Upgrade Your Meals!

I found this link and thought it was pretty insightful. We can always do better when it comes to our health and fitness levels. Check it out! You may find something that you can use.

www.mealupgrade.com

Happy Eating!

Exercise Challenge Update

So, I think I picked about the worst 4/5 weeks to do an exercise challenge, but in hindsight, if I hadn't had this challenge to push me, I might not have exercised at all! And here is my secret, the challenge had nothing to do with exercise.

I live about 700 miles from my nearest sibling, with the rest of them over 2000 miles away, whom I don't see more than once a year if I'm lucky. We don't really talk much, but do keep in contact over Facebook, Skype, email and blogs mostly. And sometimes it is really hard to be so far away. Although I do have many good friends and a wonderful husband to help, it just isn't the same. I miss my family! We all have very busy lives, and it makes it tough to reach out to others. But can I just say that the effort is sooo worth it. I created this challenge to not only kick start my post-pregnancy workouts, but I really wanted to get back in touch with my family.

This challenge helped me in more ways than you can imagine. I have had a relatively difficult past year, and many times when I walk the track, most of that stress finds a way out and I find myself crying. Being strong and positive has always been one of my personal goals, but sometimes it does get to be too much. Exercise has been a release for as I feel better physically, but more importantly, feel better emotionally. But do you know what I loved most about this challenge? Getting texts and emails from my family! Even if we were taunting each other, we were doing something together, and I had support. It was awesome! And now that we have stopped, I miss it even more.

So for the winner of the challenge, I must confess, I stopped recording after the third week, because it didn't matter anymore. I had ulterior motives anyways. So for my two lovely sisters that participated, you will soon each receive a check in the mail that you must use to further your exercise goals. Buy some new socks, a new t-shirt, a new bra, or some new tunes, whatever you need or want. Just keep exercising! And don't forget talking to those of us that are so far away. I promise to reach out as well, because I need you and I miss you.

Perhaps we need another challenge . . . .

Exercise Challenge - 2 Week Results

Here are the point scores for the first 2 weeks of our Exercise Challenge. It really boils down to gimp vs preggo vs silver sneaker. Can you guess who is who? hehe.

Monica

Week #1

9/12 - 30 min step aerobics and 25 min gym (2 points! I'll give her that extra 5 minutes because she's awesome!)
9/13 - 30 min walk (1)
9/14 - 45 min circuit training (1)
9/15 - 45 min walk (1) and 35 min volleyball (1)

Total Week #1 - 6 points!

Week #2

9/19 - 30 min step class (1) and 45 min walk (1)
9/20 - 35 min walk (1)
9/21 - 45 min kick boxing class (1)
9/22 - 30 min walk (1)

Total Week #2 - 5 points!

Total Points - 11!

Cherilyn

Week #1

9/12 - 60 min water aerobics (2)
9/13 - 30 min walking (1)
9/15 - 30 min walking (1)
9/16 - 60 min yoga (2)

Total Week #1 - 6 points!

Total Points - 6!

No report for week #2. Did she fall off the face of the exercising planet? Lets hope not!

Denise

Week #1

9/12 - 30 min walking (1) 45 min aerobics (1)
9/13 - 30 min aerobics (1)
9/14 - 30 min walk (1) 30 min weights and eliptical (1)
9/16 - 30 min aerobics (1)
9/17 - 5k for charity (total walking 60 min) (3 points - bonus point for charity)

Total Week #1 - 9 points!

Week #2

9/20 - 30 min walking (1) 30 min weights and eliptical (1)
9/22 - 30 min walking (1) 30 min weights and eliptical (1)

Total Week #2 - 4 points!

Total Points - 13!

So the mid way point rundown is as followed: Gimp is ahead with 13 points, Preggo is in second with 11 and Silver Sneaker has some reporting to do, cause she only has 6 points. Keep it up! Surely you can try harder to beat me; I clearly am slowing down with this stupid infected toe. Bring it this week!

One Hundred Bucks!!

I am challenging you to exercise more than me in the next 4 weeks!

What do you win? $100.

That's right, I will pay whoever exercises the most in the next 4 weeks, $100 from my piano lessons money. Are you game?

Here are the rules:

1. Each exercise has to be for at least 30 minutes; longer workouts do not get extra credit.

2. Each workout for at least 30 minutes gets you a point.

3. You must track and report to me each week. I would like to know what exercises you are doing for some ideas as well.

4. At the end of the 4 weeks, the one who has the most points, wins $100.

What's in it for me? I don't want to loose any money, that's for sure. So, my motivation is to not let you beat me. I will post your reports and progress here on the site as well and taunt, trash talk, and tempt you to try to win. Not going to happen, but you can certainly try. Sounds like fun, huh? Send me a reply if you want in. You know you do.

I'm Going to Get Through This!

Frustrations, Limitations, and Inspiration


So, it has been 6 weeks since I started my new "diet" and I have gained 6 pounds. In fact, I don't think I ever lost anything, not even a smidge of a pound. Why? A couple of reasons: 1) I hurt my toe (ingrown toenail and infection) and it was next to impossible to put on tennis shoes, let alone exercise, 2) 'm on horrible medication that is making me retain water, and 3) even when I tried to find peace by getting a massage, I ended up with an allergic reaction to the oils and am now sporting a rash and blisters up and down my entire back. Can you say frustrated?

I also haven't had an internet connection for the last three weeks due to a verizon strike, so I haven't been able to write, do any research on what do about my current problems, or to just reach out for some love to you. I hope you haven't missed my entries; probably not. So two weeks ago, I headed to the temple with a low heart, seeking for some inspiration as what I can do to help me loose weight and control things again. I absolutely hate how I look, the amount of medication I have to take every day, and know that I am not what I need to be to raise 3 healthy boys. I pleaded with the Lord to help me find a diet that would work for me and a plan to help me be better. And do you know what He told me? This is not a direct quote, but the Lord reminded me that He had already given me a health plan, one that would help me if I followed it faithfully. Do you know what?! It's found in D&C 89.

After reading through the 'Word of Wisdom', I have already begun to make several changes to my overall plan of attack. I may not be able to do much about my disease or the medication, but I certainly can control what I eat and how active I am. I am putting into place a system where the opportunities to be active are available and I have plenty of choices on how I am going to follow this plan. If you want more specifics, let me know. I am now a week into this, and although there has been no physical results, I do love being able to exercise again and am making it top priority. All-in-all, I am trying to be as natural as I can be in my food choices, cutting way back on my meat intake, spending quality time in motion. I would love to have any ideas on how you do these things.

Once again I am reminded that real change does not happen quickly, and I need to have a long term view of the changes I want to make. I need to envision myself changing and loving whats happening. I hope you can do the same. Good luck with your healthy goals and your fitness successes!

Much Love!

Your Family's Health - How Does Your Rate?

I ran across this little gem of an article and I thought I would share. I think it is a great measure or goal of what our families can be. Are any of these items something that you and your family can work on? Could you make it a family priority? I hope so! Read on:

Ten Signs of a Healthy Family Home
-published by the YMCA of the USA

1. Water is the beverage of choice, supplemented by 100% fruit juices and low-fat milk.
2. Fruits or vegetables are served at every meal including some fresh fruit or veggie options daily.
3. Snack time includes foods that contain whole grains and protein instead of saturated and trans fats.
4. Kids and adults are moving and playful for at least an hour per day, outside and together whenever possible.
5. Kids and adults are breaking a sweat at least three times per week for 20 minutes or more.
6. Kids are provided with frequent opportunities to play outdoors in ways that are unstructured and exploratory. Play experiences in nature take place often.
7. The family dines together at least once every day, with kids involved in meal preparation and clean-up.
8. Kids all receive daily one-on-one time with an adult.
9. Television and video game time is limited to two hours per day.
10. Kids and adults keep to regular schedule that helps everyone get enough sleep. For the kids that means 10-12 hours per night, and seven - eight for the adults.

Healthy living begins at home. We as parents can send a great example by what we make a priority every day. Along with positive relationships, spiritual matters, and education, please make sure healthy habits are a part of your home everyday. Be a motivator for good health. Your family will thank you for it.

Eating the Alphabet - Our Family Challenge

I came across a book titled, "Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z" by Lois Ehlert and it sparked an idea. I want to do a vegetable challenge with my family! We are going to eat a new vegetable (or fruit if there is no vegetable with that letter) for each letter in the alphabet. This probably wont happen on consecutive days, due to planning issues, but we are going to do it as often as we can. I presented the idea to my family, and with mixed emotions, they agreed. I promised that they would only have to try a small part and I would try to avoid those veggies that they really do hate.

So tonight, we start with artichokes! The rest will be as followed:

A - Artichokes
B - Beets or Brussels Sprouts
C - Cabbage or Cauliflower (sadly, we have never made cauliflower)
D - Dates (no 'D' vegetable)
E - Endive or Eggplant (we've had eggplant before, but will try a new way)
F - Fig (again no vegetable)
G - Gooseberries
H - Huckleberries (yum! I love these!)
I - Indian Corn
J - Jalapeno Peppers or Jicama
K - Kohlrabi, Kumquats and Kiwifruit (want to try all of these!)
L - Leeks
M - Mangos
N - Nectarines (we just always get peaches)
O - Okra ( I might skip this one - hmmmm)
P - Papayas, Pomegranates, parsnips and pumpkin (I think a theme night would be great!)
Q - Quince
R - Rutabaga and radishes
S - Swiss Chard and Starfruit
T - Turnips
U - Ugli Fruit (a real thing, I swear!)
V - nothing for this letter, will have to be creative
W - Watercress
X - Xigua (a Chinese watermelon)
Y - Yams
Z - Zucchini (not a favorite in our home, but maybe a new twist might help)

The point of this challenge is to open our taste buds to some new possibilities. Maybe I will finally find the "food" that Garrett will eat and that is healthy for him. Maybe we will just learn to try and love new foods. Anyways, I am excited about the challenge and wanted to share it with you.

Happy Eating!

Food Shopping Advice

The following article comes courtesy of Weight Watchers International:

Tips for stocking a healthy pantry that keep supermarket trips — and grocery bills — to a minimum.

With a family, it can be a neverending challenge to keep the fridge full without emptying your wallet. Fortunately, we've devised these 10 great tactics for stress-free shopping.

1. Plan ahead
Use a calendar or your PointsPlusTracker (available to subscribers only) to plan family menus in advance. Note which days you have 20 minutes to get dinner on the table and which days allow for a little more time. Devising a system will allow you to schedule more balanced meals because you can see at a glance how often you're serving vegetables vs. potatoes, beef vs. fish, or convenience foods vs. home cooking.

2. Cook from recipes
Consider them your planning guides. Everything's there in a ready-made list: oregano, olive oil, bread crumbs, canned tomatoes. What's more, making a shopping list directly from a recipe means you'll have no last-minute "oops-we're-out-of-something" emergencies, and no time-wasting trips to the store when you'd rather be eating dinner.

3. Shop while the kids are busy
Shopping is faster if you go alone. Plan grocery store forays when the kids are in school or at music lessons, or have your spouse mind them while you shop.

4. Shop on a full stomach
If you shop when you're hungry, you're subject to spur-of-the-moment cravings and impulse buys. To manage the lifestyle you want, shop after lunch or dinner.

5. Savings are under your nose
Most stores stock expensive brands at eye level; look on the highest and lowest shelves for lower-cost generics and in-store specials. Also, give yourself a moment to peruse the in-store flyer with its unadvertised specials.

6. Use coupons judiciously
Be honest with yourself and cut only the coupons you need. Saving 50 cents on jelly isn't any good if you weren't going to buy jelly in the first place. And save those coupons for when they really count; for your store's double or triple coupon days.

7. Buying in bulk doesn't mean automatic savings
Dry goods and some convenience products are good bets for bulk-buying: Paper products, cleaning products, flour, sugar, vinegars, peanut butter and grains. Never buy oils (which go rancid), spices (which lose flavor) or perishables in bulk. A 10-pound box of apricots won't have saved you anything when you throw half of it away.

8. Produce: Fresh vs. frozen
Some fruits and vegetables are fine frozen; others don't translate well. Here's a guide for each:

Buy Fresh	Consider Buying Frozen
Cucumbers	Beans/peas
Ears of corn	Bell pepper strips
Greens	Broccoli
Lettuce	Carrots
Radishes	Cauliflower
Zucchini/summer squash	Chopped onions
Apples/pears	Corn kernels
Bananas	Winter squash puree
Citrus	Berries
Pineapple	Peaches/apricots

9. Buy meat and fish once a month
Take advantage of discounts on meat and fish, and freeze ahead for the month. Wrap the pieces individually and tightly in plastic wrap, then bundle them in batches by meal in freezer bags or aluminum foil. Label each with the contents and date. For safety's sake, always thaw these in the refrigerator, never on the counter.

10. Keep a cooler in your car
On a hot day, just getting your food home from the store can considerably reduce its shelf-life. A cooler in the trunk will help keep your dairy products cold, your meat and fish fresh, and your ice cream frozen.

It All Begins Today

August 1, 2011. A brand new day, a brand new month, a brand new start. I am beginning a new lifestyle today and wanted to share it with you! Okay, honestly, I have been doing this for about a year and a half now, but today I am letting the word out and taking it up a notch.

I have been doing a lot of research and evaluating what I want out of life and how I want to achieve it. My research has been people watching, if you can believe it. As I sit at the parks, the playgrounds, the stores, I watch people around and wonder why they look the way they do and how they got there. If only I had the guts to actually ask them instead of to just guess! As I watch, I wonder three things: 1. How active they are and what they are active in (or not), 2. Is a healthy lifestyle important to them, and 3. Do they realize what impact their decisions make on their long-term happiness. Yep, these are some deep questions for a simple action like people watching. But it has really made me think, ponder, and wonder if there is some way to better myself by the "answers" these people give me.

Let me give you an example: while the kids were playing at the mall playground a few days ago, I was watching a nearby vendor, Auntie Anns Pretzel Shopp and the flow of customers that came to get a snack. Other than the yummy pretzels, there wasnt really anything in common between these people. Short, tall, skinny, fat, very fat, athletic, sloppy. All kinds of people were represented. So as they came to get some yummy (and glutenous) goodness, I "asked" my questions to each one. You can imagine the fun I have doing this! Hehe. But in the end, my conclusion was this. It is okay to get a big, soft pretzel if you want, but there are consequences for that choice and for me personally, a pretzel isn't worth the extra work or guilt that comes with such an unhealthy choice. So I open my pre-packed bag and pull out a simple piece of fruit or low-fat cheese, or a handful of healthy trail-mix and happily eat my snack knowing that my choice is a better one for me.

This is what I have been doing for the last year and I know that I am having enormous benefits for making better choices for me. I hope you understand this a little. But, on with today! Even though I been more thoughtful about my choices, I have not held myself accountable or even tracked my health at any level. That is what I am beginning today. Today I am starting the Slim & Sassy approach to a healthy lifestyle. I will blog more on that later, but the jist of it goes like this. Healthy meals, shakes, supplements, essential oils, and exercise. I will also be journaling my food and involving my big sister, Monica, in my journey. I will give a weekly update on my experience and give results if any. So please stayed tuned, cause I want your support! Help me, help myself.

So my health journey begins today with daily decisions, small steps, and a determination for long-term results and behavior improvements. Would you like to join me? I hope so!

Resurrection of the Blog

Yep, its time again to bring the Thomas Fitness Blog back to life! I am no longer pregnant and have big plans for the upcoming year to slim down and continue my commitment to a more healthier lifestyle.

I realize that I will probably be the only one posting messages, measurements, and such; I'm okay with that. I find that as I "talk" to an audience I get inspired myself. And I want to really help our family become better. I feel that if I expend the effort to change old habits and renew myself, you'll someday hopefully get the bug and work towards your own fitness goals. Just feel free to comment every now and then and give your two cents.

Here are a few things that you have to look forward to starting at the beginning of August:

-Personal Priority

-Natural Science and Medications

-Family Fitness Fun!

-Whole Health Awareness

-Weekend Results

-My Journey Log

and much more!

Get excited, get motivated, and get real. This is your life, your health, your chance to make it the best you can. See you soon!

Get Moving Already!

For my first "Fitness Friday" entry, I have decided to share an article courtesy of Weight Watchers with you that will enlighten you about exercise for sure.

Activity: fact and fiction

Fact or Fiction: Physical activity increases appetite

Fiction. Low intensity or moderate-intensity activity will not increase your nutrient needs, so it shouldn't increase your appetite. Many [people] report feeling hungry after they work out, though, and that may be because exercise is such an emotional challenge; after emotional challenges, we're conditioned to look for rewards.

Your body doesn't need that post-workout snack, so no more excuses! :)

Fact or Fiction: Working out in the morning is the best.

Fiction. Any exercise, at any time, counts. The time of day doesn't matter. So go for that midnight stroll if you would like or break the mold and walk on the treadmill at 1 in the afternoon.

Fact or Fiction: Exercise will help get rid of cellulite.

Fact! Cellulite, dimpling of the skin in problem areas like the thighs and buttocks, cannot be creamed away. But activity can help, by reducing body fat and toning muscle. Sorry, ladies, save yourself some money and don't give in to the promises.

Fact or Fiction: If I'm not losing weight, it's because I'm gaining muscle.

Fact. . .maybe. A pound of muscle weighs as much as a pound of fat. However, a pound of muscle has a smaller volume (in other words, takes up less space) than a pound of fat. If you weight loss stalls but your body is getting toned and smaller, then increased muscle from physical activity is at work.

Fact or Fiction: I shouldn't exercise just after eating.

Fact. . . kind of. It's wise to avoid moderate or high-intensity activity just after eating, but a leisurely stroll is fine, and, in fact, a great idea.

Just some thoughts to get you thinking about your activity levels. Get up and get moving.

Miss You!

This post is just to say that I have missed keeping up with you and your healthy goals and pursuits! Where have we all been? Lives are busy and there seems to be no time to exercise, plan or prepare for a better you. I have a goal and a mission to prove otherwise! Be on the look-out for upcoming tips and ideas on how to slim the hips, buns, and bellies and how to fit it into our daily, busy lives. If I can do it, we all can! Here's to the new feature on this blog: Fitness Fridays!

See you on Friday.

Loser turning into a Winner!

I know I have slacked off in writing this blog everyday, but it kinda stressed me out. When I get stressed out my world seems to go into hiatus mode! I eat badly and I tend to forget to exercise. Terrible excuse, I know, but I am back on track making my loser status transform into a winner's status. I was fortunate this summer to take a 2 week vacation visiting my family and friends. With much fun came a disruption in my schedule. Now that I am back home and getting ready for the 2009-2010 school year to begin I have more motivation to get back on a schedule. I decided that I needed a new workout plan. So I am waking up every morning and doing 30 minutes on my eliptical, doing 200 hundred sit-ups and 70 push-ups (both on the body ball) and then doing various toning exercises to complete my workout. I feel so fabulous after each morning that I know that my day was started right. I will continue this during the school year. Each week I plan to add 10 more minutes to my eliptical workout (until I hit an hour), 20 more sit-ups and 10 more push-ups. My nutrition is getting better, but I needed some how to track it. I am a huge fan of Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser Trainer with no time for excuses), so I signed up with her online program. It was just what I was looking for. She gives me everything that I need. Now I just need to find the time to visit it every day. Here's to the new school year and hopefully a new me! The Quest to become physically fit is still in motion! Monica

Totally off track! Still Trekking though

Since I have been on vacation for the past couple of days, I haven't been totally on track for my fitness and weightloss goals. I am going to hit it hard on Monday, July 27. Las Vegas has been fun, but very draining on the mental state. Chasing after two kids has been exhausting. Fun and worth it though. Have a great rest of the week! Monica

For Your Reference pt. 2

Just wanted to let you know of a website I found that has great potential! Perhaps it will help in the nutrition department of your weight loss success.


Check out www.eatbetteramerica.com


Cheers!

Monica's Quest- Day ?

I kinda lost track of the days as we disconnected our internet to move across town. Now that I have regained my internet access, I will continue to write about my daily struggles to lose weight. I am still participating in my early morning fitness class and trying to eat right, but these things are just the tip of what I need to change in my life in order to see some real physical changes. Those include, but not limited too, are: how to relieve stress when I get it. I have had some hard stress lately and I know that this affects my body chemistry. I have found out that I am terrible at getting my body back to homeostasis (overall, internal balance of my body). I get really lazy and I eat emotionally. This doesn't help me at all in my quest to lose weight. The next thing is to add more physical activities to my day. What I mean is this: I work out hard for about an hour every morning, but the rest of the day is spent undoing what I just accomplished. I put my eliptical machine in my room, so this will help too! The last thing that I need to incorporate into this quest is a strength training program. I am thinking maybe 2-3 days a week to focus only on lifting weights. If I had more time and a husband that didn't leave every morning at 4:45, I would like to start running as well, but I am not brave enough to do it in the middle of the day where everyone can see my jiggles (ha ha)! Just know that I am still just as focused as losing the weight as I did when I started writing on this blog! Monica

Monica's Quest Day 15

One of my favorite quotes that I have referred to lately is one by Eleanor Roosevelt: "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." I find that I am always worrying about how others percieve me. I get so wrapped up in that it totally dictates my life. I am working hard on controling my inner thoughts. You know what they say, if you think it then you will probably act on it. So, if I keep my thoughts positive and remember that I am a daughter of our Heavenly Father, he will bless me with successes for all my hardwork. I recently added an intense power circuits to my fitness club. I might have mentioned this, but it is such a great change of pace for my workout routine. Two favorite stations that I have are the ham/glute raise on the body ball and the mountain climbers. Sweaty fun for me! Love ya, Monica

Monica's Quest- Day 14

Well it has been two weeks since I started my quest to lose weight. Nothing spectacular has happened, I haven't dropped 20 pounds, and I am still struggling with what I shove in my mouth. I guess I have to look at the big picture and revisit my goals that I set for myself at the beginning of this quest. My 1st, and most important goal was to achieve lifetime fitness. The journey hasn't been easy and I don't think that it will be any easier for the next year. I guess I truly understand what enduring to the end means! I just have to accept that it will take longer (for me) and that I am becoming a better person through this experience. I didn't gain all this weight overnight, so I probably won't lose it that fast either! Thanks for all the support. Just reading my journals give me the boost of energy to keep on trekking! Monica

Monica's Quest- Day 11 &12

Friday was such a test of wills for me. I tried to make my fitness club activity (cardio step) more hardcore, but I was feeling a little under the weather. I got through it, but I felt bad for the 4 ladies that were there because I was all over the place. All I could think about was getting home and crawling into bed. That is what I did until Saturday night. I didn't get much done on saturday because I was feeling extremely lazy. I guess I was already feeling burned out with the things that I have been doing. I have some new kickboxing steps that I am going to try out for Mondays class. Happy Father's Day! My nutrition in truly suffering. I need to find a program that works with my lifestyle. I am going to research some options today. Monica

Monica's Quest- Day 11

This morning I did power circuits for Fitness Club. I really gave the ladies something to kick start their morning. We did bicep curls, plyometrics, sprints, bench press, abs with the medicine ball, triceps, squats with the body ball on the wall, push ups, continuous lunges on the step, inner and outer thighs with a resistant band, mountain climbers, ski jumps, glute/ham raise on the body ball, flys/upright rowing, and fire hydrants. Each station was for 1 minute and 30 seconds. It was a great change of pace from step and kickboxing. A couple of nights ago, I went into the high school weight room and put 135lbs on the bench press. Yea, Monica still gots it! Now for the challenge of losing all the insualtion around all the muscles that no one can see. Still busting my butt everyday! Monica! :D (exhaustion is setting in)