Are You Fiber Full? – Weekly Weigh In

Are you Eating Enough High Fiber Foods?

My Monday night weigh in at Weight Watchers was not very eventful. I told you all about my 2 pound gain last week, however I didn’t weigh in. I knew unless I had lost the two pounds I gained last week, I knew it wasn’t going to happen.

I weighed at home Monday morning and was down 0.4 so I still knew I was going to be up when I weighed in. Sure enough, a gain of 1.8. Surprisingly, I wasn’t too upset about it.

I guess having spent a weekend in Philly, I was OK with not “technically” gaining.

This week’s meeting topic was all about fiber. Yep…we talked about poop and the digestive system. It wasn’t totally about poop but there was quite a bit of poop talk going on.

It was a very interesting topic. Did you know that women are supposed to have 25 grams of fiber in a day and men are supposed to have 38? That is a heck of a lot of fiber.

IF you eat your 4 servings of fruit and veggies with an additional two servings, you have met the requirement. If you are like me, you don’t get your 4 servings so that is not happening.

I also learned that corn has a higher fiber serving than brown rice. That was surprising to me! One food rich in fiber is black beans. Try and add black beans to more recipes to get more fiber in your diet.

I need to make a conscious effort to try and eat more fiber. I can’t just eat three fiber one bars or brownies and call it a day. I mean, I could but holy cow…the gas would be astronomical. Poor hubby if that happens!

This week, let’s make an effort to try and eat more fiber rich foods.

Do you get enough fiber in your diet or are you lacking in that area like me?

Photo Credit:  Pinterest

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Country Top Ten: Workout Songs. Swang to Twang.

A Country Top Ten list is probably one of the least sought after genres. But, everyone should give it a try. Although a lot of country lyrics leave much to be desired, the songs still have a lot to offer:

•They are upbeat.

•They stay with the same beat throughout, which can be helping when counting reps or doing cardio.

•Many country songs are actually just stories put to music. Even though they're tacky, you end up listening to to see how it ends. This can be an advantage because it can make time go by faster if your workout feels like it's dragging on.

And, Jeff Foxworthy, one of America's favorite comedians said, "I like country music because it's about the things in live that really matter...Its about love, family, friends, with a few beers, a cheap woman, and a two-timing man thrown in for spice." Jeff Foxworthy's CMT speech makes some interesting points.

These top ten country songs are a mix of female and male artists. It's mostly new stuff, with a little Yoakam thrown in. Hope you enjoy this twangy country playlist.

1. Joey by Sugarland. Don't really know what she's sorry about, but she's got a really strong voice.

2. Goodbye Earl by The Dixie Chicks. Funny video. Great song. (Another one of those good story-type songs.

3. You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift. At my daughters' insistence, this song is on this list.

4. I'm Gonna Miss Her by Brad Paisley. Funny story in a weird, glad-I'm-not-his-wife way. It should end up being a classic country top ten song.

5. All I Want to Do by Sugarland. Sing songy and fun. But, it'll stick in your head for hours - be forewarned.

6. American Ride by Toby Keith. Can't really understand the meaning behind this song. Not sure if he's pro-American, or mocking them. But, I've heard, some folks like working out to it.

7. Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) by Big and Rich. Big and Rich kind of gross me out a little, but the song is strange enough to hold your interest.

8. What Was I Thinking by Dierks Bentley. Good story. It's a pretty funny one. Guess, all people push their luck at one time or another.

9. I Like It, I Love It by Tim McGraw. An older song, this was probably the last of the really 'country sounding' counry music that made produced, at least by McGraw.

10. Guitars, Cadillacs by Dwight Yoakam. He's sure not a lively entertainer, but his voice is strong and very distinguishable.

I hope this country top ten playlist fuels your next workout. Keep striving. Keep working hard toward your goals. Do your best to enjoy the process. And never, never, never give up.

 

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Go. Start. NOW.

Hanlie left this comment on my post about swimming yesterday:

I am very keen to start swimming. For years I’ve been trotting out every excuse in the book not to do it – my technique sucks, I’m not fit enough, I can’t breathe, the pool is too busy at the times I’m free, etc. But since I can no longer really walk, swimming is the only alternative. I got some books on swimming from the library, watched a lot of coaching clips on Youtube and I am ready! Now I must just find a good time slot in the evening.

My reply to her:

I have all those excuses too but I still go. Seriously my technique is shit. Ask Kepa. I swim super slow too – he can smoke me in 25 meters. My only benefit is I’m buoyant and can go long distances (thanks to practice because starting I could only do one length). There will always be excuses even when you improve. You just have to start. Go swim Hanlie!

One thing I know: there will always be excuses.

Sometimes they will be reasonable, sometimes they won’t. Sometimes they will be worth allowing, sometimes they won’t. Most of the time they won’t. It’s easy to want to be perfect before starting something but that rarely happens.

You have to start at the bottom and you can’t let starting at the bottom be an excuse. You have to just go out there and try it and suck at it so you can move on and get better. The beginning is rarely pretty but it is necessary to get to where you want to go.

I recognize this in myself a lot.

I wanted to do a triathlon so I went to the pool to start swimming. I sucked and could only go one length of the pool before tiring out. But I stuck with it.I wanted to snowboard so I went to a mountain and tried it out. I fell so hard so many times I cried myself to sleep the first night and ached the next day. But I stuck with it.

My beginnings are rarely pretty. I’m not naturally talented at many athletic endeavors. I could use that as an excuse. Or my weight could be an excuse. Or any number of things could be an excuse to avoid that first painful and/or embarrassing attempt. But excuses don’t make you better. They don’t let you improve so you can swim for 30 minutes or snowboard for hours or do anything else you really want to do. Giving into excuses and fear gets you nowhere!

You can’t get anywhere if you don’t start.

You can’t get better if you don’t try.

So Hanlie, go swim. Let me know how it goes. And the rest of you? Go try something you’ve been putting off and making excuses for that you think you might enjoy. (I think potential enjoyment is key… some things you might try and realize you hate and they aren’t worth doing which is okay too.) You might not be great at first but I’m 100% sure you’ll get better if you avoid the excuses and stick with it.

There is no better time than now to start. :)

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Snowboarding! Snowplanet Recap!

This past weekend was one of my favorites so far in New Zealand. We went to see The Hunger Games (enjoyed the movie but the book is obviously better) and we went SNOWBOARDING!

If you haven’t figured it out yet I love snowboarding. I’m not the best at it. I’m not fast. I’m not good at tricks. But I just love the act of snowboarding down a mountain – or a fake mountain as it were.

We went to Snowplanet on Saturday for several hours of snowboarding fun. We are planning a trip to an actual mountain in a few months once winter rolls in so I wanted Kepa to get a chance to learn a bit of the basics before hitting an actual mountain. Plus it was a good chance for me to refresh since it’s been a few years since I went snowboarding.

Snowplanet is a nice indoor snow facility that has a slope with a couple different options and a beginners area. We started off on the bunny hill to let Kepa get the hang of gliding and stopping. After an hour an a half of that we graduated to the bigger area and he worked from halfway up while I went to the top. He gained confidence and skillsquickly (I was so proud!) and he eventually joined me at the top.

I loved almost everything about Snowplanet from the easy slope to the music they played but I hated the lifts. They are the kind you have to hold on to while it pulls you up. I tried using my arms but that didn’t workout so I ended up using both my legs and arms which tired me out! I probably could have gone 6 more hours at Snowplanet if the lift they use wasn’t so tiring to me. I much prefer chair lifts at actual mountains.

Regardless I had a blast! Kepa even videotaped one of my runs down:

We didn’t realize the camera was getting foggy. ;)

Like I said, I’m not super fast or good it’s just something I enjoy. I’m not aiming to be the best either. I’ve gone a few times over the years and just really enjoy the sport.

It’s a fun (and sadly expensive) hobby that I don’t get to indulge in nearly enough. Maybe now that I live a lot closer to both an indoor facility and an actual mountain I’ll get to go more often.

Fingers crossed!

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How To Remain Motivated For Losing Weight

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Most people are not able to get rid of their extra weight not because they do not know what to do for weight loss or they lack proper guidance but because they do not have enough motivation to get slim. Anyone who wishes to achieve anything cannot achieve it till the time he has the required level of motivation. Even if someone is very talented and he has the opportunity to do a task, he cannot do it if he lacks motivation. The same goes with weight loss. Here, are a few activities which can help you in staying motivated for weight loss.

When you wish to get motivated for weight loss then start thinking how you will feel in the future after losing your weight. Start imagining how people will keep on giving you compliments for your changed look after you lose you weight.

Every obese person hears some kind of comment or get humiliated by one or the other person at some point of time. Try to think about such humiliation when you feel like quitting your weight loss regimen. This will make you feel more passionate about weight loss.

There are numerous movies which show stories of real life people in order to motivate others. Watch movies like Billy Elliot, Man on Wire etc. in order to get motivated for weight loss. You can search for motivational movies online.

Leave the company of all such people who talk negative or who spread sadness. Stay with positive people who talk about solutions rather than cribbing about problems. The people you stay with have a lot of impact on your personality and thinking. If you stay with positive and highly motivated people then you are more likely to not end up as a quitter.

You should feel proud of yourself because you are taking steps for losing your weight and you are one of those people who have the power to take such steps. You are not one of those people who accept that they cannot lose their weight and they have learnt to live with their excess weight. You are different and you will complete every task you have taken up. Remember once a quitter, always a quitter. Be proud of yourself as you are doing things for making your life better.

Image Credit: paleoweightlosscoach.com

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Brad has written 433 articles .

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Weight Loss Tips for Beginners

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People who have realized that they have put on excess weight on their bodies might be thinking about starting various exercises and following various diets for getting rid of their extra weight. People who have never ever done any kind of weight loss exercises or have followed any weight loss diet should first make themselves aware of the right things which can make them lose weight. Here, we give a few weight loss tips for beginners.

By making small lifestyle changes like doing more physical activities, taking stairs instead of the escalators, eating less and doing more work; people can reduce their weight easily. Most of the time, lifestyle of people is largely responsible for their excess weight. People should do things like cleaning their house and not using remote for operating the T.V to reduce their weight.

Just by walking for around 30 minutes every day, people can expect to lose their weight in a month. A large number of people who have developed a habit of walking know how easy it is to reduce weight by walking. Beginners should start by walking for 15 minutes every day. With time, people can increase the speed with which they walk.

People should not consider eating fast food as an option even when they are very hungry. Fast food offers empty calories to the body. For avoiding fast food, people should pack their lunch with themselves when they go out. It is best to eat home cooked food which is nutritious and healthy.

People should start doing exercises like running, cycling, weight lifting, rope skipping etc; for losing their weight. Weight lifting exercises must be done under expert supervision otherwise beginners may hurt themselves. Other exercises like cycling, rope skipping and running are also very beneficial for weight loss and they can be done by anyone.

If you want to lose your weight then you should start having 3 to 4 cups of green tea daily. Green tea is an excellent weight loss drink. It contains a large number of antioxidants which have the ability to boost the rate of metabolism in the body. Green tea also keeps the mood of people good. It helps people in burning the fat present in their bodies. A lot of people have been able to reduce their weight with the help of this drink.

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Black Toenail

This might be a gross topic to some of you but it is important to me so I am going to blog about it. If you are squeamish or HATE feet like my friend Michael does, you might want to NOT read this post. If you can handle it, read on.

I have a black toenail. It isn’t the first and hopefully won’t be the last. Here it is for all to see:

Dirty...I know!

The first black toenail I got was after my 10k in November. I had my toenails painted red and that same one looked like a darker color. I didn’t think too much about it until I noticed that the toenail seemed thicker than the others. I decided to take the nail polish off and investigate. Sure enough, it was thicker and darker in color.

Hmmmm…let’s just see how much I can clip it with the toenail clippers. I kept clipping and clipping and clipped the whole top of the nail off (I have recently read up on the topic and we are NOT supposed to do this so don’t if you are having this issue). There was a nail already growing underneath and it didn’t hurt at all to clip it all off!

I did a little research online, found out this was normal for runner, and thanked God it was winter and I could wear socks and shoes while it grew back.

It had just grown back for my half-marathon and I had a growing suspicion it might not last long! Sure enough, after my half marathon, the nail was VERY tender. Then, two days later…BLACK.

Well darn!  Here we go again…

I thought maybe it was because my shoes were too small…NOPE!

I thought maybe it was from running downhill…that certainly wasn’t the case for this half marathon…it was so hilly!

I did a little MORE research and found this very insightful article. Apparently, this is VERY common among runners who run long distances. It is just another example of how I really am a runner!

I guess I will just have to go and get a pedicure to cover it up with some dark nail polish…oh darn!

There...that's better!

Have you ever had a black toenail from running? If you have, consider yourself a “real” runner. If you already consider yourself a “real” runner and you haven’t had one, consider yourself “real” lucky!

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Weight Loss Competition Is Over

Final Competition Weigh In!

Well…yesterday was our last weigh in from our weight loss competition at work.

How did I do, you ask?

I did not do good at all. In fact, I sucked.

I officially came in last place and didn’t really lose any weight over the entire course of the competition. But, here are the things I did accomplish while this competition was going on:

Not only that, I facilitated a group of people and in the end, the winner lost over 50 pounds and the group as a total lost almost 200 pounds! Isn’t that amazing?!?

So…this time around I was certainly not the biggest loser but I gained so much in the process that I am OK with that.

I am off to Florida with my BFF and her three munchkins for Spring Break! I am excited about playing with kiddos, sitting by the pool, finishing the third Hunger Games book, and exercising!

Are you going away for Spring Break? If you are, where are you headed?

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No Time for Fitness? Why Not Work Less, Do More?

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks digesting the book, Work Less, Do More by Jan Yager, Ph.D.  It’s one of the most down-to-earth guides to simultaneously decreasing your workload and increasing your productivity that I’ve ever read.  You're wrong if you think you've got no time for fitness. Everyone struggling to incorporate the added dimension of fitness into their life knows that managing time and resources is essential. It can be done.

Aptly subtitled “The 14 Day Productivity Makeover,” Yager’s book helps readers whittle activity down to an effective, comfortable pace.  With step-by-step instructions, the book helps you accomplish more with your given 1,440 minutes a day.  A plethora of time management tools are on the market today, and we’ve got to be selective when it comes to which tools we put into practice.  I’ve found Work Less, Do More to be one of those valuable tools.

Jan Yager, Ph.D. is a speaker, writer, and coach.  Her degree in sociology has helped her on her career path, specializing in topics such as time management, friendships, relationships in the workplace, business, and writing.  Her long list of interviews on established programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, and The View demonstrates her credibility and impeccable knowledge on these topics.

Some of the topics covered in the book include goal setting, prioritizing, paperwork, email communications, and maximizing meetings.  Each chapter contains practical advice and action steps to take.  Quizzes, vital information presented in easy-to-read charts and graphs, lists, and diagrams are sprinkled throughout the book.  Each chapter concludes with a “Beat the Clock” exercise which helps immediately you put into action what you’ve been learning, in order to solidify the techniques and serve as a catalyst for change.

One of my favorite chapters in Work Less, Do More deals with what Yager calls the Five P’s:  procrastination, perfectionism, poor planning, pacing, and petulance.  I’m so glad someone finally covered the topic of petulance, otherwise known as plain ol’ grouchiness.  I’m a huge fan of positive thinking, and Yager relays important info regarding the energizing affect of enthusiasm and a positive mental outlook.

I also love Day 6, the chapter that deals with organization.  Yager begins with a short quiz on the signs of disorder and how to combat it.  She includes a sample appointment book format, a list to help organize your repetitive tasks, office organization techniques and considerations, and tips on organizing your home.

I took this chapter to heart and organized all my fitness equipment and info.  I put all my free weights in order and made them easily accessible.  I finally hung up the weight training charts and motivational quotes I’ve been meaning to for ages.  I installed hooks to hang my miscellaneous equipment like my TRX, my resistance bands, and my jump rope.  I put all my workout journals and papers in one location, and even organized and straightened my supplement cabinet.  Awesome, huh?

When you order your book, (and I highly recommend that you do as soon as possible,) skim through it first if you wish, but then commit to working through the book in its entirety.  We tend to skip over topics are lessons that are uncomfortable, but it’s likely that the reason they are uncomfortable is precisely because they are in dire need of attention.  For example, I was tempted to skip the chapter on paperwork.  I tried to convince myself I didn’t need that chapter because I didn’t have much paperwork; that I was primarily electronic-based.  Wrong.  I still had floating paperwork and a poor system – I just didn’t want to deal with it.

Yep, I was dealing with denial and procrastination. I forced myself to work through the chapter, dealt with my clutter, and viola!  I’m cleaner, more organized, and feeling quite good about myself for sticking to it.

See a little video on Yager’s Work Less, Do More here:

 

You can visit Jan Yager and see what she’s up to or pick up a copy of her book.  Remember, you can find the time for fitness if you make the time.  We’re all given 24 hours every day.  Make sure you use your time consciously and wisely, and fill up your time with the things that really matter, like your family, your health, and your chosen passions.

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Another Friday Five MishMash

Woah. Today’s been a crazy day. Our internet has been wonky and SLOW because we used it all up this month too soon and that makes my work difficult since it’s 100% online. It’s been a tiring, trying day but doing this post will cheer me up I know it!

I’m thinking about buying a snowboard. If I can find one on TradeMe (site that is like Craigslist meets Ebay) I might get one before our snowboarding trip this winter. Visiting Snowplanet rekindled my love for snowboarding and woke me up to the fact that I live relatively close to mountains now (Memphis was so flat and so far away from them). I definitely plan to go multiple times while I live in New Zealand so getting a board and boots might be a good idea. I’ll think about it more but it’s been added to my “wish list” of eventual purchases.

Plus snowboarding is good exercise so I can count that as activity towards weight loss which makes a snowboard almost necessary. Right? ;)

Wedding Recap: Food & Drink – because our food was yummy!

Wedding Recap: What Went Wrong – because no wedding is ever perfect!

1. Life is short. Yesterday I was listening to a podcast with a caller who had terminal cancer at 36. She said she hadn’t prepared for it because she didn’t expect it. What a reminder that life is short.

2. Sodium overload this week. I’ve consumed way too much sodium and I know it. I’ll post about this soon but for now all I can think about is whether my next meal is high in sodium and how I can lower it.

3. Measurements. At the gym I noticed in the mirror that my legs appeared smaller than they once were. I couldn’t tell if my judgement was accurate or not so I decided to check my measurements when I got home. Holy moly, I really have lost inches off my body in the last three months. It’s pretty exciting. In a couple days I’ll have my final LiveFit measurements to see!

Four Awesome Things About This Week

JuJu and I had a great week this week. She finally is starting to understand how to walk on a leash without pulling her excited little self all over. Also she now understands the word ball and will find her ball in the yard on command which is amusing. Smart doggy!Dinner tonight is chicken enchilada casserole. I have no idea how to make this but the idea popped into my head last night and it sounded delicious.I’m going ice skating tomorrow with a group of our friends here. Even better, today’s daily deal was for this exact activity so we are going to save half the cost. I used to dislike daily deal sites but lately they’ve been allowing us to get out and try things here without blowing our budget. I’ve only been ice skating a couple times before but it was somewhat fun so I’m looking forward to this!A reader sent me a donation because his mom likes to read my blog. This rarely happens and I don’t ask for donations but it made my day. Thanks David and David’s mom!What are you having for dinner next?What is your favorite way to treat/pamper yourself?Baths or showers? Which do you prefer?What is your favorite/most trusted news website? Why?Do you still read actual newspapers or just get news online?

That’s it for me! I’m done fighting with this internet for now since I know I’ll have another couple days of slow speed to deal with.

Enjoy your Friday and your weekend!

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