Whole 30- Week 3

We're now into the last part of our third week on the program! I can honestly say that it has been MUCH easier to follow the past 2 weeks. Week one was a bit torturous. Feeling the effects of ridding your system of sugar, dairy, and wheat feels very hard before you start to feel the benefits.

A simple chart that helps you understand what the "rules" are:

Week one I had cravings, like I just wanted to get a candy bar or ice cream. I never eat candy bars really, so that was kind of strange. Looking back, I think my body was just craving the artificial sweetness that sugar (artificial and added refined sugars) adds to food. I really encourage anyone aiming to try this program to read up on it first, but the fact is this: food additives and sugars (both fake and "real" added sugars) trick your body into craving tastes that do NOT exist naturally in nature. Once you detox yourself from those tastes by cutting them out, you can really appreciate how food actually tastes. I swear, apples taste sweeter to me now.

Week two I felt like I was really into the groove. I wasn't feeling as hungry as I did in week one. I figured out how to cook enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. Breakfasts have been either hard boiled eggs or a banana with almond butter or almond milk (some people disagree with almond milk on The Whole 30, but I'm using an unsweetened one). I've had a bunch of really great dinners that have been filling and flavorful. Spices are your friend here, and if you under season, things will be bland.

Snacks are either an apple, a few nuts (almonds or cashews), or a lara bar. Tonight we're doing breakfast for dinner with poached eggs, bacon (nitrate and sugar free from Trader Joe's), and sweet potato home fries with peppers and onions. Sliced avocado on the side. That's a perfect example of a meal that will NOT leave you hungry! Tomorrow night I'm making Barbacoa Beef from Paleomg. Her blog is one of my favorite resources, and her recipes have been hits with us.

Matt is feeling really good as well, and has officially hit the 30 pound weight loss mark! His weight loss started back in October, so it's been slow and steady. I think he should be most proud of getting through the holidays without gaining anything back, even it things stalled slightly then.

So, are we going to turn the Whole 30 into an ongoing food regimen? No. Because that would mean cutting out alcohol (not gonna happen!), never enjoying deserts, and not being able to enjoy some favorite foods that aren't necessarily that healthy (pizza). We're going to stick to a mainly Paleo diet, and allow splurges now and then. I'm not going to say we'll have one "cheat" day, or meal, or any real count of when to splurge, rather we will try to do our best with diet and indulge when we feel it's worth it.

I will say that the biggest effect I feel physically is having no bloating. My stomach has been completely flat since we've started, and I'm sure cutting dairy is the reason. I've seen a lot more muscle definition as well. I didn't take any pictures before, but I might post an after to show it off!

I've officially filled my last notebook with workouts- I always write out my class design and workout for that day. Yesterday, I picked this one up:

 

 

 

Maybe a little cheesy, but the cover says "Live Your Dreams, Discover Your Purpose". I really feel that teaching fitness enables me to do just that. Every single person that stays after class to tell me that my class is the best they've ever taken, or that they love how each class is a totally different workout, really inspires me to keep working at being the best instructor I can be. Helping people achieve their weight loss, fitness goals, and lifestyle changes is such a wonderful motivator to continue living my own healthy lifestyle.

 

This weekend we'll be having some fun with built in babysitters, I mean grandparents, visiting. Connor can't wait to show off how big of a boy he is. New words are keys, and "cheesus" (you don't want to know the translation there). Let's just say Matt and I now know we have to watch our mouths. Shit just got real.

 

 

 

Workout and some treadmill running

It's been way too long since I've posted a workout, and for that, I am sorry! I'm up to teaching 6 classes per week, so my workouts have mainly been teaching my classes with a run thrown in here and there. This weather has put a serious cramp in my running because I really hate running on the treadmill. I'll run outside in the cold, but with the snow totals we've had, the sidewalks have been kind of non-existent. I was all dressed and ready to run this morning and then saw the freezing rain. That's just a little too much for me, honestly. Rain? I'll do it. Freezing rain? Get the hell outta here.

Snow days brought out our creativity, and Connor found a new love for coloring and play dough.

 

 

Yesterday we were still dealing with the clean up from almost a foot of snow, and my morning class was cancelled. After a snow day on Thursday, I needed to get out of the house, so I bundled Connor up and headed to the Y. I geared my self up (mentally) to get on the treadmill, which is one of my least favorite activities. Once I was going, I felt really good and did 4 miles. My mental capacity on the treadmill is usually 3 miles, so this was big! It's crazy how I can run really far outside, yet inside each minute drags on so slowly.

You might be wondering why I forced myself to get on the treadmill when I clearly dislike it. That really goes against everything I believe with working out. I'm a huge advocate for finding something you really enjoy, and sticking with it.

I love running outside which is why I am not a treadmill runner. A few months ago I signed up for the Philadelphia Love half marathon, which is on March 30th. I really haven't mentioned it here though because between the snow and teaching so many classes each week, I really haven't trained! This is also something that goes against everything I believe about working out! To say I'm a little nervous is an understatement. My longest run has been 6 miles last weekend. I felt great, so that combined with doing other workouts so often is making me think I'll be able to finish the race without a problem. Fingers crossed. The forecast looks like it should be warming up soon, so I still have time to get the long runs in there. I'm hoping to do 7 next weekend, and then add a mile each week to build up to 11 before I taper. Not a training schedule I'd recommend!

After my 4 miles I did a circuit of:

Bosu crunches- opposite hand to toe reach for 30 secs, switch sides
1 min plank holding sides of bosu
1 min ab cincher- forearms in plank position on round side of bosu, aim hips side to side while drawing belly button to spine
12 kettle bell snatches per arm

I repeated that twice and was done.

This week I'll be trying out a few more new recipes to keep on the Whole 30 plan, so look out for those! I have to say, the

 

The Whole 30

I can't stop reading about or hearing from people who have done The Whole 30 program, and my curiosity recently made me start to read more about it. Trying to sum up the Whole 30 isn't easy, so I'll give you some basic info straight from the source.

What is the Whole30®?

Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat – even the “healthy” stuff. So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you?

Strip them from your diet completely. Cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health. The most important reason to keep reading?

This will change your life.

We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact—the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. We know this because we did it, and tens of thousands of people have done it since, and it changed our lives (and their lives) in a very permanent fashion. (Need convincing? Just read some of our stunning testimonials.) The Whole 30

I first thought it was a "diet" intending to cause weight loss, but that really isn't the main point. People do lose weight on the program often, but not always. Even though I try to maintain a healthy diet, I've been feeling like too much sugar and dairy have been creeping in (I have a minor Reece's addiction). I'm hoping that by being pretty strict and cutting sugar and dairy out completely, I'll be less likely to reach for them. I gave up dairy for about two months when Connor was a newborn because I thought he might have a dairy intolerance. While I don't think he really did, what I noticed was how much better I felt off dairy. I didn't feel bloated, and my skin was completely clear.

Cutting out legumes isn't something I've ever done, or wanted to do. I'm going to get rid of them during the Whole 30 and then re-evaluate when I incorporate them back in. I like the idea of starting from a "clean slate" in terms of diet so you can really see what works for you, and even more importantly, what doesn't work for you.

Matt has agreed to sticking to the plan for the 30 days, and I'm trying to make it easier for him by preparing our dinners and helping him decide what to eat or bring for lunches.

This week I'm making a new chili recipe from a paleo blog that I found, Chocolate Chili. The blog is called The Clothes Make the Girl, and the author writes a lot of tasty looking recipes. I'm also going to make a chicken curry with peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes, which is a recipe I made up and already make on a regular basis. I'm making big batches of everything so that we can either have leftovers for lunches or other dinners. For breakfast I'm going to either do hard boiled eggs and a piece of fruit or an egg scramble with veggies. Lunches will either be leftovers from the previous night's dinner or a veggie packed salad with grilled chicken on top.

I'll report back with my take on the Whole 30 periodically, and while I'm not in it to lose weight, I'll certainly update you with my results! Hopefully he won't kill me for writing this, but Matt is down 22 (or 23?) pounds and looking amazing! He's really been so on point with food, and it very motivated to give the next 30 days a shot.

Friday

Last night, a great group of women showed up for class. We worked it, and were pretty spent by the end. I incorporated a few high intensity intervals to really get the heart rate up- and get maximum calorie burn.

One of the intervals we did was:

3 rounds of-
10 burpees
10 push ups

Even if you're just trying to get into the fitness game or shake things up, the circuit above is something you can bang out in a short period of time. That is what makes "working out" accessible to EVERYONE. Yes, it's hard. But YES, you have the time. Maybe do 10 burpees and 10 push ups during a commercial break. After you throw in a load of laundry. Waiting for your coffee to brew. Water to boil. Song to download. And it goes on! You have the time, even if it's just a few minutes here and there. It all adds up.

MAKE THE TIME, LADIES!

When I got home, I threw together an easy egg scramble. This one had: carrots, peppers, spinach, onions, 2 eggs, and 1 egg white. Sriracha over top. High in protein, low in fat and calories.

I've been working hard on a project with my friend Pete Mattis at ZAKTi fitness http://zaktionline.com/ . If you're interested in training with me in a small group setting, stay tuned for details- it's going to be good!

My parents are visiting this weekend, and very eager to babysit Connor. Matt and I are very eager to get out and have a date night too, we haven't in over three months! As you've seen, we do get out a lot, but always have the baby with us. Not that I'm complaining! It will be really nice to get a little dressed up and actually wear heels. Matt might not recognize me.

Wishing you a happy weekend!ZAKTi

Superbowl Hangover

Did you indulge too much Sunday night? Whether it was food or booze (or likely both!) there's no need to beat yourself up about it now. Nearly everyone has a night, an entire day, week, or even a few months where you get off track. Eating the wrong foods, drinking too  much, or a combination of the two often leads to that sluggish feeling that in turn makes you want to skip a workout. Acknowledging you've gotten off track is important so you don't let it snowball into a month of eating badly and not working out.

Just because you did indulge a little for the Superbowl doesn't necessarily mean you've gotten off track though. We went to a party where the food was plentiful, delicious, and there were many unhealthy, yet tempting choices. I tried to taste what I wanted to, eat a little of the unhealthier options, and then fill up on salad and protein. I even had a small slice of cake. Trying to keep the portions in check will help you feel in control of your diet. If you have good portion control (not that it's an easy thing for anyone!) you really can eat anything you want and stay slim. You just can't eat anything you want in any portion you want and stay slim. That would just be too good to be true. If I ever find a way to eat ALL the food and stay thin, I'll let you know. Until then, portion control my friends.

Whenever I've been trying to lose weight, my mindset on how I'm going to do it is the first important step- even before diet/exercise plans. For me, viewing each day individually helps. It's a lot easier for me to avoid sweets for one day versus thinking "I'm never going to have dessert again".

Ok, now it's confession time. C is taking a wonderful nap, and I'm blogging from bed. His long nap is probably due to his less than stellar sleep last night. Even though I'm not doing this circuit now, I will be doing it at the gym with my class tonight- watch out ladies, it's not easy!

Power Nap Circuit-

5 rounds (you can always do more if you're up to it!)

20 squat jumps- make sure you squat LOW, sit that butt back!
1 min up/down planks- start in high plank and lower onto your forearms, then back up