Why do I want to be so skinny that my ribs show in my chest?
Why do I want to be so skinny that my thighs don't touch?
Why do I think I looked my best when I was barely eating?
Why does hindsight exist?
Why can't I have the will power my in-laws do?
Why isn't it ok for me to look like this right now?
Why is satisfaction contingent on so many things and so impossible to attain?
Do any of you feel frustrated with the way you look and even more frustrated that you are frustrated about the way you look?
I just hate feeling like this.
8.04.2009
6.25.2009
my current salad obsession
Here she is! The most glorious home made salad ever. Some of you may remember me saying that I don't like home made salads as much as restaurant salads. They just never taste as good to me. Well that is no more! I love this salad! I wish I could take total credit for it but I can't. When I lived in Tennessee there was this little tea room that sold a salad just like this minus the chicken. I would go and buy a 20 oz cup of the dressing for seven dollars a pop just so I could have it on my salads at home. Since I have no way of getting that dressing now that I'm in Tucson I've had to be creative. The dressing really makes the salad. Here is my makeshift copy cat recipe.
Honey Lime Vinaigrette (All of these measurments are guesses because I usually just eye ball it.)
1/2 cup oil
2 TBS vinegar
Juice of two limes
1 clove garlic peeled
1/8 cup honey
1 handful of cilantro (I just twist off a handful of the bunch they sell at the store)
1/2 tsp salt (maybe more)
1/4 tsp pepper (maybe more)
I throw all of these ingredients in a blender (or you could use a food processor) until it's smooth and green. Then I taste it to make sure I love it, which I always do. After drizzling a little bit over my salad I put the rest in an enclosed container and it stays well in the fridge for a few days. Its flavor is really bold so you don't need a ton.
The rest of the salad is pretty standard. Pan seared chicken breast pounded thin and seasoned with some s&p and garlic powder. Spring mix greens and a little extra spinach for good measure. Sliced strawberries, feta and some chopped pecans. Ta da! SO easy. Really I promise. And if you don't feel like cooking chicken and that whole mess the salad is just as outrageous on it's own. (One more side note here. If I go to the trouble of cooking chicken I always pound out and cook two breasts at a time. That way I only use a half of a breast on my salad and have 1 1/2 for leftovers of any kind.) Go for it! Try it! You'll like it!
Honey Lime Vinaigrette (All of these measurments are guesses because I usually just eye ball it.)
1/2 cup oil
2 TBS vinegar
Juice of two limes
1 clove garlic peeled
1/8 cup honey
1 handful of cilantro (I just twist off a handful of the bunch they sell at the store)
1/2 tsp salt (maybe more)
1/4 tsp pepper (maybe more)
I throw all of these ingredients in a blender (or you could use a food processor) until it's smooth and green. Then I taste it to make sure I love it, which I always do. After drizzling a little bit over my salad I put the rest in an enclosed container and it stays well in the fridge for a few days. Its flavor is really bold so you don't need a ton.
The rest of the salad is pretty standard. Pan seared chicken breast pounded thin and seasoned with some s&p and garlic powder. Spring mix greens and a little extra spinach for good measure. Sliced strawberries, feta and some chopped pecans. Ta da! SO easy. Really I promise. And if you don't feel like cooking chicken and that whole mess the salad is just as outrageous on it's own. (One more side note here. If I go to the trouble of cooking chicken I always pound out and cook two breasts at a time. That way I only use a half of a breast on my salad and have 1 1/2 for leftovers of any kind.) Go for it! Try it! You'll like it!
5.14.2009
Plateau
So there comes a time in every girls life when her weight loss plateaus and she is stuck. I know that this seems kind of early for a sad story about how my weight isn't moving but I am really just trying to give myself a little kick in the pants.
As you know last week I went to the gym twice and was loving it. This week, I am not so lucky. Because Violet can't go to the daycare until she is 6 weeks old, I am left to rely on Michael to babysit so I can go to the gym. Since his schedule is bananas this means that I have been to the gym exactly ZERO times this week. Ugh!
Now lets be honest, all of the weight I was losing was basically just the stuff that surrounds the baby. The extra blood, the water, the baby itself and maybe some other things like the placenta. I guess the actual "baby stuff" weighs about 15-18 pounds. If we do the math, I gained 29 then subtract 17 and we are left with the 12 I have to go. What does this mean? It means that technically I haven't lost a single pound I "ate" on. Bummer.
Here is my solution for the next 2-1/2 weeks. Eat less, Don't finish whats on my plate and only eat when I am hungry. All of these things sound simple but honestly they are easier said than done. I guess just cutting out the sweets isn't going to get me where I want to be so I am revving it up a bit.
For lunch today I had brown rice topped with steamed sugar snap peas and carrots. Sounds really bland and boring but when you add just a TINY bit of butter and fresh lemon juice and s&p to the veggies, it's actually extremely delicious. You should try it. Steam any of your favorite veggies, remembering to have as many as you want, and put it over some yummy sticky rice. You will be full and satisfied. If you need something sweet after (like I always do) then try a sweeter berry like a strawberry or have some fresh pineapple.
Heaven knows that dieting is not my best subject in weight loss school but I am realizing that the reality is I HAVE TO DO IT. Leave your dieting tips here for me and anyone else who follows this indulgent little blog. :) Thanks and good luck!
As you know last week I went to the gym twice and was loving it. This week, I am not so lucky. Because Violet can't go to the daycare until she is 6 weeks old, I am left to rely on Michael to babysit so I can go to the gym. Since his schedule is bananas this means that I have been to the gym exactly ZERO times this week. Ugh!
Now lets be honest, all of the weight I was losing was basically just the stuff that surrounds the baby. The extra blood, the water, the baby itself and maybe some other things like the placenta. I guess the actual "baby stuff" weighs about 15-18 pounds. If we do the math, I gained 29 then subtract 17 and we are left with the 12 I have to go. What does this mean? It means that technically I haven't lost a single pound I "ate" on. Bummer.
Here is my solution for the next 2-1/2 weeks. Eat less, Don't finish whats on my plate and only eat when I am hungry. All of these things sound simple but honestly they are easier said than done. I guess just cutting out the sweets isn't going to get me where I want to be so I am revving it up a bit.
For lunch today I had brown rice topped with steamed sugar snap peas and carrots. Sounds really bland and boring but when you add just a TINY bit of butter and fresh lemon juice and s&p to the veggies, it's actually extremely delicious. You should try it. Steam any of your favorite veggies, remembering to have as many as you want, and put it over some yummy sticky rice. You will be full and satisfied. If you need something sweet after (like I always do) then try a sweeter berry like a strawberry or have some fresh pineapple.
Heaven knows that dieting is not my best subject in weight loss school but I am realizing that the reality is I HAVE TO DO IT. Leave your dieting tips here for me and anyone else who follows this indulgent little blog. :) Thanks and good luck!
5.08.2009
5.07.2009
Shut up!
Okay so obviously it's about freakin' time right?! I don't really know what to say today but I wanted to start bloggin' on this blog again to hopefully help me reach my fitness goals. Like I said on my other blog, I am back at the gym. It feels really good but I hate watching the chunk in the mirror so I know I need to go back to the diet too.
I have decided that I will give up the sweets. This is so hard because I am really not giving myself any vices right now at all. I can't have any caffeine because of the boob sucker and I am on a high fiber diet because of other post pregnancy related butt issues. If you know what I mean? So cutting out sweets sounds simple in theory but in practice it is proving to be a challenge.
I have 14 pounds to go and was hoping to have them all off by six weeks. I don't know if this will happen because right now six weeks is like 26 days away. That is like almost a pound every two days or something. Possible, just not probable. However, I am still not ready to give up on my goal. I would rather aim ridiculously high and fail then set some silly goal and get lazy.
I plan on doing alot of weight lifting this time around. I want my muscles back! So even though I am jonesing to go back to Body Step and start teaching again and all of that, I plan on really focusing on hitting the weights dude. Just a little tidbit about weights (which I may have already shared before). When I was engaged my knees were acting up really bad and the orthopedic surgeon said it was either surgery or no cardio. I stopped cardio all together and just lifted hard core every day and I was smokin'. Not like those veiny body builder women either, more like I was 19 and just smokin'. :)
So there it is. Lots of weight lifting to regain and retain muscle tone, high fiber and nutritious diet, and especially no sweets. I think I can do it. Can you? Or really, a better question is, what are you doing? Hopefully something.
I have decided that I will give up the sweets. This is so hard because I am really not giving myself any vices right now at all. I can't have any caffeine because of the boob sucker and I am on a high fiber diet because of other post pregnancy related butt issues. If you know what I mean? So cutting out sweets sounds simple in theory but in practice it is proving to be a challenge.
I have 14 pounds to go and was hoping to have them all off by six weeks. I don't know if this will happen because right now six weeks is like 26 days away. That is like almost a pound every two days or something. Possible, just not probable. However, I am still not ready to give up on my goal. I would rather aim ridiculously high and fail then set some silly goal and get lazy.
I plan on doing alot of weight lifting this time around. I want my muscles back! So even though I am jonesing to go back to Body Step and start teaching again and all of that, I plan on really focusing on hitting the weights dude. Just a little tidbit about weights (which I may have already shared before). When I was engaged my knees were acting up really bad and the orthopedic surgeon said it was either surgery or no cardio. I stopped cardio all together and just lifted hard core every day and I was smokin'. Not like those veiny body builder women either, more like I was 19 and just smokin'. :)
So there it is. Lots of weight lifting to regain and retain muscle tone, high fiber and nutritious diet, and especially no sweets. I think I can do it. Can you? Or really, a better question is, what are you doing? Hopefully something.
9.10.2008
Getting Paid to Workout
For all of you out there who frequent classes at the gym or who workout at all I have some info to pass on. I have been asked before about what it takes to become a group fitness instructor so let me tell you what I know. First I want all of you to know that I am not, I repeat, am NOT an expert on this by any means. I am just giving you what I know and what are the most common ways to become certified.
A few years ago the gym at my university was holding AFAA certifications for primary group exercise. Since I was a student I received a discounted rate which was somewhere around 200 dollars for the initial training. It was about 6-8 hours long on a Saturday. We reviewed technique and safety and then were given a 100 question written exam and a physical exam. During the physical exam we had to present our own choreographed segment of a standard aerobics routine.
Last weekend I attended my initial certification for Body Step which is a program by Les Mills. It was Saturday and Sunday and lasted for 8 hours each day. It was hard core but I made it through with a pass, or an "A". Now I have three months to perfect my technique and learn the routine perfectly so that I can video tape myself teaching a class. After I record myself I will submit the tape to Les Mills corporate and will be assessed and graded with a pass or fail. This training cost 200 dollars and I will be forever certified in Body Step.
Both programs do require additional yearly follow up training. With AFAA you are required to acquire CEU's or continuing education units. They cost about 50-75 dollars for three and I believe you need 20 each year. Make sure to check out the website.
With Les Mills all of the choreography is created for you so every three months you pay 35 dollars to receive a DVD, CD and booklet with all the choreography info.
With AFAA you will be a "freestyle" instructor. You will provide your own music and your own choreographed routines. Also if you want to teach say...kickboxing or cycling or pilates, there are extra certifications you can get.
It is the same with Les Mills. If I wanted to teach Body Combat which is basically kickboxing, I would have to pay for another certification and attend another training.
Now I know this is a ton of information but there are even more choices out there. My sister in law is certified through ACE. She has really liked being certified through this company and I don't know all of the details but it may be a little less rigorous than AFAA if you are interested in freestyle.
As far as pay goes, the going rate seems to be something between 30-40 dollars an hour. I know some gyms even go off commission these days like, the more people in your class the more money you make. (I think that is just bananas but hey, I am new at this...)
I know this is a lot of bla bla bla and there are probably going to be one to two readers max for this post but I think going through all the certification is worth it. That is because I enjoy exercise and I enjoy the group fitness atmosphere. Don't ever let yourself think that you could never do this, I honestly think that 95% of people out there could do it if they really wanted to. It's not about whether you look like a barbie doll up there, it's about you being a motivating, enthusiastic instructor whose joy for fitness shows in her attitude. Good luck to all those interested! I hope some of this rambling has helped. If you have any questions just email me katillac765@gmail.com
A few years ago the gym at my university was holding AFAA certifications for primary group exercise. Since I was a student I received a discounted rate which was somewhere around 200 dollars for the initial training. It was about 6-8 hours long on a Saturday. We reviewed technique and safety and then were given a 100 question written exam and a physical exam. During the physical exam we had to present our own choreographed segment of a standard aerobics routine.
Last weekend I attended my initial certification for Body Step which is a program by Les Mills. It was Saturday and Sunday and lasted for 8 hours each day. It was hard core but I made it through with a pass, or an "A". Now I have three months to perfect my technique and learn the routine perfectly so that I can video tape myself teaching a class. After I record myself I will submit the tape to Les Mills corporate and will be assessed and graded with a pass or fail. This training cost 200 dollars and I will be forever certified in Body Step.
Both programs do require additional yearly follow up training. With AFAA you are required to acquire CEU's or continuing education units. They cost about 50-75 dollars for three and I believe you need 20 each year. Make sure to check out the website.
With Les Mills all of the choreography is created for you so every three months you pay 35 dollars to receive a DVD, CD and booklet with all the choreography info.
With AFAA you will be a "freestyle" instructor. You will provide your own music and your own choreographed routines. Also if you want to teach say...kickboxing or cycling or pilates, there are extra certifications you can get.
It is the same with Les Mills. If I wanted to teach Body Combat which is basically kickboxing, I would have to pay for another certification and attend another training.
Now I know this is a ton of information but there are even more choices out there. My sister in law is certified through ACE. She has really liked being certified through this company and I don't know all of the details but it may be a little less rigorous than AFAA if you are interested in freestyle.
As far as pay goes, the going rate seems to be something between 30-40 dollars an hour. I know some gyms even go off commission these days like, the more people in your class the more money you make. (I think that is just bananas but hey, I am new at this...)
I know this is a lot of bla bla bla and there are probably going to be one to two readers max for this post but I think going through all the certification is worth it. That is because I enjoy exercise and I enjoy the group fitness atmosphere. Don't ever let yourself think that you could never do this, I honestly think that 95% of people out there could do it if they really wanted to. It's not about whether you look like a barbie doll up there, it's about you being a motivating, enthusiastic instructor whose joy for fitness shows in her attitude. Good luck to all those interested! I hope some of this rambling has helped. If you have any questions just email me katillac765@gmail.com
8.01.2008
Great News
I am sure that most of you who read this blog read my family blog too. So you probably already know that I am going to be working at the Gold's Gym here in Tucson. I am so stinkin' excited to be doing something that I love and that is so good for me. I feel so hopeful that this will be the thing I need to make me feel at home in Tucson.
Now that I have this great new job (which won't exactly start right away) I think it will be easier for me to come up with some great new posts for this little bloggy blog. I guess I was feeling like I was getting a bit monotonous with the same old, same old "eat right, exercise" bit over and over.
Another great thing is the method of instruction at this gym. It is called Les Mills and basically it was described to me like this. Think of McDonald's and the hamburger, you always know what you're going to get. With Les Mills group fitness you always know what you are going to get in terms of choreography, intensity and training. I think it will be great for me because I am a new instructor. It will keep me from having to spend hours upon hours coming up with new choreography and purchasing new and exciting music and bla bla bla. If you are interested in finding out more about Les Mills or even getting certified yourself then check it out here.
Now that I have this great new job (which won't exactly start right away) I think it will be easier for me to come up with some great new posts for this little bloggy blog. I guess I was feeling like I was getting a bit monotonous with the same old, same old "eat right, exercise" bit over and over.
Another great thing is the method of instruction at this gym. It is called Les Mills and basically it was described to me like this. Think of McDonald's and the hamburger, you always know what you're going to get. With Les Mills group fitness you always know what you are going to get in terms of choreography, intensity and training. I think it will be great for me because I am a new instructor. It will keep me from having to spend hours upon hours coming up with new choreography and purchasing new and exciting music and bla bla bla. If you are interested in finding out more about Les Mills or even getting certified yourself then check it out here.
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