Blogs at Spark People

So I've been trying to do alot lately......Sparkpeople stuff takes some times....logging food, doing team challenges and keeping up with my friends there so that I can encourage them as they encourage me....it's such a killer atmosphere.

I've also been blogging alot over there
Here is one of them, and there are few other good ones that preceded it as well.

I have also been doing my own workouts(as well as team challenges), eating,making and cleaning up after eating and making food.........Oh, yeah, and trying to get ready to move and making sure that my support system at Sparkpeople knows that I will be in need of support through the transition.

Then of course there is the whole picture taking of the food and posting it here

Needless to say, I am biting off alot these days to go along with my calories.

So I will just say that the calorie cycling is totally working...I've lost 2 lbs in 19 days and more to come............I AM DIGGING this. I will also be trying to take some pics tomorrow or next week (depending on time and how I feel at the moment) maybe both to post my progress....I HAVE ABS NOW WHOO HOO!

I also want to share with you the break down of this challenge that I've done 2x so far this week....It's for a team called "Project Mayhem"...a take off of Fight Club, my fav movie.....this is such a harsh workout this week (it changes weekly) and I am also doing a Core Challenge for another team called Better Me (that challenge was challenging until I added in the Project Mayhem one and extra abs at the gym.....combined they are kickin' my butt and workin' like a charm.

So the Project Mayhem Challenge consists of..

15 mins. cardio (I do Turbo Jam)

then it's 20 mins straight of this circuit, with each exercise done 25X each.
cross overs..........alternating rotation crunches....flutter kicks.....reverse crunches... half bent knee raises...squats.....Followed by 30 mins (I've been doing 20 mins Turbo Jam due to knee issues)

Today I did 5 circuits......
Which equals....625 contractions on my abs...WHOA!!!!

Then I also did the Better Me -Kick It Challenge w/ Core challenge.
3 X 10- modified push-ups
3 X 15- pelvic thrusts w/10lbs on my tummy

50 ankle touch crunches (evil, SOBS!!!!!!)

So that is 675 contractions to my abs....................Plus I did 500 the other day in the PM Challenge........and more at the gym (like 70-80 more twice this week)

It ends up being around 1375 contractions in my abs this week SO FAR!

Needless to say I'm stoked! And that's why I may be sporadic sometimes until I'm settled into the new place in my new routine.........I am doing ALOT.

Yesterday's Pic Meals-Day #46

As the day before, I was a day behind posting the pic meals....So I'm doing them today.

DAY GOAL: 1500 cals......DAY TOTALS: 1496calories...182g.carbs...31g.fat...126g.protein

Meal #1-Oatmeal, Banana, Sugar Free Syrup, Choco. Protein shake, 2 8oz. cups of coffee, iced, w/2 tbsp. Sugar-Free Hazelnut coffee mate.

312 calories 7g.fat...48g.carbs...16g.protein







Project Mayhem workout challenge

15mins Turbo Jam...........then THIS AB WORKOUT....20 mins more Turbo Jam (scroll to bottom of page to see workout in full)



Meal #2- 2c. watermelon, diced & 1 serving Chocolate Protein
227calories 4g.fat...27g.carbs...22protein










Meal #3- Taco Chicken Fit-zza w/ strawberries, sugar free hot fudge & 1tbsp. Cool Whip Free

282calories 7g.fat...31g.carbs...23g.protein






















Meal #4-1/2 Nutri-Grain Low-Fat waffle....1/2 serv. Cottage Cheesecake (base)...1/2med. banana...2tsp. Sugar free caramel topping (1/2 of the serv. in picture)

144calories 1g.fat...27g.carbs...8g.protein




8oz Iced coffee w/sugar free hazelnut creamer-17calories...1g.fat...1g.carb..0g.protein

Meal #5-Sweet-Hot Salmon & Shrimp 4oz salmon...3oz. shrimp...1/2c. broccoli..."Sweet-Hot Sauce"

269calories 5g.fat...18g.carbs...37g.protein







Meal #6-Protein shake...3med.strawberries..1/4med. banana,2tsp. Reduced fat PB...1tbsp. sugar-free hot fudge topping.

243calories
6gfat...30g.carbs...19g.protein

Yesterday's Pic meals Day #45

So I got a bit off yesterday in posting this, I was going to try to leave it for the end of the day and by then....Well, I just didn't post it.....I was working on the previous post w/ my workout from yesterday with pics LOL........So here it is.

I also accidentally tracked my coffee 2x's and so I was short of my calories by about 55 calories...Oh well, atleast it wasn't more. I knew it seemed like I hadn't eaten the whole 1800 cals for yesterday.

Meal #1- Oatmeal, banana & Blue Berry Cottage Cheesecake.
(I was out of protein except for enough for my post work out shake, so I ate cottage cheese cake to replace the protein in that meal so I'd have my shake when I really needed it)


Meal #2- (my shake was actually banana cream) 1.25 serv. protein shake (I was really low on my protein LOL)....2c. watermelon









Meal #3- Chicken & Broccoli Fit-zza...Banana & Hot Fudge w/Hazelnut cream



















Meal #4-PB Cup Crispy Tortilla Dessert
1/2 serv. GNC. 100% whey Protein

















Meal #5-Taco Cheeseburger on Double Fiber English Muffin








Meal #6- 1 serv.Protein, 1/2 c.popcorn w/1tsp.caramel sauce, pudding snack






























My entire day of food and 3 c. coffee w/3tbsp. of Sugar Free Hazelnut Coffee Mate came to.

1,745 calories.............40g. fat........225g.carbs........135g. protein...38g.fiber

Monday's Workout w/ pics/demos

This was my workout yesterday...Each set I go slowly when I brig it up and when I let it back down....As soon as I can no longer do the movement in perfect form, when I my muscle is just exhausted, I move to the next one....If there is no waiting time listed, then I didn't wait (like when I isolate each arm, by the time I have finished one set on the alternate arm, I just move on the to next set...30 sec. should've elapsed)

BICEP CURLS (seated or standing) (biceps)(I do them one arm at a time, first right, then left..then back to right and then left)

1 set 12 lbs.-10reps (R)
1 set 12 lbs. 10reps (L)
1 set 15 lbs. 7reps. (R) (failure)
1set 15 lbs. 6 reps (L) (failure)















waited 60 secs.



Combination-Lateral raise-front raise (also done isolating each arm)
1 set 12 lbs.-9reps (R) failure
1 set 12 lbs. 9reps (L) failure












30 sec. wait







Shoulder Press-(standing)
1 set 10 lbs.-10reps (both)
30 seconds
1 set 12 lbs. 4reps. (R) (failure)
1 set 12 lbs. 6 reps (L) (failure)












60 sec. wait

Tricep Kick backs-Isolating each arm
1 set 10 lbs.-10reps (R)
1 set 10 lbs. 10reps (L)

1 set 12 lbs. 6reps. (R) (failure)
1set 12 lbs. 4 reps (L) (failure)










60 sec. wait

Traditional Lat pull downs-wide grip
1 set 50 lbs.-10reps
wait 30 secs.
1 set 60 lbs. 4reps. failure











Wait 45 secs.

(using the same bar as above just changing my grip)

Close grip lat pull downs

1 set 50 lbs.-10reps
30 sec. wait
1 set 60 lbs. 9reps failure













wait 60 secs.

Rotary Calf Machine
1 set 70 lbs.-10reps
30sec. wait
1 set 90 lbs. 12reps failure







Thighsolator Leg Press
1 set 45 lbs.-10reps
30sec. wait
1 set 60 lbs. 8reps (failure)



















Standing Calf Raises on machine
1 set 60 lbs.- 10reps
30 sec. wait
1 set 75 lbs. 8reps



Concentration Curls
1 set 10 lbs.-10reps (R)
1 set 10 lbs. 10reps (L)
30 sec. wait
1 set 10 lbs. 10 reps.(R) (failure)
1set 15 lbs. 8 reps (L) (failure)









AB STUFF
On this one I did 5 sets of 10....each one lifting my legs a bit higher until they were straight in the air....increasing the intensity (lol and the pain) of each one.

Then I turned side ways and crunched for 5 on each side, twice, for a total of 10 crunches each side.











I began and ended my ab workout with these....Rotating my knees as I lifted them from side to side....5 each side before I did the thing above and 5 each side after.













In between doing the knee raises and the ab crunch machine thingy I did these....10X

Fairy Princess- Some weight stuff

I'm just going to put the basic exercises I did when I first began...these are the ones that helped get me ripped in 12 wks and I was a total newbie to working out......I still use all of them and am currently doing a similar workout with a bit more weight than what you would start with.

All pic demos are clickable and you can get more info about each one if you click it........
Do all of the movements slow in each direction so that you work your muscle coming and going......
Make sure you concentrate of the muscle/muscle group that you are working on.

General.......Pick one dumbell ( 8-10 lbs) and do the exercise 10X.......

Wait 30 secs........

Take the next larger dumb bell (10-12lbs) and do as many reps as you can in GREAT FORM...until you can't do anymore with proper form (called going to failure). If you can do anymore than 15, you need to increase your weight the next time.

Wait between 60-90 secs. and move on to the next exercise.

The entire workout will take 25-30 mins generally.



BICEP CURLS (seated or standing) (biceps)

























SHOULDER PRESS (seated or standing) (Shoulders)

























TRICEP KICK BACKS (triceps-backs of arms)















Dumbell Flyes (Chest)















One-Armed Dumbell Rows (back)















Forward Lunges with Dumbells (butt, quads)




























Calf Raises (calves)

























Squats-(use dumb bells with these. Hold either at sides or up by shoulders)



























Straight legged Dead lifts (hamstrings, glutes and others)

For my Fairy Princess Friend-(this is a work in progress)

So one of my closest friends asked me if I could come up with a plan for her (menus & workouts) and since I will be psycho with moving and trying to meet my own workout obligations this next week or so I thought that I would just make a little blog here that has some little tips that make my life easier (as far as my meals go) She has an extremely busy life so these are time saving type tips as much as anything else.....I have found for me, if things are convenient for me then I have a better chance of success.....

So my friend this is for you..........Of course if anyone else finds these things helpful then that rocks too.

Make things up ahead of time

1. whole wheat pasta-make the whole box and store in a ziploc and take out what you need as you need it.

2.Veggies-make a bunch and they will be ready to add to a meal.

3.Boil in Bag Brown Rice- Make one or two packages up and ziploc 'em.

4.TORTILLAS-quick, easy and my favorite single serving friends.

5.Chicken breasts-Make up a couple ahead of time-seems that 1/2 a chicken breast is one 4oz. serving so if you make two breasts on the counter top grill then you have chicken for 4 meals.

6.Turkey burgers-Pre-made or better is to split the extra lean ground stuff into 4 ziploc bags and freeze and take one out before you leave for work, or when you start your day so that it can be ready in about 15 mins for a dinner.

7.Individually wrapped fish and chicken in the bulk bag at the grocery store. The price is great and most of this stuff can be taken out and thawed in about 30 mins (or less) for a meal....THESE HAVE BEEN A LIFE SAVER.

8.Cottage cheesecake......make one or two containers of cottage cheese up at a time. If using blueberries make that one separately so the dried blueberries will plump back up.....Leave the rest fruitless and add in strawberries, bananas or apples and cinnamon (just examples of the ones that I make most frequently)

9. If there are spice combos that you use frequently make extra so that you can add them in quickly and easily.

10. Canned chicken and tuna........THESE are awesome cause they can go with you anywhere and bring a tortilla or english muffin and you can have a quick and easy fresh lunch (rather than letting everything get soggy while it sits.

11. Make up things like "Slow Cooker Chicken Salsa" ahead of time....its SOOO simple, you throw the stuff in a crock pot and leave it for about 5 hours and you have multiple meals that can be eaten........I eat this stuff on pasta, tortillas, rice, baked potatos.

12.Have fresh fruit and veggies around and cut up to be as easily ready and accessible as possible.

13. get the MONDO 42oz size of generic old fashioned oatmeal....you get WAAAY more and pay less and you will end up eating it ALOT.

14. 93% Lean Hamburger Patties....premade in a bag of about 10-12....sooo fast and easy and yummy!

15. Tuna Cakes can be reheated and still taste yummy and be a great small snack or added to a meal (adding in a veggie)and they have a great amount of protein.

Below are my food choices that I use...the lists aren't all inclusive but give an idea (some of the lists I've added more stuff to that I don't personally use)


Choose your proteins (know your proteins)
GNC 100% Whey Protein
egg whites, egg beaters
Fish-salmon,flounder,tilapia,tuna (there are many others too)
chicken
turkey
lean meat
shrimp
Reduced-Fat peanut butter
Fat-free cottage cheese (or lactaid cottage cheese)
Canned tuna, chicken or salmon


Choose your whole grain carbs
whole wheat tortillas (fajita sized is the one I use)
Oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Steel Rolled oats)
brown or wild rice
whole wheat pasta
whole grain breads
whole wheat waffles (eggos)
whole wheat pancakes (eggos)
whole wheat pasta
Cous cous (as far as I know, but I haven't eaten it in ages)
Honey Wheat Pretzels
Whole wheat, health nut, double fiber english muffins

***occasional baked potato..once a week or every other


Other carbs-Fruits & Veggies (** fresh or frozen)
Broccoli
Celery
Bell peppers (all colors)
Green Beans
Carrots
Sprouts
scallions
Onions
Tomatoes
Strawberries
Dried Blueberries
Apples
Bananas
Peaches
oranges and other citrus
grapes
watermelon (my post workout fruit)


Fats

Flaxseed Oil or flaxseed
Olive oil
Peanut butter
almond or cashew butter
almonds
avacado (fresh, home made guacamole)


Fun extras that make it stick for me
Cool Whip free
Sugar free Pudding snack packs
Sugar free hot fudge topping
sugar free caramel topping
salsa
spices
Taco Seasoning
Fiesta Ranch Dip mix
Kraft FF Mayo
Sugar Free Coffee Mate
Splenda

More to come so check back

Today's food..was weird..pic meals Day #44

Meal #1- Part of my typical...planning for brunch "snack"
136calories...
2g.fat...22g.carbs...9g.protein

1/4 c. oatmeal, 2tbsp. Sugar Free Syrup, 1/4 c. Blue berry cottage cheese cake






Meal #2- Still planning for brunch....needed a small snack
126calories
1g.fat...13g.carbs...15g.protein

Tuna Cake w/ 1tsp. Ketchup (not the actual pic shown)









Meal #3- "Brunch" at the Crepe Maker (to read blog about this go here)
(I guessed at the nutrition by putting in each ingredient)
466calories...
27g.fat ...5gcarbs...29g.protein

this pic isn't actually it...I managed to have a lunch crepe w/chicken, blue cheese, spinach leaves, walnuts w/pesto sauce & honey mustard on the side.......I managed to make an absolute wreck of the dessert crepe....that'll teach me :)The walnuts added alot of polyunsaturated fat.





Meal #4- Pudding Snack-Banana Fudge

60calories....
1g.fat...13g.carbs...2g.protein






Meal #5-"Who says I can't have dessert FIRST? " meal
154 calories
42g.fat...28g. carbs...5g.protein


waiting for BF to come home and since he is running late I flipped my last two meals so that I could eat with him and so I wasn't eating my last meal ultra late....I made a modified version of this to save on calories
1tsp. PB....2tsp. Smuckers Sugar free Hot Fudge, Cool Whip Free & tortilla of course.........I finally was able to get my hot fudge sauce today and it is like hours before my TOM....needless to say, I'm needin' some choco and PB!!

Meal #6- Blackened Flounder, Blacened Shrimp w/Spicy-Sweet Citrus Sauce & Almonds...WW. Pasta & broccoli

(I only ate half my flounder, nutrition info for both 1/2 & full)
345calories
6g. fat...53g carbs...
27g.protein (1/2)

407calories
7g.fat...55g.carbs..
38g. protein