So, I wanted to wait until I told my parents and Leiah about this before I posted, but Leiah is in Tucson (I called and said, "Hi! It's me!" to her babysitter on accident) so I didn't want to bother her. I just told my parents and I'll call Leiah tomorrow to discuss it.
The Decision
I'm getting certified as a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and (eventually) yoga instructor!
This is a crazy decision for me- I struggle with science (though I love biology) and I was a Lit/Folklore major, but I've been thinking, researching and praying about it a lot for the past month and I really feel that this is a good choice for me and my future.
My first step will be to get certified to be a group fitness instructor and my course (through ACE) is already in the mail! I can't wait to get started!
My inspirations are:
The Fitnessista (there's a link to her blog in my blog list)
Jillian Michaels (from the Biggest Loser- love that show!)
And my Aunt Doreen
I'll do a post in the future about my Aunt Doreen and what she has done lately to inspire me and our family- she is a leading lady for sure!
So, wish me good luck and I'll keep you updated on how the studying and training are going!
Love and best wishes,
Lis
Monday, January 19
Monday Weigh in #3
It's that time time again!
Starting weight: 150.8
weight today: 146 !
I was dreading weigh in all weekend, but was pleasantly surprised this morning when the scale said I was down by 1.6 pounds! I'll take it!
I know I said I'd do another post yesterday, but things have been a little intense around here- decisions being made and emotions getting out and all that jazz. Later today, after I talk with some more people, I'll do a post about the big decision I made- it's pretty big and exciting (at least for me) but I'm nervous to reveal it for some reason.
Wow, what a teaser that is! You'll just have to wait until tonight to hear about the decision!
Love,
Lis
Starting weight: 150.8
weight today: 146 !
I was dreading weigh in all weekend, but was pleasantly surprised this morning when the scale said I was down by 1.6 pounds! I'll take it!
I know I said I'd do another post yesterday, but things have been a little intense around here- decisions being made and emotions getting out and all that jazz. Later today, after I talk with some more people, I'll do a post about the big decision I made- it's pretty big and exciting (at least for me) but I'm nervous to reveal it for some reason.
Wow, what a teaser that is! You'll just have to wait until tonight to hear about the decision!
Love,
Lis
Sunday, January 18
Wraps and Green...Milkshakes?
I just got these new wraps this week and boy are they tasty! They only have 90 calories a piece plus they have like 9 grams of fiber a piece too! They are very soft and pliable, yet they hold together well when you wrap things up in them. Here are two of the wraps I've had this week:
I know you can't see the inside, but this had deli roast beef and romaine lettuce and I made a greek salad on the side with our homemade cheese. This was a great meal, though it did feel a little too summery for all the snow outside!
Mmmmmmmmmm! This one was really good! Broiled salmon, shredded cabbage, romaine lettuce, cheddar cheese and jalapenos. This hit the spot and tasted like it came from a restaurant!So, next time you see these wraps in the store (I got mine at Wal-mart) you should definitely check them out!
In other news, I have discovered a new and wonderful breakfast/dessert! Just add 1 tablespoon of fat free sugar free instant pudding mix to you smoothie and it tastes like a milkshake! Even with greens in it! This was white chocolate berry with blueberries and blackberries and ff/sf white chocolate jello pudding mix plus a ton of spinach. It tasted thick and creamy like a real milkshake.Enjoy!
Love,
Lis
P.S. I realize that this is sort of turning into a food and exercise blog (I'm sure Leiah's noticed too), but I'm okay with that and I'll do a post later today about why that's okay by me. Off to church now!
Thursday, January 15
Green Smoothies in The Magic Bullet
1 cup water (you could do milk - but this saves on calories)
1 scoop of my spiru-tein vanilla protein powder
1 banana
1 cup of kale
If you read her recipe you'll see what I mean about keeping it simple! This smoothie has 250 calories and about 20 grams of protien. I'm not sure on the fiber because I'm not that savvy yet about kale. Using water shaves off anywhere from 50 - 200 calories depending on what kind you use. The banana makes it creamy so I don't miss the milk. I made it once without the banana and it wasn't as good.
The verdict: Delicious! Keeps me very full!
She was right the kale really didn't change the flavor at all - and I felt great knowing how good it was for me.
Now, this is my magic bullet. I make my smoothies (along with lots of other things) in here. It is the single most fantastic thing to have in your kitchen! When your done clean up is SO easy and you just drink it right out of the cup you mixed it in. You can buy them lots of places, but mine I got for Christmas and I think it came from Walmart.I have made chicken salad, sauces, baby food, milk shakes and the fastest ever whipped cream in the magic bullet. I strongly suggest you check it out! While your at it make a kale smoothie, you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Wednesday, January 14
Restaurant Review and Yoga Burns!
Happy Wednesday! Man, I am having a good week- it's probably all that exercise plus the start of 4H.
Guru's Restaurant Review
So on Saturday after our workouts, Dale and I decided to go to our favorite place for brunch- Guru's!
Guru's is a hippie/funky/ethnic little place in downtown Provo, UT with great food- Thai, Mexican and Italian- all with a distinctly American twist.
Some of my favorite include the Grilled Salmon Salad which has sugar snap peas, edamame, red peppers and tons of other interestingly cut veggies and the Thai Peanut Noodle Bowl which also has tons of veggies cut up like pasta and mixed in with the rest of the noodles. (I also love the blue cheese and steak quesadilla- but we won't go there, 'cuz it makes me feel all heavy and sick afterward).
Though there are many wonderful things at Guru's NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compares to the two ways they prepare the lowly (but nutritious) sweet potato. Therefore my entire reason for going there on Saturday rested in the hands of their talented sweet potato chef (what a great job to have!)
I got two eggs (poached medium), two slices of whole wheat bread and SWEET POTATO HOME FRIES which are sauteed with green and red peppers and onions. Mmmmmm...a little ketchup and I was in heaven (until Dale somehow got ketchup into my blackberry jam- don't ask).
Dale got his favorite breakfast ever (done Guru's style of course): Biscuits and Gravy.
They call the The Cowboy Benny at Guru's- not sure why but it does have poached eggs on top of the biscuits. Yes a heart attack waiting to happen, but it made his mouth and tummy so happy- with a side of sweet potato home fries, of course.
The other way they prepare sweet potatoes are the most magnificent potato french fries with a chipotle dipping sauce. They are so good that I really never eat french fries unless I eat them there. So maybe this is one time where eating french fries actually helps your diet- nothing else compares!
All in all Guru's is a great place- friendly people, funky decor and chilled out music and Fabulous Food with two capital F's.
Yoga Burns
So, I am fairly new to the whole yoga thing, but I really, really like it. Two of the funniest/helpful things that yoga teachers have said to me in class are:
"Just breathe through any pain or discomfort you might be feeling."
and
"Feel the fire building in that muscle."
Somehow yoga teachers can turn a "HOLY HECK! MY MUSCLE IS GOING TO SPLIT OPEN!" moment into a peaceful, relaxing, empowering moment. How do they do that?
Next time you're working out and feel like you can't possibly go any longer or harder just remember to "Breathe through any pain or discomfort you feel" and to "feel the fire building in your muscles." (not to the point of injury, of course- do listen to your body and stop if you feel you might injure yourself.)
My Pilates Teacher gives us a challenge at the end of every class. Today's was to be cheerful and I pass the same challenge along to you. In every situation today do your best to be genuinely cheerful and happy. I promise to try it too!
Love,
Lis
P.S. I love my sister. She's great!
Guru's Restaurant Review
So on Saturday after our workouts, Dale and I decided to go to our favorite place for brunch- Guru's!
Guru's is a hippie/funky/ethnic little place in downtown Provo, UT with great food- Thai, Mexican and Italian- all with a distinctly American twist.
Some of my favorite include the Grilled Salmon Salad which has sugar snap peas, edamame, red peppers and tons of other interestingly cut veggies and the Thai Peanut Noodle Bowl which also has tons of veggies cut up like pasta and mixed in with the rest of the noodles. (I also love the blue cheese and steak quesadilla- but we won't go there, 'cuz it makes me feel all heavy and sick afterward).
Though there are many wonderful things at Guru's NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compares to the two ways they prepare the lowly (but nutritious) sweet potato. Therefore my entire reason for going there on Saturday rested in the hands of their talented sweet potato chef (what a great job to have!)
I got two eggs (poached medium), two slices of whole wheat bread and SWEET POTATO HOME FRIES which are sauteed with green and red peppers and onions. Mmmmmm...a little ketchup and I was in heaven (until Dale somehow got ketchup into my blackberry jam- don't ask).Dale got his favorite breakfast ever (done Guru's style of course): Biscuits and Gravy.
They call the The Cowboy Benny at Guru's- not sure why but it does have poached eggs on top of the biscuits. Yes a heart attack waiting to happen, but it made his mouth and tummy so happy- with a side of sweet potato home fries, of course. The other way they prepare sweet potatoes are the most magnificent potato french fries with a chipotle dipping sauce. They are so good that I really never eat french fries unless I eat them there. So maybe this is one time where eating french fries actually helps your diet- nothing else compares!
All in all Guru's is a great place- friendly people, funky decor and chilled out music and Fabulous Food with two capital F's.
Yoga Burns
So, I am fairly new to the whole yoga thing, but I really, really like it. Two of the funniest/helpful things that yoga teachers have said to me in class are:
"Just breathe through any pain or discomfort you might be feeling."
and
"Feel the fire building in that muscle."
Somehow yoga teachers can turn a "HOLY HECK! MY MUSCLE IS GOING TO SPLIT OPEN!" moment into a peaceful, relaxing, empowering moment. How do they do that?
Next time you're working out and feel like you can't possibly go any longer or harder just remember to "Breathe through any pain or discomfort you feel" and to "feel the fire building in your muscles." (not to the point of injury, of course- do listen to your body and stop if you feel you might injure yourself.)
My Pilates Teacher gives us a challenge at the end of every class. Today's was to be cheerful and I pass the same challenge along to you. In every situation today do your best to be genuinely cheerful and happy. I promise to try it too!
Love,
Lis
P.S. I love my sister. She's great!
Monday, January 12
Monday Weigh in Leiah #2
So this morning as I got on the scale I was totally prepared to have to lie on the blog about loosing weight. My husband was gone most of the week and I ate great while he was gone. But when he got home we ate out about 3 times and I put all guilt aside and ate what I pleased. However, somewhere I must have worked hard because the scale was good to me and I won't be telling any lies today!
Previous weight - 128.5
Todays weight - 127.0
WOO HOO! Down 1 1/2 lbs! I'll try not to go overboard this weekend and blow all my hard work. That's my goal for this week! I also learned something new this week. For every pound you loose you burn 20 calories less. ( I don't remember if it was per hour or day) However, bummer - the thinner you get the less you burn. That encourages me to build more muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn! Good luck with your goals!
Previous weight - 128.5
Todays weight - 127.0
WOO HOO! Down 1 1/2 lbs! I'll try not to go overboard this weekend and blow all my hard work. That's my goal for this week! I also learned something new this week. For every pound you loose you burn 20 calories less. ( I don't remember if it was per hour or day) However, bummer - the thinner you get the less you burn. That encourages me to build more muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn! Good luck with your goals!
Monday Weigh in #2
Alright, time for another Monday Weigh in- Oh Joy of Joys.
Starting Weight- 150.8
Last Weigh in- 148.2
Weight today- 147.4
Body Fat%- 31%
Water%- 50.4%
Muscle %- 35.9%
Bone% (which I'm still not sure I understand what that means- can anyone enlighten me?)- 3.1%
So, down a pound- I can live with that, but I know that I can eat a LITTLE bit better and exercise a LITTLE bit more this week to see it come down even more!
Remember (as I am trying to do) that little steps forward can add up to BIG successes- it just takes patience!
Sorry for the three day hiatus from posting. My internet was doing funky things so I am posting from campus with Dale doing his homework next to me. We're changing our internet provider sometime next week so hurray for that!
Here are some random photos taken this week for a little visual stimulation:
A delicious homemade meal of grilled chicken breast, salad with homemade orange balsamic vinagrette, and (the star of the show) homemade vegetarian (vegan) barbecued beans with lima beans and black eye peas. Oh, this was SO good. I believe we had some San Pellegrino with this too.
A new find! Chicken Jalapeno Sausages from my favorite store ever, Sunflower Farmer's Market. Spicy and juicy.
The same sausage chopped up and topping a wonderful bowl of greens and goodies along with crock pot pinto beans and spinach- no dressing needed. (this was my lunch one day this week.)
And, last but not least, a Russian tortoise (or something- it was just cute) that was in one of the classrooms I subbed for this week. These little guys apparently LOVE lettuce! They were totally going to town on it.
Workout Plan for the week:
Monday- already did it! Pilates class, weight lifting and elliptical for 30 minutes.
Tuesday- yoga class, running for 30 minutes plus stretching
Wednesday- Pilates class, weight lifting, cardio machine mix 30 minutes
Thursday- yoga class, running for 30 minutes plus stretching
Friday- sprints for 30 minutes, weight lifting
Saturday- yoga class, jog for 30 minutes- maybe sledding or to Jump On It (a cool place FILLED with trampolines for adults!)
Sunday- rest! Maybe a walk or some light yoga
Well, that's all for now, but I'll leave you with a teaser for an upcoming post- a RESTAURANT REVIEW!
Looks delicious, huh?
Love,
Lis
P.S. What are your goals/plans for this week?
Starting Weight- 150.8
Last Weigh in- 148.2
Weight today- 147.4
Body Fat%- 31%
Water%- 50.4%
Muscle %- 35.9%
Bone% (which I'm still not sure I understand what that means- can anyone enlighten me?)- 3.1%
So, down a pound- I can live with that, but I know that I can eat a LITTLE bit better and exercise a LITTLE bit more this week to see it come down even more!
Remember (as I am trying to do) that little steps forward can add up to BIG successes- it just takes patience!
Sorry for the three day hiatus from posting. My internet was doing funky things so I am posting from campus with Dale doing his homework next to me. We're changing our internet provider sometime next week so hurray for that!
Here are some random photos taken this week for a little visual stimulation:
A delicious homemade meal of grilled chicken breast, salad with homemade orange balsamic vinagrette, and (the star of the show) homemade vegetarian (vegan) barbecued beans with lima beans and black eye peas. Oh, this was SO good. I believe we had some San Pellegrino with this too.
A new find! Chicken Jalapeno Sausages from my favorite store ever, Sunflower Farmer's Market. Spicy and juicy.
The same sausage chopped up and topping a wonderful bowl of greens and goodies along with crock pot pinto beans and spinach- no dressing needed. (this was my lunch one day this week.)
And, last but not least, a Russian tortoise (or something- it was just cute) that was in one of the classrooms I subbed for this week. These little guys apparently LOVE lettuce! They were totally going to town on it.Workout Plan for the week:
Monday- already did it! Pilates class, weight lifting and elliptical for 30 minutes.
Tuesday- yoga class, running for 30 minutes plus stretching
Wednesday- Pilates class, weight lifting, cardio machine mix 30 minutes
Thursday- yoga class, running for 30 minutes plus stretching
Friday- sprints for 30 minutes, weight lifting
Saturday- yoga class, jog for 30 minutes- maybe sledding or to Jump On It (a cool place FILLED with trampolines for adults!)
Sunday- rest! Maybe a walk or some light yoga
Well, that's all for now, but I'll leave you with a teaser for an upcoming post- a RESTAURANT REVIEW!
Looks delicious, huh?Love,
Lis
P.S. What are your goals/plans for this week?
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