H2O Here We Go

Drinking enough water in a day can be tough.  Unless you are actually keeping track, who knows how much water you actually drink?

In an article by CBS News it is stated that, "According to a survey of 2,818 Americans, conducted in 14 US cities by Yankelovich Partners for the Rockefeller University and the International Bottled Water Association, only 34% are drinking the recommended daily amount of water."  That's a lot of people not getting enough water each day.  

New Year Abs

So you want abs?  Don't we all!  And this time of year there are lots of people headed to the gym to get their workout on.  Just yesterday, after class, a woman approached me and wanted me to show her some moves she could do in the water to strengthen her core.  For her, it was not about wanting that six pack.  She had been in an accident and has finally recovered enough to work out again after six months.  She used to be very fit but now is feeling quite weak.  She wanted to work on her abs to help with everyday activities.  We all use our core muscles for so many day to day tasks.

Eat Clean, Train Mean!

Happy New Year!!  And welcome back to my blog.  I'm sure you have a list of resolutions for the upcoming year.  Some of them may have to do with exercising or nutrition, or losing weight.  Some may have to do with getting more sleep, or reducing stress.  Some may have to do with paying down debt, saving for a trip, or spending less on frivolous things.  Or maybe you want to work on some bad habit that you want to turn around.  Whatever your goal is, take some time to sit down and really think about it for a minute.  How are you going to make changes?  What will you have to do to make it happen?  Is it reasonable?  

I have a love hate relationship with New Year's Resolutions.  I tend to make very large lists in my head of things I'm going to do differently and then get disappointed by about January 21st because I've managed to screw them all up!  I am a list person.  I get this crazy satisfaction in crossing things off of my lists.  This is the love part.  But when you don't get to cross things off it's quite depressing.

Real change takes time.  Start with only a few you want to work on and don't beat yourself up if you go off course.  No one said you had to be perfect.  Last year, I vowed not to drink Diet Coke anymore.  Or any soda for that matter.  It has been a whole year since I made that promise and I maybe had 5 sodas the entire time.  I could have said, "well I blew it" and gave up.  But I stuck with it and now I look back and think 5 sodas in a whole year is pretty good!

So here is my list of things I want to do in 2014.  I would like to:  
Go to bed early - 10 pm would be great because I could ensure 8 hrs of sleep each night.  I'll be writing on sleep deprivation soon!

be better at sending cards.  Thank you's and birthdays mostly.

tame my temper towards my children during their temper tantrums.

reduce my sugar intake.

learn to sew.

regularly post to both this blog and my family blog.

What are your goals or resolutions?  To help with that last one I am going to start posting to this blog on a schedule.  Come check out new posts every Monday and Thursday.  I have so many great posts planned.  Things to help you stay fit and healthy.  I'll also have some new DIY posts for making body care products, and recipes for homemade foods and sauces. Look for new workouts to try at home, at the gym or in the pool. Join me each week and share the love.  If you like a post, leave a comment or share on your Facebook or Pinterest pages!  

Happy New Year! Lets eat clean and train mean!  

A Steamy Post

Now that I'm in my 30's I have finally have figured out that steam rooms are simply awesome!  A few months ago I was fortunate to have my best friend come and stay with us and for her 30th birthday we celebrated by a visit to the spa.  After our lovely massage we were escorted to a steam room to relax.  As we sat in towels sipping on our glass of ice water we both commented on how "mature" we felt in that moment!  As if steam rooms and turning 30 is a normal right of passage!  I'm nearing 31 now and I wish I had discovered steam rooms earlier.

10 Ways to Sooth Muscles Naturally

I'm just coming off of a seriously intense couple of weeks with

Zumba Fitness.  Picking up lots of classes for the fall season and presenting at the OMG Fitness Concert has made my tired muscles very sore.  Maybe you've got some tired muscles too.  You don't have to be doing anything crazy to get sore muscles.  Maybe you picked something up wrong or spent 12 hours on your feet at work, or lugged a kid on one hip for far too long.  

Zumba Ministry

Alright friends, family, blog followers and readers.... The time has finally come that I get to teach a faith based Zumba class!

Wait. A what?

Yes. You read correctly. This is a Christian based Zumba class unlike any Zumba class you have probably taken before. I know you're chuckling to yourself right now picturing a bunch of crazies raising their hands to Jesus and prancing around to "Jesus Loves Me." That's NOT what this class is. Not that either of those things are wrong mind you, just not in a ZUMBA class!

Commercial Break Workouts

We haven't had cable in our house for years now.  Hulu Plus and Netflix have long since replaced it and we've never looked back.  That is not to say we don't watch TV.  On the contrary - we watch PLENTY.  Maybe too much sometimes!  Now, Netflix doesn't have commercials but Hulu has these perfect little (sometimes annoying... OK highly annoying) one to three minute commercial breaks.  I've discovered this is the perfect time to get some strength building in. 

The Trick that Melted the Final Pounds

Seems like everyone is trying to lose weight.  That's not surprising considering one in three adults is considered obese according to the CDC.  Check out these facts from the CDC website:

• More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese. 
• Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.
• In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.

You can read all about it from the original source HERE.

I don't need to tell you all the reasons that people want to shed the pounds.  You probably know.  I was no exception.  Looking back at the pictures I am embarrassed that I let it get so out of control.  I'm sure a lot of people can relate.  It sort of started in college with the freshman 15, I mean 30.  Slowly over time I kept packing on the pounds.  I would lose some for a trip, get back to my "goal" weight, and then start gaining it again. Only this time, faster.  I tried all kinds of diet pills.  Get thin fast schemes that were not only ineffective but actually harmful to my health.  Jitters means the pills are working.  NOT!!!  I tried body creams, shakes, bars, cabbage soup, starvation except for one hour of the day where I could gorge myself, Atkins, South Beach, and then there was what I thought was the end all, be all... Weight Watchers (WW).

July 2009, size 20

Weight Watchers seemed to be the most productive for me.  I actually lost quite a bit of weight this way but when I stopped attending meetings the weight trickled back.  And would I really need to count points for the rest of my life?  I don't want to journal forever.  Most of the methods I tried proved to be successful for a period of time.  For months I paid my dues only to step on the scale at the same weight, frustrated with myself for not following the program better.  I was 20 pounds from goal after having lost 70 pounds!  The end was in sight but I just couldn't move the scale.

Jan 2013 very close but still trying to get rid of those last 20 pounds, size 10/12

My story is not uncommon.  Our society has programmed us to diet.  Millions of dollars are being made on the next miracle trick/pill/diet.  Meanwhile our bodies are SCREAMING at us to stop with with the yo-yoing already!!!  And how many toxins are we putting in our bodies by trying to eat "light" or "fat free" or "low carb"?

You may have heard this before but keeping the pounds off is not about "dieting" for a period of time and going back to your bad habits.  It's about a lifestyle change.  I used to say I was making a lifestyle change by doing Weight Watchers.  But then I would "cheat" and feel guilty.  There is no "cheating" in a true lifestyle change.  It's a complete different way of thinking.

In January 2013 our family decided to try to live a more natural lifestyle.  We began cutting processed foods, chemicals and toxins, Diet Coke or any pop for that matter, and significantly reduced our intake of meat.  In doing this we replaced our old food with organic whole foods, lots of water, juicing, and tons of fresh fruit and veggies.  If I can make it myself I don't buy it pre-made from the store.  This includes things like all kinds of bread, tortillas, crackers, salsa, pasta sauce, salad dressings, and many snack foods.  We didn't switch because I wanted to lose weight.  I wasn't even trying.  The weight started to come off on its own.  No counting, no "watching what I eat".  I eat real butter, full fat cheese, several different oils, and even homemade sweets with gooey chocolate.  I generally eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.

 

Dancing with my hubby in a size 8 dress, May 2013

The trick, I found, is not to get hung up on the calories, fat, carbohydrates, or protein.  Sure they are important.  But by instead focusing on the ingredients we have been able to clean up our food, reduce the chemicals that trick us into eating more processed foods, have more energy, and ultimately come to a healthy weight range.

If you are stuck in the yo-yo diet world or even if you are a recovery yo-yo-er addict like myself, I would encourage you to watch the documentary, Hungry For Change.  This show will help you understand why the statistics are so bad and how cleaning up your diet can save your life.  Check out the trailer HERE. This is one of the biggest reasons we decided to take the plunge and change the way we eat.  And I'm so glad we did.  Goodbye pounds.  I will not miss you.

Work it while you Work it

We all make excuses sometimes why we don't exercise.  I do it too.  I'm too tired, too busy, not in the mood, would rather do fill-in-the-blank...  But what we forget is that we can work out anywhere and in any way that makes you move just a little bit more.

That means that you can exercise by doing laundry, mowing the grass, working in your garden, even playing with your kids.  Here are 5 ways you can boost your calorie burn and get in an extra "hidden" workout in your own backyard.

Doing Laundry

Not my favorite chore by far!  But I have discovered the joy of hanging my laundry to dry outside.  The fresh air and knowing that my energy consumption is being cut down make this act very satisfying for me.  It also happens to be a little bit more work and therefore burns more calories!

Here's the calorie breakdown:

Regular Laundry - standing and folding: 136 cal/hour*
Carrying clothes up and down stairs: 340 cal/hour* (about 6 cal/min)

That means for regular laundry, lets say for 30 min and going up and down the stairs twice, it is about 98 calories.  Because hanging my clothes on the line takes more time and trips up and down stairs (lets say 20 min and 2 extra stair trips) my 98 calories burned turns into about 173 calories - almost twice as much!

Tilling the Garden

Skip the rented tiller and do it by hand!  Tilling the ground is hard work.  It's a great way to burn some extra calories.  Just make sure to grab some gloves.  My blisters were not so fun to deal with later.  My husband and I tilled our our 15X10 garden together.  It probably took about an hour total with both of us working on it.  According to caloriecount.about.com we burned about 340 calories each!

Mowing the Grass

I am pretty spoiled.  I have an amazing husband who enjoys mowing the grass and therefore, I have not really had to worry about it.  Over the summer of 2012 our family was split across two states and I was  forced to mow my grass.  Little did I know what a great work out it was.  374/hr or 405/hr if not using a power mower.

Pulling Weeds

Believe it or not you can actually burn 306 calories per hour simply weeding your garden or lawn!  Now, the trouble is, do you have that many weeds?  I do!!!  I have this silly area of rock in my back yard that weeds just love to haunt.  So I pick weeds on a regular basis.  Hey, if you don't have many weeds of your own, you can come pull mine!  Or pull your neighbors weeds.  You know, the one who has a thousand dandelions in their yard?  Then you can say, "oh I'm just getting my work out in!" with a smile.

Watering the Garden via Rain Barrel

Standing and watering a garden or your yard doesn't take that much effort.  I mean really, you basically just stand and hold a hose right?  But according to caloriecount.about.com you can still burn 102 calories per hour.  Well when you use a rain barrel there is a little more effort involved.  I can still use a hose but because there is not a lot of pressure I often have to bend down and water close to the plants.  When the barrel is running low, I have to use a watering can and dip it, then walk it to the garden and water my plant.  That process takes time because those little watering cans don't hold much and I have a large garden!  I'm not sure the exact calories burned but I'd say at least double!

Bonus!!! 

The lowest impact of dancing burns 340 calories per hour.  Think about it.  What if you dance while you do these things?  If you throw on your headphones and turn up your favorite dance music you can burn tons of extra calories without even knowing it!  Who cares what the neighbors think!!  Here are a few of my favorite "chore" Pandora channels:

Latin Workout Station
Dance Workout Station
Toby Mac Station
Pitbull Station

Playground Abs

On this beautiful sunshiny, 63 degree, Colorado spring day I took the kids out to the park for a picnic lunch.  While we sat at the picnic table eating our little lunches I started thinking about doing a workout while the kids played.  There was no one around to watch so it was the perfect opportunity to try some things out.  My focus today?  Abs.

First let me say that I am not one of those perfectly ripped people with abs that can be displayed in a two piece swim suit, or a sports bra active wear top with matching yoga pants, though I do dream of the day.   I, like many women, would LOVE to have a core like that.  It could happen.  Maybe.  Well at least I can say I tried!  After two kids and a 70 pound weight loss, my mid section is a bit - shall we say fleshy, er, I mean "flabby."  So I will push forward to continue to bring my total body fat percentage down (which by the way is the best and most effective way to have VISIBLE abs) and strengthen my core muscles while I'm at it.

But there are more benefits to a strong core than just aesthetics.  Having a strong core can help you with everyday tasks, improve your balance, and even help alleviate lower back pain.  So if you have kids or grand kids, head to the park and "play" around!  And if you don't, find your inner child and try something different!

The Bucket Twist

 At my neighborhood park there is this little bucket looking thing that kids can sit in and spin around real fast in.  My boys LOVE to be pushed in it until they can't walk straight afterwards.  I have a different purpose for it.  Sit in the bucket and use your core muscles to move you from side to side.  The challenge is that the seat is designed to easily spin.  Try not to let it spin you around.  Use your core to keep you moving side to side in a steady controlled manner.

Reverse Swinging

 Another move inspired by my kiddos.  Lay on the swing instead of sitting and use your legs to keep you going.  Pull your knees to your chest as you move forward and push them back out as you move backward.  It's opposite of kicking and pulling your legs while swinging the traditional way.  This will really work your lower abs though I will say it is not the most comfortable positions!

The Bicycle 

 This can be done anywhere that you can lay back on your elbows.  I used this surf board looking thing to make it a little more challenging.  The board is designed to tilt and helps kids learn balance and they pretend to "surf" on it.  Lay back on your elbows and extend both legs in front of you.  One leg at a time, bring your knee to your chest and then return to your starting position.

Bench Tucks

 Find an empty bench.  Sit on the edge and extend your legs straight out in front of you.  Slowly bring your knees to your chest and return to your starting position.

Planks

 You can find all sorts of ways to do planks on a playground.  I used these concrete balls.  I have no idea what their intended purpose is other than to look like fun decorations.  Place your arms on the object of your choice and plant your feet behind you making a straight board with your body.  The lower to the ground you are, the harder.  You can even just use the ground or find some nice plush spring grass and take it all the way down to your elbows.  Try using the bottom of a slide, a ladder, or rock walls.  You can even use a cargo net which would make you have to balance a little more, causing you to engage your core muscles even more.

Slide Leg Lifts

This one is similar to the Bicycle.  Sit at the top of a slide and hold onto the bar for support.  One at a time, lift your knee to your chest and lower it back down to your starting position.  When you are finished, slide on down!!

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The amount of reps for each exercise will depend on your fitness level.  I recommend starting with 12 - 15 reps each and moving up from there.  I love to work out to music.  I have made a playlist of songs that I cut into 1 and 2 min segments so I typically will do one exercise per song and not worry about counting reps.

Enjoy your workout!

5 Reasons Water Classes are AWESOME

Currently I teach a fitness class in the water Mon/Wed/Fri mornings.  I call it Aqua Groove.  When I first began teaching classes in the water I was a little skeptical.  I wondered who would be interested in such a class and whether anyone would actually show up.  I am not certified through Zumba Fitness for the water so I could not call it "Aqua Zumba" but it's basically the same thing.  Or at the very least, extremely similar.  (This will be remedied in June when I get my Aqua Zumba certification.)  I have been pleasantly surprised by the response.  In my Mon/Fri classes it is not unusual to have 25 people in the pool and we've even gotten up to 32.  It has far exceeded my expectations and has been so rewarding for me as a fitness instructor.  I LOVE seeing the joy on peoples faces as they burn off the stress and calories.

But not everyone is willing to give this class format a try.  Water aerobics has had a history of being only for "elderly" or pregnant women.  This is NOT the case!  I have a wide variety of people in my classes.  Young, older, fit, not fit, pregnant, not pregnant, men, women... the list goes on.

Check out this teaser for Aqua Zumba and tell me it doesn't look like a blast!

I decided it was time to get some REAL facts on water aerobics.

5 Reason's water is awesome

1. No one can see you!

You can shake it and no one can see all those parts that you don't actually want to shake!  Plus if you don't do the right move or go on the wrong foot, no one knows.  And if you have to modify something because it's too difficult, no one would be the wiser.  In my opinion, the pool is the great equalizer.  Some people cringe at the thought of getting in a swim suit but when you are in class, the only thing anyone else sees is your bright beautiful face and that smile you can help but sport as you let the music take you away.

2.  You WILL burn calories  

Do not be fooled.  Just because you don't feel your heart racing, lose your breath, or sweat a ton, does NOT mean you are not burning calories.  According to the Aquatic Exercise Association you can actually burn about 400 - 500 calories in an hour class depending on your size, the intensity of your movements and water temperature.

3.  Helps build muscle

Exercising in water is 12 times the resistance of air.  That means that simply by pushing against the water or cupping your hands, you are already working harder than you would on land.  Add in the water weights for the handful of songs we do with them and you compound that even more.  In my classes we do 4 water weight segments that work your arms, legs, and core muscles.

4.  Easy on joints

This one kind of goes without saying but being in the water is simply easier on your joints than on land.  Water classes are considered a low-impact workout.  In fact, your body may feel up to 90 times lighter in the water.  That's a lot of stress taken off those joints and muscles!  If you have any problems doing regular Zumba classes, walking a treadmill, or taking any other fitness class on land, try taking a water class.  To put it in prospective you could walk on a treadmill for an hour and burn 400-500 calories but your joints might scream at you.  Instead, you could take a water aerobics class and burn the same calories while saving yourself from joint pain.

5.  Water keeps you cool

Working out in water is especially great if you are overweight or tend to overheat easily.  The water will naturally keep your body temperature down so you can keep going.

Come take a class with me or check out classes at your local gym!  You won't regret it.  Check out my FB page for times and locations.

More Than a Goal

Ever heard of Tough Mudder?  Check it out:

Oh yeah!  My husband and I have completely lost it now!  We are training for this crazy event in the Kansas City area in September this year.  I have NEVER done anything like this.  The idea of it is both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time!  I have found that the best way to push myself physically is to do more than just set a goal but to actually sign myself up for something that is hard to back out of.  Some people like to do 5Ks or run marathons, duathlons (run and bike) or even triathlons (run, bike and swim).   I'm not a huge runner so straight running doesn't really get me excited.

I do enjoy biking though.  In 2010 my husband and I did BAK or Bike Across Kansas.  We logged 528 miles on our road bikes over 8 days.  There was something magical about dipping our tires in the Missouri River at the end of our journey.  We had done it!  All the hours and miles we had put in to train for that moment had paid off and we were in great shape!

So here we are, almost 3 years and another kid later training for the next big event.  I would encourage everyone to find an event doing something you enjoy and register.  Get a group of people and join as a group!  Then start training for it.  Maybe it's a 5K for you.  Maybe you need to walk the 5K.  That's OK!  At the YMCA where I work they offer an indoor duathlon and triathlon so check out your local gym to see if it's available there.  But find an event, start training, and boost your self confidence when you see it through.

In the mean time, if you're looking for a great workout, try this!  It is taken from the Tough Mudder website and is killer!  We made a playlist of songs that I cut into 1 and 2 minute intervals instead of using a timer.  This cuts out on the smartphone fumble in the middle of the workout.

Mudderling Boot Camp Workout

Musical Dares

If you have small kids you know what it's like to be cooped up inside for long periods of time.  The kids are bored and mom is going insane!  Here in beautiful Colorado we get lots of sun so even when it snows there is sure to be a sunny day just around the corner.  But if you are stuck inside and need to burn off some energy try this fun little game.  You can even join in the fun and give your kids a good giggle.

Line up some chairs in a circle in a large area.  We used as many kids sized chairs as we could find to save on space and make it easier for the kids to sit fast.  Just like in musical chairs, play some fun music and let them walk in a circle around the chairs.  When the music stops they have to find a chair to sit in quick.  Instead of taking the chair away as in musical chairs, make them look under the chair for a dare.  I taped little pieces of paper under each seat with a dare on it.   If you have older kids they can help you come up with the dares.

Here are some examples of "dares" we did.

Do jumping Jacks while counting to 20
Crawl around the chairs 3 times
Hop like a bunny around the room and sing your ABC's
On the next round you must go around the circle backwards
Army crawl race across the room
Free style dance party!

You could do just about anything.  Be prepared to get a little sweaty and have some water on hand for your tired kiddos!   We played the game until all 6 dares had been accomplished.  And then we had a dance party just for fun!

Scavenger Hike

The next time you go out for a walk or a hike, try playing this game with your little ones.  Our family loves to go hiking.  We set a goal to go on at least 30 hikes this year.  So far we are up to five and we are dying for spring weather!  Most of the time the kids are excited to go but sometimes they need some motivation.  Enter the Scavenger Hike.  I came up with this idea to help get us out the door and into nature while learning about textures, and practicing our ABC's, shapes, and colors.  You could even do numbers, sounds, or smells too.  Use your imagination!

How to Play:

Make a set of cards ahead of time.  You can use the template below or make up your own.  Be creative! I plan to cut these cards up and "laminate" them using contact paper.  That way if we get dirt or water on them it washes right off.  (If you're not into making stuff don't worry, you could just play the game by calling out a category.)

Shuffle your cards and let the kids choose 1 - 3 cards each depending on how long you will be walking.

It's time to explore!  Let your kids find items on your walk or hike that match their cards.  For example, if they drew the "r" card they might find a rock, the "furry" card might be a Caterpillar, or the slimy card might be some moss.  Once they find the item, take a picture of it together.  If they are old enough, let them take their own photo.  My three year old loves to take pictures with my smartphone.

Later you can make a collage of the pictures you collect over time and hang it in their room or make a little book out of them. (Or if you are like me and take WAY too many pictures you can simply delete them after they have forgotten about it!)

The main thing is to get out and exercise!  If you are active and enjoy it, your kids will too!

Scavenger Hike

Great Resources

Before I get into some of the exciting blog posts I have planned, I wanted to give a shout out to some of the websites, people, and businesses that have helped shape my world of health and nutrition.  These are great resources and I will post them on the side bar for future reference.  I hope these links continue to grow and please, if you know of another good one, let me know and I will check it out.

Food and Nutrition

Grow Colorado is a great source for gardening, growing your own food, and even donating your excess to local food banks.

Royal Crest Dairy - we stumbled on this gem a few months ago and are hooked by the friendly service, fantastic tasting products with no hormones or antibiotics, and the extremely reasonable prices.

Door to Door Organics - A great way to get fresh produce in the middle of the winter.  We found it a little on the pricey side for a family of four but for a single person or a couple, it might be worth the service.  The best part?  They have services in both Denver AND Kansas City for all my friends back home!  Email me if you want me to send an email to you with a 50% off your first box coupon.

Shaklee - I do not work for this company so I am not being bias when I say they are the best vitamins I have ever found.  I love what the company stands for and the research they put into their products.

100 Days of Real Food - this is a great resource for living completely unprocessed.  I'm not there yet but I find it very encouraging.

Clean for my King - this is a blog that a friend of mine shared with me.  Her vision is very similar to mine and very inspiring.  I love some of the recipes she's posted.

Fitness:

Zumba - I would love for you to come take a class!  I will soon be teaching 6 classes a week.  Three are traditional Zumba classes and three are what I call Aqua Groove.  Check out my FB page for weekly updates on when and where I will be teaching.

Colorado Mountain Mamas - this is a hiking, biking, jogging/walking group in the Denver area.  It is fantastic to get out with other mamas and there kiddos and enjoy the great outdoors.

YMCA - I have a great love for the YMCA.  I love their mission and what they stand for.  I also have loved working in both the Kansas City area and the Denver area.

Lakewood Rec Center - It has been a privilage to work at Green Mountain Rec Center and my kids love the "pirate ship pool" at the Link.

Faithfully Fierce - a friend of mine from Kansas City shares ways to glorify God through health and fitness.