Tips from my trainer

Here are a few diet and exercise tips that I've learned from my trainer. I will share more as we go and some of my favorite rabbit food healthy recipes, too!

• Cut the crap. One of her first recommendations after seeing my food diary, was to cut the artificial sweeteners, diet soda, etc. I had heard that in the past never really understood why. Okay, so I don't exactly remember the reasoning -- something about the way your body takes so much extra effort to process the junk -- and she said I would be better off putting full fat creamer in my coffee and drinking a regular soda, if necessary. I've basically cut out all diet soda and only had a regular soda once. The calories are just not worth it to me! And I've started using full fat creamer and real sugar instead of fat free or sugar free french vanilla creamer. This sounds like the opposite of effective but I do like the thought of not putting so much fake, artificial sweeteners, etc. into my body.
• Workout when and how you can. I used to think that in order to get a good workout, I needed to carve out an hour of time, have an entire outfit ready, etc. I also thought I couldn't work out after work or I wouldn't be able to fall asleep at night. Now I realize I can do push ups and v-sits/planks during commercials in my pajamas, swimsuit, etc. I can do stair runs and even hop on the elliptical in our house for a short time. It doesn't have to be this big, planned out ordeal. I know I just used all those reasons as an excuse to do nothing. Now I see that something is always better than nothing! I've also realized that I can workout from 7-8 p.m. and be snoozing by 10 p.m.!
• Eat more fruit! I actually eat pretty clean most of the time and already get a very good intake of fruit and vegetables. But I've heard that fruit has a lot of sugar in it so it's actually not that good for you. She said that eating fruit would help kick start my metabolism. Now I try to combine fruit with a lot of things I would already eat. I have a banana in the morning and then a Greek yogurt at work around 10 a.m.. I eat berries, watermelon, etc. and string cheese as a snack in the afternoon. I also eat frozen grapes as my after-dinner snack. I still have my red wine, sometimes chocolate, etc. but I do feel a lot better with more fresh produce in my diet.
• Know what works for you. I've been a member of a few different gyms depending on where we were living/working at the time and always absolutely hated everything about going. I would drag myself there at peak time, have to park super far away (ironic that I couldn't stand a far walk to get inside the gym), not be able to find an empty locker, no machines would be open, etc. I also really hated trying to dress in front of others and seeing other people's strange unique locker room habits. Yes, I am the girl who would go in the changing room to change. Now I can see how much I can tolerate enjoy working out outside. Even if it's 90+ degrees out, it still beats the sweat-filled gym! So, the lesson here is to know what works for you -- the gym, classes, working out at your home, outside, etc. I have also learned that running long distances is probably not for me but sprints and interval workouts are great because I love the variety and it helps the time go by quicker.

Watch out Carrie Underwood's legs! I'm comin' for you!

Airbrushed Abs

I was feeling inspired by my friend Courtney's diet/workout post so I snapped a few pictures of my stomach or 1 pack before heading to another 90 degree boot camp workout. I do not know if there's an Instagram filter to make my 1 pack ever see the light of day - Hahaha!

But then I thought of Mariah Carey's airbrushed abs. They pop into my mind from time to time and give me a good laugh. I seriously can't believe people didn't laugh more about this like I did. Does she really think we believe that she has a teeny-tiny perfectly symmetrical 6 pack? What is happening?! Or maybe I'm just jealous and need to find me a good airbrush ab artist in the Twin Cities... Any recommendations?

T'was a crime scene

I started a new job a few months ago and I always love figuring out the real meaning of random corporate jargon. I've learned that if a meeting doesn't go very well it is referred to as a "crime scene."

Also, if you want someone to stop by your office/desk/cube/place of business, you ask them to "drive by." I'm beginning to wonder if I work with former gang members with all the crime scenes and drive bys.

Anyways! I started working out with a trainer 4 weeks ago. No, not anything fancy. I found her on that website where you knowingly and willingly meet up with strangers and they murder you. She's a high school track coach who is looking to build up her own personal training business. Which equates to some dirt-cheap private personal training for mommy!

She is awesome! We do one-hour workouts 2x a week - one time we do sprints on the track mixed in with other workouts and one time a week is straight up boot camp. I brought Brad with me to a boot camp session and he almost tossed his bacon double cheeseburger and tuscan fries cookies. (That's literally what he ate before the workout. Genius!)

She also sends me my own daily workouts and stalks my My Fitness Pal food diary and makes recommendations. I haven't lost any real weight yet (I carry around about 3 lbs. of water weight) but I feel great and know that I'm putting on muscle right now.

It's been 90+ degrees out for the past week so my last few sessions have been... CRIME SCENES for sheesy.

Motivation... Gotta get me some!

What no swimsuits?

Seriously, how can any woman on this planet google image "victoria's secret models" and end up feeling motivated? Sobbing into my glass of wine is more accurate.

For as long as I can remember I've looked at pictures of supermodels and celebrities and tried to use them as inspiration and motivation for eating right and working out. Now I realize, if it hasn't worked for me before, why will this year be any different? I need to find my motivation from within this year. And that's what I intend to do.

We recently signed up for a new gym after moving. I am happy to report that I chose going to the gym on a Friday night over booze and buffalo wings. Let this be the beginning of kissing this fat goodbye!

Mwah!