Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Tasty Tuesday

Jess's Taco Soup
This is another one of my favorites!

Ingredients/Grocery List:
Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey
2 cans of Tomato Soup
1 can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
1 sm can Diced Green Chiles
1 can Corn
1 Can Black Beans
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
Any Peppers of your choice
Avocado
Lite Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Multi-grain Chips

Directions:
Brown the turkey meat.  Rinse black beans and corn.  Cut up peppers.  Mix tomato soup, green chile enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, corn, black beans, taco seasoning, chopped peppers, browned meat and water (to your desired consistency level) in a large pot.  Heat until hot.  Serve with a side of multi-grain chips and topped with a small amount of avocado, sour cream and cheese.







Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Week 8 Day 3

Everyone needs a reminder from time to time that 

The one thing I know is that losing weight can be extremely stress full, and upsetting at times.  So my message to you is relax, and recover!  When we stress we are more likely to hold on to the pounds, and it becomes harder to lose weight.  So, today is a recovery day. We will still get a little sweaty, but we want to actively recover and stretch our muscles.  Focus on breathing, take big breaths and relax your muscles.



R:  run to warm up for 5-10 min
E:  eleven push-ups
C:  10 mins walking or jogging
O:  One min. high knees
V: V ups for one minute
E:  Eighteen burpees
R:  Repeat
Y:  you choose you can be done or you can do the bonus ab workout.  Just remember when you a finished stretch, stretch, stretch, and know everything is going to be alright!





Bonus Ab workout:  Perform this ab workout if you are feeling good, and you want to go the extra mile.  Repeat 2Xs


1.  30 to 60 sec Boat Pose


2.  20 to 50 Flutter Kicks (Count one after you kick both legs.)


3.  60 Bicycle Abs


4.  60 Standing single leg crunches (Stand up and bring one knee up to your chest, alternate legs.)


5.  20 to 60 Russian Twists



Nancy Week 7 Update

 
Week 1: 194.4lbs
Week 7: 181.4
Total Inches Lost: 10.5"
 
I've been feeling so great as I keep working out. I can't believe I've actually stayed consistent with my workouts for about TWO WHOLE MONTHS now. This is big for me and I love the feeling of being strong and CONSISTENT again. Even though I have not been able to work out every day of every week like I would like to, I still manage to get at least 3 days of good, hard workouts in, and that's all I can ask for. Even with those 3 days a week, I am seeing results! I keep losing inches and pounds. My pants that I bought right before I started working out are baggy and I think I'm going to have to go shopping again! Other good news is that I can fit into my old skirts and shorts, so that makes me a very happy lady, especially for the summer!! I can now wear shirts without feeling like I have to cover up with a cardigan or a jacket. I love feeling more toned in my arms, legs, and face, and being able to walk around and not fear about how I look.
 
I feel like I've been doing pretty good with my eating, but there are days when I feel a need for salt! I do my best to not snack on junk food but I don't know if I just don't get enough sodium in the day or what! I usually try to make up for that with cheese though and not chips or crackers. I've been really good about the fruits and veggies. My FAVORITE after workout snack is an apple and chunky peanut butter. I've been pretty good about avoiding the sugars/candy/chocolate/desserts, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I just take a small bite of Sunday dessert each week! What's amazing, though, is that I don't even want that stuff anymore! I tried eating my sister-in-law's delicious german chocolate cake last night and I barely made it past bite 2.5!
 
A few weeks ago, I got a bacterial infection and my face broke out in such severe acne, I didn't think I could ever face anybody I knew ever again. Along with being overweight my whole life, I've hated seeing my fat face covered in acne. The thing that got me through this these last few weeks has been knowing that my face still looked good because it wasn't fat anymore. It may still be red, but I actually felt PRETTY despite my acne because I knew I was losing weight, that I was in shape, and that my face still looked Healthy. THAT is what working out and eating right does for you. I'm still working on my skin, and it may never be perfect, but honestly, having that feeling of self-worth from making the right choices for my body has made the whole difference in living with acne.
 
I feel like I'm not exactly where I'd like to be, or where I projected myself to be after my first week of weight loss. However, I am just happy to NOT be where I was and that I even have any results! My 12 weeks are almost up, but I'm not going to stop at 12 weeks. This is a new way of life. It takes 21 days to start a habit. I'd say after 7 weeks, I've got that habit down. I want this to be my life always!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Week 8 Day 2

Lady Gaga







Today we're going to do some cardio and then mix it up with another Upside Down Pyramid workout.  We did one of these during the first 6 weeks, so maybe it will be familiar.  You can do this one at home if you have some dumbbells, a chair and a cardio machine or you can run outside.


To start do 20 to 45 min of cardio on a machine of your choice or outside, if you prefer.


Now for the Upside Down Pyramid Circuit Workout!


 Do the two exercises in circuit 1 10 Xs, then 9 Xs, then 8 Xs and continue in this pattern until you finish with 1 of each of the exercises in the circuit.  Repeat circuit 1 2Xs.  Then do the same thing with circuit 2 exercises, then circuit 3 and finally circuit 4.  (For example:  In circuit 1 you will start with 10 tricep dips, then you will do 10 burpies, then you will do 9 tricep dips, then 9 burpies and so forth on down to 1 tricep dip and 1 burpie.  Then you will repeat circuit 1.  Then do the same thing with the remaining circuits.) 

Circuit 1:

Circuit 2:

Circuit 3:

Circuit 4:

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Week 8 Day 1

"The Climb"
Miley Cyrus
 (Click Here to listen)



Ok Everyone, who is ready to burn an incredible amount of calories?! Today’s workout is a treadmill walk/run it has a lot of incline in it that is why we called it “The Climb” so jump on that treadmill, put your headphones in and get ready for “The Climb” 
Tip:  Get to know your body.  If at any time during the workout you feel dizzy, sick, or nauseated take a break and try again when you're feeling better.  If you need to stop and stretch, do.  Just make sure you don't feel discouraged, because there was many times we have had to do so.  Keep in mind we have been 200+ LBS, so we understand if you need breaks.  These workouts are workouts that we will and have done.  So be the judge of how hard you can BRING IT, and never feel ashamed, because we are proud that you are on our team and you are doing something about your health today!

This workout is for all levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced
This treadmill workout is for long cardio days.  You should have at least one long cardio day throughout your workout week.  If you are training for a race, you could incorporate more of these workouts into your training.


Warm Up To Base for 5-10 Minutes
 Do The Following for 1 Minute each:
1) Base (Base: base is the running/walking pace you can be very comfortable at for at least an hour.) 
2) Base with a 1% incline
3) Base
4) Base with a 2% incline
5) Base 
6) Base with a 3% incline
7) Base 
8) Base with a 4% incline
9) Base 
10) Base with a 5%

Return to base pace for 2 minutes

Do the following for 1 Minute each:

1) .1 Above base with a 1% incline (Example: If your base pace is 3.0 press your speed up to 3.1 and your incline up to a 1 %)
2) .2 above base with a 2% incline
3) Base
4) .3 above base with a 3% incline
5) .4 Above base with a 4% incline
6) Base
7) .5 above base with a 5% incline
8) Base
9) .6 above base with a 6% incline
9) Base
10) Base with a 7% incline

Return to base for 2 minutes

Do the following for 30 Seconds Each:

1) Base with 1% incline
2) Base with 2% incline
3)Base with 3% incline
4) Base with 4% incline
5)Base with 5% incline
6) Base with 6% incline
7) Base wth 7% incline
8) base with 8% incline
9) Base with 9% incline
10) Base with 10% incline

Return to base pace for 3 minutes

Do the Following for 1 minute each:

1) .5 above base
2) .3 above base 
3) .1 above base
4) . 6 above base 
5) .4 above base
6) .2 above base
7) base
8) .8 above base
9) .6 above base 
10) 1.0 above base

Return to base for 2 minutes

Cool Down 5-10 Minutes



Nicole Young Week 6 Update

 
 I didn't want to do a update this week since it was so depressing/frustrating but Elise made a good point I'm going to want to look back and see how far I have come! I need to realize with having 90 pounds to lose this isn't going to happen quickly its going to take some serious time!
I was doing awesome actually running a little I cut 10 minutes off my 5k time! Woohoo then BAM I hurt myself I spent 5 days "not allowing" my body to have another injury! So i was in denial i was able to workout just not as hard as I wanted to! I AM SO SICK OF HAVING ISSUES!! But I kept moving i tried not to stop! Finally on Monday I went to the doctor and found out I have a hairline fracture and Achilles Tendinitis. I am going to physical therapy and trying to work through it!

As far as weight loss I actually have a HUGE gain! I don't know if anyone remembers but i did that diet that helped me learn what foods make me gain since they aren't chemically incompatible with my body. well i realized yesterday that I had eaten a few things that had mayo on it so that explains the freaking 6 pound gain! yikes! so here I sit 2 pounds higher than I was when i started! Ahwell it can't get me down!

The "old" Nicole would give up say its over there is no hope but now (with a little..ok a lot of encouragement from Elise) I know that it will happen! I need to just keep my head up! 

Life is still good just a little harder now! I'm not giving up every workout is a success because I am not sitting on the couch! I have now learned that its harder for me to get my heart rate up which is a good thing! Means I need to push harder I LOVE IT!!!

I CAN'T ALLOW MY MIND TO TAKE OVER MY BODY AND ALLOW ME TO GIVE UP! I AM WORTH THIS! THIS IS MY LIFE!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Week 7 Day 6

Black Eyed Peas


One more workout for the week!  Give it your all and let's BRING IT!

WARM UP:  5-10 MIN
Cardio- use the stairclimber or elliptical.  Let's take a break from the treadmill!


Cardio Circuit
10 Min stairclimber or elliptical
Repeat circuit 3X's

Weights-  Focus on weights today!  We have been doing a lot of cardio, so now is time focus on weights, and get you some of those buns of steal you have always wanted:)


CIRCUIT ONE

25 Squats with dumbbells
30 sec - 1 min Bosu lateral shuffle (if you don't have a bosu, use a regular bench)
10 on each leg Dumbbell step ups
1 min Wall sits

CIRCUIT TWO

15 lat pull downs
20 Hamstring Curls
1 min planks
10 on each arm dumbbell rows

CIRCUIT THREE

1 min mountain climbers
10-15 inverted Rows
1 min super mans