Myth Buster #1

A fellow 'Junkie' follower asked me this question in an email about a month ago. I am just now getting around to it. I like the question because I think it pertains to SO MANY women out there...

Here was part of the email:
In the past few years (really I've just noticed it the last two-three years really) there just seems to be this "surge" of "get fit quick" or "use this product to lose weight"...how do you know what's right/what's wrong/what's good/what's bad? I don't really "buy into" the idea of certain programs, but they just seem to be everywhere...I know, for some people, they work; I've seen it...My mom used Weight Watchers last year and lost 15 pounds, but as soon as she stopped Weight Watchers, she put the weight back on. I know for some people NutriSystem works or whatever the "latest craze" seems to be, but I think that's it, though...it's a "craze" not a lifestyle. There just seems to be SO MANY different ways to lose weight/get fit...diets, weight lose systems, exercises, programs to follow...what do you do to find "the one" or "the way" to do it that is most beneficial for you?
The Weigh Down Approach says to only eat when you're hungry...
The Flat Belly Plan says to eat every 4 hours...
The Eat-Clean Diet is made up of mostly natural foods...
Some diets say to count calories...Some diets say don't...
Some diets say eat lots of fruit and vegetables...Some diets say "calories are calories, not matter what you eat." If I only ate when I was hungry, I would only eat about once a day...usually around 11:00AM; that's the only time my belly every really "growls" at me to eat. If I ate every 4 hours, I would be so full and feel miserable (all the time) I do believe it's important to eat food at its most natural state, if possible. There are so many different "calories counts" out there...some people say 2000 calories a day, some people say 1200...some people say it depends on your weight...I've heard you say that you need to burn more calories than you put in...well, how do you do that? If I was to eat 1200 calories a day (which, by the way, I have no idea how much I eat), there's NO WAY I can burn that much...even if I do an exercise you suggest (which I have done) I only burn about 500! How do you do that? What do you do? How do you distinguish what you should do and what you should not?
Just curious...Callie

Love this question. Problem is, it's complicated. First, I have to reiterate the fact that I am not a nutrionist. I am a "health seeker" like most of you. I have a few fitness certifications, that give me little authority. What I can tell you are most "fad" diets are train wrecks and something that may give you results fast, but not sustaining. Most simply because most of them are not something people can healthfully maintain. Our bodies are made specifically to eat and burn calories. Not to starve. Not to deprive certain natural needs {like GOOD carbs}.

I will be the first to say I am super old fashioned. I believe healthy eating and lots of exercise AS A LIFESTYLE are the keys to long term weight loss or maintenance. I don't research diet trends. They sort of make me crazy. I wonder who on earth would want to eat grapefruits for 3 meals a day. Or drink a drink with cayenne pepper?!? Anything that seems gross or weird or impractical...probably is.

Something to consider is that all of our bodies are different. For me personally, I need to eat every 4 hours. Callie is not that hungry. I think you can listen to your body in that way to know if a certain type of eating style is healthy for you. I also am a big fan of natural, whole foods. Real whole grain. Organic grown. Unprocessed foods. You would be shocked at the health value in natural foods vs. processed food {i.e. food with a lot of added, enriched, hydrogenated, msg, etc}. Don't get me wrong, it is not always how I eat, but I strive to. The good thing there is, most food brands are going the organic route. It's sort of the "cool kid" thing to do.

Weight Watchers is one of the only diet programs I can say makes sense. Portion, nutrient rich foods, and no self deprivation. I think the system works. The problem may be that once people reach a certain goal weight, they start to slack off or quit all together. Maybe start exercising less. There is a whole science to keeping weight off. The older we get, the harder it is, the more we have to move and eat better. That's just the progression of life set out for us. I found this article on Weight Watchers if you are interested.

And then there is the calories in/calories out question. Callie mentioned that when she did a hard workout, she only burned 500 calories. Let me explain this a little better. The average woman should consume around 1600-1800 cals a day {depends on activity level, but we'll just use that for now} perhaps you go running and burn 400 calories {again all depends on height/weight/resting heart rate}. The remainder of your calories are burned in all the other activities you do during the day. Here is what's so important. After you workout, your body rapidly burns calories for a fixed amount of time. For instance, I generally burn around 525 calories during my Turbokick class. I will leave the Y, run and errand for 15 minutes, drive home and will have burned 725 calories. That's why you want to get moving. I think it is soooo good to get one of these for you to see how hard you are working during your workouts. Sometimes you think you are doing a lot, but the HR monitor will show you otherwise. It changed the way I push myself!

Ok, so I your heads are probably spinning! Feel free to comment, ask for clarification or refute anything you you like! I would love to have a Myth Buster #2! Remember you can email us at thecardiojunkies@yahoo.com or leave a comment and PLEASE become a follower!!

GRRRRRR!

I have major cabin fever. Have not been able to work out in days. I have pink eye in BOTH eyes and a yucky virus. I was hoping to tough it out and go to the gym anyway, but it is super snowy here {weird because it was sunny and 77 on Sunday} and when anything white falls from the sky here, the WHOLE city literally shuts down and closes. GRRRR. I am in major need of some stress release. We have been sick for going on 2 weeks. It is days like today that make me realize how much I LOVE exercise. Instead of looking at it as a forced break, I am sad. So, I guess I need to shift my thinking, huh?!?!? Ok, here goes...it's beautiful and snowy outside! AND this means I get plenty of time to just rest!

Hmmmm...I guess I feel a little better. Does anyone else get bummed about not getting to work out!?!?!?

Hold Your Horses!

The new blog design is SO close to being done!!!! And I am done with my son's birthday party so I have some posts in my head! As soon as I find more than 10 minutes, I will sit and create a few posts! Don't stop reading!!!!!

In Regards to Our Last Poll...

Apparently no one is wearing these {Reebok} anymore. Except for me. I have a pair that I kickbox in. Oh. yes. I. did.

People most wore these....and these....

but "other" was quite a large margin...what are those of you wearing "other" wearing??? And did you notice that no one wears Reeboks anymore????

Everyone, please state your case for your sneakers. I always wear Nike--I used to use the Nike+ and I-pod to track progress, but after I lost my I-pod I quit. I would love to hear what you all have to say about why you love your shoes. Maybe you can sway me!

Weight History :)

We all have one right?! I thought I'd share mine today! This might not be interesting to anybody, or it might strike a chord with someone out there, so read if you want! It's long! :)

Something I'm passionate about is eating well, not dieting, not stressing, and being comfortable with the way you look. I have not always been this way, so let me back up and tell you a little bit of my weight history.

In high school, I was always about a size 6. I was unhappy with certain parts of my body, but for the most part, I stayed about the same size, whether I was "on a diet" or eating whatever I wanted. I'd fluctuate about 5 lbs off and on, but mostly remained the same. When I went off to college, my eating habits when south really fast. I quickly gained the freshman 15 just by staying up late in the dorms and eating junk food with my girlfriends. It was tons of fun, but not good on the hips. I kind of knew I didn't look the same, but I really was in denial about it, and still tried to squeeze myself into the same jeans! :) Every time I'd go home, I'd quickly drop the weight, just by eating my mom's home cooking, but as soon as I'd get back to school, I'd go right back up.

The summer after Sophomore year of college, I went to Florence, Italy, to study abroad for 3 months. I had the time of my life, and even though we walked everywhere, I still managed to creep up to the highest weight I'd ever been in my life, by eating lots of incredible pasta, gelato, and other Italian treats. By the time I got back, I had about 25 lbs to lose. Over Thanksgiving break, my mom and I decided to go out shopping and get me some new clothes, since it seemed like I wasn't going to go back down to my old size.

Literally, THE NEXT WEEK, I started loosing weight. It's kind of a funny story how it started, but my roommate and I ordered a pizza to split. Instead of getting our cheese pizza, they accidentally brought us cheese bread (the size of a pizza). They said they'd go back and bring us a cheese pizza and that we could keep the cheese bread. Well, I was so hungry, that I ate a good amount of BOTH! I was so sick after that, had so much heartburn, and was so disgusted by the thought of cheese or pizza or cheese bread, that I couldn't eat anything but the healthiest of foods for a while. I have a memory of going to a reunion with my study abroad people a week or two later, and still just wanting to throw up at the thought of that. It literally took me months and months before I could let cheese bread enter my mind without gagging. :)

Well, I decided to start weight watchers soon after that incident, because I figured I might as well start when I have no appetite. That was one of the best decisions I've ever made! I fell in love with the diet and had so much fun doing it. I never went to any meetings, but just borrowed a book and got the hang of it fast. I loved how I could eat anything I wanted on it, just as long as I stayed within my points. I always rounded down, because I didn't want to be too strict with it, but I dropped 30 LBS quickly and so easily! No exaggeration, I have had NO trouble keeping it off since (besides pregnancy weight). It truly just taught me how to eat! I loved how I could save 5 points for a Snickers bar, save 3 points for a bag of popcorn, etc. I have not done the points since, but I just sort of know in the back of my mind what I can eat now and stay about the same weight. And I'm NOT someone who just has a super fast metabolism and can eat whatever I want.

I gained 50 lbs with my first boy and lost it pretty easily, within 4-6 months. I tried not to stress, and actually felt so great every time I'd drop another 5 lbs. Even though I had another 20 lbs to go at one point, I felt to tiny, since I'd lost 30 already! :) With boy #2, I tried hard not to gain 50 again, and only gained a whopping 45 lbs! ;) This time, it took much longer to get off, but I still tried to have a laid back, no stress approach to it all. My first 20 lbs melted away within a couple of weeks. Then, over the next 6 months, I lost about 5 lbs! That was frustrating at times, but I tried to keep it in perspective. I felt like when I started working out this summer, my weight that was stuck (that last 20 lbs), finally started budging. Little by little, it came off, and I've now stopped weighing. Once I got within 3 lbs of my goal weight, I decided to stop and haven't done it since (besides at the doctor's office). I finally!!! got back into my "skinny" jeans on Christmas day (1 year after delivering him)! The top button did pop off, I will admit (it was loose anyways:)), but they finally fit fairly comfortably.

My body is not the same as it was in high school, but somehow I am more comfortable with it than I ever have been in my life! I feel so free from not feeling the need to diet, and I'm so thankful for learning how to eat right from Weight Watchers (I promise this is not an advertisement for them :)). If you're struggling to loose 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 lbs, and can relate at all to my story, I'd highly recommend doing this diet (and I think in the most laid-back, real-life way possible). You're never going to stick to eating no carbs the rest of your life, you're never going to want to eat just grilled chicken and veggies with no butter the rest of your life, so you've got to find something that's practical and reasonable that you can stick to. I have no sweet tooth at all, but my weakness is queso, and Mexican foods. Oh, and dips. I get queso when I want it, but just try to cut back in other ways. I make sure to NOT FEEL GUILTY either. Just enjoy that spinach dip, but don't eat the whole bowl! :) I also have found that the more I eat at home, the more my body just seems to like it, and I don't cook low-fat either. The way you cook at home will be much lower fat than what you find at restaurants, and you're just as satisfied, if not more! I also highly recommend finding a friend or group of friends to work out with. I simply would not do it otherwise! I would have quit long ago, but have thoroughly enjoyed meeting friends up at the gym! Not only is it good exercise, but it's a great social outlet for me, which is much needed when staying at home all day with little children! It also allows me to eat even more dips and queso! :)

I hope you found something in there that you can connect to in some way!!

Stay In The Game, But Hang Up The Capes.

It's February...are you all still out there? Still in the fitness realm? I always fear February. I have posted about it in previous posts. It tends to be the time that people start slacking. Start to slip. Start to...give up. Hopefully, you all are still fighting through the journey that is getting into shape. I will admit, the 'Junkies' are not working out together as much as I would like for us to. It's usually 2 of us...sometimes 3. Rarely all 4. Not what I envisioned for us, but the truth is...it's hard. I am learning that as women, as wives, as the SUPERMOMS we are trying to be, it is just hard to squeeze it all in. Kids are up all night in and out of bed, we were up working on projects and meetings the night before, making 5:45 a.m. seem totally daunting! Some of you are working or going to school or both AND have a family too! When do you squeeze it in?!?!?!? I can honestly say to that...I don't know. For me, I used to have an intolerance for the "no time" excuse. But that's because it's my job. I get paid to go work out with people in my classes. I also love to lead my friends in hard workouts. I just like it. It's sort of my thing. It's super easy for me to choose between housework and working out. Working out wins every time {as do long lunches, naps and reality TV}. But I am learning that so many things pull at your time and it is hard to stay on track! Friends I hope you are still working at it! The 'Junkies' are in your corner! We most definitely feel your pain! Kimbo and I were joking the other day about how she may not get to work out with me in the mornings until her kids are in school! Ha! Maybe not. But she is still finding the time to grind it out in the evenings after the Mommy Office is relieved for business! Lauren and I probably debate via text every night whether or not we should get up the next morning or not! The truth is, we KNOW we won't really be that motivated to go later in the day, but we are just so tired for whatever reason. And let me tell ya, if you even THINK about backing out of a morning workout the night before...you are going to back out of that workout. Am I right? Ladies, keep doing it!!! We feel your pain! DON'T GIVE UP...stay in the game, somehow, some way!

When I envisioned this blog, it was never for me. I wanted to encourage and inspire people. I want you all to have questions answered {again, I am not a "PRO" just someone with a limited knowledge, but a love for fitness and women!}. So, I want to hear from all of you! How is it going???? Are you sticking to your workouts? Do you need motivation? Do you need a plan of attack? Focus? Have you lost weight? Attained a fitness goal? What is on your mind? I would LOVE to hear from you either in comment section, or via email! If you don't feel comfortable leaving questions under comments, you can email to thecardiojunkies@yahoo.com

Hope to hear from you all! And *REMEMBER*: those who read this are not BLOG STALKERS! We looooove people to read and would love you to sign up as a follower and stop being embarrassed because you {gasp} read blogs!

When You Can't Make It To The Gym

There are definitely days when I can't get to the Y to workout, so on those days I do this...

Turbo Jam

I LOVE it! My favorite workout that the Junkies do is Turbo Kickboxing, and these DVDs are from the same creator, Chalene Johnson. I have to admit that these workouts are not as intense as turbo kick, but you can still burn lots of calories. In fact, I did the 50 minute workout today and burned 565 cals. So if you are like me with crazy, busy schedules or a toddler who hates to go to the childcare center at the gym, then try Turbo Jam at home. It works!

Fer's Vacation 'Junkie' Workout

My husband and I had the opportunity to get away for a few days in Cancun! So fun...highly recommend it! I didn't want to ruin all of my hard work from the past months, so I found the workout center at the resort and burned some cals. I was there for 4 days, and I worked out twice. Here's the breakdown:

Workout #1: Elliptical, Ab Machine, and Treadmill = 45 minutes

1. Do the ellip for 20 minutes on a hard level...I did level 8.
2. 10 sets of 10 on the Ab Weight Machine for approx. 10 minutes...set it to 4 or 5 pounds.
3. Run for the last 15 minutes...comfortable speed for the first 5, faster for the last 10.
* I burned 501 cals!!!

Workout #2: Treadmill = 45 minutes

1. Start at a fast walk for 5 minutes to warm up.
2. Run fast for 5 minutes.
3. Slow down to a walk and increase your incline to 10 for 5 minutes.
4. Bring the incline back down and run for 10 minutes this time.
5. Repeat walk with incline for 10 minutes...this time incline at 12.
6. Run the last 10 minutes...first 5 minutes as fast as you can, last 5 minutes at comfortable speed.
* I burned 533 cals!!!

* Most hotels and resorts like this usually have some kind of workout facility to use, so take advantage of them. It's worth it! Don't blow all that hard work on vacation!

'Junkie' Monday Workout

Incline + Run=hard.
Lauren and I got up early Monday to get a little cardio in. To her dismay, I created an incline run workout that she {and myself} would have to endure. I thought you all might want to try it if you are a treadmill kinda person. I have a love hate relationship with Mr. Treadmill. I think he is great, but I tend to get bored with him. Plain ol' walking or running is not something I want to do everyday. I like to shake it up a bit. Hence, the incline run.

You need: a treadmill
**during the incline sprints, I run at a slower pace than on the 1.5 grade sprints**
Start out at a brisk 5 minute walk
Increase your incline to a 7 grade {again, you may have an older treadmill that does not have a steep incline, so you may have to start lower and work up in smaller increments--like 7, 8, 9, 10, 11...etc.} run for 2 min.
Decrease incline to a 1.5 and run a fast sprint for 2 minutes.
Increase incline to a 9--run 2 minutes
Decrease and fast sprint for 2 minutes
Increase to an 11--run 2 minutes....etc {increasing grade by 2 each time}.
Repeat, increasing the incline grade until it is at it's highest peak...then, run on a flat grade until you reach 30 minutes, or run that way as long as you desire.

Heart rate soars. Calories burn. Faces turn bright red. I wish we had pictures for you! Make sure that after you are done with the run, you walk on the treadmill for several minutes. Don't just stop dead in your tracks and hop off. You will get nauseated and feel faint. Let your HR climb down naturally and slowly. Hydrate too.

Try it out this week!

The Sloppy Joes, The Slop--Sloppy-Joes, Yeah!

Hope you all enjoyed my Adam Sandler reference in the title! I want to share a yummy recipe with ya! I am was NEVER a sloppy joe fan. Ick. The Manwich??? Terrible childhood food memory! However, I saw this recipe on Oprah last spring and it sounded so good to me! Must have been the breastfeeding hormones, but I am so glad I made them because they are a new family fave. Easy AND healthy!!!!! I wanted to post a picture, but no matter how you take a picture, sloppy joes just ain't pretty! So, just trust and taste!

Tyler Florence's Ultimate Sloppy Joes
Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion , diced
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
5 whole wheat hamburger buns

Directions: Set a heavy-based pot over medium-high heat and add a 3-count of olive oil. Add onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add ground turkey, season well with salt and pepper and brown well all over, breaking it up with a wooden spoon—about 7 to 10 minutes. Add ketchup, mustard, cayenne, brown sugar and tomato paste. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Finish with a splash of apple cider vinegar and season it once more before serving on toasted whole wheat hamburger buns.

I think homeade coleslaw or a crunchy noodle salad would be da bomb with this, but my kids would cringe, so I usually make a side veggie along with some veggie chips and bread and butter pickles! Yummmmmm....

Something Different: Boot Camps

I had the privilege of having my college roomie and bestie, Coleen, come stay with us all weekend! She was an honorary "Junkie" for the day as she accompanied me to my Turbokick class and 1/3 of a Zumba class afterward! What a sport! She was super pumped about fitness because her Dallas company hired a Boot Camp instructor to work them out after hours at the office! She demonstrated a few moves with me on Friday night and it confirmed what I have always believed...heckuva workout! I LOVE Boot Camp format. You might like it too. It's not in a gym. Generally, weather permitting, the classes are held outdoors for one hour. I like the time options as well, they tend to be super early...think 5:15a.m. {yippee!}, mid-morning or after work hours around 5:30 p.m. So you have options. However, the BEST part of Boot Camp is what you do during the class. It is something new each time. It's not just push-ups {though they are a must}, its lots of running, hill climbing, squatting, lunging, tire pulling, sit-ups, tricep dips...sounds fun right? From what I hear, you hardly ever do the same thing! That is awesome in terms of keeping it interesting and preventing boredom. I also know it sounds only something a super duper fit person can do, but the challenge is to make you the best FIT that you can be! I think it is an awesome alternative if you can't get to a gym. There are a couple of things that might deter you. Cost. It varies, but it can seem a little pricey for the time frame. Time Frame? Generally 4-6 weeks/3 days a week. I think honestly, the cost is not that bad, but that means you HAVE to go if you sign up to really get all the bang for your buck. I looked up a few in the Texas area for you to sneak a peek at. Some of you may not be Texans, but google "Bootcamp fitness" and your city, state and you will get a load of listings. I was surprised at the number of them were available! They are a huge growing trend. Love. It. If any of you try it out, PLEASE email me and let me know! I would love to do a post from someone who has done one--pictures are great too! Here are a few near you...

The North Dallas Bootcamp {Coleen's trainer}

Jay Johnson Bootcamp Fitness {he trains the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders}

Texas Ultra Fit Bootcamp-Waco

Houston Adventure Bootcamp

San Antonio Adventure Bootcamp

Austin H.E.A.T Bootcamps

Austin Adventure Bootcamps

Coming up this week...

Pregnancy workouts

The "Junkie Loser Friday" Workouts

Fer's Vacation "Junkie" Workout {will you PLEASE write about this, Fer?}

Yummmmmmmmy Sloppy Joes

Leave It To Me!

To post the first recipe! That may be all I can contribute to this blog! The left overs from Creighton's plate! Sorry, I didn't think to take a picture before we started the meal!

I'm desperately trying to learn how to manage everything that comes along with adding a new baby {or a five month old} to our home. I consider working out early mornings every day, but somehow, functioning at six o'clock after being up at least three or four times a night doesn't seem bearable. And to top it off, my little Griffy doesn't take long naps either. Most weeknights, after I clean up our dinner and leave the boys with my hubby, you can find me at the Y for my hour cardio workout. {Any one else going that late??!!??}

Maybe some of you can relate, along with fitting in time to work out, my house is a mess, I don't have time or energy to prepare much of a meal, and needlesstosay, going to the grocery store is rare! However, I'm boycotting eating out and so, I've turned to my cookbooks for some new {healthier} menus.

Tonight, I made a simple, light, yummy dinner! One that was also easy to clean up!

Though, I simplified it, I thought some of you may want this recipe.

Country Pork and Corn on the Cob
6 (5 ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (I used 4 boneless butterfly pork chops.)
4 large garlic cloves, pressed
3 ears fresh (or frozen, thawed) corn, cut in half
1 (18 ounce) bottle honey smoke barbecue sauce
1 cup chicken broth

* Place pork chops in a lightly greased slow cooker. {There is a long process about browning the meat in a skillet beforehand, but I skip this stage. If you are interested, let me know!}
* Rub garlic evenly over corn. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; add to slow cooker.
*Combine barbecue sauce and broth; add to slow cooker.
* Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours or until meat is tender.

I served it with wild rice, per request from one of my favorite eaters:
Hope your family enjoys as much as mine!

I don't have the calorie value on this, but after my one chop and one mini corn on the cob with a spoon of rice, I was still a bit hungry. Instead of munching more, I cleaned the kitchen and went to burn over 550 calories at the gym!

Homework!

I discovered through working out recently that I am a little bit of a weakling when it comes to upper body and core strength! I have the hardest time doing push-ups and planks, partly because I have weak shoulders and partly from my lack of core strength. I told Nicki I wanted to strengthen my shoulders, along with my core, which helps you in so many ways. Nicki assigned me some homework to do, and I thought I'd share with y'all! I am supposed to do 10 push-ups a night, and gradually increase as I can. I started last night, and it was fun! It quickly turned into a family activity as James jumped on Josh's back while he was doing his push-ups. :) James wanted to get in on the action and tried to do push-ups with us! I can already tell a difference since I started and I'm excited to see how many I can get to as I get stronger. Here are some pictures of our family push-up/plank workout session.

This is my push-up. It is REALLY hard to do 10, but I can do it now...and I'm sore!

(please excuse my dirty, 10 year old sweatshirt!)

My side-plank (is that what it's called?). These are harder than they look. I really am off of the ground, even though it's hard to see. :)

Josh doing them along with me for support.

James was all over this. He was very excited to "essersize" with us.

I'll report back how many I can do sometime soon!

Health{ier} Foods

I would be lying thru my teeth if I told you nutrition was my "thing". Ladies, that is precisely one of the reasons WHY I work out! I have a candy-sweet tooth that would make all dentists cringe if they saw me get ahold of some Hot Tamales. Still, I do follow a couple of simple rules for myself and my family when it comes to eating meals and snacking. Eat in moderation and eat as organically as possible. A HUGE thing I have changed about our family meals that I would love to share with you all is switching from ground beef to ground turkey. I know, you are thinking your husband is already "bleching" at the switch. It is so much leaner and the white meat is better cholesterol wise. Actually, men should be jumping at the switch! Truth be told turkey burger is not a good ol' juicy burger. THAT you can tell a difference in. However, casseroles, tacos, soups, pasta...honestly, once the seasoning is on it, it is hardly a difference. Try it this week. See what you think! Someone commented a question asking what I ate in a typical day. Besides all the cereal and goldfish my kids drop on the floor, I am guessing is what you want to know. In that case, I usually start out my day with either cereal or oatmeal. Cereal: Cheerios, Oatmeal Squares, Kashi, Raisin Bran. If I eat oatmeal, it is laced with blueberries or bananas or craisins, a little milk and brown sugar {I am sorry, but I have to a little!}. Lunch. Oh lunch. I loathe lunch. I don't know why. I am ok with it if I am eating out, but I really don't like it at home. I am not much for sandwiches, so I most often opt for deli-sliced turkey {by itself--rolled up} and a string cheese. Probably a few Central Market veggie chips and I always have to have something sweet...piece of fruit, a few choco chips...just a little something to satisfy. Dinner is always different. I make a lot of different stuff. Soft tacos, soups, salmon, talapia, casseroles. I make it all. I always try to have a veggie in there too. Sometimes fresh, sometimes frozen or canned. But let me be frank, my kids do not eat everything on their plate!

A few of you guys wanted to know what snacks I recommend. And GOD BLESS you nursing moms. Man alive, I remember how hungry I was! You can double your portions!!!
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE grapes. Our house is always stocked with them and they are always out on the counter for all to enjoy. I usually have to buy them twice a week. Also, blueberries. We snack on grapes though all the time.

Also, if you can stomach it, cottage cheese {Me likey a lot}. I love to put applesauce in it as a snack. Or sometimes for lunch I will make a big bowl of it with grapes, apples, bananas cut up in it. I love it though. You can't really make yourself like it if you don't. Also, in the summer with watermelon...HEAVEN to my tasties.

Almonds. But hear me. The plain kind. No salt. No sugar. And a handful is all ya need. Put some raisins in it or a few craisins and put it in a baggie when you are headed out the door and you have a pretty sustaining snack!

Ok, Kashi. I heart everything Kashi. I like it all and I recommend it all. BUT these are great for the itties and for you! I always have one in my purse, I have low blood sugar and get pre-tty cranky if I don't get somethin' in me! I also always eat one on the way to the gym for the wee-hour workouts. They are yummy and natural. Better than Nutrigrain.

Lastly, love love love. I love organic yogurt. The Yoplait is yummy, but it does not have all the "goods". The probiotics. Me and the kids eat these all the time. Good for them and me. Also, I will throw some cereal in there or make a parfait and the kids are so excited to have a treat! I am excited it is healthy. Those are just a few. I would love to hear feedback on anything you try!!!

Junkie Confessions: How We Spent New Year's Night

Maybe this will discredit us. Oh well. It is truth! Though we work super hard to stay in shape, some days we are just plain ol' stressed out, hormonal women. Who need ice cream. So the minute the husbands give us clearance to go "have fun" on our own, we do what most well-intended women do...eat. And go to a separate locale for dessert. BUT don't you worry, the next day, Fer and I burned up mucho calories in Turbokick. So, I think OCCASIONALLY you can indulge. Key word: Occasionally. Did you hear it? OCCASIONALLY!!

So, there it is. The first naughty confession from 3/4 of the group. Coming up in the next posts:

healthy snacks and meals {seems to be a sought after subject!} so stay tuned! And how are your workouts coming along?!?!?!??! Do tell!

Fer's 'Junkie' Workouts {Sunday and Monday}

First, I want to share pictures of disappointment. This was the Y this Monday {January 4}: DEAD! Desolate! No white sneakers! No new shorts with the MMMMMM sticker down the leg. They must have read the blog and knew I would be watching out for them! Where are ya morning peeps????

Ok, moving on to my friend Jennifer {I call her "Fer" or "Fer Fer"...a misfortune for most of my friends is that they all get a catchy nickname}. Fer oh Fer. She is a trainers dream. She comes whenever I tell her to. I sometimes want to skip, but I know Fer is going to be there waiting. She is diligent to say the least. And a people pleaser. She does what I tell her to without complaining. I sometimes feel bad telling her to keep going when I know she is completely spun. Just a sweet heart thru and thru {actually, ALL of the 'Junkies' are super duper sweet and quiet by nature--except for me!} . Fer has some baby weight to lose. Her weight was the opposite of mine, she put her's on after she quit breastfeeding--mine always goes the opposite, my body holds on tight until I drop a feeding or two. We had been doing about 30 minutes of cardio along with body shaping 2 days a week along with 1 turbokick class and another 45 minute workout on an extra day. When she reported to me that her scale was not budging--which is expected for a time since she is building muscle, but it is time her body starts letting it go! I had to rethink my new year's plan for Fer! I knew I needed to make her cardio workouts longer and more challenging, maximizing her calorie burn. Here's what we did the past 2 days. Maybe you can try it for yourself:

Sunday:

You will need: a treadmill

1. start out at a quick walk to warm up {5 min.}

2. run a as fast as you can {3 min.}

3. pull back and run a comfortable pace {2 min.}

4. repeat steps 2 & 3-- 3 times-- increasing the speed of each the run by a couple notches--you will really have to push yourself to run as fast as you can.

5. at his point, you should be at 20 minutes--jog at a comfortable pace {10 minutes}

6. walk on an incline of 11 {2 min.}, 13 {3 min.}, 15 {3 min}, 18 {2 min.}--at a slower walk--trying not to hold onto the handle.

7. repeat steps 2&3 {15 minutes}

8. repeat step 5 {10 minutes}

9. Run the final 5 minutes at a comfortable pace.

**note: your treadmill may not have as high of an incline. If not, start the walk section on whatever number is the half-way point on your treadmill's incline**

________________________________________

total time: 60 minutes

Next, you will need: set of dumbells {we used 8 lbs.}

Lunges up and back across the room with weights down by your side

Lunges up and back across the room holding weights straight overhead

Lunges up and back across the room doing a bicep curl while lunging

________________________________________

Total time: 75 minutes

Fer's total calories burned: 862 {when left the gym}, 1014 {30 minutes after workout, before eating dinner}

Monday

You will need: Elliptical {cardio}, set of weights, a mat {or you can do it on carpet}

Started out on the elliptical for 30 minutes on a pre-set sport interval *take advantage of the pre-set workouts on the elliptical--make sure you up your workload too*

Push ups using the weights, 3 sets of 10--make sure when you do any push up that you keep your booty tucked! Also, bring the chest towards the ground...don't cheat!

Tricep dips on the weights, 3 sets of 10 and 3 sets of a double count down--make sure your lift and lower yourself with your TRICEPS--they should be nice and tucked beside you--elbows facing the back, not out to the side! That is a HUGE mistake people make and it drives me bonkers!

Seated angle ab contractions with a bicep curl. Start sitting on floor, lean back until your upper body is at an angle, hard enought for you to feel your abs work, but you should still be able to hold yourself where you an curl a dumbell...*this is a pretty advanced move.*

Hold yourself steady and curl up single, then double count, then hold at a pulse, hold weights at your side and pulse for an 8-count, bring the right leg in, then left {alternating}, repeat {3 sets}

Total time: 45 minutes

Fer's total calories burned: 452 {when left the gym}, 574 {after returning home}.

Listen Up!!!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to tell ya that there is MUSIC on the blog now! My goal is to provide you new music each week that maybe you want to check out or download--all of it is music that the 'Junkies' work out to! What I would REALLY like is for YOU ALL to leave suggestions under comments on what songs you move and groove to! It can be anything--country, oldies, christian--whatever works for you! You will probably always be able to distinguish my faves from the other 'Junkies', because I love hip-hop, rap and techno!! If you hate it, please bear with us because it will always change!!!

Also, we want to know who is reading! I have had multiple facebook messages, emails and comments from people who are reading, but not all of those people comment! PLEASE leave us a comment if you are reading!! You can leave it 'anonymous' and not create a blogger account--we just really want to know who is out there! Don't be shy or embarrassed if you are a "blog stalker"--actually, this blog is meant to be stalked, but in order for this type of blog to "work" we need to have a lot of readers and followers. One of my big dreams is to have monthly 'give-a-ways', but we may be a ways off from that unless you join the followers list!!!

SO SPEAK UP! Here is a challenge--LEAVE A COMMENT and suggest things you want us to write about OR what your favorite workout of all time is! This is just a test!

XOXO, The Junkies

PS...be on the look out for pictures of how we spent New Years Night, pics of us working out this week {this is a surprise to the other 'junkies'! haha!}, and some polls we are going to be taking!

"Use Your Patience!"

A friend of mine always tells her kids to "use their patience" whenever they get frustrated or angry about something. I have been telling myself to use my patience lately with this workout journey. It has been difficult working extremely hard and not immediately getting the results I want. I know I need to stick with it and understand that pounds are not just going to come off overnight. Gaining and toning muscle takes time, and when you are starting out, this is the focus of your body. Then the weight comes off after that. It may take a few months for this process to happen, so until then, I will just have to keep running, keep squatting, keep crunching, and keep waiting for this hard work to pay off...'cause I know it will! Keep going, friends!!!

Burn Baby, Burn!

Ok, so I am a wee bit biased. However, the numbers don't lie. Turbo Kick is just a wonderful workout. It burns more calories in an hour {if you are putting your 100% effort} in than most workouts. I know there are a ton of great workouts out there that I love {spinning, running, Zumba}, and I don't want this blog to be a Turbo-only blog--trust me, I know not everyone will love it. Actually, one of the 'Junkies' is not a fan! However, it is just a powerhouse for cardio. A girl in my class this morning approached me afterward and said she has lost 85 pounds since March just by doing Turbo Kick! What an inspiration!!!!

For instance, in my class this morning, I burned 601 calories. After class, I ran errands and when I returned home to eat lunch, my total calories burn was 863 calories. Remember, that working out brings your heart rate and metablism up, allowing you to burn more afterward. That is a lot of calories. Also, I am small and my resting heart rate is low, so it takes a lot of effort for me to burn that much. For someone heavier with a higher heartrate working to their maximum capacity, they would burn even more!

If you have never seen it or taken a class, I URGE you to! The thing about it is that you need to do it a few times to catch on. It does require a good amount of coordination and stamina. But even with that being said, all instructors teach in "layers" so if you are a beginner, you can do it lower impact, if you are more advanced, you can go crazy! That is what I love about it!!!

If you want to see a sample of a class, check this out!

If you don't think working out at a gym is for you, check out the different home workouts! Same kind of workout! I am an advocate for gym workouts for motivation and the ENERGY is awesome!! However, I know there are a lot of factors that keep people from being able to work out at a gym, so home workout is the next best thing!!!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I look forward to hearing about your workout plans for the New Year!

My Triceps are Sore!

One thing that is really helping me feel so good about going to the gym right now is the fact that I know that I'm getting a full body workout. When I used to go to the gym, I'd go walk around, look at the machines, and try to figure out which ones I needed to work out with. It's very intimidating to people like me who have no experience in anything relating to this. I'd leave having worked out my biceps (that's easy), maybe my quads, maybe do a few more machines that look like the right ones to pick, but I had no confidence that I was doing what I needed to be doing. If you can relate to that, I'd highly recommend going to a body shaping class! There's no thinking, no guessing, just being walked through what to do, how to do it, for how long, etc. Yes, it's hard work, but it's just an hour and you feel soooo good afterwards. I really didn't love it the first time, but I hate to miss it now.

There have been times that I have slacked off on muscles that I don't want to work, but I'm learning so much, such as the fact that you don't want to have really strong biceps and weak triceps! When Nicki mentioned that last week during class, it gave me the extra motivation I needed to go ahead and not slack off while working out my triceps. Now, I have VERY sore triceps, but I feel good knowing that I'm working out the correct way.

Dear Santa, Please Don't Forget To Put This In My Stocking!!!!

Perhaps your workout lacks motivation. Do you ever feel like you did not do enough? Didn't sweat enough for it to count? I am right there with ya. I always wondered how many calories I was actually burning. How high my heart rate was getting. How high did it need to be? Then...I got a heart rate and calorie monitor! Talk about getting you motivated! I love watching the number soar after a grueling class {and I have to add that after a grueling class, you continue to burn calories for hours!!!!} and feeling accomplished. It's also handy for medical reasons. Mine will alert me if my heart rate is out of a healthy range. I just love them. I highly recommend one.

I can't really say what brand is better. I have a Polar F6 {just got it this weekend and have used it twice and LOVE it} and have had a Mio. The Polar has a chest strap to monitor your HR, and I believe they are quite a bit more accurate. My Mio was OK, it was a great one for the price, but I had to manually get my HR and I did not like having to do that because it often seemed inaccurate. There are lots of different models and types. I would not spend a ton of money on a super fancy one if you are a novice. You mainly just want to make sure you have a HR monitor, chest strap and calorie counter. Keeping up with your calories burned will help you keep up with your caloric intake of food for the rest of the day! The only drawback is that I always want to wear mine to see how high my HR gets with everyday activities--it can be a little obsessive! I think I burned 30 calories just getting my kids dressed this morning. If you have kids, you know what I mean.

You can find really great prices at Amazon for starters! Also, most sporting goods stores carry them. Any questions, just leave a comment!

Making Workouts Stick

Well, it's that time of year. The New Year's Resolution time. I have a term for the people who workout in January...The Resolutioners. Maybe you have seen it too. There is a line waiting as soon as the gym opens. The weights are full of sweaty, grunting men with their new Ipods blaring "Boom Boom Pow". The cardio room is elbow to elbow with feisty little women throwing the towels over the treadmill screaming, "I got that one!" The aerobics room is full of people with bright white, shiny shoes and bright tank tops. Yup. Resolutioners. Don't get me wrong, it is a GREAT time to start. The problem is come February. The Resolutioners are no where to be found. I think in order to stick to the idea of working out, you need to identify the reasons that make you want to do it. There are lots of little factors that make women want to work out. Overall health. Social time. A stress relief {this is the main reason I workout}. However, I feel there is a dominating force that drives the machine. WEIGHT LOSS. Maybe you need to lose a lot of weight to spare your life. Maybe you have just been welcomed into the life of college eating {mmmm...I used to eat Schlotsky's every other day}. Maybe you are in an industry that asks you to maintain. Or perhaps, like me and many others, you want to shed the poundage {among other things} that comes with having a baby. While these are all valid reasons, my opinion is that you need to focus on other benefits of working out. I want to identify a few things that will keep you from getting discouraged and giving up all together. To not be just a Resolutioner. Maybe be a Year-Rounder!


1. What is Your Goal and How Are You Planning to Reach It?

Just wanting to lose a few pounds is great. But do you want it to be long term? Exercise ought to first become a habit so you won't always feel like you are battling that scale. If you want to become a runner, how are you going to start? Do you want to run a marathon? Well, you can't just go out and run one tomorrow...or you can, but you will have serious repercussions for a long time!! What is the plan you are going to make to get you where you want to be?


2. Father Time is a Big Meanie.

You need to know this. Be secure in this. That being said, hear me out: We all age. With age, our body drastically changes. Some parts will never be in the same place again. Add a few kids, or a surgery and you really see the effects. Exercise is so good for you. The best thing you can give yourself. But friends, physically, we are not Benjamin Button! Oh to age in reverse! Nope, we are going to get older. Let's work on the beautiful bodies God gave us, do what we can, make things as tight as possible and embrace and enhance what we have. Do not expect to look at a picture of yourself from your sophomore year in college and want to go back to there. Love the you that you are at this age.

3. My Size is NOT Always Your Size {or weight}.

My personal blog got a lot of flack a few months back when I posted a picture of my weight. I was elated after having my second child to be back at a number that was recognizable to me. Lesson learned. People thought I was bragging. Boasting. Proud, I was. I worked incredibly hard and long to get there. Still, I need to stress something to you. My 5"2 frame and size 5.5 shoe are going to need the scale to read something different than your frame. Know your limits, ladies. It is VERY possible and VERY likely that your ideal size is a 6, 8, 10, 12, etc. Heck, maybe it is a 2! Don't try to compare. Know the healthy size you CAN physically and healthfully be.

4. Get Some Motivation from Others.

You need someone. Anyone. A husband. A friend. In my case, a group of friends. A group fitness class you love at your gym. A home workout video. Your kids in a jogging stroller. Something to get you motivated.

5. Time.

Please. Do you think I do not know. It is so hard to find time. So. Hard. Find it, carve it out, mark it on your calendar. 5:00 a.m. So be it. While the kids are napping...let the laundry stay dirty...at least you burned off the rest of junior's corndog from lunch. Find that time. Maybe 20 minutes here and 20 minutes there. I had a guy tell me the other day he works out two separate and short workouts a day so he can fit it in. We all have the same amount in a day--you just have to find the best for you.

6. Give Yourself Some Grace.

If you miss a workout, don't beat yourself up. Make sure you add it in another day in the week. Don't let one or a few missed workouts take you out of the game completely. Keep on trying to make it a habit! And sort of along the same lines, I BEG you...do not quit because you are sore! I cannot tell you how many times I hear people quit for a whole week because of soreness. You are going to be sore! Make sure it is not injury, and work thru it! Soreness is your friend in the end!

Meet the Junkies

Welcome! This blog has been a vision in my head for quite some time. Not sure what I exactly want it to become, I do know I want it to accomplish one thing if anything: encourage women to get fit to be healthy!!!! My goal is to have workout and product suggestions, playlists, recipes, pictures, articles and funny stories. I have enlisted {perhaps, they would say forced} them to be contributors. We are on a journey together--one of early mornings, running sprints, lifting weights, stairmasters, spinning, jumping rope....and a lot of, well...complaining and soreness! I am hoping that our tales and journey are relatable for you. Each of us has our own style, likes and dislikes. Struggles and weaknesses. Hopefully, you can find something to make you laugh and giggle. Oh and something to make you want to get on the exercise train!!!! I would love for you all to know a little about the "Junkies" before we begin. Like I said, each of us has something very different to offer. Hopefully, you will find our stories entertain and inspire you!

Nicki's Story {that's me!}: I want to point out something to you. I am not a "professional" trainer. That is something I am currently working on {and you will hear a LOT about later}, for now, I am a professional bully. A bully to my sweet friends who work out with me. I am a certified group aerobics instructor, with a specialized certification in Turbo Kick {more on that later}. My fitness journey began in college. In high school I was a classically trained dancer. That was the extent of my workouts. A grueling ballet class and a 90 minute jazz class a few times a week. My body was curvy and my weight pretty healthy. I enjoyed lunch daily at Taco Bell, Wendys, Leals, Chick-Fil-A...oh the metabolism of a teenage girl! My freshman year at college, I no longer had any dance classes. I was on my own. My roommate and I stumbled upon an aerobics class that met 3 times a week in the gym. Hook, line and sinker. I was hooked. I did that the whole year, and did not gain the dreaded, "freshman 15", rather actually lost a few pounds! My sophomore year, I ventured out into the world of lifting weights. My then-boyfriend {now husband} was very into fitness as well and would make me a weekly plan. I continued to make fitness a high priority in college. When I graduated, I joined the Y and took a class called 'Turbokick'...cheesy as it sounds, the workout changed my life. I was hooked on this more than anything I had ever tried. LOVED it. I would stand in the front row and go off. The instructor came up to me one day and said, "You really need to get certified." Well, the rest is history. I have been teaching that and other classes for 6 years. I love teaching people. I love seeing women meet goals and feel great about themselves. It was such a good fit for me. After my babies were born {almost 3 and a 1 year old}...I realized my body needed a little extra push. Breastfeeding was not the "weight loss cure" that everyone told me it would be. With patience and hard work, I have begun to feel so much stronger and more in shape than I ever have. I say that because I have an EXTRA SPECIAL PLACE in my heart for women who have gone thru childbirth or some sort of illness or surgery, making their self esteem less than it should be. I love to see these women meet goals for themselves fitness wise! Starting slow, being consistent and loving the size you are meant to be! I also love running, but I am not that good at it!

Kimberly's Story:

It’s rather humorous, if you know me, to see me on a fitness blog. I don’t know much about fitness. Working out has never been one of my fortes or strong suits. To say the least, it’s not my favorite thing, and when time is a commodity, to make a priority to work out is extremely difficult. In fact, I can’t {or couldn’t} stand to exercise. I’d walk, but nothing else seemed to fit my likes. I do like food and I don’t think that counts! In fact, I found that those yummy recipes and extra calories make my metabolism work harder to drop pounds. And I don’t have a good metabolism. Never have. Never will. Even at my smallest, I feel big. And here I am. A few months postpartum and making every effort to visit the gym on a regular basis. I want to be in shape, I want my clothes to fit, and I so badly want to feel good about myself. However, those days of feeling good are few and far between!

A few weeks before I became pregnant with our second, Griffin, now almost five months old, I was at my workout peek. I was going to the gym at least five days a week, drinking my required servings of water, running a good twenty minutes and pushing myself during each training session. I had dropped several pounds, lots of inches and I felt good about my image. Well, as good as I had felt in a long time. My skinny jeans had just, weeks before, been pulled out of the back of the closet and, well, one forgetful move and I became pregnant with our second! Thou God’s timing far exceeds our own, I was a bit annoyed that after waiting eighteen months, I had just shed the extra weight from our first child.

And now, I feel like I have to start completely over.

I’m thirty and when I look at photos of myself, I feel old, quite a bit older than one year ago. The photos reveal to me how much two children {and lack of sleep}has made me age. I’m drained from my all-hours-of-the-night feedings and required night time visits from my three year old. A good sleep doesn’t come by me easily. Thus, making getting up to work out the last, very last thing, I want to do when my alarm clock sounds. Most mornings, I battle with the thoughts inside my head and convince myself to shut off the buzzer and snooze. This making for a very frustrating day. Frustrated because I need to work out and I didn’t. Frustrated because I’m still tired. Frustrated because when my husband gets home, I have to head to the gym.

After a c-section and eight weeks of healing, I was ready to hit the equipment. Now twenty weeks later, I’m still in the process of dropping a good thirty pounds. Breastfeeding doesn’t help. Cookies don’t help. Beating myself up each day doesn’t help. However, I’m learning more and more that the perception I have of myself is vital to the way I handle my daily routines, how I feel when I love my children and my husband, and surprisingly, exercise actually gives me the energy I need to get through the day. It has recently become my stress reliever. When I go, I feel rewarded.

I know when Griffin becomes older and Creighton sleeps through the night, I’ll be back at my peak. It just takes time. Time I don’t want to surrender. Time I don’t feel I have to give. Time that’s so precious to me.

I’m dedicated to making that time. I’m not perfect. I’ll make mistakes. I’ll eat things not on my “diet”, drink a few diet sodas and sneak in a few walks on the beloved treadmill rather than climbs on the dreaded stair step machine. I’m picky and I always find my favorites. I don’t want to branch out and try new classes or learn new moves. I want this process to be easy and it’s not. It never will be for me. Maybe you are the same.

I’m not athletic. I’m not a little person. I’m not a runner or a cyclist. I am learning to adjust to the new me and I refuse to wait eighteen months to drop this baby weight as I did with my first. Holding on to the poundage does no one any good, so regardless of my desire to sleep, our busy schedule, or my will to stay home, I head to the YMCA at least four to five times a week. And truth be told, on those days I don’t go, I wish I had.

I encourage you to do the same.

Jennifer's Story:

My name is Jennifer (aka "Fer"), and I am so excited and honored to be a contributor to this blog. Just a little bit about me...I was born in Bryan, TX: a true born Aggie! Whoop! My family moved around quite a bit while I was growing up, but I lived in Temple, TX for most of my life, so that's where I call home. I graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Elementary Education). I was so blessed to teach Pre-Kindergarten for 4 years to under privileged students in Temple. I got married in July of 2006 to Michael, a Baylor grad, who co-owns Visiting Angels and Angel Medical Professionals. We have a 13 month old son named Sawyer who is the light of my life, and I am so lucky to be able to stay at home with him now. We recently moved to Waco to be closer to Michael's office, and we are loving our new home and being near our good friends. My hobbies include singing, blogging, going to movies, watching Food Network, working out :) and of course spending time with family and friends. I love the Lord and desire to glorify Him in all that I do. I am very involved with my church through singing on the worship team and co-leading a young marrieds bible study. I am blessed beyond measure, and I thank my Heavenly Father for His grace, mercy, and love. My favorite verse is Ephesians 5:1 and this is a verse I desire to live by. “Be imitators of God; therefore, as dearly beloved children and live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

I would love to be able to say that I have always worked out and stayed in shape, but that is just not the case. I grew up playing volleyball, running in track, and eventually working out on campus, but once I got out of college, I started to slack off in this area. After I had my baby, I knew I needed to do something. I started running again in my neighborhood, and I also ordered some DVDs to do at home. I was lucky to lose the baby weight quickly, but it started to creep back slowly as I slacked off again. Since I now live in Waco, Nicki has encouraged me to take her classes at the Y. I was excited to get back into it and have the accountability that I needed to keep me going. It has only been a week and a half, and although I am completely sore and tired, I know that it is worth it, and I can already see and feel results. My goal, as well as motivation, is to not only lose a few pounds, but to just be healthy and feel good about my body. I want to have more energy in the day and feel refreshed by the workouts. I also need a place for myself, a place to release stress, a place to get away from life, and I am finding that going to the gym is perfect for this! I hope that this blog will be an encouragement to all of us and challenge us to reach our ultimate fitness goals! Come join us in the journey!


Lauren's Story:

I am a 29 year old Christian woman, wife of 7 years, and stay at homemom to two boys, 3 and 1. I started exercising 6/09 to try to be insomewhat better shape after not working out in years and having two babies! In the past, I was always one to make a goal to run, walk, or go to the gym consistently, but I would always quit after a few weeks. After a couple of my friends encouraged me to start working out, telling me how nice it was to go to the gym and just do something for themselves, I decided to give it another shot. About that same time, Nicki invited me to try out her kickboxing class. Even though it was completely out of my comfort zone, I stuck with it and realized I was getting better at it each time I'd go (and having fun!). I slowly worked up from one day a week to two, and after a couple of months, I could feel a big difference in the way I felt! I felt stronger in everything I did, had better balance, and started seeing muscle tone come back that hadn't been there in years. Now I'm going 3 times aweek, because I am enjoying it for he first time in my life. Nicki really keeps it interesting by creating something different for us to do each time, which I need! I also have found it so helpful and fun tohave a group of girls to exercise with and keep me accountable. My #1 goal in exercising is to be healthy and fit for the long-run. I want to be a strong and healthy 40, 50, 60+ year old, and I'm excited to feel like I've truly made a change that I know I will stick with!