the floor, lifting your hips about 2 to 4 inches off the floor. Hold, then lower. Do 10 to 12 repetitions, two or three times a week.
10. Do crossover crunches. To work the muscles that define your waistline (the obliques), lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle on your left knee and your hands behind your head, elbows pointing out. Lifting your head and upper back off the floor, twist, and bring your left shoulder toward your right knee. Hold, then slowly lower. Do 10 to 12 repetitions, then repeat to the other side. Do two or three times a week.What an Opportunity! Seek out new ways to be active—investigate a mountain vacation that involves hiking, or start viewing a chore such as raking the leaves as a great workout.
All-Time Best Recipe
Readers told us again and again how great this smoothie is for curbing cravings.
Classic Smoothie Recipe
Mix the following ingredients in a blender until smooth. Feel free to experiment, adding a touch of vanilla, cinnamon, or your other favorite flavors to taste.
1 cup fat-free milk (or soy milk)
1/2 frozen banana or 1/2 cup frozen mango slices
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup frozen fruit (We recommend strawberries, pineapple chunks, or blueberries.)Per shake (approximate): 220 cal, 1 g fat, 4 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 130 mg sodium
10 Smartest Ways to Slim Down
1. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Skipping meals can set you up for bingeing. Studies show that people who spread their food intake throughout the day eat fewer calories.
2. Pack snacks. Whether you're at the mall, in the car, or at work, keep yourself armed with healthy snacks to help you resist fat-and-calorie-laden temptations from vending machines and fast-food joints.
3. Team up. Enlisting the help of a partner or friend can boost your motivation and help you stay on track.
4. Start writing. Keeping a food or exercise log not only helps chart your progress, but it's also a great way to spot minor slips in your routine before they become major problems.
5. Compliment yourself. Treat you as you treat those you love. Focus on your successes, not failures—and give yourself a pat on the back each day.
6. Get moving. Whether you walk, run, bike, or swim, aerobic exercise is key to weight loss success. Work up to doing at least 45 minutes, 5 or more days a week.
7. Be a little selfish. You need to make time for yourself if you want to achieve your goal.
8. Have two helpings. Filling your plate with two kinds of vegetables, not just one, ups your nutritional intake and leaves less room on your plate for fatty foods.
9. Take one bite at a time. "Mindful eating," which involves concentrating on taste and sensation to make each mouthful an event, maximizes your food satisfaction and minimizes the odds of overeating.
10. Lift weights. Resistance training builds muscles, which boost the number of calories that your body burns throughout the day—making weight loss easier. Aim for two or three workouts a week.I Can Do It Instead of saying, "My weight loss efforts haven't worked before; they probably won't work now," tell yourself, "That's enough. I can do anything that I put my mind to." Create a new sound track in your head.
Keep Low-Cal Cooking Quick & Easy
Stock your kitchen with these low-fat, low-calorie staples, and eating right will be a cinch:
Fresh garlic
Butter-flavored cooking spray
Canned beans: Kidney, black, and navy are stellar fiber sources; rinse first to remove some of the sodium.
Fat-free chicken broth: Keep a can on hand to whip up an easy vegetable soup (add frozen veggies) or mashed potatoes so flavorful that you won't miss the butter.
Water-packed tuna
Grated low-fat cheese
Instant grain dishes: Think couscous, tabbouleh, even boil-in-bag rice.
Zesty spices: Chili powder, red-pepper flakes, and curry blends add salt-free zip to recipes. They're great as toppings for air-popped popcorn too.
Canned mandarin oranges: They're a creative addition to salads and simple desserts, especially when your fresh fruit supply runs low or is out of season.
A pack of pitas or tortillas: Use them as sandwich wraps, or cut them into wedges and bake to make your own low-fat chips.
10 Snacks Less Than 175 Calories
1. Half of a whole grain bagel: spread with jam or low-fat cream cheese
2. One almond, one date: Stuff the former into the latter for satisfying sweetness and nutty crunch.
3. Baby carrots: Eat a handful with a creamy dip (mix 1/4 cup salsa with 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream).
4. Whole wheat pretzels (1 1/2 oz): A bona fide snack food that's not junk food.
5. Banana: Portable, peelable, and around 100 calories.
6. Sweet potato: If you think of it only as a side dish to a meal, you're missing out on a great snack. Baked and cooled, it's a delicious alternative to fruit.
7. A cup of instant bean soup: Fiber-packed and filling—just add water!
8. Whole grain cereal: Low-fat, low-sugar choices such as Cheerios or Wheat Chex aren't just for breakfast. Slip 1/2 cup into a plastic bag to eat when you're on the go.
9. Low-fat string cheese (2 oz): The perking power of protein and the rich bite of cheese—without all that nasty fat.
10. Lions and tigers and bears: Oh my—animal crackers weigh in at only 12 calories each.
Cave In to a Chocolate Craving
You can say "yes!" to these chocolate cravings for less than 200 calories.
1. M&Ms (1 oz): A melt-in-your-mouth favorite, with only 140 calories
2. Haagen-Dazs chocolate sorbet (1/2 cup): Intense flavor at only 120 calories (and zero fat!).
3. Hershey's chocolate syrup (2 table-spoons): At 100 calories and no fat, it's a virtuous topping for fruit or angel food cake.
4. Chocolate truffle (1): Savoring the flavor of a small portion of the food you really crave can prevent you from pigging out on poor substitutes.
5. Chocolate mousse (1/2-cup serving): Prepare instant chocolate pudding with 1% milk, and fold in low-fat whipped topping.
6. Hot chocolate (1 cup): Make it yourself with fat-free milk and chocolate syrup, or just add water to an envelope of low-cal instant.
7. Chocolate tortilla roll-ups (1): Spray a large tortilla with butter-flavored cooking spray, and sprinkle with ground cinnamon, sugar, and cocoa. Cut into quarters. Roll each quarter from the pointed end around a thick-handled kitchen utensil, seal the overlap with egg white, and bake seam-down at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool, and fill with low-fat vanilla yogurt.
8. Hershey's Kisses (7): This handful has a combined 175 calories.
9. Low-fat mocha latte (1 cup): Use chocolate-flavored coffee topped with 1% milk that you've whisked into a froth. Dust with real cocoa powder.
10. Low-fat chocolate chip cookies: Three of these traditional favorites are about 150 calories.
There's No Magic Number
Don't measure your success solely by the number on the scale. Your weight will naturally fluctuate by a couple of pounds some days. Give yourself a weight range of 5 to 10 pounds to allow for these changes. Use other methods, such as your clothes or tape measurements, to track your progress.
Seven Ways to Break Up Exercise Boredom
1. Change your venue. Bored to tears by your treadmill workout? Take a walk outside instead. Your after work routine has become too routine? Get up earlier. Changing where or when you exercise, even if you're doing the same activity, is a great way to change your outlook.
2. Find fun exercise. Investigate sports and hobbies that enhance your activity level. Backpacking, mountain biking, kayaking, even bowling can all burn calories—but they don't feel like workouts.
3. Act their age. Join the kids for a game of backyard touch football or tag. Capitalize on their infectious energy.
4. Make a date. Treat exercise as social time by pairing up with a friend or your spouse. By committing to someone else, you'll be less likely to skip your workout.
5. Count backwards. Ever notice how your trip back from a great destination seems shorter than your trip there? Apply that principle to exercise by counting reps backwards—from 10 to 1, instead of 1 to 10.
6. Lend a hand. Support causes such as breast cancer, AIDS, or multiple sclerosis by doing fund-raising walks, bike rides, or runs. Beyond the exercise, you'll feel good about what you're doing, as well as fortunate to have a healthy body to do it.
7. Gear up. Add a new twist to your routine with equipment such as a heart rate monitor or pedometer. Tracking your workouts with these types of devices keeps things interesting.One Slip Up Won't Stop Me If you've fallen off the weight loss wagon, stop feeling like a failure; focus on the challenge ahead. The sooner you climb back on, the sooner you'll see the results!
Don't Let Stress Make You Fat
Next time you've had a bad day at work or a fight with your spouse, or are just being pulled in too many directions, try one of these stress busters instead of raiding the fridge:
1. Get out in nature. The gentle swaying of windblown trees or the meandering of a stream can slow body rhythms that have built to a stress-induced peak.
2. Take the slow road. Hopping in the car to run errands may seem practical, but traffic's another stressor. Bike or walk whenever you can. If you must drive, don't jockey for position. Chill out in the right-hand lane.
3. Turn on the stereo. Soothing music has been shown to ease anxiety and lower blood pressure and heart rate, even under superstressful conditions.
4. Get up and dance. Besides being great exercise, it releases endorphins, your body's mood-elevating chemicals that help erase stress.
5. Savor silence. Even a total of 10 to 15 minutes of quiet time per day helps you eliminate the buzz in your brain and experience some serenity.
6. Laugh out loud! Humor can actually inoculate against anxiety: One study found that people who watched an episode of Seinfeld before tackling a stressful task didn't show the spikes in blood pressure and heart rate that their humorless study counterparts did.
There's Always Another Way Accept substitutions: If the late hour won't allow you to work out at the gym, don't give up on exercise that day. Take a walk around the neighborhood, pop in an exercise video, or do lunges around the kitchen as you cook dinner.
My New 'Do
Today's Affirmations
1. I am down 2" in my waist!
2. I am a much happier person!
3. I have cut my caffeine intake down to almost NOTHING!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Today's Affirmations
1. I'm not "nuts" for giving up caffeine (my brother told me I was nuts for giving up caffeine yesterday)!
2. I am a much happier version of myself!
3. I'm going to work on a "work out" playlist for my IPod today!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Today's Affirmations and "Stuff"
1. My confidence is skyrocketing!
2. I'm shrinking in all the places I want to be shrinking!
3. Water isn't soooo bad.
4. I'm feeling more "girly"!
5. Walking is great for my body!
6. I can hardly wait to see what my body looks like at the end of the 30 day challenge!
I've basically been letting myself go since I was in High School, but I was always trying to get the weight off I just always lost interest and stopped when I didn't see enough of a change fast enough. I was able to maintain a weight of around 163 pounds (give or take a few pounds) for several YEARS (I kid you not), but things really came to a head when I got hurt at work this past December and just was not able to do very many things because of my injury. I sustained a ligamental sprain and tore some ligaments in my left hand (I'm left handed) and was rendered basically usless for over a month. But because I was hurt at work my boss' had to find something for me to do so pretty much I spent a month doing basically nothing in a corner by myself. On a trip to my regular Dr. when they told me to step on the scale I weighed in at a total of 178 pounds. I remember myself saying out loud "That's depressing." It got worse when the nurse took my blood pressure and she proceeded to tell me that it was "just a tad high for someone your age." I pretty much sunk into yet another one of my emotional eating binges and pretty much stayed in that rut until my mom suggested that we add a second dog to our family (our first dog is 19 and pretty much all she did was sleep after we added Laci we pretty much got our dog back) and that I would have to take the dogs for at LEAST a 4 block walk on a daily basis to get them the exercise they need. Now we have Laci, I'm a much happier me and I'm back down to 164 pounds and I'm now in a size 9/10 or 7/8 pair of jeans depending upon brand.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
I should really get a pair of 7/8's!
Today's Affirmations
1. I am a much more confident person.
2. I am happy with the way I am now, but know that I am going to change.
3. I'm down a whole inch on my tummy!
4. I am getting a little bit better about eatting healthier and in moderation.
Here's a link for those looking to get a sexy flat stomach!
http://www.truthaboutabs.com/flat-sexy-stomach.html
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Today's Affirmations and just some random stuff
1. I feel more confident knowing I'm 4 pant sizes smaller.
2. I don't huff and puff near as much when I climb hills while I'm walking my dogs.
3. My bloggie friends are a great support system!
I checked out my blogging buddy Shari's blog this morning and I found this post (please click on the word post to go to the link). I'm just really happy that I have a pretty great support system out there in blogging land to keep me on the straight and narrow....So Thank You all! i'm not really all that comfortable in my transforming body yet and it feels good to now that there are others out there just like me.
Well the other day while I was out doing some clothes shopping (I finally have more than one pair of jeans that fit correctly!) I totally splurged and bought myself another pair of Maurices Sliver brand of jeans. The first pair I bought was $64 and this last pair that I bought were $69 and trust me they are worth every penny! I wore my new pair of Silver's to work last night and I felt much more confident in them nowing they fit in all the right places. I also bought a couple of shirts to add to my collection and can hardly wait for my next set of days off so I can wear them for more than a couple of hours.
On to 30 Day challenge stuff....I'm totally STOKED about the area's that I have already started slimming down in! You really have no idea at all! It's really a serious confidence booster to know that I can "squeeze" myself into a pair of 7/8 jeans and not totally cut off circulation to other parts of my body! This is seriously the smallest I've been inches wise in a VERY LONG time. I'm having hardly any trouble at all getting the inches to come off but I'm having a terrible time getting the weight to come off.
Have a great weekend everybody!
Jamie
Friday, May 9, 2008
Today's Affirmations
1. I am a sexy, strong, confident woman!
2. My belly IS shrinking!
3. I will be a size SMALLER in no time!
4. I feel beautiful!
Jamie
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Memorial Day a Little bit early
Check out this link, it's pretty cool to see that patriotism isn't completely dead in our education system today.
http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm
Challenge Update
May 8th - 1/2" of Fat GONE!
I measured myself again today just for grins and giggles. I'm down 1/2" in both my waist and my hips. I'm down a whole inch in my bust area and both of my arms! So here are some updated challenge pictures. Sorry about the crappiness of the mirror.
Today's Affirmations
1. I will not focus so much on the scale.
2. I will continue to "melt" away pounds and inches.
3. I am a sexy, confident woman.
4. I will continue to drink a "ton" of water.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
A shocking Revelation!
Today's Affirmations
1. I am going to be successful
2. I am a sexy confident woman
3. I am NOT a "delicate flower"
4. I can feel myself "melting"
Monday, May 5, 2008
Today's Affirmations
1. Start tracking my steps.
2. I am "That Skinny Bitch!"
3. I am a lean mean fat losing machine!
4. I can "see" me in my skinny jeans!
30 Day Challenge part Duex
So today I took my walking partner Laci out for a 20 minute walk and came back and raked up the back yard (where we have the dogs tied out) "gunk" into our garden for 20 minutes. I brought up the challenge on my other blog Bumps In The Road: A Country Girl Trapped In "Yuppie Hell" and one of my reader's suggested investing in a pedometer. I'm investing in one before my shift tonight at work. We have a big double tonight so there will be plenty of steps to be taken!
I worked out yesterday and today I'm paying for it. I think I'll work out again when I get home from work tomorrow morning again. I can hardly wait to see what I look like in 30 days!
I'm thinking of coloring my hair again. I'm not exactly sure what color I may want to go yet but my natural color has grown out so much from the last time that I colored that my hair looks a little bit weird. My "quest" to grow out my hair is well on it's way. It's got some movement to it now which is really exciting me!
Jamie
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Flatten Your Belly
41 super secrets to trim your tummy
By Linda Rao , Linda Rao is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Prevention.
Intro
So you want to trim your middle. Time to hit the floor for a zillion crunches, right? Not so fast. Power crunching alone isn't necessarily the best--and certainly not the most enjoyable--way to flatten your belly. When we talked to dozens of people, just like you, who've toned their abs, we discovered their secrets include fun activities such as gardening, tennis, and dancing--with some crunches in between for good measure. Leading weight loss and fitness experts also suggest some simple lifestyle changes to provide you with a complete belly-flattening program.
So if you're sick of crunches--or not getting the results you want--read on for 41 surprising ways to get a belly worth baring this summer.
10 Habits That Will Shrink Your Middle
1. Calm down. Too much stress can contribute to a potbelly. Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that seems to direct fat to our middle, says Jacob Seidell, PhD, of the National Institute of Public Health in Bilthoven, Netherlands. To keep levels low, try this 5- to 10-minute stress reducer: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Next, take several slow, deep breaths to help clear your mind. Continue breathing deeply and repeat the word "one" to yourself as you exhale. (If you get distracted, just bring your focus back to the word "one.") Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day.
2. Skip the alcohol. That glass of wine with dinner may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol also tends to raise cortisol levels, sending fat to your belly, Dr. Seidell says.
3. Stop smoking. "It keeps me thin," proclaim many smokers. But the truth is that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, says Dr. Seidell. (The stress hormone cortisol seems to be the culprit here too.) "When people stop smoking, the amount of abdominal fat actually decreases," he says.
4. Eat more fiber. Not only is fiber great for overall weight loss (it fills you up so you don't eat as much), it also prevents constipation, which can cause your tummy to bulge, says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. To stay regular, aim for 22 to 25 g of fiber a day by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; or try a fiber supplement such as Metamucil.
5. Drink up. For premenstrual bloating, drink lots and lots of water. This will actually help flush away bloating, not make it worse.
6. Keep bones strong. Osteoporosis can lead to fractured bones in your spine, causing you to slump. That shortens your abdominal cavity, giving your belly no place to go but out, says Willibald Nagler, MD, physiatrist in chief emeritus at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in New York City. If you're age 50 or over, be sure to get 1,200 mg of calcium every day from the foods you eat and/or from supplements. (If you're age 50 or younger, 1,000 mg a day is the ticket.)
7. Get your heart rate up. All the ab exercises in the world won't do a thing unless you get rid of the fat hiding your abdominal muscles. The best way is aerobic exercise for 45 to 60 minutes, five times a week. When Barbara Taylor, 50, of Pasadena, CA, started running, walking, or stairclimbing for about 1 hour, five days a week, she did more than just uncover her abs. She went from a size 16 to a size 4 and lost more than 60 pounds.
8. Tuck that tummy. Jeanette Friedman, 54, of Austin, TX, suggests imagining there's a "magnet pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Practice the tuck until it becomes comfortable, and soon it will come naturally--like breathing," she says. "Do it every chance you get. That's how habits start."
9. Hit the weights. That's what worked for Angela Susi, 50, of Vancouver, BC, who lost about 5 inches from her waist and plummeted from a size 12 to a size 3. “I was able to wear my first bikini in 20 years,” she says. "It was like a great unveiling! My abs are leaner, with more definition." For similar results, aim for two or three weight workouts a week.
10. Get a bonus ab workout. Stand as much as possible when doing weight-lifting exercises. That way your abs work too. "They help to balance and stabilize your body," says Tammy Strunk, an Emmaus, PA, fitness instructor. Concentrate on keeping your abs tight and maintaining good posture, but don't hold your breath.
Perfect Posture=Flat Tummy: 6 Tips
1. Stand up straight. Heeding Mom's advice can make you look 5 pounds thinner (and your abs flatter) instantly. To straighten up, imagine a string tugging you from the top of your head toward the ceiling.
2. Sit like a royal. Slumping accentuates your stomach. To improve your posture while sitting, start with your chair. If your chair seat is too high to let your feet touch the ground without slumping, find a footstool about 4 inches high to let you sit up straight. Or place a pillow at the small of your back to help bring you forward in your chair.
3. Strengthen your shoulders. Strong shoulders will prevent you from hunching forward. To target this area, try the overhead press. Start with dumbbells at shoulder height, feet firmly on the floor. Slowly press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended. Don't arch your back. Hold, and then lower.
4. Build your chest. Good posture is easier when you have strong upper body muscles. For the chest, do the bench press: Lie on an exercise bench with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor or on the bench. Hold dumbbells or a barbell at chest height with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Slowly press the weight straight up until your arms are fully extended, elbows almost locked. Hold, and then lower.
5. Work your mid-to upper back. These muscles are also important for good posture. The bent-over row exercise is a great way to strengthen them. To do it: Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench or chair so your back is parallel to the floor. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, start with your right arm directly under your shoulder and extended toward the floor. Bending your elbow so that it's pointing toward the ceiling, pull the dumbbell up until it touches your rib cage. Hold, and slowly lower. (The movement is like starting a power lawn mower, only slower and smoother.)
6. Target your lower back. To stand tall, you need to strengthen the muscles that support your spine. To do that, try this exercise: Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel under your forehead. Clasp your hands behind your waist and slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor, pinching the shoulder blades together. Only go as far as comfortable. Hold, then release.
13 Activities That Will Slim Your Waistline
1. Make a tennis date. A few sets of backhands and forehands, and you'll feel it around your middle. "Every time you turn to make a stroke," says Dr. Nagler, "you strengthen the oblique muscles on either side of your abdomen."
2. Vacuum the house. Dust-free floors won't be the only benefit. Pushing the vacuum cleaner back and forth helps tighten your abs, says Dr. Nagler. Self-propelled models don't count!
3. Get out and garden. George DeVault, 56, of Emmaus, PA, attributes his flat stomach (he lost about 2 inches off his waist in a month!) to all the bending, lifting, pulling, pushing, and digging. The spinal twist and abdominal contractions while digging are a particularly good ab workout, Dr. Nagler adds.
4. Strike a pose. Chris Jensen, from Huntington Beach, CA, has been doing yoga daily for over 20 years. "I started it because I wanted to relax," she says. "But I also began noticing subtle changes, such as tightening and strengthening of my ab muscles, within four months."
5. Try Callanetics. Gale Maleskey, 53, of Emmaus, PA, swears by this program. It helped her maintain a 28-inch waist. "After just two weeks, I realized I was tightening up." Callanetics crunches resemble most others, but there's a subtle difference: A very slight, gentle pulsing motion keeps your ab muscles continuously contracted. Callanetics DVDs are available at amazon.com.
6. Go for a swim. "A vigorous crawl stroke is a wonderful way to tighten the abs," Dr. Nagler says. "Due to the fact that you have to breathe out forcefully underwater, your abdominal muscles contract even better. The reaching-forward and pulling-back strokes of the butterfly are great ab toners too."
7. Move those hips! Remember how much fun you had as a kid swiveling your hips inside a hula hoop? Turns out, this late-'50s fad is an excellent waist slimmer. The longer and more often you do it, the better the results.
8. Paddle off your paunch. Forty-five-year-old Erin Bethea from Akron, OH, attributes her lean tummy to kayaking. When you paddle, she explains, you twist your whole torso. The power comes from your abdominal muscles. "Using proper technique keeps your abs constantly moving," she says. And to sit erect and paddle a kayak properly, you need to keep your ab muscles taut--sometimes for several hours at a time!
9. Play a few holes. Swinging a golf club shapes up the oblique muscles on the sides of your abs, says Dr. Nagler. After 9 or 18 holes, that's a workout! (For an aerobic workout, skip the cart.)
10. Give boxing a whirl. Aerobic kick-boxing is more than just a great fat-burning, cardio workout. All those arm thrusts and high kicks firm abs too.
11. Do a little dance. Jeanette Friedman tells us that daily belly dancing has helped her maintain her svelte 24-inch waist for years and get back in shape after having two kids. "I started working my abs right in the hospital after my babies were born," she says. "It worked wonders!"
12. Sweep away flab. Your sidewalk or garage need a good sweeping? Grab a regular broom (not the push type) and go to it, advises Dr. Nagler. The back-and-forth motion is a great ab toner. And don't forget the dustpan: Bending over works your abs too, mostly when you exhale.
13. Discover "Pilates." This series of stretching-type exercises done on the floor and on special equipment has been used by dancers for decades. But now New Yorker Margaret Klugman, 55, (and hundreds of others including many celebrities) attribute their tight abs to this low-impact form of exercise. For a list of studios and instructors near you, contact the United States Pilates Associationat 888-484-8772. Or visit their Web site at http://www.pilates-studio.com/.
Ab-Toning Exercises
If you experience back pain with any of these exercises, stop and check with your doctor before continuing.
1. Tilt your pelvis. Lie on the floor, arms at your sides and knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Next, press your lower back to the floor so that your pelvis tilts upward. Maintain this tilt as you straighten your legs by slowly sliding your heels along the floor. Stop when you can no longer hold a full tilt position. Hold and count aloud to six. Bring one leg, then the other, back to the starting position, maintaining the pelvic tilt throughout. Hold the starting position for six more counts. Relax. Repeat 12 times.
The next two exercises trimmed nearly 4 inches off the waistline of Poughkeepsie, NY, resident Marion Alexandra Licchiello, 43.
2. Lie on the floor with your legs straight up in the air. Place an exercise ball between your knees. Next, do a slight pelvic tilt (see above) from the hips. Squeeze for 1 second and relax. Start with 10 repetitions and work up to an amount where you feel fatigued.
3. Start in the same position as the previous exercise, with the ball between bent knees. Lift your hips off the floor so your knees move toward your chest. Squeeze for 1 second and then relax. Start with 10 repetitions and work up to an amount where you feel fatigued.
In addition to strength training, Angela Susi attributes her flat stomach to the following two moves.
4. Lie on the floor, face down, and support your upper body on your elbows, forearms, and hands. Slowly lift the rest of your body off the floor until you're on your toes. Keeping your body straight, hold for as long as is comfortable, then slowly lower and relax. Repeat as many times as possible until fatigued.
5. Lie on your left side, supporting your upper body on your left elbow, forearm, and hand. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder. Slowly lift the rest of your body off the floor, so all that's touching is your forearm and feet. (Use the other arm to balance. For an advanced move, hold that arm straight up in the air.) Keep your body as straight as possible for maximum effect. Hold as long as is comfortable or until you can no longer maintain good form. Then slowly lower and relax. Repeat on the other side. Do as many times as possible until fatigued.
Here's a favorite from Virginia Markstein, 30, of Birmingham, AL, who also works on reducing her waistline by using an exercise ball.
6. Play catch. Get into a crunch position--lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, shoulders and head off the floor with your abs contracted. Then have someone throw an exercise ball (or basketball) to you--first to your left side so you have to twist and reach to catch it, and then to your right. Do as many times as is comfortable, and try to increase the number each week.
7. Work against gravity. Using an L-seat at the gym to do hanging leg lifts is one of the best exercises for your midsection. You're using the weight of your own legs against gravity. To do it: Support yourself on an L-seat with your forearms, legs hanging straight. Using your midsection muscles, slowly pull your knees up toward your chest and then lower. Keep your back against the seat, and don't swing your legs. For a more advanced move, keep your legs straight as you lift them.
8. Do it at home. Here's a variation of the previous exercise that doesn't require gym equipment: Sit up straight in a firm, armless chair. Place your hands on the sides of the chair in front of your hips. Tightening your abs and supporting yourself with your hands, slowly pull your knees up toward your chest. Keep your lower back against the chair back. Hold and then slowly lower.
4 Back Friendly Moves
For Nancy Moffett, 62, of Coopersburg, PA, back pain actually had a good side. When she started doing the exercises prescribed by a physical therapist to heal her back, as a bonus, her abs got firmer. Here's her workout:
1) Lie on the floor with an exercise ball (about 53 inches around) resting under your right heel. Bending your right knee, roll the ball as close to your buttocks as is comfortable while keeping your lower back on the floor. Hold 5 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions. Repeat on the left side.
2) Lie on the floor in the same position as above, with both heels resting on the ball. Bending both knees, roll the ball as close to your buttocks as is comfortable while keeping your lower back on the floor. Hold 5 seconds. Return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions.
3) Kneeling on the floor, place your chest on an exercise ball and put your hands on the floor in front of it. Your hands should be directly below your shoulders. Slowly raise your right arm and left leg. Squeeze your buttocks as you lift, and aim to get your arm and leg in line with your spine. Don't lift your head or arch your back. Hold, and then slowly lower. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Do 10 times.
4) Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place an exercise ball (66 inches around) on your abdomen and hold it with both hands. Use your hands to roll the ball to the top of your knees. Tuck your chin toward your chest and lift your head and shoulders off the floor. Lower to the starting position. Repeat. Exhale as you lift, and inhale as you lower the ball. Work up to 20 repetitions.
Everyday Aerobics
Learn to burn calories and shrink your waistline--the easy way.
By Selene Yeager , Selene Yeager is a health journalist and author/coauthor of more than two dozen book titles.
For the biggest body-shaping benefits, you can't beat strength training. But to boost your weekly calorie burn even more--and lose fat faster--add a little aerobic exercise.
Before you shake your head and say, "Not for me," consider that the ideas of what constitutes "aerobic" exercise have come a long way. Gone are the days of having to squeeze into a pair of Lycra tights and sweat up a storm in an exercise class (unless you want to!). You can get all the aerobic benefits you need from everyday activities like walking or even gardening.
Once you start adding some cardiovascular exercise into your routine, you'll find that a little goes a long way. If you do nothing more than take two brisk 10- to 15-minute walks a day, you can drop one or two dress sizes over the course of a year--even without dieting. Some researchers also believe that aerobic exercise specifically targets the layer of fat in your abdominal area, which is good news for stubborn belly bulges.
What's more, the benefits of aerobic exercise extend well beyond a shrinking waistline. Exercise burns calories, and study after study shows that the more calories you burn, the less likely you are to get cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and even certain cancers.
Do What You Love
The most important part of your aerobic routine is to do something you love. Remember, you're going to be doing this a couple of times a week. If it's an activity you hate, you'll get frustrated or bored and quit. The exercise you choose should be something you find enjoyable and that fits conveniently into your life.
The best way to beat boredom is variety. Having a selection of workouts to choose from keeps you--and your body--from feeling burned out. And there's never been a better time to put variety in your workout routine. The biggest trends in fitness tapes, classes, and clubs these days is to offer routines that combine great music, new moves, and sport-specific workouts that are more fun and functional than old-fashioned aerobics.
Consider classes that combine indoor cycling and yoga, tai chi and strength training, kickboxing and stretching. Or try your hand at a fun, new dance, such as belly dancing, line dancing, or swing. Check the local activity calendar in your local paper for classes starting up in your area.
Not the group-exercising type? Try a new active hobby, such as swimming, hiking your local nature trails, or playing golf or tennis.
Stay Motivated, Stay Safe
Whether you're hiking, biking, or inline skating, there are steps you can take to make your exercise more enjoyable, so you stay motivated, avoid injury, and keep coming back. Here are a few tips for healthy aerobic activity.
Warm up to it. A good 5-minute warmup helps you burn more calories and avoid injury. By starting your activity slowly, you increase your core body temperature, which leads to more efficient calorie-burning. You warm your muscles, so they can stretch and contract more fully and quickly and you can exercise more vigorously. A warmup increases bloodflow and speeds your metabolism, so you're less likely to have fatigue-causing lactic acid build up in your muscles. It will also help you burn glucose and fatty acids for energy--the fuel of choice when you want to lose weight.
Dress for success. Comfortable, breathable, supportive clothes are key to exercise success.
Foremost is proper footwear, because if your feet hurt, you hurt. For the best results, go to your local athletic footwear store and get your feet sized and fit for a pair of shoes with the right cushioning and support for your activity.
Also consider investing in a supportive sports bra to eliminate uncomfortable bouncing; wear light, cool clothing in the heat; and wear removable layers when there's a chill in the air.
Move to the music. Though you shouldn't wear headphones while exercising out in the street (they prevent you from hearing important sounds like oncoming cars and dogs), listening to music while on a stationary bike or treadmill can boost your calorie burn. Studies show that people who listen to fast-tempo music exercise longer before fatiguing. Even better, they feel as though the exercise is easier even when the intensity is the same. Try exercising to African or Cuban dance music, which provide a good steady beat.
Join friends and family. Research shows that the single most important factor for sticking with an exercise program for the first year is having the support of friends and family.
You're even more likely to succeed if you have a friend or family member working out with you. Make walking dates after work to de-stress with your girlfriends, plan family day hikes on the weekends, ask your husband to strength train with you. You'll grow closer as you get fit together.
Gain without pain. Exercise can be challenging, but it should never be painful. A good routine will leave you feeling as though you've accomplished something when you're done, but won't leave you feeling exhausted.
If you experience pain in your muscles or joints, stop. Give yourself a few days to recover, and ease back into it. If it still hurts next time out, see your doctor and try an alternative exercise. There's an activity to suit everyone's physical needs.
Move More to Lose More
To lose about a pound a week, you need to burn about 250 calories a day, while also trimming about the same amount of calories from your daily diet. Burn a little more, and you'll lose a little more. The chart below shows how many calories you can blast away (based on a 140-pound woman) just by enjoying everyday activities.
30 Day Challenge
I've gotten a little bit behind on my part with the 30 day clothing challenge exercise wise. Walking wise I'm right up there....I work at a place where we are kept on our toes and moving pretty much all night and with the exception of our 3 breaks that total out to 30 minutes I am on my feet and moving at a pretty moderate pace for 9 of the 10 hours that I am there. I fell off of the "no caffeine" wagon last night and had a pepsi and a snickers bar. I took both of my dogs out for a 25 minute walk this morning and we're all feeling pretty good right now.
Today's Affirmations:
1. I will get back into my 9/10 size jeans
2. I won't take what the scale says to heart
3. I will drink more water
4. I will start working out more
5. I will start walking more
