Juicing

...not the steroids.

So, this morning I had my first "real" homemade juicing experience. It was delicious! I tried one other time before, but using frozen fruits.....I had my blonde moment of the day.

Today, I used one of Melody's recipes and added a couple of other ingredients.

- 2 whole carrots

- 1 large celery stalk

- 1 beet

- 1 gala apple

- 1 capful of Organic Life Vitamins

Totals - 238 calories, >1g fat, 258mg sodium, 58g carbs, 38g sugar, 14g fiber, 5g protein

Now, don't freak out when you look at the carbs and sugar. You have to take into account that it's NATURAL sugar. There is a huge difference between natural and refined sugars. Plus, as my morning blend, it's as good as coffee. Seriously. I drank it while finishing up my make-up and getting dressed. By the time I went to let Koopa out before I left, I could tell a difference in my normal morning mood. It was like night and day!

I'm trying to find other, natural options to caffeine in the form of coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper. I'm still not 100% off, but I'm getting there. Here are a few misconceptions and realities to chew on about the "drug":

- Pure caffeine in moderate doses (200-400mg/day) can elevate metabolism by up to 6%, improve cognitive function and even inhibit insulin resistance - all great. Bad news is that it doesn't apply to caffeine paired with anything you typically add to your coffee. Same goes for Diet Coke or Red Bull. Instead, try a Guarana or White Willow Bark supplement 30 minutes before your workout if you need a boost.

- When caffeine is abused, it damages your metabolism and hormone balance. It stimulates your central nervous system, which makes your endocrine system think that you are being threatened. Basically, it can send your body into "fight or flight" mode - not something you want your body doing all day long as you're kicking back those diet cokes or cups of coffee.

- Caffeine you drank after lunch can affect your healthy sleeping patterns at night. <-- this definitely caught my attention when I first heard about it.

- If you are experiencing caffeine withdrawals, try a cup of green tea. You will still get your caffeine boost, plus a plethora of other health benefits. Try to limit yourself to one or two cups a day, and be done by noon to make sure that caffeine is out of your system by nightfall
(credit: Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels)

I must be out of my damn mind!

My goal for 2011 - finish an Ironman 70.3

That is granted I'm not pregnant. Since the last thing I want is to be big, fat and pregnant over the miserably hot summer, we are looking at specific time periods in which to conceive. If we don't make it for this year, then I'll be working towards that Ironman challenge for 2011.

The reason I am not going to try for this year is because I have not done anything close to that at all. So, for 2010 I want to do as many triathlons and running events as possible. Then, when those start to calm down towards the end of the year, I can put specific focus on Ironman training. I have no idea why I want to do this. lol I know that I have the potential to fail miserably. Maybe that's what is so appealing. :P

That's all I have for now. :)

She wore an itsy bitsy, teenie weenie....

You get the idea...

Last Thursday I purchased 3 months of tanning. I figured it was perfect timing with the summer approaching. Plus, what better way to keep my booty in gear than with the reward of bronzing my white ass after a solid workout? ...my white, flabby ass. UGH! I really, really, really want to look better than ever before this summer. There is no reason for me not to.

Last Friday, I vented a little to Melody about pretty much everything in my last post. She made a suggestion that I hadn't really thought about. We've both educated ourselves with the basics of healthy eating - that's not the problem. However, we've started to lose sight of a calorie being a calorie. Even though extra virgin olive oil may have some awesome health benefits, that doesn't mean you don't need to watch the amount. Nuts fall into that same category. They might be healthy, but you still need to watch how much. I'm very guilty of grabbing a handful of almonds without a second thought. After thinking some more about this topic, and trying to be more aware of my habits this weekend, I decided to start tracking again. I had said I would at the beginning of the year, but fell out of it quickly. My mindset was not right. I'm almost finished reading Master Your Metabolism. I'm trying to wait until then to do my next big grocery run/kitchen make-over, but I may have to go before.

On a totally different note, there is nothing more relaxing than a clean bathroom. It makes my nights and mornings noticeably better. Not everyone might feel that way, but my bathroom is one of my favorite places. It's spacious and has a great tub. I did a major clean up and out last night, and it felt great. The only part of the bathroom that I didn't tackle yesterday was my closet. I think that tonight might be the time. If I can get that and the bedroom sifted through, I'll be happy for the week. lol Pretty much, if I haven't seen it or used it in the last year, it's headed to the garbage or Goodwill!

Can I just be fat again?

Don't get the wrong idea there!

I had a rambling thought this morning on my drive to work... When I started to lose weight 2 years ago, all I had to worry about was cutting calories. Obviously, I also started to make healthier choices (i.e. lean meats, homemade salads, more fruits and vegetables, etc.) in addition to that. I lost the bulk of my weight in 2008, and then spent 2009 maintaining and testing new foods and programs. Now that I am really ready to be fit and tone, I can't just cut calories and exercise. At this point, I have to be very careful about what I eat and the particular workout routines I choose. And, it's starting to piss me off. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the body I have right now. I have worked to give myself a comfortable place to be without having to worry about gaining weight or being unhealthy again. I just miss the simplicity of the beginning. Now I am diving into books that get very specific about what foods and why. With everything else going on in my life right now, I don't want to be thinking about the whys. I realize that I am probably blocking out all of the similar hurdles I experienced back in 2008. Ultimately, I know that I am going to have to continue to educate myself until it is second nature, like the other good habits I developed.

Honestly, I probably could go back to cutting calories again and see some small results. The problem is that I know how screwed up my metabolism became from cutting for an extended amount of time. That is the last thing I want to do again! Plus, if I cut my calories, I would probably starve. I don't overeat, so that's not the problem. The problem is that I don't eat the "right" things. I don't mean that the way it sounds. I need to cut out the processed foods and toxins that most of us have been programed to believe are healthy. 100 calorie bags of chips and popcorn might be portion controlled, but that doesn't mean they're healthy. An apple is a great whole food, but not if it's been grown and bathed in pesticides..

I'm just ready to be there.

On another note, I made it to Spin yesterday. Yay. I also worked in some arms. So, yes, I am a little sore today. I also bought 3 months of tanning, so yay! No more white ass!

Is it Friday yet?

So, I did not make it to the gym or mass yesterday. I ended up staying a little late at work, and then traffic was a complete mess. :( It's quite alright though. I got home, changed into my new PJs and enjoyed a glass of Chianti while reading a script. I won't say too much just yet, but I am very excited to be a part of this project!

So, today I have a few meetings to attend, but I will not let that screw up my schedule again. I won't be doing anything too strenuous today because of the long run tomorrow. I was thinking of trying to get to Ambrey's Spin class, and then going from there. I could do a light treadmill run or Body Pump afterwards....Hmmm.....

The other concern I have right now is getting the proper amount of sleep over the course of the next 10 days. I should be doing that regardless, but it's even more important with the race coming up. I'm such a night owl, so this will definitely be a challenge for me... Also, cutting the caffeine and taking in more water.

One other thing that I was thinking about... The Farmer's Market downtown on Saturday always has a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. I'm going to jump ahead a couple of chapters in Master Your Metabolism and make sure to pick up some key items to live on next week. The more whole foods and good carbs, the better.

I cannot believe I am actually getting excited about running 13.1 miles. lol

Nothing like a bad grapefruit!

ICK! That didn't start my morning off well. :( I made a grapefruit smoothie on my way out the door this morning, and apparently the grapefruit was past its peak. No biggie. I fixed my egg, spinach, pesto and goat cheese breakfast sandwich once I got to work, and all became well with the world again.

I was able to ward off my caffeine addiction until about 11:30am. My eyes were drooping and I knew it wouldn't be long. Monday's run has been smacking me around. My legs weren't sore at all yesterday, but my muscles were definitely tighter this morning. My plan for this afternoon is to do a light run (possibly treadmill) and Spinning. Hopefully I can replenish my energy by then! Granted I get a good workout in tonight, tomorrow will be a rest/walk/yoga day. Those are fantastic. :)

I realized last night that I had not decided on what I'm giving up for Lent. I want to do something that will benefit my health. I could give up diet drinks....or fast food....maybe refined sugar.. The problem is that those things wouldn't be difficult (except for maybe diet coke). I want a challenge that does not include giving up my Diet Dr. Pepper, though! lol I'll do some more thinking...I would like to have something figured out before mass tonight!

Run, Forrest, RUN!

So, the Half Marathon is 12 days away!! Melody and I have kicked our training into overdrive, and I am so happy with what we have accomplished in a short amount of time. Yesterday, we ran 10 miles total, and Friday we will have our last long run before the race (hopefully 12 miles at least). Both of us have put P90x on the back burner until after the race, and I was hesitant to do that at first. However, I realized that in order to train properly for the race, I could not let P90x get in the way. I'm happy that I at least got a solid taste of the program, so I will know just what to expect in March, April and May! :~P

I have been reading Master Your Metabolism, and taking notes on some great advice. I realize that Jillian is a little severe in the book, but if I can make a lot of little steps in the right direction, the impact on my body will definitely show; I think. Once I get finished, I am thinking about posting the most helpful tips and my goals on here. I am an average person, and I think that after maintaining a healthy lifestyle for over 2 years that I can pick out the more realistic parts of her program for other people.