P90X Week 5 Day 32

And so I enter a new month….this is my first time doing most of these workouts and I like them! Tuesday I did Shoulders, Chest and Tris for the first time. Last night it was Back and Biceps for the first time.

I am loving Backs and Biceps! My arms are still sore! I did pretty good with all of the moves and competed the whole workout. With Shoulders, Chest and Tris, I did maybe half the workout, and that’s mainly because I had a bootcamp class earlier that day that wore out my muscles.

I am going to try and go heavy with all the moves that I can. My biceps are pretty string, but I was scary last night, still doing 10s. I do have an interchangeable hand weight set that was a 12.5 weight, so I may try using those.

Do I see results so far? Not really. I feel a bit stronger. Have lost a few pounds since the start of the year (actually I lost and gained and lost again which is bad). This month, if I stay focused and on, I hope to finally start seeing results!

I can’t believe I am a third done already! Sheesh!

Popchips and other great things to try!

Okay, my peeps know I am slightly obsessed with Popchips. I eat at them a lot. The whole bag has 3 servings, 120 calories a serving, 4g of fat, 190mg sodium, 18g of carbs. Now, I am not saying these are “good for you,” because they are still “junk food” but they are a whole heck of a lot better than regular potato chips!

So imagine my delight when I find that my fave health food store Trader Joes, has their own brand of popped chips! For HALF the price I was paying!! I saw them, quickly read the stats and they were near identical, so I grabbed a bag of plain and barbecue.

But it doesn’t stop there!!

Next to them were some chips called “Reduced Guilt Skinny Fries.” It’s described as “air-popped potato sticks with sea salt.” They were the same price as the TJ’s popped chips, and the same amount of servings per bag. The calories are a bit lower at 110 per serving, fat lower at 2g, but the sodium is almost double at 320. I grabbed 2 bags of that anyway. I LOVE salty snacks!

I opened a bag in my car, I couldn’t wait. The sticks were pretty good, not as salty as chips, but enough…with an almost airy taste, which means you will want to eat more. They would be a combination of potato chips and fries.  Love them!  It looks like a lot for 3 servings, so maybe I won’t devour the whole bag in one sitting like the popchips!

Other must grabs when you get to Trader Joes:

Kind bars: If you have a sweet tooth, these are better than ANY candy bar I have ever tasted. Well, my opinion. They even have one drizzled in chocolate. These are addictive! I like to buy them buy the case, about $1.49 per bar.

Raw, unsalted nuts and seeds: I have stock piles of nuts, so I only grabbed some raw, unsalted sunflower seeds this time. But try almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds or pistachios (they are roasted, but unsalted)

Hummus: If you never tried this, get thee to Trader Joes and try it! A container is only $1.99

Pizza dough: I didn’t get any this time because I went on my lunch break, but this is great for making homemade pizza.

Edamame: Again, go try these. When I was vegetarian is was a good source of protein for me.

Ezekiel bread: This is one of the very few breads considered “clean” and therefore helpful when trying to live healthier. You’ll have to adjust to the taste, and it’s a bit pricey (TJ has their own brand of sprouted bread).

Pitas: They have various sizes, but I like the mini ones for scooping up hummus, but the regular sized ones are good for stuffing with sandwich fixings.

Tea: Trader Joes has some of the best, cheap tea selections…except they stopped making mine awhile ago and I have yet to find a replacement.

To see big results, get comfortable being uncomfortable

Losing weight is not easy, so get ready for some hard work!

No boo-hooing that drinking 8+ cups of water is too hard! In fact, that is not enough! Half your body weight in ounces…plus more if you work out at a high intensity (which you should be).

No complaining that lifting weights is boring, or hard, or you don’t know what to do! Get a trainer, even just for one session to show you what to do. Lifting weights should be done THREE times a week. And after your body adjusts to doing it, add more weights and/or reps. Yeah, it’ll hurt, but SO WHAT!

Ha ha ha! You really believe that 30 minutes of walking will help you lose weight? Okay, good start, but your body would adjust to that rather quickly, then you will have to pick up the pace. For serious weight loss, 60 minutes or more. I didn’t stutter! If you are just going through the motions to say you did something…expect to be comfortable with no results.

Eeew! My egg whites and chicken breasts are not that great with no salt added! Yep, but guess what, I am comfortable being uncomfortable for a bit. Try new seasonings that give your food flavor without adding sodium. And by the way egg whites? Yes, lose those yolks please.

But everybody else is going out and enjoying McDs and Pizza Hut, it’s no fair! Yep, say bye-bye to all the fast food. Hey, I love the stuff myself, but it does not love me. There are a few fast food places where you can make better choices…find them! Subway is high on my list.

“I give up! It’s just so hard, hard, hard!” How many times do we feel like this? What did I just tell you in my first sentence? “Losing weight is not easy, so get ready for some hard work!” There, I repeated it, now read it, underline it, cut it out, post it on your forehead. Heck, I’m a personal trainer, I KNOW what to do, and this does not make it any easier for me. I get tired…I want some French fries…I want to lay down and read a book instead of working out…I want a handful of Skittles and not munch on these apples…oh well!

I hope I made you mad.

P90X Week 4 Day 24

I’ve skipped too many workouts. More than I wanted to. I was going to repeat week 3, but you know what, I’m going ahead with Week 4 with some modifications. I missed Legs day twice, and have yet to do Kenpo X at all (which happens to be my fave). So I will add those in this week.

Tonight I will do Arms and Shoulders, my second fave. I also will go for a run/walk. I am trying to aim for 120 of exercise minutes...or roughly so. Some of the P90X workouts are not a full 60 minutes…but it sure feels like it.

I’m excited to get to Week 5. I don’t think I made it that far last time. I think I will stick with it better in this next Phase as I really want to see the results, and two, the Just Lose It Challenge has begun and I need some good hardcore workouts in the next 12 weeks.

P90X Week 3 Day 19

Plyometrics is definitely the mother of all X workouts!! Last night I did the complete 50 minutes!! Nearly all straight through, but I took like a 2 minute breather in between. Next, to go all the way through no extended breaks. Hey, but that’s what the pause button is for!

After that, it would be to get my form perfected and punching out each move 100% no gasping for air like I’m about to die. Tony said before the workout, “Get your buckets ready.” Oh yeah, it definitely makes you want to hurl at some points, but I did not. This workout reminded me a lot of the Insanity workouts…which by the way, did make me puke.

I must, MUST getting my eating back on track, or else, all this hard work won’t show!

My legs feeling like jello today lets me know I go hard all the time! I also did 20 minutes if Zumba too. Too bad Legs and Back is tonight….this is one of the tougher ones for me. I don’t like this one at all…but I will push myself to do the best and complete the whole workout, with some modifications of course.

I also have a run/walk scheduled for today. I will take things slow this time, but still run a bit. My goal is shortening my 3-mile time. I did about 55 minutes last time, so I am aiming for 50 minutes, mostly fast walking, a few short sprints in there.

Ask the Trainer: How many calories should I eat?

This was a hot topic of discussion yesterday. To a newbie to a healthy lifestyle/weight loss regime, it can be daunting.

And guess what, this Trainer does not have the answer!

I get this question a lot, but because I have not studied nutrition, this is really not my forte. If you listen to my advice, listen with a grain of salt and do your own research or find a nutritionist to help you. All I can offer is my opinion on things.

Okay, that’s my PT disclaimer.

So really, how many calories do you need to lose weight? Going to depend on so many factors: age, height, current weight, goals, activity level, even gender.

In general, men need between 2,000 to 2,400 calories and woman between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day. Consuming less than 1,200 calories per day can be harmful to your health since it may trigger your body to go into starvation mode, causing your body to actually hold onto calories.

Women in don't need to eat as many calories as men. Also, people who exercise vigorously on a regular basis need to eat more than those who don't.

Me, I’m a fan of calorie cycling. My calorie range is 1300-1600, and most days I stay close to 1300 (I try to never go under 1200), but I must have at least 1-2 days a week where I hit that 1600. Either it’s on my “off day” on the weekend, or a midweek treat. Also, having a high calories day is great if you go off tracked when you did not plan to. The next day, get right back at it and hit that low calorie range and stick to that for a few days.

But listen, if you are extremely overweight, you NEED to eat way more than I do! 1200 calories are not enough and it puts your body in starvation mode…and worse, triggers cravings and binges. If you weigh more, eat more! And for every 10 pounds you lose, recalculate your calories needs. If you increase your activity level, eat more!

Check out this website to calculate your calorie needs: freedieting.com

P90X Week 3 Day 17

Well, honestly, I have missed more days than I planned to with this, but guess what? No worries! I am going to keep pushing through and try my best and do it every day, that’s all I can do!

Last night I did Shoulders and Back. This one is not that bad. I like it enough…though all those push-ups, GEESH! I need to get to the point I can do regular push-ups and not the girl ones all the time. Two, to do a dive-bomber would be heaven. I just look at them on the DVD like, “Yeah, right!”

I can feel my arms, shoulders and back getting stronger. I can’t wait to see my body totally transform! I’m sure I would be seeing better results if my eating was better. I do good during the week….the weekend comes, then its anything goes!

Well, I will be starting another Just Lose It contest starting next week, so ummm, my weekends need to be on point! I will start with a Monday weigh-in like I did last time, but gradually shift over to Thursday like I did before.

This time, I have my sister in it with me, as well as several of my sorority sisters. Friendly competition between us will egg me on! I’m not striving to win this like before….not even second place…..but to be in the Top 10 would be AMAZING!!

So GAME ON!

Ask the Trainer: How can I eat clean?

Clean foods are natural, free of added sugars, hydrogenated fats, trans-fats and anything else that is unnatural and unnecessary. Or I say, nothing from a bag, box or can.

Those frozen entrees are no good, not even if it says “Lean Cuisine” or “Smart Ones.” Nope, not such a smart idea!

Canned soup is out, I don’t care if it says “low-sodium, low fat, low-calorie.”

So then, you’re wondering, what can I eat? I don’t have time to prepare a breakfast/snack/lunch every day. Hint: BATCH COOK!

Find a couple of recipes that you like, make them your staples, and batch cook them over the weekend and portion them out for the rest of the week.

Here's some things that I do:

-Batch cook several chicken breast seasoned with Mrs. Dash.

-Batch cook a breakfast casserole that uses no salt, try Rachel MacMuffins (just google it)

-Boil a bunch of eggs

-Batch cook beans (my kids and I really like them)

-Jamie Eason Turkey meatloaf muffin. Google this recipe, trust me, they are good!

-Egg white bites (egg whites, veggies, and crumbled sausage if you like combined and made in a muffin pan).


In a pinch, here are some options:

-Kind bars. I LOVE these things. I found them at Trader Joes and they are awesome. All natural, low/no sodium

-Mariani granola and trail mix bars. I found these at Walmart. ZERO sodium, healthy all-natural bars

-Larabars, just fruit and nuts, nothing added to them.

-no salt added rice cakes are good with Laughing Cow cheese

-green beans and spinach are the best veggies to have on hand because they are good raw are steamed.

-Keep frozen fruit on hand for morning smoothies

Weight loss tips to push yourself

There are always more things we can do to really push ourselves to reach our weight los goals.  here are a few tips.

• There are enough unhealthy food temptations out in the world, don’t put them right under your nose in your kitchen
• You can adapt a workout to kick your booty no matter where you are or what you’re working with.
• Your training and meals should be designed to achieve your specific goals. There is no one size fits all.
• To help you burn fat through the night, stop eating 2 hours before bed.
• Studies show that when you have a buddy you are 7X more likely to stick to a fitness regime
• To make the most out of your workout, always ask yourself, “Can I go HARDER?”
• Check your weight before you start an exercise program and keep checking for changes but don’t expect radical change immediately.
• Cravings should be expected when your body is adjusting to a new eating/diet plan. Pushing through and ignoring those cravings, especially in the beginning of a diet plan, is 100% just a mental game.
• Don’t blow off exercise altogether when something comes up in your schedule. It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing, push yourself every day to be active.

Tips to Lose Weight Fast!

Here’s a list of the things that I did faithfully, or tried to do faithfully, to lose weight FAST!! 15% of your body weight in 12 weeks is impressive, but I know I had to do a lot of little “tricks” to get there.

1. WARM WATER WITH LEMON every morning, cleanses the body, detoxifies, and helps reduce water retention

2. GREEN TEA, 3-5 five cups every day

3. 12+ cups of water a day, forget what I said about the 8, 12 or more is the way to go!

4. CALORIE-CYCLING, have higher calorie days in the days that follow your weight in, then slowly trickle down to the low calorie end.

5. SUBSTITUE MEALS, like a bar or shake. I don’t like many shakes personally, but having my Kind Bars in a pinch were the right trick for me. Long as it’s around 300 calories a bar, it’s a meal. I’m not saying do these every day, but for me, they help keep my calorie range in check and help with my portions---you don’t overeat when lunch is a bar.

6. NO SALT! And I am a salt addict, but totally cutting it out (even though the food tasted blah to me) helped prevent extra water retention. Some days I was as low as ZERO sodium (which actually is not a good thing, we need some sodium!)

7. No/Low sugar/carbs. No bread, no added sugar, even tried to stay away from artificial sweeteners. Also, last meal of the day, NO CARBS.

8. Stay clear of BANANAS and GRAPES, yes it’s fruit, but both of these turn into the bad sugar and not good for a speedy weight loss. Okay, once in awhile you can have some, just know that these are forbidden fruits for maximum weight loss.

9. 60+ minutes of CARDIO 6 days a week. Go for 2 hours every other day if you can.

10. LAST CHANCE WORKOUT before weigh-in, that means intensify your workout and go for as long as you can, be that two hours or three.

11. STRENGTH TRAIN 3 times a week. You don’t have to go heavy either, but make sure you hit all muscle groups. The more muscle you build, the more fat you burn!

12. SWEAT it out before a weigh-in either in a sauna or workout in sweats. Reserve this little tip for the last week. I did it for the last two and I think it helped. Or if you are aiming for a specific event, like a photo shoot, or wearing a bikini to the beach, this will let those muscles pop.

13. SLEEP…me talking about this? Yes, sleep helps with weight loss. I saw this tip and tried best to follow it. If I don’t have enough sleep, I won’t have enough energy to fuel my crazy workouts!
14. RESIST ALL CHEATS. Now this may contradict with the next tip, but by no cheats I mean, nibbling French Fries here and there, eating the break room donuts/bagels/pretzels, or whatever else is back there, eating random candy, etc. You get the picture. When I say cheats, I mean those little nibbles that add up.

15. BUT ALSO SCHEDULE IN “TREAT” DAYS. This could be semantics, but what I call a treat is, treating yourself to a meal out, or a slice a pizza, or whatever you crave once in awhile. I would have gone crazy without it.

16. WEIGH-IN EVERY DAY, I know some disagree, but this helps tremendously! I weigh and track it on a chart. I can study the ups and downs and actually anticipate the loss.

17. Schedule official WEIGH-IN days on the best day of the week for you, before any possible cheats or treats. I have found (this is me totally honest) that setting your official weigh-in day can affect your success. I prefer later days of the week, Friday or Saturday, but in all honesty, when I started this 12 week challenge, Monday weigh-ins kept me in check over the weekends. I couldn’t go out and eat Chinese on Saturday and then weigh-in on Monday! Which is why I gradually moved it to Thursday…but that just began a vicious cycle of bad weekend, and 3 days to get it off. NO! I was kinda sabotaging myself. (Still won’t make Monday my official weigh-in, but I know I had better success with it)

18. Give yourself a TIMEFRAME for losing FAST, no more than 12 weeks and have a good concrete goal. Some of these tips you just can’t maintain for that long, for me it’s the no salt. I’ve finally added it back and all my food is tasty again.

19. Find SUPPORT that cheers you on with forums like Spark, Weight Watchers or so many others!

I'm sure there is something I am missing, but this is the bulk of it. NOW LET'S BURN SOME FAT!!

Just Lose It Challenge: When is this over?

The standings now with 2 weigh-ins left.


1. Chris R 15.483%

2. ME 12.025%

3. Ida B 11.429%

I'm super nervous. I'm trying for an awesome weigh-in tomorrow, but giving in to little nibbles of food, sabotaging myself.  So proud of my success so far, but I can't wait till this is over.

No, I'm not going to pig out and gain it all back, but I won't have to try so hard to lose FAST and I can get back to some kind of normal eating. My workouts may not change though.

Just 2 more weeks!

Just Lose It Challenge: Do you need a size goal?

#2 is still not a winner. So I need to go really hard for the last 3 weigh-ins. Here are the results:


1. Chris R. 13.953%

2. Me 12.025%

3. Tonya 9.422

Three more weigh-ins and I am really nervous. It gets harder to lose the last 10 pounds, so I have decided to go high raw AND kick up my workouts a notch. 2-3 hours, high intensity workouts. I want sweat on the floor! I am trying my darnest to get in a morning workout for the calorie burn power of it, but ummm….still a work in progress.

I have my eye on winning this and becoming the first woman to do so! Yes, I feel like a contestant on the Biggest Loser, but that makes it exciting. The prize is nice too, but I am loving feeling healthy and strong again. And wearing cute clothes!!

Over the weekend I went shopping in my closet. You know, where you have your smaller sized clothes you have not worn in awhile but now you can fit and look smoking hot!! I know I am not the only one with a large size range in their closet. Mine starts as small as 3-4 and all the way up to 12 on a bad day. Well, not many 12s, I gave them all away when I lost the weight the first time. But I had maybe 2-3 things I could not part with (and my sister thinks I should save since I yo-yo between sizes so much). Right now I would say I am comfortable in 6-8.

Yesterday I had on size 6 jeans and the fit fine, except the push up my muffin top. Today I have on 8s and they are falling off! So I’m going to say I’m officially back to my 6s, which I am very comfortable in, and if I can stay a size 6 forever, I’d be happy! But I have more weight to lose, and so I will probably be a 4 again. Don’t want to go any smaller than that (well, not really, but for Camp Do More next year, I would love to be a 2…just to meet Chalene and look my absolute best)

Not really thinking about a “size” per se, or even a weight goal, but I want to be toned and sleek, with rocking abs and chiseled arms. To do that, I need to drop my body fat really low, so I will be working on that next year. Weight lifting will be my obsession.

No matter what the size on that tag says, I say be healthy!

Just Lose It Challenge: Look at me now!

That’s my theme for this week, in my Chris Brown voice, “Look at me now, look at me now….I’m getting paper!”

Well, okay, not really. But if I WIN this challenge, the prize is worth more than paper! I have no idea what the prize is….I guess losing the weight is the prize.

So last week, I did not weigh in because I had not loss anything. I still could have weighed in and kept my free pass (we can miss 2) but I thought it would be a great game play. Weeellll….

1. Chris R. 10.832%
2. Ida 10.00%
3. ME  9.494%
4. Tonya  9.422%

With my weight staying the same, I only dropped to 3rd place!

But I have to come HARD for this week’s weigh in (see my theme from last week, HUSTLE HARD). The top 4 are soooo flippin close it’s anybody’s game. This is my perfect chance to take the lead and run with it but I need a BIG number this week. I will weigh-in tomorrow, so fingers crossed.

I'm learning a lot with this challenge. you CAN push yourself harder than ever. You CAN challenge yourself to DO MORE!  I don't believe in the "just 30 minutes of walking a day." mentality.  As a trainer, if you come to me, don't look for easy!  Look to work out like never before.  And if that is too easy, I will just push you some more.

I push myself. Even when I feel like, "Well, I already worked out an hour....that's enough." HECK NO!  To stay in the top, to compete with people double my size, I cannot slow down.  They are getting more aggressive, so I have to as well.  I had to mix my workouts up a bit, and my eating needs yet another makeover!  I change both every few weeks.

So no excuses here, nope, don't want them!  I'm aiming for the number 1 spot next week and nothing less.

Just Lose It Challenge: HUSTLE HARD!

After 6 weeks, I am holding strong in the number TWO spot! Here are the top 3 rankings:

Here’s the top 3:

Chris R. 11.506%

ME! 9.49%

Sheri 8.738%

How do I keep doing this week after week? I HUSTLE HARD!!

Every bite of food I take is going to make a difference.

Every exercise minute I make happen, matters.

Every ounce of water I drink, helps the journey.

I’ve said it before, I will say it again. THIS AIN’T EASY!! Every day is so hard for me. I want to give up, I want to pig out, I want to skip a workout. Why can’t I enjoy that pizza when everyone else an? Why can’t I lay on the couch and enjoy some good TV (or bad reality TV, heck, I don’t care)?

WINNERS never quit, and quitters never WIN! I know, cliché, but I have a bunch of them that get me through. Right now I cheer myself on with “Hustle, hustle, hustle hard!” pounding in my head. This week’s weigh-in will not be pretty, but I am still in the game! You better believe that!

Just Lose It Challenge: 4 Big Tips

Someone asked me how am I staying in the Top 10 of the Just Lose It Challenge. It’s not easy, it’s not easy at all. Here are my four pointers.


1. Having a one track mind! Staying in the top 10! If I nibble on a cookie, an extra serving or go out to the Chinese buffet that I love, I know I may not be in the Top 10.

2 CLEAN FOODS! I know you have heard this before, but processed food is really garbage. I have all but eliminated it. Even when I eat a cheat meal, it’s clean foods! Nothing from a box bag, or can. My cabinets are pretty much bare these days.

3. Water, water, water! Lots of it. Half my body weight and more most days. I average 12-14 cups a day, but on days I’ve overdone the salt, 16.

4. I don’t exercise for the faint of heart. Meaning, 30 minutes a day is NOT enough. TWO hours at the gym most days, or I split it with an hour at the gym an hour at home. And not simple walking either! I’m in the front of my Zumba class with as much energy as the Instructor. I lift weights 2-3 times a week. I RUN on the treadmill. At home I do high intensity workouts like P90X Kenpo X or Turbo Kick. If 2 hours is too much, whatever you do, don’t halfway do it! You can rest when your workout is done.

But whatever you do, KEEP DOING IT!!

Just Lose It Challenge: It will always be hard

I want to win. If you have been reading my blogs and how I have been doing during this challenge, you know I am committed to be #1. This is the start of week 6. I weighed in today. Slow but steady, I have lost another pound!

Every loss is a good loss! So I celebrate.

And the celebration will continue because last week’s rankings are posted.

I AM NUMBER TWO!!

Yes, I said it! I went from the number 3 position to number 2! How about that?

This ain’t easy! Let me just be clear about that. YES, I am a certified personal trainer. YES, I am a certified lifestyle & weight management coach. YES, I am certified to teach Hip Hop Hustle and Turbo Kick! YES, I have lost 46 pounds in the past…and gained half of that back! YES, I read and study everything I can about diet, healthy lifestyle, and fitness.

NO, I don’t have all the answers. It would be awesome if I was a perfect person with no worries about losing and gaining weight. I struggle just like the normal Joe. My difference is, I know when to focus. I know when to turn up the heat when needed. I wish I could say, “I’ll never gain weight back.” Ha! I think I said that over two years ago when I reached my goal. How embarrassing that that was a lie?

It will always be hard for me. It will always be a struggle. I know for a fact I can’t stay as focused as I am right now 365 year after year. Maybe it will slowly creep up again, or I gain 10 pounds in a week….I know that I have to constantly battle with my weight.

I’m okay with that. I think I learned a valuable lesson by gaining the weight back. I didn’t know everything! I sure thought I did. Now that I know this, I think I have a better chance of keep my weight maintained.

Just Lose It Challenge: Sneak in Exercise

1. Walk to your destination if it takes fewer than 30 minutes to get there.

2. Do bicep curls with any heavy bags you haul to and from work. They’re as unwieldy as kettlebells, so balancing them forces more muscles to fire.

3. Dance with your kids. Even if it’s to nursery rhyme songs!

4. Clench your butt muscles while climbing the stairs

5. See if you can hold a plank pose for three consecutive minutes every day.

6. Eke out crunches during commercial breaks.

7. Bike to meet pals on the weekend.

8. Wear a watch that monitors calorie burn. Or a pedometers that monitors your steps

9. Perform leg lifts and bridges while you talk on the phone.

10. Set your clock 30 minutes ahead so you have time to run before work.

Taken from Self magazine September 2011

Just Lose It Challenge: Still Holding Strong

My standing as of last week’s weigh-in is me still holding strong in THIRD place!


That’s awesome when you look at about 400 that signed up (though I am sure many have dropped out). What’s really great is I don’t have as much to lose, but I am pushing very, very hard to lose what I can each week and stay in contention. It’s getting harder and harder!

I had sushi and Tempura last Monday! I had a foot-long sub another day. It didn’t seem to mess up this week’s weigh-in, but could I have done better?

There’s always that question, and I say YES! No one is, nor should be perfect at this healthy lifestyle. You stumble along the way. You take a nibble here or there of the forbidden food, you skip a workout (never me, just saying), or you know you did not push yourself to really do more, you just went through the motion. I always think, if I am going to workout, I better sweat buckets and burn like 1,000 calories each time. You can do the same workout and burn 500, but if I know how to amp it up and burn more, then I’m going for it.
But the workouts are never my stumbling point….it’s the eating. I like food. I like a LOT of food!! I like good tasty food. But for this challenge, I am trying to stay as strict as I possibly can. To lose the most weight in 12 weeks and to WIN, you gotta do what you gotta do. So that said….no, my eating is far from perfect. I could do way better and my results would be even better.
Each week I try and do better. I’ve been doing just enough to keep me in top 10, but now I need to gun for the #1 spot!

Just Lose It: Weight Loss Tips

• Eat at least three times a day


• Pay attention to your body. When you feel like you have had enough to eat, stop. Quit before you feel full, stuffed, or sick from eating. You can have more if you really are hungry.

• If you still feel hungry are unsatisfied after a meal or a snack, wait at least 10 minutes before you have more food. Often, the cravings will go away.

• Drink plenty of calorie-free drinks (water, tea, coffee). You may be thirsty, not hungry.

• Pick lean meats, low-fat or nonfat cheese and skim (nonfat) or 1% milk instead of higher-fat/higher-calorie choices.

• Get plenty of fiber. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are good sources. Have a high-fiber cereal every day.

• Cut back on sugar. For example, drink less fruit juice and soda.

• Limit the amount of alcohol (beer, wine, and liquor) you drink.

• Keep all the food in the kitchen. Eat only in a chosen place, such as the table. Don’t eat in the car or the bedroom or in front of the TV.

Just Lose It Challenge: How am I doing so far?

Well, the results were posted today for the first weigh-in (after initial week). 

1. Chris R. 5.569%
2. Krisi S.  5.213%
3. Teresa Y  4.554%
4. Donovan L. 4.032%
5. KIMBERLY W  3.797%

That's me by the way, Kimberly W, in bold all caps, in case you couldn't tell! I am in 5th place out of 400 participating! Well, 400 is the number that the Challenge had room for...and I am sure many have dropped out or will soon.

So little, bitty me pulled a big enough number to land in top 5.  Yes, I was very excited to see this. It made today's weigh-in feel better.  No loss (although it should have been half a pound, their scale is screwy).  I may drop out of top 10 (they only post top 10) but trust me I will earn my way back in top 10 in the next couple of weeks.

I need to eat better. And when I say better, I mean MORE FOOD! I don't eat enough and that is jacking up my metabolism. Everything I have been eating is good, clean foods, but I am under my calories range nearly every day. Either I am too full to eat more, or half eat some of the food.  This week goal is to eat in my range.

As far as the exercises goes, I don't know if it can get any better. Last night I KILLED 45 minutes of Turbo Jam Cardio Party workout, with weighted gloves on mind you, and then followed that with 30 minutes of Hip Hop Hustle.  Tonight I hit the Y for a little elliptical followed by an hour long Kettlebells class. My home workout will be Turbo Kick, because that burns like crazy calories.