Eating Healthy on a Budget

Eating healthy on a budget doesn't have to be a daunting task. I found a fantastic article on bodybuilding.com that I had to share. It's titled "The $100 Diet:Healthy Grocery List for Amazing Results"

Check it out: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-100-dollar-diet-healthy-grocery-list.html

Only Asthma?

For the past week and a half, I've had to halt my workouts, not because I'm lazy or just didn't want to do anything, but because I've been unable to breathe properly. I've felt as if I was suffocating. I'd inhale deeply and would still be unable to catch a breath. Working out only aggravated it and made it worse.

When my husband finally convinced me to go to the doctor, we went to a walk in clinic after hours where they took X-rays of my lungs and an EKG of my heart. You know what they found?!!! Nothing! The healthcare professional said my lungs and heart were just fine. The doctor contributed my shortness of breath to my already present asthma and allergies. I don't know if I completely believe that. I've been working out for how many years now and have never had a problem as severe as this before. They sent me home with a prescription for steroids, a Z-pack and an inhaler.

Today is day 6 of taking the steroids, Z-pack and inhaler. For the first time in about two weeks, I was able to really push myself in the gym instead of collapsing in a ball on the floor. I completed a 45 minute total body workout during the day, and after work, I was able to cycle for 45 minutes. I still had some difficulty breathing, but I didn't feel like I was suffocating and gasping for air.
I suppose the medicines are doing their job. Although, I am worried about when the medicine wears off. Will I still be OK? Or, will this come back and once again hinder my workouts? I'm headed to my actual PCP in about a week, not only for a check-up, but to get a second opinion about what's going on with my lungs.

"Pussycat Dolls: Dancer's Body Workout" - A Review

As soon as I heard that the Pussycat Dolls were making another dance workout video, "Pussycat Dolls: Dancer's Body Workout" I jumped at the chance to try it out. When a DVD promises that "you'll learn to move with confidence as you dance your way to into show-stopping shape," how can you pass it up?! Plus, I have their first dance workout video and love it!

The other day, I had time to try out the new DVD for the first time. I have to admit that it wasn't as good as their first DVD, but it is still fun. It doesn't get your heart pumping like you think it might. If you just need something to get you off that couch but not absolutely kill you, this DVD is perfect. If you’re looking for some hard-core heart pounding, shirt drenched workout, you'll need to look elsewhere.


The Negatives
There are three dance combinations on the DVD. Each one isn't as long as the ones on their first workout DVD. I didn't have my heart rate monitor on while working out, but I felt as if I didn't burn that many calories - pretty low intensity. My heart rate wasn't up enough. Also when trying to learn the dance combinations, the camera angels were all over the place. I couldn't tell what I was supposed to be doing next. It was hard to follow.


The Positives
What I did like about the video is that it was entertaining. I felt stretched out afterwards and warmed up. I was glad I got off my lazy bum and did something. The girls also make you feel sexy. As we know, it's hard to feel sexy when working out, but they pull it off and make you feel the same way. They are also very fit so it makes you want to work harder to look like them. The last combination involves a chair and a hat! It doesn't get any more amusing than that... unless it involves a boa maybe (which is on the first DVD) :P

All in all, I recommend this DVD if you just need something to get you up and moving, or if you've just starting working out. I also highly recommend their first dance workout DVD. Either way, get off your booty and start dancing!

New Year, New Plan

For the start of a new year, I knew needed to start things off right. I knew I
needed to exercise more and eat right. The holidays did a number on my
health routine. I basically stopped working out and stopped caring about
what I ate - the scale and my body reflected that. I felt miserable. I
was puffy and bloated, not to mention tired, and very lethargic.

In my last blog, I mentioned that I was going to follow the Jamie Eason
Workout Plan. Well, not only did I fall off that wagon, it ran over me,
backed up, and ran over me again! I felt like a slug.

For the new year, I decided to pick myself up and try something else. As
you've read, I like to try new workout plans, but most of them don't
stick. Looking back over my previous blogs, I noticed that there was one
program I latched onto - full-body workouts. They allow me more flexibility than body-part splits. I also enjoy them more which keeps me going to the gym.

I've decided to give the full-body workouts another shot. I will be able to
devise the workout plan to fit my own needs which will help me stick
with the program longer. The formula I will follow will be the same as
it's always been:

Front of Legs
Back
Back of Legs
Chest
Any part of Legs
Back
Isolation Movement
Isolation Movement
Abs

So far this year, the plan has worked out in my favor. I'm able to utilize
the gym at work for weightlifting. After work, I attend a gym with my
husband, where I get my cardio in - whether it be cycling, racquetball or Zumba.

As for eating healthier, I've started cooking more at home for dinner.
I've subscribed to the magazines Cooking Light and Clean Eating, in hopes of finding awesome new recipes to keep my mouth fully entertained while keeping it off my hips, thighs and stomach!

I've also started a vitamin regimen. Everyday I take one multivitamin, (specifically
tailored to women), two B complex vitamins, (as recommended by my
doctor), and two fish oil pills.

I know it's only two weeks into the new year, but I'm already starting to feel
better physically and mentally. I'm not fully 'there' yet, but I know
I will be if I just keep plugging along.

Best of luck to any of you out there just starting a New Years work out plan! You can do it!

Cheers!

Workouts

I’ve honestly been slacking on my Jamie Eason workouts. I’ve been working out, but I haven’t been following her routine. I’ve been going to Zumba and playing racquetball. I’m not sure why, but right now I have this huge aversion to weights. My mind is void of any desire to pick them up. I don’t know if it’s because I personally don’t like her plan of body part splits, or I’m just lacking motivation right now. I need to get back into weights, no matter what routine I do. Even if it means starting over with Jamie’s plan, or finding a new one that fits my needs. Part of my problem, is that I lift weights up at work. We have a small gym and during our lunch break we are allowed to utilize it. Sometimes I can’t find time in my work day to leave my desk to workout. So, that SHOULD leave me to workout at the gym I’m a member of after work right?! For some abnormal reason, I HATE using the weights at my local gym. It’s a huge phobia of mine. I’m basically a member of a gym for the racquetball and cardio equipment.
So, what's a girl to do? I'm not sure just yet. I have my sights on a few things, but don't want to write about them until I'm sure that's what I'm going to do. I've struggled with staying consistent in workouts. I jump around from one plan to the next and I know that's not good for me. Part of the problem is I get bored. I need and crave change. But I know I need to find something and stick with it. I'm thinking of hiring a personal trainer soon to see if that will help pull me out of this rut.

Eating Clean on a Camp Out

My friends and I are packing up our tents and sleeping bags and going camping this weekend.While being at one with nature is fantastic, and sitting around a camp fire with friends is relaxing, the eating aspect of camping is usually on the unclean side. We'll have everything from hotdogs, to pancakes, to chips and this year we are even throwing in spaghetti! So, how's a girl, trying her hardest to eat clean, supposed to "be good" on a camp out full of goodies?!

Well, I've decided to bring reinforcements! I'm going to bring my own cooler packed full of clean, or as close to clean food as I can get.

For breakfast I'll be eating oatmeal and fat free yogurt. For snacks, I'll pack celery, hummus, fruit and rice cakes. (Yes I actually like rice cakes.) Lunch will consist of lunch meat on wheat bread, with mustard, lettuce and tomato. And dinner, well that's going to be a bit trickier. Hotdog night I will either a) eat something completely different b) eat half a hotdog or c) bring turkey dogs. For spaghetti night, I plan on bringing wheat spaghetti and only having a tiny bit of sauce.

Now that I have planned ahead for our venture, I need to make sure and stick with it. I need to discipline myself and not go hog wild on the other food that will be right in front of my face. Wish me luck!!

Food Journal

I'm definitely an eater. I LOVE food. I've always had problems with my portions though. I would stuff my face full of goodness, until my belly would finally catch up to my brain telling me to STOP EATING! Then, it would be too late. I'd look down at the mutilated bag of chips/cookies/or any other unhealthy food I could find.

Back in the day, I used to keep a food journal of everything I ate; I even counted calories. I don't know what possessed me to stop because it was working. I was losing weight and ashamed to write down 'bad' food, so I just didn't eat it.

Because this worked so well in the past, I've decided to start up again. It's time to get back on track and start eating right! I've had a good full week of writing down my food intake as well as calories. I may have mentioned this website before, but www.calorieking.com is an awesome website for looking up food data - calories, protein, sugar, fat etc.

I should mention that I have missed an entire weeks worth of working out, so eating healthy has been very important in my weight loss journey.