The home fitness challenge

So every book I have been reading lately is about fitness or is a cookbook. I am determined to at least beat my mom for our Biggest Loser prize. I don't mind reading about fitness as a whole, but I always seem to get overwhelmed when they say I should spend 20 minutes on cardio, 20 minutes on weight training, and 20 minutes on flexibility training. This would be awesome- in a perfect world. I don't even have kids and I can't find the time to get to the gym. I always love when the books say "it's a matter of priority" or "you have to make the time". Right. I am up at four in the morning to get ready for work. I am home at four in the afternoon. I make dinner, clean up dinner, do a quick craft to supplement income, and then I am in bed. Most of the time I don't get to go to sleep until about ten. Where can I fit in this fitness time? 

This was my excuse. The only time that I really take time away from my life is when I sit down for two hours on Tuesday and watch my favorite show. So I decided to work out at home during the show. Since my gym is about 15 miles away from my house and sometimes (about half the time) I just can't get there, I decided to look at setting up a simple home gym. The problem was I had to research really expensive options because I am brokety-broke-broke.  :)

I scoured books and found that the top five inexpensive pieces of equipment were: 

1) A jump rope. I was surprised to see this one at the top of the list. I mean, I have not used a jump rope since elementary school! I found that this single piece of equipment kicks my butt more than any other. I do about ten minutes of jump rope before my show comes on for a nice warm up. I have found that a nicer jump rope set me back about $10 but it swings a lot better than the cheapies. (BTW, I love that I have a big enough basement that I can jump rope in :) It is cold outside right now!) - cost $10

2) stability ball. I expected to see this one one the list because there are so many things this is good for. I was introduced to these by a Physical Therapist a few years back and I have had one ever since.  My problem was that the ball was too big for me. I found a "kids size" one and- presto- I am good! So important tip here? Check the size of the ball compared to your body (there will generally be a height range printed on the package). The main thing I do with the ball is sit on it instead of the couch during my show. This strengthens "the core". On commercial, I try a few of the fitness moves that were included on a sheet in the box- sit ups, push ups, and wall squats. - cost $10

3) resistance bands. These are really very useful. I was not expecting that when I bought them. They can be used for strength training or just stretching. There was an instructional DVD included when I bought my set, and my favorite move is "rows". This totally rocks and makes me think of sunny oceans (because of the rowing motion...see? No? Maybe I am a bit nutso...). I row during commercial breaks and I also use it for stretches during the show. - cost $13

4) free weights. I got two 2lb dumbells and two 5lb ones. These were recommended by all of the books, so I figured I would give them a shot. A weight bench was also recommended, but I simply use a straight-backed chair. I do easy exercises like kickbacks, bicep curls, or shoulder presses during the middle of the show. -cost $15

5) exercise mat. I had a yoga mat years ago and loved it, because it made getting on the floor a little less disgusting. But my dog ate my yoga mat years ago too. I had to finally get a new one and I didn't realize how much I missed it. This is a great piece of equipment to help me be more comfortable while working on the floor. I also do a quick 15 minute yoga routine after the show to help me quiet my mind and get ready for bed. - cost $15

Total cost for my home gym: $65

Total cost for exercise videos to help me work out: free (some came with the equipment and the rest came from the library)

Total cost for a sign to keep the husband and the dogs out of the room while I am working out: nada (cardboard and sharpie)

Total cost for not having to go out in the cold, drive to the gym, and shower in the locker room: totally and completely and utterly priceless. 

Power boosters- Office edition

So I am reading articles about stress today, and how stress size is directly correlated to waist size. I don't think I have much stress, but I do know that my waist has increased since I have been at my current job. Being a corporate trainer is tough sometimes, but I think it is even harder when I am not in class. I have projects and things, but I don't have my agents to focus on, which can make life VERY boring. So a few of the things that I read were talking about power boosters- things that can make the mid day slump seem a bit better.

I'm at a call center, so I see people every day run the breakroom in the afternoon so they can grab the 40 oz Monster. I look at the ingredients and I just shudder, because these people are putting so many unhealthy things in their body EVERY DAY. Often, multiple times in a day. I just can't handle it. I remember the first time I drank a red bull. I thought my heart was going to explode! I could not imagine having to drink 3 of them to get through my day. So I was very excited to see these tips to help me get through the day.

* do five minutes of mental or physical activity for every hour you spend at the computer.
*Massage your own head and shoulders. Find trigger points of tension in the shoulders, jaw, and base of the skull. Hold pressure for 6-10 seconds.
*Go for a short walk around the office or outside around the block
*Lastly, use a stress ball. Squeezing a stress ball relieves stress while strengthening the forearms and wrists for typing.
*Stand perfectly still for two minutes. Just Regroup. Do some deep breathing exercises or quiet meditation.

I think this post was a great idea, a reminder to keep it fresh at work. After all, isn't freshness at work related to productivity? Hmmm....

Our biggest loser

I am officially the an email queen for our biggest loser competition. Included in the first email was a fitness tip and recipe (see below). Since starting our competition, it has been really hard to take out the sweets. My down fall is, and always has been, bakery items. I love the danish, I love my favorite cake, and I really, really, really love banana cream pie. (Warning: The links click to pictures of these forbidden items- click at your own risk!). So imagine the horror when I walk into my break room at work to see a whole spread of pastries, mini tarts, and coffee cakes. All of it was on sale for our first quarter fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah.

Luckily, I was prepared. I packed the best lunch today and although I was tempted, I stayed strong. I also chewed a half stick of Extra Sweet Watermelon Gum. At five calories per stick, it is a great deal. It cuts my cravings so fast and lasts a while. I totally passed the danish test at work today because of it! Go Me!

Anyway, I hope that I can actually get to the gym tomorrow, otherwise I might go a bit crazy. I miss the warm weather only because I miss my bike. But really, a few more months of winter isn't bad either.

Big Tip of the Week:Shop the Perimeter

Recipe of the Day: Tuna Salad Twist

Plain old tuna salad seems like a great, low-cal, healthy item. But when using a full fat mayo it can be pretty bad for you. This is a lighter version with a few new flavors. This is also great because you can eat it open-faced, in a whole wheat pita, in a whole grain tortilla for a 'snack wrap', or my favorite: as a topping on a big bed of lettuce. If using as a main course this has 2 servings. If using as a snack item this has 4 servings.

8 oz (1 standard can) of white tuna in water- please buy from a reputable company that does not harm dolphins or whales :)
2 Tablespoons low-fat mayo
3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 squeeze of lemon juice, fresh is best
2 Tablespoons of chopped celery
2 Tablespoons of chopped green onion, optional
2 Tablespoons chopped dill pickle, optional

Drain tuna and place in a bowl. Mix in remainder of ingredients and blend well. Chill for at least one hour and serve.

As a main item (2 servings) the Per serving nutrition information: calories 170; fat 3 grams; carbs; 4 grams; protein 30 grams; fiber 2 grams

The Beauty of Frozen Food

I try to be healthy. I also have a lot of work. I also get really tired at the end of the day, and therefore don't want to do anything. This includes cooking. Nope, don't want to do it on those nights that I get home late.  

I work 4 11 hour days and the problem with working 11 hour days is that I don't always get to eat like I want to. This would be why the early AM crew and the Late afternoon crew at our local McD's know us. Sad, but true :( In an effort to be healthier, my family chose to hold our own biggest loser competition. We each paid 25$ and we get 12 weeks to see who lost the biggest percentage of weight, and at the end? Winner takes all, just like biggest loser. 

So I weighed in on Saturday night and promptly wanted to cry. OUCH! I knew it was high, but really? Ouch. I am now determined to make that a more manageable number. The easiest way to do this is going to be saying goodbye to my local Mickey Dee's crew and saying hello to home cooking. This does not excite me. In fact, this makes me break out into a cold sweat. 

Enter: Frozen Food... (cue angelic chorus). I checked out a wonderful book on freezer cooking. Make things on the 3 days that I have off, freeze them, and then pull them out of the freezer later. Now I wonder why it took me so long to figure that out. Anyway, I made my healthy tofu lasagna last night. In fact, I made two. One was cooked and eaten and the other one is in the freezer for the next time I just can't face making dinner.   Hopefully this works for us, if not, I fear it will be back to the fast food sadness. Here's wishing myself luck, willpower, and more time.