Getting fit and healthy in Stouffville.

New Year, New You, Not going to happen?  Lets make it happen at Stouffville's One-Stop Fitness source.  Our goal and passion is to make Stouffville health and fit.

Calm before the storm at Repetitions Fitness

 After the food coma has subsided and the hangover headache is fading away, we realize that it is a new year and a new month and it's time to make our resolutions.  Most of us have "lose 10 pounds" or "get healthy" as one of our top 3 resolutions, and we should.  Living a healthy lifestyle will allow you to play with your kids longer, run up the stairs without catching your breath, and shovel the driveway without the worry of a heart attack.  There is no need to fall for a get fit quick scam, it took time to put on the weight and it should take time to properly take it off which means it will stay off.  Here are my top 3 tips from someone who has made many new years resolutions and has actually stuck with them past February.

1. Set mini goals
We all work better when we have a goal to work towards.  Whether it is a wedding you are going to, finally wearing that skimpy bikini you bought 3 years ago, or just being able to comfortably slip into your jeans without anything hanging over.  Goals give us a deadline and we all work better with a deadline.  Set mini New Years resolution goals, 1 to be completed at the end of each month.  Treat each month as if it is January 1st all over again.  Sit down at the beginning of the month and pick 1 or 2 things you want to have accomplished before the next month starts.  Make them fun!

Here are some ideas:
- 10 full pushups
- 25 squat jumps
- 10 burpees
- Run 1 block

Start with 1 then add on a few each week.  By the end of the year you will be able to do 100 no problem!

2. Make exercise fun
Not many people get excited to workout out. I am the complete opposite. I honestly can't wait to exercise, it is my time to zone out for 30 minutes and get a good sweat on at my home gym in Stouffville.  Tabata, HIIT, Bootcamp, a Hill Climb on my treadmill or any kind of interval really, gets me so pumped!  It relieves stress, it makes me happy and my children are watching me fall in love with my body instead of shaming it.

Here are some ways I make it fun:
- listen to your favorite music, I have the most random playlists but they are all of my favorite songs - Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Marc Anthony, Biggie, and of course all the way back euro anyone can handle!  Music pumps you up and keeps you going to a beat.  Its frustrating to me if I move slower than the beat, so it keeps pushing you to work harder
- watch your favorite TV Show.  I am not the biggest advocate of watching something while you are working out, but if you dedicate half hour of your life to watch your favorite series on Netflix, then do it in front of the treadmill or eliptical.  Start making dates with a workout regime and your favorite show.  Whatever gets you to exercise!

3. Join a group fitness club
It is always more fun (and sometimes a little competitive!) to workout with your friends.  You push each other to go when you feel like crap and would rather stay in your pjs.  You are proud of each pound you lose and when you are together you have someone who knocks the pretzels out of your hand before you eat them.  (True story, this actually happened to me. Love you Laura!)  You become accountable to someone other than yourself and we all need that.  Stouffville Bootcamp has taken residence at Repetitions Fitness Boutique Studio in Stouffville that only offers group based classes.  We have personal training as well if you'd like something more one to one, but the classes are amazing.  There are over 45 classes a week that vary from MMA to Yoga to PiYo and Core Ab training.  Everyone is extremely supportive and we all push ourselves and each other to keep going.  The group fitness classes are only 30 minutes each so if your short on time, they are great, or you can always do a few back to back.  Stouffville Bootcamp also offer fun challenges and healthy living education each month that push you faster towards your goals.  There is a vegan cafe on site so you can have a protein shake or a shot of espresso to give you an extra kick before your next class.  If you would like more information about it check it out by clicking here: Stouffville Fitness Weight-loss.

So this year, your first goal should be to stick with your goals.  Celebrate February first (not with chocolate cake though!) for sticking with your new years resolutions and do that each month.  Take progress pictures and find goal pictures to stick up on your fridge and keep you motivated when you feel like giving up.  You can change the way you look and feel about your body by taking small steps towards big goals.  Let me know what your goals are and I would be happy to give you some tips to sticking with them!  Just don't get mad at me when I check in on you :)

Plank and Ab Core Series - Stage 1

CORE STAGES

The following workout is divided into 4 stages. Only 1 round of the weeks stage should be completed every day regardless if you workout or not. If you are working out that day, end your workout with the Core Stage for that week. If the stage isn't challenging enough, stick to it, and complete the round twice. Stage 1 is to be completed every day for a week, then you can move on to stage 2, 3 and finally 4.  Ensure that when you completing any of the planks, your back is flat and in a straight line from your head to your heels.  Tilt your 'hoo-haa' towards your chest, suck your belly button into your spine and as per usual - KEEP YOUR BUM DOWN!

If you can, try to do it in front of the mirror and check your form.  Form is SUPER important to prevent injury and to have success in this core series.

STAGE 1

HOLD FOR 30 SECONDS 

1. Plank on your knees and forearms                         

2. Right Side Plank on your knees and forearms                           

3. Left Side Plank on your knees and forearms         

4. Starfish Plank up on your toes and forearms

FLIP ON TO YOUR BACK

1. Keeping your legs straight and together, hands under the small of your back, lift your feet 6 inches off the floor

2. Keep your legs 6 inches off the floor and open and close your legs

3. V-Sit - knees bent / feet flat on floor

Trying to see the good in things

As most of you know, every single night I spend a very special hour or two sometimes three, with my oldest daughter Liliana.  This time begins after watching Frozen or Tangled, once we have brushed our teeth, done a pee pee and read a story, no 2 stories.  The lights go off and the party begins.  She cries, she laughs, she asks me if she can tell me a story, a story about a chicken, a little baby chicken.  And with every ounce of me I try to stay quiet and not burst out laughing while simultaneously scream my face off.  Some variation of this has been happening every single night (except for a very amazing 2 weeks, when the sleep training actually worked!!) since she came home from the hospital April 2012.  2 and a half years.  It is bananas.
I have spoken to sleep doulas, emailed sleep experts, read a ridiculous amount of websites and books, talked to a behavior specialist - who gave me the tools to have those 2 amazing weeks,  It was so bad that one 'expert' even told me that preemies can't be sleep trained and to just accept this as my normal.  That was when it was really bad, that was when it was 3-4 hours (no exaggeration) of screaming, crying, hyperventilating, hair being ripped out of her head and eyelash pulling.  Every night, as if it was her job.  And - I WAS IN HER ROOM RIGHT BESIDE HER!!!!
So now, we are down to about an hour or so of somewhat calm tossing and turning, playing with her stuffed animal friend, checking to make sure I am there and begging me to hold her hand but not even wanting it anyways.  I have tried what worked in the past, but she is too smart for that now.  She asks waits for me to get back or she climbs out of her bed and rattles the gate until I come or until her baby sister next door wakes up.
So I stay.  I brush her teeth, do a pee pee, read a story, no 2 stories, hug her and tell her I love her and mentally prepare myself for spending hours in the dark on a super uncomfortable chair, listening to the white noise machine and loathing every minute of it.
Do you know what I could be doing with an uninterrupted hour at the end of the day while I still have energy?!?!  I know, I know because I think about every unfolded piece of laundry, the wet clothes that need to be put in the dryer, the toys on the floor that need to be put away, the dirty dishes that I left on the counter, the work I need to do on my website www.StouffvilleBootcamp.ca, check my facebook, twitter and instagram accounts - you know, the important things a SAHM needs to do!
C'est La Vie.  This will not happen until at least 10pm/ and who the hell wants to do all that at 10pm!!!
So I have decided to try to turn my focus to the positive.  I know try is a weak word according to my husband, but sometimes I am weak so I do mean try.  I am going to use this time to reflect about my day, the week that is coming and what is making me happy or sad.  Some people might call this meditation, and I guess it could be, but I am also going to incorporate a super low intensity workout as well!  what!!  It wouldn't be me unless I was planking as well.  I can't really be mad at my daughter for inheriting my 'i must be missing out on something' and 'need to constantly be social' genes.
This is a guaranteed part of my day - as guaranteed as wiping a bum or feeding someone.  I will absolutely spend a minimum of an hour in complete darkness - so instead of listening to her toss and turn and talk to herself, I am going to spend this hour on my self.  shock.  I'll let you know how that all works out for me.  Maybe my ying will reconnect with my yang and the terrible twos that I deal with during the day, won't' bother me as much.  Or maybe I'll just continue to be sleep deprived and learn to love the sound of an eye lid hitting an eye ball when she pulls at her eyelashes.

Life in the NICU with baby #2

 Samatha Rosie, holding my finger

Our life in the NICU - thank God for that iPad, its the only thing that distracts her from pulling wires and tubes

It has obviously been a while since I have poured my feelings out on "paper" but I feel that I have become overwhelmed with conflicting emotions and should let them out.  I am a very strong and positive person, but sometimes life gets you in this corner that you feel that all you can do is crouch down and let it hit you for a while, knowing that you'll gain your strength again to fight back soon.  Things are out of my control.
Make these decisions and tell me what is the right one:

Liliana had eye surgery on Monday - When do I see Samantha if I am at a different hospital all day and was up at 4am?
Liliana needs to recover all week and wants her mommy to cuddle with - When do I see Samantha if I can't get a babysitter?
Have you ever spent 3 days without seeing your child?  Have you ever spent 3 days not seeing your child while they were in the hospital?  Hold on, has your baby ever even been in the hospital?  Mine has been there for 95 days.
Samantha is internally bleeding because of an allergic reaction to something in my breastmilk - I am off of Wheat, Dairy, Fish, Soy, Nuts and Eggs - The formula they are giving to her is expensive ($30 - 50 a can, that lasts 2-3 days) My options are to stay on this diet in the hopes that she can take my milk and stop bleeding or say F**K it and give her the formula - do the math, its close to $10,000 for the year.

I am home with Liliana and I regularly call the hospital to check in.  I hear my other daughter grunting and crying in pain because her tummy hurts and she has so much gas and poo that her little body can't push out.  I can't be with her to ease her pain because I am easing the pain of my other daughter - an hour away.  Where do you go when you truly need to be in 2 places at once?
On another note, just wrapping my head around being with one child and calling to check in on another child who is being taken care of by a person you have never met is still so hard to do.

You would think being on this super clean diet would have made me lose some weight, funny enough it hasn't made me drop a pound.  I have learned that when I am stressed my body holds on to all the fat it can.  Great, so no benefit there.

Sometimes I fake being happy for the sake of Liliana.  I really just want to crawl in a hole for an hour or so, cry and shake off this nasty feeling.  I am not this person.  I am stronger than that.  People keep saying how well I am taking all this, how they couldn't handle it and if it had to happen, its good it happened to me because I already went through it and came out successful.  This is fricken hard.  The hardest thing that we have ever had to deal with and I dont know how I am holding it all in.  I really dont.  Liliana went in for her surgery and I went with her.  I held her (along with 5 other people) down while they put the mask on her to put her to sleep.  I saw my child fight with every ounce of her strength not to get this weird thing put on her face by some weird man and I had to let it happen.  I walked out of the OR and was overwhellmed with tears - but didnt cry.  The doctor said she has never seen such a strong mom, that clearly I was made for this and that going through everything we have gone through with the girls has made me so strong - and still I didn't cry.  Have I become too strong that I can't shed emotion when I should?  Will I melt once my life can start again with my family all under one roof? I have no clue.  but I know that I am not alone.  and I might be laughed at or felt sorry for by writing this and sharing it with the world, but I dont care.  Punch me all you want, I am already in the corner - give me a few weeks - I'll be right back up.

Dealing with being pregnant and wanting to be in shape

So much for my 12 week transformation into super sexy, ripped, fitness model.  I would have done it too if I didn't go and get pregnant! LOL.  Now my 12 weeks of thinning and ripping out have turned into abs that have disappeared into the abyss of my pregnant belly, boobs that are protruding so far out that I can't see my growing bump and a warped sense of who I really am.  Every day I "deal" with looking unhappily at myself in the mirror.  3 months, thats I'll I needed to be my idea of perfection, now I need to start all over again with 2 kids running around my legs as I squat jump my ass back up to where it was.
Please don't get me wrong, I am beyond grateful and blessed that we have been given an unstressful attempt at pregnancy (it took us a year, lots of tears and stress with Liliana) but as my pregnancies would have it, I need to take it easy before this little bean decides to show its head early like my first born.  But I need to be honest with you guys, this is really really hard.
Running and working out was my ONLY form of stress relief.  I'd put on my ipod with some kick ass tunes and run away from the dirty dishes, piling laundry and crying baby for 30 minutes.  Thats all I needed to regenerate and come back with a clear head and a nice sweaty back.  I can't do that now and I really feel shitty.  Yoga doesn't do it for me, I'll barf if I meditate, I am not a slow, calm, listen to the ocean type of person.  The way I calm down is blasting music and sweating my ass off.
So not only can I not release stress the way I need to, I am also struggling with my body image.  I know that sounds bananas because I personally think pregnant women are gorgeous, but it has taken me years of disastrous eating habits, gym habits and self destructive patterns to really learn to love myself.  And that was starting to happen this year!  Now every little bump, lump and cellulite blob that are appearing on my almost perfect body (again, almost perfect for me) is making me mental.  I am going to have to work twice as hard with twice as many kids with twice as little time in the day to do it.  This mom gig is hard!
I know so many moms who do it, and I am so proud of you.  Especially the moms at my bootcamp classes.  They come out and they bust ass and it shows.  They work so hard, even when they are pooped and I am beyond proud of them.  I know that when this baby comes the balancing act of 2 kids, a husband, a house, my bootcamp class and myself might crumble, but it should all come back together, right?
I eat healthy, I know what I need to do to get back into shape, and hopefully I can get my ass in gear right away and be one of those statistics "mom loses 40lbs in 2 months eating right and taking time for herself!"

Ah well, sorry for the rant, but I feel better.  Maybe this will be my new stress reliever.  Writing about how I am stressed.  Does that even make any sense?

Oh lordy.

12 week transformation.... Change takes a challenge.

My body has hit a bit of a slump.  I workout 6 days a week, teach bootcamp twice a week and stroller fit 3 times a week in addition to my HITT workouts.  The changes are happening in my body, but not fast enough for my liking, and in my world - if I don't see change soon after starting a program, I will quit or try something different.  I hardly ever give a program a solid run.  I have been told my many "professionals" that I give up right before the changes are to occur.  

I am happy with my body, don't get me wrong.  It has taken a lot of blood, sweat, tears and bad days to get to where I am now after having Liliana, but I am craving more!  I know I don't work hard enough, I know I can push harder and challenge myself, I just tend to take the easy way out on more days than I should.

So this is what I have decided to do.  My 29th birthday is October 11.  That is a few days more than 12 weeks.  12 weeks seems to be the most responsible time frame for a transformation, so that's what my goal date is.

So here is what I am going to do:

1. Continue working out the same way I am now

         - I have killer workouts, they will make you hurt for days

2. Intermittent Fasting - start my eating at 2pm

          - this seems to work the best for me.  If I have a time frame for doing things, I tend to stick with it.  So alarm to eat is set at 2pm and alarm to stop eating is set for 7pm.  The only thing outside of that time frame is espresso (obviously) water and tea.  For more info on this check out Sara Solomons blog:

http://www.drsarasolomon.com/a-healthy-approach-to-food-selection/

3. Add green smoothies into my diet

       - this is a big one for me.  I have kept a food journal for the past week and realized that the only vegetable I eat is salad.  Ya, exactly.  I know that I need WAY more veggies in my diet and the best way to get the most bang for my buck is a daily green smoothie.

4.  Say no

          - coming from a BIG italian family saying no to something someone cooked is disrespectful, rude and downright wrong.  So I reluctantly say yes, and eat my zias cakes or my mother in laws pasta and have 2 or 3 servings just to make them happy.  Well, this will not happen again!  My family is crazy.  They offer you unhealthy foods, but question why your bulging out of your pants.  Well Zia, if you didn't force me to eat 5 helpings of whatever fried, carb loaded, cheese filled thingy you concocted, I wouldn't be unbuttoning my pants right now!!!

5.  Limit Carbs

          - an obvious one.

Ok so for now, these are my 5 fairly simple rules.  I will be adding more as I go along.  My current weight is 154.7 lbs pant size is a comfortable 10 or a tight 7/8 and I will take my measurements tomorrow morning and post them.  Ya thats right - I just posted my weight, go ahead and judge me.  You should do the same.  Make yourself accountable to the whole facebook world.  Maybe then, change will happen.  Do I look that much?  Do I look heavier, lighter, fine? Weight is just a number, I am not even looking to lose a certain number of lbs.  I want to look like a fitness model 365 days a year and I don't care what the number says.  I mean sure, every pound I loose I'll be thrilled with, but that only means that I am cutting and getting closer to my vision of myself.  I was 130 something before I got married and 20 something pounds added on after baby, I still fit into the same size pants.  Figure that one out.  

If you want to do this 12 week transformation with me, email me at Daniela@LaFace.ca or msg me on facebook and we can go through it together!!!!!!!!!!

What we really do at Stroller Fit

Stroller Fit is not what you think.  At least my class isn't.

We meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 am at the Lebovic Centre and walk over to Byers Pond.  we WALK over.  Its a pretty fast paced walk, but any stroller can handle it.  We get to the park and meet up with all the other mommies.  We goo and gaa over the babies and then start stretching.  The class is mom focused and because everyone there has children (some as young as a few months) there is no judging if you need to stop because your baby needs a bottle and no dirty looks if you can't complete an exercise.  My daughter comes along for the ride as well - she is 15 months (well technically 18 months, but that story is in an earlier post) and she usually needs about a row of crackers to keep her nice and calm while we work out.



But sometimes things don't always go as planned.  Sometimes the babies run the workout.

When the kids start getting a little antsy being parked in the stroller for long enough, usually about 10 - 15 minutes, they all simultaneously start crying.  So we power walk.  Up and around the pond, we make laps until they are all calm (some have even fallen asleep!)  Don't kid yourself, pushing a stroller at a fast paced walk up and down the "hills" of the track around the pond is a workout in its self.  Then we come back to our workout spot on the grass and continue.

You don't need to be fit to join this class, you don't need a fancy stroller, you don't even need to have ever worked out before in your life!  All you need is a desire to be healthy for yourself and your child.  You will meet other moms, set up playdates, get advice on sleep and have a good time.  I promise.

The best thing is that you don't have to commit either.  I have been to other stroller fit classes and have had to commit to 8 weeks or 12 weeks every X day at X time and with a baby as off the wall as mine, between appointments, naps, lack of naps and visitors, I think I maybe made it to half the classes.  To me, it was a waste of money and just made me feel guilty.  You pay by the class with our Stroller Fit classes.  Can't make it?  No problem.  Munchkin didn't sleep all night and your wiped?  No worries!  There will be another class. Try it out.  Try to do something healthy each day.  Getting outside and breathing in the fresh air, working up a sweat and feeling good about yourself is priceless.  It will change your life.

STROLLER FIT!!!! what what!

Hello my lovely peeps!

I am beyond excited to announce that I, Daniela LaFace, am starting my very own Stroller Fit and bootcamp in Stouffville!!!  whooo whooo!!!

As you can tell I am super pumped to meet other moms with babes who want to look good, feel good and take their babies along for the ride.  I can't wait!  In case you are interested, here is the info!!

No commitment necessary, Pay by the class!
(I did that because babies are super unpredictable and who wants to pay for a bunch of classes you never go to!)
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for roughly 60-75 minutes starting this monday.$5 a class or $50 a monthWe will meet by the library parking lot at 9:45am and work our way to Bryers Pond and workout there.
Classes will be tailored to each individuals fitness level so if you are a beginner or have been working out this whole time, you'll fit right in.

Let me know if you have any questions, or if you'd like to join send me your email address and I just need you to fill out a quick form.Classes will be tailored to each individuals fitness level so if you are a beginner or have been working out this whole time, you'll fit right in.
Let me know if you have any questions, or if you'd like to join send me your email address and I just need you to fill out a quick form.

Daniela@LaFace.ca

And join my Facebook Page too!!!

Working out at Home is FUN!!!

If you don't mind... take this survey.

I have decided to compile a list of all of the questions and problems you are having and reach out to my resources to help you figure out how to solve them.  Without my support team there is no way that I could have become (and still in the process of becoming) the happy person I am today.  There have been a lot of dark days where I felt like sh*t and was having a hard time pulling myself out of the hole, but I created the hole and I can change it.  I want to be your support team.  

Click here to take survey

One step at a time 

Perception is WAY off.

I have kept a journal since I was old enough to write.  I have notebook after notebook of my thoughts, my crushes and my feelings about life.  More importantly I have kept a separate green notebook of my weight, measurements and feelings on that day - this one I have kept for 7 years.  I have monthly obsessive measurements of each of the important parts of my body (chest, waist, hips, bum and legs) and weight along with whether I felt skinny, bloated, had my period or was late (eekk!!).  Like a robot I weighed in each month, and wrote it down.  Sometimes I felt great, looking back I lost half an inch from last month!  or I would feel like crap when I gained a few pounds.  Regardless, I wasn't happy with myself for more than a few days a month.  It was there, in black and white, my fears (weight gain) and triumphs (yay, I had the flu for a week and lost 5lbs!).
Getting married, leaving a job, living like a gypsy, trying to get pregnant, getting pregnant, having a baby early, spending 4 months in a hospital and then finally trying to make our new family and new house a home - meant a weight gain of over 50lbs.  I am, from deep deep down in my soul, an emotional eater.  I eat my feelings, and lord knows I had A LOT of feelings over the past 3 years.
Through all of that, I still wrote in my little green notebook.  And I was sad.  Looking back at the years  when I was 134lbs and unhappy was heartbreaking.  Thanks to Facebook - I can go back to virtually the same days I wrote my weight and look at pictures of myself and see how dam good I look!  Its amazing that when your in it, you think the worst - Im so fat, im so unhealthy, im ugly and then when you have the chance to look back on it, you think wow - THATS my goal.  Pictures of myself are posted on my wall as inspiration to get back to.  How insane is that?!?!?!  One minute 134lbs makes me so sad and fat, and 5 years later its my goal!

Bananas.

So, whats my point.  My point is that you should be happy with what you are now.  If its not what you want, work on it everyday (im not talking obsessively) until it is what you are happy with.  We should feel comfortable and happy with ourselves everyday.  As I am sure most of you have already seen the Dove commercial where someone sketches women based on their descriptions of themselves and then another portrait based on descriptions of others views of them.  and what do you get??  2 completely different portraits - a happy one (what others saw) and an unhappy one (what the person saw).  how sad is that.  The world is looking and you and thinks your gorgeous.  You look at yourself and think the world sees you as ugly, frumpy and old.
I am working on feeling confident in myself every day.  I don't have 100% confidence yet, but I am actively working on getting it everyday.  My goal is to exude confidence and be happy with myself at whatever weight is the healthiest for me.  I want to feel good in my clothes - not worry about what size they are.  I want my daughter to look up to me as a role model.  I don't want her to be picked on for not looking a certain way, not being skinny enough, not being tall enough, not being pretty enough.  I am taking the steps to make myself feel good.  I think you should too.  I think you stand in front of a full length mirror in your funderware (aka fun underware ;) ) and pick out all the things you "think" are wrong or need work.  Do it, just once.  Write it down and then make the decision to work on making yourself happy with them rather than dwelling on them.  You can't complain if you don't do anything about it.  For every negative comment you give yourself, find a way to make it positive.  My hips have widened since I had shorty and the shape of my body isn't the hourglass it was.  I don't like it, but you know what?  I can hold Liliana up on my hips for way longer than some skinny moms can, and for that I am happy with the size of my hips.  My hips hold up my daughter long enough for me to dance with her in the kitchen.

This was a little bit of emotional writing for me to keep my fingers busy rather than reaching for the Tositios.  Its been one of those weeks where Im just feeling like ass on a stick - but I know tomorrow will be better.  As my husband always says - failure is not an option - and I can't fail.  I won't fail.  I worked hard today, but I'll work harder tomorrow.

:)

WOW video from Sara Solomon!!!

AAAHHHH!!!!!!

I am so honored, blessed and fricken estatic to have Dr. Sara Solomon feature ME in her WOW video of the week.  I can't even believe it!
If you haven't read the info, click here
If you want to watch the video, looky here!

I have always wanted to be a fitness professional - for as long as I can remember.  I took courses (I am a certified Personal Trainer through CanFit Pro, and a certified Pre and Post natal trainer as well) but never stuck to my own training regimen.  I would make plans for my brother and sister.  Nutrition plans for my parents and friends, but never fully practiced what I preached until now.  I would get trainers at the gym, pay them big bucks, only for them to tell me what I already knew.  Sometimes I even corrected them!!!  what a waste. I am finally listening to my own advice (and of course, Saras!) and have done my research on the best training and nutrition for me.  Thats the key difference now.  I am not doing a "fad" diet (Ive done them all and they aren't sustainable).  I'm not doing a crazy workout that can't be maintained for life.  I am doing what works with my extremely busy and limited lifestyle.  I have a 1 year old who needs extra attention and help who only naps once a day if im lucky, and don't have access to a gym or a car most of the time.  I do my workouts at home in my foyer or basement and use what time and equipment I have.
I have been doing Saras workouts that you can find here:

they are quick, intense and fun.  Something that I need and can do on a daily basis.  I am also training for my first 5k run in September!  I have a bet going with my brother in law and cousin that I can kick their asses!  My cousin Rob did the 5k last year and his time was 24 minutes.  I am going to whoop his a$$ this year!!!

If you are just starting on your weightloss journey, you have come to the right blog!  I am in the middle of mine and would be happy to share all my information on how I got here and where I am going, with you.  The torch has been passed to me so send me some questions in the comment section below or on Facebook and I would love to help you come up with a plan that works for you and your lifestyle!!!!!

AAHHHH im still so excited :D

Almost Done the Plan!

This Plan has got me all wigged out.  I love it, don't get me wrong, but its been a tough, lonely road filled with Kale, Spinach and Flax, flax and more flax.  I am getting tired of this non italian way of eating, and no where in her 20 days does she introduce Lasagna.  Technically I have passed the 20 days, but I have been reactive to cheese (gain of 1.5lbs) and bread (gain of 2 fricken lbs!) so that set me back a couple days.  Once you show that you are reactive to something, you need to take a rest day to loose the weight and then you can start testing again.  It took about 4 days for the bread to go away and about 3 for the cheese.  It was really hard and discouraging really, to see the numbers on the scale go up.  I don't know why because I knew I had these allergies, and she flat out says dont get discouraged when your weight goes up because it will come back down.  Whatever.  I was happy the numbers were going down and didn't want to deal with the shitty higher numbers. 
It made me realize a lot though.  I am most definetly an emotional eater.  150%.  In my warpped brain it made sense to me that I gained 2lbs therefore I should eat a pack of cookies because I was upset.  I didn't eat them, but just the thought of the thought of eating it made me so angry.  I am stronger than that!  (I keep telling myself that in the hopes that I will actually believe it one day)  I decided to go for a walk.  A 3 hour walk.  I just packed up shorty in the stroller and went.  I came back and was in a better mindset to eat my dinner of sauteed kale, the smallest piece of chicken and some salad. 
I haven't read further than the days that I currently am on, but I think I am going to read ahead and see how to test foods myself. I have to be honest and say I am a little worried that my weight is going to go back up.  I am working out again but not as intensly, so once the 20 days are officially over, I'll get back into my Tabata, Combat and Insanity.  But in the mean time me and shortstuff are just walking and jogging outside.  It is so refreshing, it really can do wonders to your mood, especially during "Dragon Week".  You know, that week where anything and everything someone says to you either makes you cry or scream?  Ya, it wasn't that bad this month!!!! :)

So my homework for you.....
Get outside and breathe some fresh air.  Take big long deeeeeeep breaths and enjoy the cool air in your lungs.  breathe out and let all the shitty thoughts, weight gain, bad days and chocolate cake breath out with it.

<3

How to Sautee Vegetables The Plan Style

The cleanse - your questions answered!

I took a diary of how I felt, what I ate and what it made me want to do during the 3 day cleanse.  Here are my notes....

Day before Day 1
- I am super excited to start something that finally makes total sense to me.  No counting anything.  No adding points.  Just blindly listen to someone else who has successfully made other people feel good.  Its like a psychologist for your stomach.  I bought everything I need for the next 3 days, looks a little daunting as none of this food I have ever cooked like this before.  The coconut milk is probably the scariest to me as I completely despise ANYTHING that tastes like coconut shavings.  barf.

Day 1
Wake up excited
Weigh myself
Not so excited anymore
Drink 16 oz of lemon water
Drink Dandelion Tea
Eat 1 cup of homemade granola (which really isn't granola as there is no oats in it)  It is just Flaxseeds baked with raisins and 1/2 cup of blueberries.  I am too scared to add the coconut milk, so I eat it dry - meh, not bad
this is my routine for the next 10 days.  Exact same, every morning.

Lunch
Carrot Ginger Soup with sunflower seeds
Steamed Broccoli with some lemon juice
Salad with 1/2 pear (what a tease) and some pumpkin seeds
On the salad,Oil, garlic, pepper and you can't put vinegar so I substituted with lemon juice.
Not bad, but for me thats a lot of food to eat...

Snack
an apple

Dinner
im effing starving
Sauteed Kale with Mushrooms (mushrooms should be banished from this earth because they are so gross, so I didnt add them)
with Spicy Coco sauce (this was delicious!!  coconut milk with ginger, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, onion and reduced for 20 min... YUM!!!!!)
Beet and Carrot Salad - barf.

I drank 2.2 liters of water - which wasn't that hard for me as I was drink 3 liters before.  I have to stop drinking at 7:30 which is going to be a bitch.

9pm, im tired, irritable, cranky and want chocolate and a coffee - did I mention I went off coffee?!.  This better be worth it tomorrow. (video of my day 1 in previous post below)

Day 2

Wake up exhausted, Frankie needs to push me out of bed
Weigh myself
YAY 2 LBS LOST!!!!
skip downstairs :D
Drink 16 oz of lemon water
Drink Dandelion Tea
Eat 1 cup of homemade "granola" Flaxseeds baked with raisins and 1/2 cup of blueberries.  I am STILL too scared to add the coconut milk, so I eat it dry

Lunch
Carrot Ginger Soup
Salad with 1/2 apple and 1/4 avocado
Leftover broccoli with lemon

STARVING

Snack
1/2 pear (ugh whats the point)
almonds (this is the first test)

*I feel like the worst PMS mixed with the Flu - I have neither at this moment.

Dinner
Sauteed Kale from yesterday
1 cup of brown rice (yay!)
Pumpkin Seeds
Beet and Carrot Salad (barf)

Drank all my water, found it super hard to do it today, I still have a massive headache from the detoxifying and lack of caffeine.

Day 3

Wake up feeling better
Weigh myself
what what another 1.5lb down!
Drink 16 oz of lemon water
Drink Dandelion Tea
Eat 1 cup of homemade "granola" Flaxseeds baked with raisins and 1/2 cup of blueberries.  I am ok with Almonds (meaning I didn't gain any weight today from eating them yesterday) so I add unsweetened original almond milk - aahh so much better!!

Lunch
Baby Romaine Lettuce with 1/4 avocado, pumpkin seeds and carrots
Spicy Vegetarian Soup (yum!)

Snack
10-12 almonds

Dinner
2-3 oz of chicken!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!
Salad
1 cup of Roasted Italian Winter Veggies - omg, I didn't want to stop at 1 cup - so good!!
This was the best dinner so far.

Drank all my water, no worries.  Headache gonzo!

So thats the cleanse ladies and gentlemen.  Not too hard, but just different than what I am used to.  I think I would have punched someone in the face for a coffee, which scared me to feel so dependent on something.  I drank coffee again on the 4th day, which is when you introduce coffee, goat cheese, chocolate and RED WINE!  yes, all 4 in one day.  I told you the cleanse was worth it!!!!
I was so excited, giddy even, to make the espresso in the morning.  Everything down to the crema on top was perfection.  I took my first sip and nearly barfed.  I was so sad.  I got an instant headache and couldn't finish the cup.  Thats a sign that it is a trigger food for me - but I can't do it.  I don't care if I had to give it up to loose 10lbs, it ain't gonna happen.
The other thing that I am sure most people would be happy with is no exercise!  You need to reserve all of your bodys energy for repair.  Yay for you!

If you can dig deep enough and make this change for just the 3 initial days, the rest will be a breeze.  It feels so good to loose weight and feel good inside.  I think in the past 3 days my mom, dad, brother, his gf, and my best friend (almost... common jos!!) have started the diet.  They all feel like shit.  But today, my parents lost 2lbs each and that makes it worth it.  The ebook link is below if your ready to start!  If you do, comment or msg me on facebook so we can follow along together!
I am also making a list of questions I have along the way in the hopes of emailing the author to ask her, like... when I REALLY need a snack, what can I have?!  Is there a certain time of day that is best to have a bad food? on and on... so msg me your questions too.

7 lbs lost and I never want to find them again

I am on day 6 of The Plan and it is unbelievable to feel the transformation of my insides.  I am not going to lie, the first 3 days were hell inside of hell.  I never had the food that I was eating, the tastes were beyond foreign to me and a little scary.  I couldn't snack, making me want to snack even more.  And lets just say, it was the wrong time of the month for me to start a crazy diet.  Nonetheless, I made it through the 3 days and successfully lost 4 lbs.  That made it all worth it.  Seeing the numbers FINALLY budge after hard work made me feel so fulfilled and worth the exhaustion, aches, pains, migraines, irritability and bitchiness (sorry family).
I am now happily on day 6 and feel so full of energy and excitement.  Something that I haven't felt from the inside in a very very long time.  I say inside because to me, thats the most important.  I have the energy to workout, I have the energy to clean the house, I have the energy to run after my daughter and at 9pm I still have the energy to write this blog.  I am sleeping better, I am not feeling bloated and I've only worked out once.
My parents started it today and my mom is finding it really hard - same reasons as me, but add in the fact that she drinks maybe a sip of water a day.  On this diet, and generally for good health, you should be drinking half your body weight in oz a day.  I am at a little more than 2 litres a day, and for me, thats no biggie.  For my mom, she would rather eat dirt than drink a glass of water, let alone 2 litres.  My dad is making it happen, in his usual style.  Its a scientific way of looking at your body and at food, and for my dad that is right up his alley.
Day after day, I am so interested in this diet because it is teaching me about myself.  Teaching me to expand my food repertoire as well as why the heck I have been eating "healthy" foods and gaining weight and feeling like crap.  I am excited to continue and see what the rest of the tests have in store for me.

The Plan Diet - Day 1

I know I said that i was doing the intermittent fasting for thirty days, but something has happened that  has made me change my course.  My horrible tummy aches and lack of "elimination" for the past four days has led me to believe something I am eating that I think is healthy is making me feel like shit.  Enter: The Plan: Eliminate the Surprising "Healthy" Foods That Are Making You Fat--and Lose Weight Fast.
A book based on eating the right foods for YOU.  Eating whatever foods, be it chips, popcorn or chocolate, you want and not get fat.  Sounds too good to be true, and I'm only on day 1 so I have a smidge of faith in it, but it is opening my eyes to a world I didn't need to pay a dietician, alergist, nutritionsit and GP for.  I can test these foods myself and feel the results within minutes. 

To buy the book click here....

Here is my video diary of day 1. ....

 

The "lifestyle change" aka -I'm trying to make diet sound cool

Diets, ugh, what an ugly word.  If I actually put down on paper the different diets my mom and my mother in law have been on since I have been alive, there wouldn't be enough paper or ink.  I just thought it was a way of life, growing up with my mom always looking at herself like she wasn't happy.  Always ahead of the game getting the inside scoop of the latest diet fad - Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Dr. Poon, Dr. Bernstein  Weight Watchers again, and the variety of nonsense from Dr. Oz.  She tried them all.  They always "failed" her because she never kept it going long enough, she never made a serious commitment for her health - it was always for a quick 10lb weight loss that seldom happened because she didn't stick to it long enough.  I feel like this is typical for a lot of women in my circles.  Always on a diet, always wanting to get back to pre pregnancy, pre married, pre whatever state they were in when they felt the best.  Unless a life change is made, they will never get there.  Ok, maybe with a lot of work they might get there, but they won't stay there for long.  

Food has so many attachments to emotions.  When im sad, I need to eat something, when im happy I need to celebrate with something, When I am bored... oh my lanta, thats the worst.  I haven't found the trick yet, but I feel like I am close.  I am trying to train my brain to look at food as fuel, as numbers, as a science and not as comfort and tasty.  That is the hardest thing for me, especially being Italian and being married to an Italian.  Food is the center of our universe.  That is the reason we go to my mother in laws for dinner, or my moms for Sunday Lunch.  We go to sit around a 10 foot table so full of food it could feed another 25 people, and talk, debate, laugh, cry, yell, discuss our day, our children, our goals.  So many conversations over the dinner table have created bonds between me and my family that wouldn't have existed if there wasn't a fresh baked loaf of bread to split.

I have to push the plate away.  I have to bring it to the sink and wash it out.  I can't sit there with an empty plate and a table full of food.  The fourth serving of pasta is calling my name.  

I have been inputting every single thing I eat into this app on my phone called Calorie Counter - its online as well.  There are a ton... loseit is another great one.  You type in what you are eating and the portion size. It has a huge database of foods and brand names and it automatically puts together a daily total of calories, fats, sodium, carbs, protein, fibre, you name it!  It is a great way to see how much of what you are eating.  For me it was eye opening because I always thought I ate healthy - and I do - but what it showed me was that I was nowhere near the amount of protein and fats for my body and I was WAY over my carbs - but interesting enough, my calories were always low.  This should mean I am thin, but what I have learned is that it is the right combination of fats, carbs, and protein to equal the right amount of calories that will allow me to lose the weight.  This online calculator can figure out what works best for you... IF Calculator

So I have committed to 30 days of this and to be honest, am already finding it tiresome to input everything, but I am doing it.  I have faith that this will work, and if not - then at least I have learned a sh#tload about myself and my bodys needs vs wants.

Tabata Training, amazeballs and so much fun

The past few months quite a few people have been talking about HITT training, specifically Tabata training.  I had NO clue what this word meant until last week when I was looking at Dr. Sara Solomons webpage for inspiration and workout ideas and came accross it.  According to TabataTraining.com....

"Tabata was founded in Japan by Izumi Tabata. He conducted tests on two groups of athletes; comparing moderate high intensity training with high intensity interval training.  The results were that the athletes training in high intensity interval training improved their aerobic systems as well as their anaerobic system. The athletes who did the moderate high intensity training only improved their aerobic system and had little to no increase in their anaerobic system."

What this means for us normal, non athlete people is WEIGHT LOSS! You are burning more calories in a smaller amount of time however you are working stupid hard for a good chunk of it. There are a bunch of different things you can do for your Tabata training.


- For your 20 seconds of |GO GO GO GO|

     -run like a lion is chasing you

     -jumping jacks like a starfish

     -hyper marching band leader (see my video)

     -dance party like a 5 year old (see my video)

For your 10 seconds of |zzzzzzz......|

     - stop moving (not ideal if a lion is chasing you)

     - bounce lightly up and down

     - bounce side to side

     - march on the spot

basically you are doing anything that is giving you a second (well actually 10 seconds) to catch your breathe before your loose it again for the next 20 seconds.

As far as I have researched, it doesn't really matter the timing 20 seconds/ 10 seconds or 30 seconds/ 15 seconds or 1 minute / 30 seconds.  As long as your GO GO GO GO period is longer than your zzzzzzz..... period.  This can be your workout (so a few circuits of this for 10-15 minutes) or if you have no time you can do this for 4 minutes (or 1 song) as soon as you wake up and it will keep your metabolism going in high drive all day long.  Its fun, its easy, you need NOTHING - which for me is most important because I don't have anything :)

Some good songs to Tabata to...

Bruno Mars - Locked out of Heaven

Rihanna - Jump

LMFAO - Party Rock

Sean Paul - Get Busy

Justin Bieber (i know i know) - Beauty and a Beast

Madonna - Give me all your lovin

Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire

Try it out, at least once this weekend and you'll see how much fun it can be.  Alrighty kids - im off for the day!!!!!

Plyometrics all the way!!

Today was plyometrics day, which means my knees hurt :)
Plyometrics is an AMAZING high intensity workout that works your whole body, especially your legs and bum. You sweat like crazy and feel so amazing. Its short, intense and makes the biggest difference in your body shape if done multiple times a week.