Stop the snow, its madness

February 27, 2014
I can't believe it's snowing again, when is it going to stop. I just heard that March is suppose to be cooler than normal, I say we will go from winter right into summer.
I went to the gym this morning and did my weight routine first, I increased a few things this morning as well.
I then did 50 minutes on the elliptical machine, when I got home I did another 10 minute abs video on you tube. I figure every bit of extra work I do should be of some help. 
I was back to my volunteer place yesterday after 3 weeks away, they had a flu out break and then I was sick for a week. All the ladies were so happy to see me, they figured I had gone back to Australia for a visit because I was gone for so long. We had a lovely tea and chat and caught up on the Royal Family and what is in store for them this year. The ladies love seeing the pictures and hearing what the Queen has been up to and always remark at how beautiful she was as a child, it always makes for great conversation.
Off for an allergy treatment today.
Today's Quote:

Feeling the burn of well used muscles

February 26, 2014
Boy oh boy, can I feel it today, I did a 10 minute booty work out yesterday when I got home yesterday, and man can I feel it, I assume that's a good thing. lol So I will do it again tomorrow after the gym.
I went to the gym this morning, I must have been a bit out of it though, first I forgot a bottle of water, then I nearly followed my husband to work, I guess I need better sleep.
I did finally get there after a little detour and did 1 hour on the elliptical machine.
i was asked recently about slow metabolism and it is one thing I have struggled with for years, so I thought I would look it up and see what were the best ways to boost it.

Kick it up a notch

The next time you run, swim, or even walk, ramp up the intensity for 30-second intervals, returning to your normal speed afterward. Using this strategy will help you consume more oxygen and make your cell powerhouses, the mitochondria, work harder to burn energy, explains Mark Hyman, MD, an integrative and functional medicine specialist in private practice in Lenox, Massachusetts, and author of Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss. "You increase the number of mitochondria and how efficiently they burn throughout the day," he explains.This way, you can exercise for less time than it takes to plod along at the same pace and still get great results.

Here's how to do it: Exercise for 5 minutes at 3.5 mph. Increase your speed to 4 mph for 60 seconds. Then go back down to 3.5 mph for 90 seconds. Repeat the entire sequence 5 times, twice a week. (To get a more challenging workout, increase the incline or your pace.)

Get your omega-3's

Why does eating lots of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, herring, and tuna) help amp up metabolism? Omega-3s balance blood sugar and reduce inflammation, helping to regulate metabolism. They may also reduce resistance to the hormone leptin, which researchers have linked to how fast fat is burned. A study in Obesity Research found rats that ingested large doses of fish oil while exercising lost weight. Take omega-3 fatty acid supplements; Hyman recommends 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams per day. Hate the fishy after-burp? Try flaxseed oil, walnuts, or eggs fortified with omega-3s.

Make some muscle

Not only does muscle weigh more than fat, but it uses more energy, too. The average woman in her 30s who strength-trains 30 to 40 minutes twice a week for four months will increase her resting metabolism by 100 calories a day. That means you’re resetting your thermostat to keep running at that rate even on the days when you don't make it to the gym.

Turn to (green) tea

Green tea has long been heralded for its antioxidant polyphenols. But new evidence shows the active ingredient, catechin, may crank up metabolism. Researchers conducted a series of studies in dieters and found that those who went green lost more weight than those who didn't, suggesting that catechins may improve fat oxidation and thermogenesis, your body's production of energy, or heat, from digestion. But how much do you have to drink? According to one study, if you drink five eight-ounce cups of green tea a day, you can increase your energy expenditure by 90 calories a day. Sounds like a lot of tea, but it's not hard to do if you also drink it iced.

Don't slash those calories

It's one of the most frustrating realities of dieting—if you cut out too many calories, your metabolism thinks times are lean and puts the breaks on fat-burning to conserve energy, Hunter explains. Here’s the trick to keeping your metabolism revved up while dieting: Eat enough calories to at least match your resting metabolic rate (what you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day; calculate yours here). That's about 1,330 calories for a 5-feet-4-inch, 150-pound, 40-year-old woman.

Enjoy the afterburn

Exercise is a gift to yourself that keeps on giving. In a phenomenon known as excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), your body can take hours to recover from a robust workout (one intense enough that you can't hold a conversation) and return to its previous resting metabolic rate. The windfall: Your body is actually burning more calories than it normally would—even after you've finished exercising. There’s a catch, though. The better shape you're in, the less benefit you'll get, because your fit body replenishes its energy stores efficiently. You can improve your burn by increasing how often or how hard you work out (think intervals).

Get started in the a.m.

Make sure you eat breakfast. Eating a nutrient-rich morning meal (like oatmeal with almonds and berries, or a spinach-and-feta omelet with a slice of whole-grain toast) shortly after getting out of bed literally wakes up your metabolism. "Eating breakfast gets the engine going and keeps it going," Hyman explains. It's hard to argue with these results: According to the National Weight Control Registry (an ongoing study that tracks 5,000 people who lost an average of 66 pounds and kept it off more than five years), 78% of those who keep it off eat an a.m. meal every day.

Go ahead and graze

Noshing throughout the day is a proven strategy to help you curb hunger and eat fewer calories overall. Now, experts are promoting nibbling versus gorging as a way to keep metabolism running by holding blood sugar levels steady and preventing weight-gain-promoting insulin spikes. Enjoying six small meals a day should do the trick; keep them around 300 calories each, or divide your usual day's calories by six.

Trim the trans fat

You’ve heard they're bad for you. But trans fats also slow down your body's ability to burn fat. "They have an altered shape and make your biochemistry run funny," Hyman says, explaining that trans fat binds to fat and liver cells and slows metabolism. Eating trans fat can also lead to insulin resistance and inflammation, both of which cripple metabolism and can cause weight gain.

Go organic

If you’re on the fence about whether to buy organic, this news may sway you: Fruits, vegetables, and grains grown without pesticides keep your fat-burning system running at full-tilt because they don’t expose your thyroid to toxins, Hyman says. Nonorganic produce, on the other hand, “blocks your metabolism mainly by interfering with your thyroid, which is your body’s thermostat and determines how fast it runs,” he explains. 

Think protein

Your body digests protein more slowly than fat or carbs, so you feel full longer (this is especially true when you have it for breakfast). Plus, it may also give your metabolism a bump. In a process called thermogenesis, your body uses about 10% of its calorie intake for digestion. So, because it takes longer to burn protein than carbs or fat, your body expends more energy absorbing the nutrients in a high-protein diet. Another bonus: One recent study from Purdue University found that diets higher in protein may help preserve lean body mass, which is the best fat-burner of all.

Today's Quote: 

 

Feeling so Much Better today

February 25, 2014
Where has this month gone, I can't believe we are nearly at the end of the month.
I was in bad shape yesterday, I have an allergic reaction to a food, we figure it was food additives in spaghetti sauce. So it was off to the Dr yesterday for a NAET treatment. I feel so much better today and went to the gym and did 45 minutes of cardio and then did my whole weight routine. When I came home a did a 10 minute routine on you tube, it will be interesting to see if I feel it tomorrow.
We had a great time Saturday at the Le Nordik Spa, we had joint massages and got to use the spas and sauna's
Now I am off to my Art class, so will be sure to check in tomorrow.
Today's Quote:

TGIF and its raining

February 21, 2014
Is this a sign of spring, I sure hope it is. I hated going out in the pouring rain this morning but if its raining it means it is warmer, and I am all for that. So over this winter, can't wait to be able to go out and walk near the river with out nearly breaking our necks each time.
So I have spent the day working on paintings, I finished the cottage painting that I was doing for our friends. I sent a photo of it to them today and they loved it. That inspired me to get busy and work on another one.
I did an hour on the elliptical machine today and will try to get to the gym on Sunday while the Nascar race is on. 
Tomorrow we will be going to Le Nordic Spa, for my hubbies birthday I gave him a spa package called the Thermal Experience and I get to tag along, looking really forward to it, ahhhh the relaxation.
Here is my latest painting:

Today's Quote:

Great work out today

February 20, 2014
I have two great work outs yesterday and today, yesterday I did 80 minutes on the elliptical machine and today I did 50 minutes and then did my weight routine. I have increased weights so I am really feeling it. 
I have a goal in mind and would like to reach it by the time we go to San Francisco for Easter.
This means keeping my diet in check and keeping myself busy so I don't do mindless munching out of boredom.
I saw and ad for Jillian Michaels work outs and diets, 4 dollars a month doesn't see to be very much to spend and she gives you lots of encouragement. I think I will check out some of her exercise videos on you tube. She has a 30 day work out shred the pounds one. It may be something to think about doing on the weekends since I don't go to the gym on Saturday or Sunday.
I have been wondering how often you should increase weights, so here is an article I found on the subject.
The Basics
If you're setting up your own program, you'll need to know some basic strength training principles. Don't worry, there's no pop quiz at the end...just a few ideas to help you figure out how much weight to use and how to choose your reps and sets so that you're always progressing in your workouts and not hitting an annoying plateau.

1. Overload: The first thing you need to build lean muscle tissue is to use more resistance than your muscles are used to. This is important because the more you do, the more your body is capable of doing, so you should increase your workload to avoid plateaus. In plain language, this means you should be lifting enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps. You should be able to finish your last rep with difficulty but also with good form.
2. Progression. To avoid plateaus (or adaptation), you need to increase your intensity regularly. You can do this by increasing the amount of weight lifted, changing your sets/reps, changing the exercises and changing the type of resistance. You can make these changes on a weekly or monthly basis.
3. Specificity. This principle means you should train for your goal. That means, if you want to increase your strength, your program should be designed around that goal (e.g., train with heavier weights closer to your 1 RM (1 rep max)). To lose weight, you might want to focus on circuit training, since that may give you the most bang for your buck.
4. Rest and Recovery. Rest days are just as important as workout days. It is during these rest periods that your muscles grow and change, so make sure you're not working the same muscle groups 2 days in a row.

Before you get started on setting up your routine, keep a few key points in mind:

1. Always warm up before you start lifting weights. This helps get your muscles warm and prevent injury. You can warm up with light cardio or by doing a light set of each exercise before going to heavier weights.
2. Lift and lower your weights slowly. Don't use momentum to lift the weight. If you have to swing to get the weight up, chances are you're using too much weight.
3. Breathe. Don't hold your breath and make sure you're using full range of motion throughout the movement.
4. Stand up straight. Pay attention to your posture and engage your abs in every movement you're doing to keep your balance and protect your spine.

Your first step in setting up a routine is to choose exercises to target all of your muscle groups. If you need guidance, you can:  
For beginners, you want to choose about 8-10 exercises, which comes out to about one exercise per muscle group. The list below offers some examples:

• Chest: bench press, chest press machine, pushups, pec deck machine
• Back: one-armed row, seated row machine, back extensions, lat pull downs
• Shoulders: overhead press, lateral raise, front raise
• Biceps: bicep curls, hammer curls, concentration curls
• Triceps: tricep extensions, dips, kickbacks
• Quadriceps: Squats, lunges, leg extension and leg press machines
• Hamstrings: dead lifts, lunges, leg curl machine
• Abs: crunches, reverse crunches, oblique twists, pelvic tilts

Check out the strength training and cardio workouts available at Workout Central
Sequence of Exercises

• Make sure you choose at least one exercise for each major muscle group.
• The muscles to work include: Chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and abdominals.
• If you leave any muscle group out, this could cause an imbalance in your muscles and possibly lead to injuries.

Most experts recommend starting with your larger muscle groups and then proceeding to the smaller muscle groups. The most demanding exercises are those performed by your large muscle groups and you will need your smaller muscles to get the most out of these exercises. But, don't feel limited by that. You can do your exercises in any order you like and changing the order is a great way to challenge yourself in different ways.
Choosing your reps and sets :
You've figured out the exercises you should be doing, but what about the number of sets and repetitions? Your decision should be based on your goals. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 8-12 reps for muscular strength and 10-15 reps for muscular endurance. They also recommend at least 1 set of each exercise to fatigue although you'll find that most people perform about 2-3 sets of each exercise. In general:

• For fat loss: 1-3 sets of 10-12 reps using enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired reps.
• To gain muscle: 3+ sets of 6-8 reps to fatigue. For beginners, give yourself several weeks of conditioning before going to this level. You may need a spotter for many exercises.
• For health and endurance: 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps using enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired reps.

How Long To Rest Between Exercises/Workout Sessions
This will depend on your goal. Higher intensity (i.e., when lifting heavy) exercise requires a longer rest. When lifting to fatigue, it takes an average of 2 to 5 minutes for your muscles to rest for the next set. When using lighter weight and more repetitions, it takes between 30 seconds and 1 minute for your muscles to rest.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends training each muscle group 2 to 3 times a week. But, the number of times you lift each week will depend on your training method. In order for muscles to repair and grow, you'll need about 48 hours of rest between workout sessions. If you're training at a high intensity, take a longer rest.
Where to Workout
You don't have to join a gym to get a great strength training workout. A gym is nice because you'll have access to both machines and free weights, so you have plenty of variety. If you do join a gym, it's a good idea to incorporate both types of equipment into your workout routine for variety. Learn more about free weights vs. machines.
If you decide to workout at home, here are a few items you might want to consider buying:

• Resistance bands are around $6 to $15. They're small, light, travel well and you get get a full body workout with it.
• Dumbbells are relatively inexpensive and you can do a variety of exercise with them. Find them at your local Target or Walmart. Other options include a barbell set, an exercise ball and/or a weight bench.

• An exercise ball can be used for everything from core work to a weight bench and is a great way to work on balance and stability while building strength and endurance. 

How much weight to lift:
Choosing how much weight to lift is often based on how many reps and sets you're doing. The general rule is to lift enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps. In other words, you want to work to fatigue. However, if you're a beginner or if you have medical or health conditions, you may need to avoid complete fatigue and just find a weight that challenges you at a level you can handle.
So, how do you know how much weight you need to challenge your body? Below are a few tips to help you decide:

• The larger muscles of the glutes, thighs, chest and back can usually handle heavier weight than the smaller muscles of the shoulders, arms, abs and calves.
• You'll usually lift more weight on a machine than with dumbbells. With machines, you're usually using both arms or both legs for the exercises while, with dumbbells, each limb works independently. So, if you can handle 30 or 40 pounds on a chest press machine, you may only be able to handle 15 or 20 pounds with dumbbells.
• If you're a beginner, it's more important to focus on good form than it is to lift heavy weights.
• It may take several workouts to figure out how much weight you need

The easiest way to determine how much weight you should use on each lift is to guess (not very scientific, huh?):

1. Pick up a light weight and do a warm up set of the exercise of your choice, aiming for about 10 to 16 repetitions.
2. For set 2, increase your weight by 5 or more pounds and perform your goal number of repetitions. If you can do more than your desired number of reps, heavy up again for your 3rd set.
3. In general, you should be lifting enough weight that you can ONLY do the desired reps. You should be struggling by the last rep, but still able to finish it with good form.

Today's Quote: 

 

Been sick but feeling a little better

February 18, 2014
Well I went back to the gym today I hadn't been there since last Wednesday, it seems I have picked up a cold from some place and it started with a really sore throat on Thursday morning, so I figured I had better stay home rather than give it to the rest of the gym. 
My hubby even got it which is unusual for him, he never gets sick, he even remarked that it was the first time he had been sick since he came to Canada 3 years ago 
I didn't over do it today, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine and then did my weight routine. I also made sure that I had increased the amount of weights from last week and I think I did pretty good.
We are in the process of booking a trip to San Francisco in April to visit a friend from Australia and his partner. My daughter and her husband are going down at the same time, so we will all get to enjoy having a tour guide.
I have a goal of weight to lose before we fly out, so I am trying to be very good with my diet, I find it hard to eat salads in the winter time, so I will try to have more steamed vegetables and less potatoes. Wish me luck.
Today's Quote:
Visualize this thing you want. See it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin.

What a weekend!!!

February 10, 2014
Wow we had a great weekend, the party for my Dad went off splendidly, well over 100 people were there.
The food was great, we had it catered, great sandwich plates, veggie and fruit trays as well as pickles and cheeses, and there wasn't much left over. It was great to see dad together with his brother's and sister, I tried to get his oldest brother to come out for the afternoon, but he wasn't up for it, so I payed him a visit Sunday morning and took him a coffee, He was thrilled to see us and we spent some time reminiscing. 
Then we picked up some groceries and went to my grand daughter's hockey game before heading down the highway. I was very exhausted when we got home yesterday afternoon and very emotional, I guess the weekend took its toll on me, I'll try to find some time to rest up this weekend..
We were both to tired to even eat dinner last night, I had an apple and toast.
I did make it to the gym today and did an hour on the elliptical machine. 
Today's Quote:

 

Weekend with family coming up

February  7, 2013
Well I am gearing up for a weekend spent with family, we will be holding a 90th birthday party for my father.
It sometimes amazes me to think of all the changes he must have seen over the years.
I went to the gym this morning and did my 30 minutes on the elliptical and then did my weight routine.
My shoulder is very painful but I just try to work around it for the time being. I am down 2 kilos so nearly back to my lowest weight. I am happy to see some movement finally after several months of not losing any weight. So I will be back at the gym on Monday working harder than ever.
Today's Quote:

Busy day ahead

February 6, 2013
I am feeling better today, I had a bad reaction to something I ate and wasn't able to sleep, so I stayed home yesterday and rested. Feeling much better today and went to the gym. Stepped on the scales this morning and was happy to see I was down a kilo, hoping its the start on a down ward slide after several months of no weight loss.
It's a busy day today, dentist at 9, allergy treatment at 1:45 and Chiro at 4, thank goodness there is nothing on tomorrow except a drive to Napanee for the birthday celebrations. Looking forward to seeing family and probably some old friends. Will try to get out for a walk around town over the weekend, but they have allot of snow and that may hamper the walking efforts.
Today's Quote:

Feeling better today

February 04, 2014
I feel much better today, I ate really light yesterday and had some papaya and pineapple, and the bloat has since gone. And my weight is back down today as well.
I did get to the gym around noon yesterday when I was feeling better, I did an hour there. Today I did an hour on the elliptical machine and am planning on getting to the gym each day this week, The weekend is going to be busy with my Dad's 90th birthday party. I am determined to eat very healthy, so I will take things that I can eat. I plan on doing a weigh in Monday so am hoping for some great results.
Eating while away,,
It’s always BEST to cook and eat your own food because you know exactly what is in the food you’re eating.
That being said, if you’re going to eat at a restaurant while traveling, here are some tips and tricks.
-Order a lean meat (preferably grilled) or egg whites/eggs and vegetables (preferably steamed).
-Order everything with no butter, no oil, no sauce, no marinade. I often order with no seasonings and no non-stick spray either.
Most restaurants, whether it’s on their menu or not, will:
-Make you an egg white omelette with whatever vegetables you’d like inside. Remember – request no butter & no oil. On the side I order vegetables as well, no hash browns, no toast, no pancakes.
-Make you chicken, fish, or steak grilled with no butter and no oil.
-Make you steamed vegetables – make sure to request no butter or oil on these as well because restaurants notoriously soak their pre made vegetables in butter to prevent them from “getting old and gross looking.”
If your food tastes plain (if you don’t want to do plain – ask for salt & pepper or seasonings – just be careful because a lot of seasoning blends have sugar in them) and no oil is on the bottom of your plate, they probably made your order as requested. Most restaurants will accommodate you as long as you’re nice and appreciative. Smile!

“Fail to plan, plan to fail.”

I know this quote is over used but it’s completely true. You don’t just leave being lean to chance. Being prepared and sticking to your plan and what you prepped will get you really far. Preparation, along with consistency, determination, and dedication, is key to getting lean and staying lean.
Everyone else will eat what they want but, I will stay completely on track while we are out of town. It feels so good to stick to your plan and be proud of yourself. Give yourself the respect you deserve and treat your body right!  So let’s keep on putting healthy, fat-loss friendly food in our bodies, we’re more than worth it!!
 Today's Quote:

February is here

February 03, 2014
Wow we had a busy few days, I did get to the gym on Thursday and did my usual work out. Then on Friday it was off to Brockville on Friday to watch my granddaughter play hockey at 8 am and then at 1 pm, we were up and on the road again Saturday for an 8 am game again, we decided to head for home at noon as it had started to snow and we were in for 25 cm. We got what was predicted and kept in touch for score updates, they went undefeated and won gold and Keyra even had a shut out last game.
My husband won tickets through the local radio station to go to a Super Bowl party on Sunday night so we were off to that, I wish I hadn't tried the foods they were serving, my stomach was upset all night and is still upset, so I will be very happy to eat my normal boring diet today. I can't believe how how bloated I am and how much it makes you gain weight over night.
7 ways to beat bloat

Here are some suggestions

1. The bromelain in fresh pineapple is an enzyme which actually promotes digestion. For this to work best, eat pineapple and any other fruit suggested in this post either half an hour before other food or three hours after a meal. This is because fruit is digested very quickly and if you eat it straight after other food, it has to wait in the line for the food ahead that is digested more slowly. The fruit can actually start to ferment and cause problems in the gut.
2. Another fruit that contains a digestive enzyme is the pawpaw or papaya. In this case it is papain which is very efficient in both breaking down food and digesting proteins.
3. On to vegetables and the suggestion is celery which is a diuretic and therefore helps to relieve fluid retention. If you feel bloated, just munch on a bunch of celery sticks to help bring the problem under control.
4. Asparagus is an excellent choice for encouraging the growth of friendly gut bacteria which, apart from ensuring a healthy gut, will also help to reduce that irritating build up of stomach gas.
5. A daily helping of probiotics will also add helpful bacteria to your gut. If you use yogurt for this purpose, make sure it is an all natural, organic, and if possible raw, yogurt with no sugars, artificial sweeteners, colorings or flavorings.
6. Some people find that drinking a tea made of natural peppermint will help their food to pass through the stomach more quickly while reducing any flatulence or gassiness. You can choose from using your own fresh mint leaves which are very easy to grow in the garden or buy pre-packaged peppermint teabags from a health store. Another tea to try is chamomile tea which is a useful aid to digestion.
7. We usually think of black pepper as a spicy seasoning but it also assists in digestion. Another suggestion for black pepper is to purchase it in the form of an essential oil. If you massage this oil into the stomach region, it can help with digestion and may even eliminate bloating. Mix one drop of essential oil into a tablespoonful of virgin olive olive or other carrier oil for the perfect massage. Just remember that essential oils are not always suitable for pregnant and nursing mothers unless they have been specially formulated.

Not drinking enough water throughout the day can cause bloating

Of course water has so many health benefits. Not only does it help with both digestion and preventing bloating, but it supports so many of the body’s daily functions.
Today's Quote: 
One should eat to live, not live to eat" -Benjamin Franklin