Getting Back on Track

Since my 30 day challenge has ended I have been enjoying many non-paleo goodies. Friday night I went out to sushi and put myself in a food coma. The roomie took me to this place called Kushi downtown and it was the best sushi I have ever had. We ordered roll after roll and I even had a couple shots of sake. Then Saturday I went to a surprise birthday brunch for a friend and I had hash-browns and an English muffin with my eggs Benedict. Sunday I prepped my routine meals for the week (paleo chicken salad, and turkey burgers). While watching the Oscars I did indulge in some buffalo chicken dip and tortilla chips. BOY WAS THAT THE BIGGEST MISTAKE! My Monday morning workout did not go as smooth as it normally does. I blame it on the buffalo chicken dip but it probably was a combination of sushi, potatoes, bread, AND dip.

I had originally planned on having the weekends as my cheat days but the way I have been feeling lately is making me second guess that decision. As I type this I have a stomach cramp and I've eaten clean today minus the coffee I had. I need to get back on track and refocus.

Have you strayed away from your goals recently?

Pumped Up Kicks

If your toe pokes through your shoe it's probably about time to invest in a new pair. When the same thing is about to happen to your other shoe it's probably time you invest in a new pair. Every time you use your Nike+ app and they ask if you are still putting miles on your Nike Free Run+'s IT IS PROBABLY TIME YOU INVEST IN A NEW PAIR.

I checked yes to all of the above. I was obsessed with my Nike Free Run+'s the moment I opened the box...over a year ago.... wait I mean 2 years. If you have never tried on a pair you are missing out. They are so light and comfortable! If you need support I wouldn't recommend them but other than that I give them 4 stars (nothings perfect haha).

I was so in love with my pair I searched high and low for the exact same pair. Of coarse it was nearly impossible to find the same make and size. Not many ebay'ers sell 6.5 Nike Free Run+'s when Nike is all the way to the 5.0!

After comparing 2.0 to 3.0 to 4.0 to 5.0 I settled for the 4.0's. One thing that I LOVED about my ol' faithfuls was that the tongue was completely attached. My 4.0's are only slightly attached. Leave it to Nike.

Wednesday was the first day I actually wore them all day and boy was it obvious. My feet were killing me after my H.I.I.T. class but the pain went away in time for me to take Kickboxing. During kickboxing they started to hurt again so I had to modify most of the movements.

Tomorrow I'm going to try them out on the treadmill so we will see how that goes!

Have you had to break in shoes recently?

Saturday Morning Workout

This morning my roommates and I took advantage of a free class Athleta offered. 

We woke up around 7 and had a light breakfast. I had a strawberry smoothie with Almond Milk and vanilla protein powder.  Once we scarfed down our breakfast we headed out the door and made our way to Georgetown. Since it was early there was no traffic and plenty of parking. We did face a little obstacle with parking because our first meter wouldn't accept any of our debit cards. Since it's 2013 they now have an app for parking so we just used our handy dandy Iphone.

The roomies excited to get a great workout in!

Once inside we were given yoga mats by a very kind sales associate. There were four other students, two of which I believe were employees. The class was held by Leslie LaPlace a NASM Certified Personal Trainer.

Leslie explained to us that she was Tabata certified during the warm-up. This was very exciting for me because I teach a High Intensity Interval Training class on Wednesdays and have been looking for new moves to implement.

Have you taken any new classes lately?

How to: Squat

Squats are one of my favorite exercises. Just yesterday I did over 100. A squat is a compound exercise, meaning it works more than one muscle group at a time. They are one of the most functional exercises you can do if done properly. Squats promote mobility and balance which help you perform daily activities with ease.

Muscles squats work:

• Primary Muscles: where you feel it the most
• Quadriceps (front of the thigh)
• Hamstrings (back of the thigh)
• Glutes (hence my fit bottom)
• Secondary Muscles: help stabilize the movement
• Erector Spinae (muscle of the lower back)
• Transverse Abdominus (muscles that wrap around your waist)
• Gluteus medius/minimus (abductors aka inner thigh)
• Adductors (outer thigh)
• Soleus & Gastrocnemius (calf muscles)

I didn't realize until recently that majority of people do not know how to properly perform a squat. I always have to remind myself that not everyone comes from an exercise background. Here are your fitbottomedgirllivinginanunfitworld instructions on how to properly perform a squat:

• If you are new to squats, start off with a Wall Sit. You may not have enough leg strength to properly perform a squat which could lead to injury. AWall Sit is a good way to build up the leg strength you need.

• Start with your back against a wall. Walk your feet out about 12 or so inches. When you come down into the "sit" position you want to keep your toes behind your knees. If the knees pass your toes, walk your feet out a little more. You are aiming for a 90 degree angle in the knee. You may not be able to get to 90 degrees depending on how strong your leg muscles are but go as far as you can. Your shoulders and back should be flat against the wall. Rest your hands on your hips or extend them straight out.

• If the Wall Sit opposes no problem then you are ready for the squat!
• Your feet are going to be hip width apart and stay flat on the floor through the entire exercise. Toes and knees are pointing straight forward. Maintain a neutral spine and pull shoulders back. With your hands on your hips you are going to bend your knees and push your fit bottom back. Knees stay behind the toes and hips do not come below the knees. Push through your heels and straighten your legs. Be sure not to hyper-extend or lock the knees when you return to your starting position.

Knees are slightly bent and shoulders are pulled back.

Push hips back and keep chest up!

Make sure you keep your back flat.

Form is important so if you are unable to perform the squat properly start with the wall sit. Everyone should incorporate squats into their workout! Give them a try.

A big thanks to my roommate Meg for taking these pictures! You're the best.

Valentine's Day Paleo Style

Today was filled with picture after picture of roses, jewelry, and candy. The only candy I ate today was M & M's. I probably ate 10 handfuls too many. I haven't been vary strict with my Whole 30 ended last week. I've had bread, ice cream, candy, wine, mashed potatoes and pretzels. You are probably shaking your head and rolling your eyes after reading that. I also didn't run today. Tisk Tisk.

I did however make the most delicious Paleo Chocolate Cake for my boss's birthday. I may have had three pieces it was that good! I told you I have really been bad lately. My boss told me to be careful because it's easy to fall off the wagon after your 30 days and he definitely was right. With my boy coming to visit this weekend I don't see it getting any better to be honest. I will do my best to get a few workouts in though.

Even though I have been making poor choices when it comes to food I have managed to work out everyday this week including taking two yoga classes. I can definitely feel a difference in my flexibility but I still have a ways to go. Well I'm off to bed. I open tomorrow so I need all the shut eye I can get.

Here are pictures of my master piece. I definitely recommend giving this recipe a try!

Spring is coming!

The days are getting longer. The birds are starting to chirp. Our favorite shows have returned.

Today was a beautiful day. I'm so happy that I opened because I was able to take advantage of the warm temperature. I skipped my daily weight lifting BUT did get a great work out this morning in class AND ran .97 miles this afternoon. Running outside is 100 times more difficult than on the treadmill.  Outside there are hills, uneven surfaces and speeding cars. All these elements make it much more challenging but a lot fun. As I've said time and time again, I am not a fan of running. I am really trying though! I want to kick The Color Run's butt not the other way around. So I guess this brings me to my next goal.... be able to run a mile in less than 10 minutes by March 1st. I chose less than 10 minutes because right now I can just make 10 minutes on the treadmill. I fluctuate speeds and would like to actually run a straight mile with "ease". HA

In order to achieve this goal I am going to commit to running outside (weather permitting) at least once a week and inside at least three times. I'm not going to lie... I typed twice a week for outside but I don't think that is realistic. It is very important to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) and saying I will run outside at least twice a week is not realistic. As I'm writing this I am watching The Biggest Loser. I just realized that on their second week on the show they ran a 5 k. This makes me want to train even harder because if they can do it so can I!!!



Tonight I'm going to bake a Paleo Chocolate Cake with Coconut Honey Icing. I'll be sure to post about it tomorrow!

xoxo,

AFAA Certification

Today I took my AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) Primary Group Exercise certification. I have been secretly stressing about this day but  feel as though it went pretty well. Last Saturday I spend 11 hours completing the study guide. If you have a background in exercise it really isn't anything to stress about. We went over everything before being tested on it. The day started at 9 AM. We covered anatomy and strength exercises to perform for each major muscle group. We then went over our cardiovascular demonstration. Each person picked 3 moves and incorporated them into a warm up and cool down. Keeping it simple was key.

After practicing we broke for lunch. I packed some cereal, a sandwich, and a banana. I can't tell you the last time I had a sandwich. I don't eat bread anymore but figured I'd need something that would hold me over for the duration of the workshop. I was lucky enough to know three other people so during lunch we got a chance to catch up. One of my friend's brought chocolate covered almonds from Trader Joe's that I will be purchasing the next time I go grocery shopping! After lunch we went over the study guy. I  started to get tired from my lunch and it didn't help that we were sitting for this portion. We flew through the study guide and then were tested on our cardio and strength portion. Did I mention there were almost 80 students? 80 students in one room... doing all different exercises! I was a little overwhelmed at first but did my best of blocking everyone else out. It was hard to not stare at the guy in front of me who was performing jumping jacks while spinning in a circle...

Finally it came time for the written portion. I came across maybe two questions that I wasn't really sure about but everything else was familiar  I was the first one finished which kind of scared me. I won't find out my results for 4-6 weeks. I'll keep you posted though!!!

Once I got home I was starving so I had the rest of my Cornish hen and some spaghetti squash. I really love spaghetti squash. I have asked my dad to grow some next year along with egg plant. I decided to make my hummus with cauliflower this week. I tossed the cauliflower in EVOO, paprika, cumin, chopped garlic and roasted for 30 minutes. This batch is a lot thicker then when I make it with eggplant. I had to process it much longer. I'll let you know how it tastes once its refrigerated overnight.

I have experienced some cramping in my stomach the past few days and think it's from the non-paleo things I've been eating. I have decided to be Paleo Monday-Friday and then semi-Paleo on the weekends. By that I mean If I go out I'll have a few drinks. I'm still undecided what my next challenge will be. I may just focus on training for my first 5k and work on my flexibility. We shall see...

Happy Grammys!

xoxo

Results!

Yesterday I had my measurements retaken. I have jumped on the scale here and there just to see if there was any change but other than that I haven't taken any measurements since I began. Well here are the results after being Paleo for 30 straight days:
Weight 117 lbs. Thats down 4.5 lbs!
BP 106/72 My diastolic decreased by 4 showing my heart is more conditioned.
Reasting HR 64 At the time I was excited so thats why this number is higher.

Now for the good stuff!
Anthropometric Measurements:
Bicep R/L: 9 3/4, 10 1/2
Bi Flex (R/L): 10 1/4, 10 1/2
Chest <32
Waist <25
Abdomen 25 1/2
Hips 36 3/4
Thigh R/L: 18 1/2, 18 1/2
Calf R/L: 13 1/2, 13 1/2
* I lost inches around my waist and hips which I am very excited for. I lost body fat and gained muscle in these areas.

Body Compostition:
Abdomen: 10 Thats down by 3!!!
Suprailliac: 10 Thats down a whopping 5!!!!!
Tricep: 11 Thats down by 2!!
Thigh: 22 Thats down by 4!!!!
Total: 53; a difference of 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Body fat % 17.2 which is a difference of 2.4!!

My body fat weight went from 23.8 to 20.1 and my lean body mass went from 97.7 to 96.9. I feel as though my LBM may be skewed a little considering I gained a ton of muscle.

I am beyond proud of these numbers. I was expecting to see results but I wasn't sure how extreme they would be. I have since been eating pretty much the same things as I was on my diet with the exception of the delicious Ben and Jerrys (which I finished last night :/ ) and the two pieces of pizza I had last night. Boy am I paying for that pizza. This morning I woke up with cramps which is defiantly my body saying PLEASE DON'T FEED ME THIS! I agree with my body and will be the first to say it definitely is not worth it.  I will head to the gym and make up for it though. I have also realized that when I eat ice cream before bed it puts me in a coma and I pass right out. Not in a really good way though because normally I wake up energized but the past two days I haven't been.

So there you have it. Hard work does pay off. Oh yeah heres some pictures of my brand new abs!

If it doesnt challenge you it doesn't change you.

I DID IT! 30 WHOLE days eating clean. I honestly feel so accomplished. I wasn't able to get my measurements taken today but will tomorrow morning. This evening I treated myself with some yummy Ben & Jerry's. I'm not an ice cream fanatic but this one just sounded delicious and boy was it. I'm interested to see how my body reacts to the dairy and sugar. I know most people complain of a food hangover when they stray from their Paleo ways but so far I feel alright.

Whole 30

Tuesday will mark day 30 of my Whole 30 challenge. For those of you who just began following my blog, I have been practicing a Paleo diet for the last 28 days. In a nutshell, the Paleo dietary template is based on the idea that for optimal health, modern humans should eat in the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors did. The Paleo diet replicates what cavemen ate, I mean it is 2013. There are many different approaches to becoming Paleo but the general idea is to eat whole, unprocessed, nourishing foods and avoid foods that will harm you by causing inflammation/destroying your guts/disturbing our natural metabolic process. By practicing a Paleo diet, you reduce your risk of numerous disease while improving your general health, body composition, and energy level.

My journey began on January 7, 2013. For 30 days I would eat clean. I hit the ground running by purchasing a Paleo LivingSocial deal. It came with grass-fed fillets, shrimp, cage-free chicken, spinach, brussel sprouts, mangos, strawberries, almonds and pistachios. My biggest worry was breakfast. I'm not a huge fan of eggs, specially if you can't melt cheese on top of them. My breakfast was usually cereal, yogurt, or oatmeal all which are not paleo. Turns out breakfast was the easiest part.

I owe it all to Almond milk. Breakfast now consists of a fruit smoothie of some sort or an egg with a few slices of bacon. If you haven't given Almond milk a try, I highly recommend it. Almond milk is dairy and soy free making it paleo friendly.

Eating clean for 30 days was not easy but not nearly as hard as I expected. I had some slip ups including candy, taco bell, checkers, and a few cookies but overall stuck to a paleo diet. I did however, successfully cut out alcohol, legumes, grains, diary, and soy.

I am looking forward to having my measurements retaken on Tuesday. Since I have more energy, I have been working out more often. My normal "light" weight, used for overhead shoulder work, has gone from 4 lbs. to 5 lbs. My main goal of going Paleo was to become more lean and strong. I enjoy challenging myself but am really looking forward to being restriction free for a while. I am kind of bummed I won't be able to partake in Super Bowl festivities today. I'm going to make some hummus and possibly some avocado chicken salad as alternatives to the typical Super Bowl snacks.

I'm not sure what challenge I'll take on next. I'm open to any and all suggestions! I've registered for The Color Run and should probably start taking my training more serious. 106 days and counting!

What challenges are you taking on this year?