weight loss

Group Fitness Etiquette

/ foodsweatandbeers / 14 Comments

Hellloooooo friends!

Even though it’s only Tuesday night, I already feel the weekend peeking around the corner.  Today was a little bit of a breeze, which I just loved. I worked on a different project at work which was both fun and exciting (like that hopeful feeling you get when you first start a year of school as a child, I love that feeling.) And then, I realized through the grapevine that it was, in fact, a very special day.

That day was National Taco Day.

Well, I really didn’t have much of a choice but to celebrate….

iDelicioso!

Bandido’s is my favorite Mexican spot of all time.  And, somehow, I managed to be lucky enough to live near two locations for the past 6 years.  We used to frequent the one in Chapel Hill every Thursday, me and my girlfriends Kinsley and Claire, and we called ourselves the Bandido’s babes. And I hadn’t been there since JUNE!  The splurge was totally worth it and included a black bean enchilada, a soft chicken taco (I ate about 2 bites of the tortilla, then just went for the fillings) and a side of black beans. Of course, everything was slathered in cheese and salsa.

Perfection.

In other news, I finally got back to Zumba today! And I was in an even better mood because I felt like I was rocking one of my favorite workout outfits.

All black everything.

In an attempt to show off my brightly colored bra, I also managed to call out the power of skeletor in the form of MY COLLARBONE!

Hey there, crazy collarbone. Thanks for coming out.

Fortunately, the collarbone went back inside shortly after and just in time for Zumba.  While in class, though, I got to thinking about Group Fitness Etiquette.  As a huge fan of group fitness classes (in particular, Les Mills classes, Zumba, and newly, Pure Barre!), I think about this a lot. I’ve been in amazing group fitness classes, and stuck in rooms where I felt like everyone was actively trying to kick me in the face [cough BODYCOMBAT cough]. But I like to think that I’ve picked up some pretty good bits of etiquette.

1. If you’re ever doing a move where you’re kicking or punching, LOOK where you’re going! No one came to the gym looking for a fight.

2. If you don’t know the moves, or choose to do moves different than the ones that the instructor is showing, don’t stand in the front of the class.

3. When taking classes like BodyJam or Zumba as an extremely talented dancer, showing off a little is okay. Re-enacting the hit film, Fame, is not. We get it. You got skills. Take them to a dance studio or some reality show, you’re making us feel bad.

4. Ok, I’ll hand it to some folks. If you’ve got the confidence to rock just a sports bra and shorts, more power to you. But tiny booty shorts and a barely-there braziere might not be the best fit for a group fitness class.  Especially one with lots of bending and stretching [crotch shots. nuff said.]

5. Do unto others. If someone slips and falls, don’t laugh. Help them up, offer assistance if it’s needed, get ice. Don’t just ignore them. There’s nothing like slipping on the ground mid class and almost getting trampled because no one has stopped (sidenote: I’ve done this no less than 3 times).

6. Have fun. It’s so sad to see folks who look miserable, so if there is anything that can get you hyped up, it’s probably some exercise.  Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands (or anyone else.)

What are your favorite bits and pieces of group fitness etiquette?

Or… if you’re a runner, what’re some pieces of runners etiquette?

Reebok Easy Tone Shoe Scandal

/ foodsweatandbeers / 7 Comments

Hey there, y’all!!

I’m SO happy it’s Thursday! When I went to UNC, my favorite day of the week was Thursday because that was the day that, guaranteed, I hung out with all my friends. And now, as a grown lady, I LOVE Thursdays just as much (mostly for the same reason).  The glass night meetup that I host with the Tri Beer Meetup group has introduced me to so many new friends, and allowed me to hang out with friends that I’m already close to.  It’s my favorite.

Chilling at the Rock

Oh, I also switched my alarm on my phone (which wakes me up every morning) to a harp.  I now feel like I’m woken up every morning by an angel nudging me in the body.

It’s heavenly (ooooooh snap get it?!)

One thing I didn’t love about waking up this morning was the slight tickle in my throat.  Luckily, I had something to combat that in the office fridge.

Fiber and OJ: Just what the Doctor ordered

My throat still has a bit of an itch, but nothing a vitamin C and some zinc can’t blast away (I hope!!)

In other news, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s been watching this as it unfolds, but how about that $25 million settlement that Reebok has to pay all the folks that bought their “EasyTone” shoes hoping that the pounds would fly off as they continued their day to day life?  (If you haven’t seen this, check out the Federal Trade Commission’s writeup or the Huffington Post piece for details.)

I have to admit, when these shoes came out onto the market, I was initially skeptical.  But mostly on a fashion base… and an “I hate these commercials…. so very very much” base.

If this is the future of footwear, send me back to Terra Nova, thx. (click for Source)

What, this ol' thing? I always wear this working out. (click for Source)

But, as I saw them dropping off the shelves and into folks’ shopping bags, I wondered “could there possibly be any reality to this idea?

So you just… do what you normally do…. but wear different shoes…. and you get fit. Hmmm….”

Turns out, all that skepticism was well founded.

While I was pretty certain I wouldn’t be able to just pick up a pair of shoes and wear them then look magically like Helena Christensen, now there’s SCIENCE to back me up.

You can never.... you will never.... But buy these shoes if you'd like to fool yourself!

According to NYDailyNews.com,

The FTC said that Reebok should never have claimed in its print and television ads that its shoes “lead to 28% more strength and tone in the buttock muscles” and “11% more strength and tone in the calf muscles than regular walking shoes.”

The agency threw the hammer, saying that the company’s claims that its use of charts and statistics led consumers to believe that their shoes, priced at $80 to $100, were superior to traditional sneakers.

So, if you bought a pair of these bad boys (or several pairs), and you’d like to get a piece of that sweet $25 million settlement pie (oh, and a refund for your shoes that don’t do anything) check out the FTC Refund Request form. No one deserves to be hoodwinked and not get their money back.

I think my favorite thing that came out of this whole debacle, though, were the Nike ads that responded to these shoes.

(click for source)

Thanks to Erin for posting the picture!

This ad says:

The Ultimate Quick Fix. The Nike Trainer One is not a magical toning shoe. It’s a training shoe. Its DiamondFLX technology activates your muscles to work how they’re supposed to, giving you faster results from all those squats, lunges and classes that you do. So you get fit faster. This shoe works if you do.

There’s no such thing as a shoe that can work out for you (as much as I wish that every day as I untie my sneakers after a long workout and let the proverbial “dogs” out).  You’re the one who laces them up, ties them, and what you do with those sneakers is up to you.

Did you ever try to EasyTone shoes (or any ones like them)? What were they like?

What’s one diet or fitness fad that you’ve tried that failed?

I once tried to do a “cleanse” for a few days…. and it lasted all of about a single day. The flavors were bland, my tummy felt empty, and I ended up eating more after I officially “quit” than I would’ve otherwise.  No bueno.

Pure Barre: A Breakdown (by a First Timer)

/ foodsweatandbeers / 38 Comments

Good morning folks!

You’re probably here because you’re interested in this:

(Click for source)

Yup, I tried my very first Pure Barre class yesterday!!

Pure Barre in Chapel Hill, NC recently had a Groupon-esque deal through OurLocalDeal based in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange County in general. For $36, I got 4 Pure Barre classes and, after asking around, this is one heck of a deal!!

I’ve been looking for a new exercise method to get me excited about working out again. Well… look no further.  I look excited, right?

Excited, nervous, they’re all the same.

Ok, I’ll shoot you straight: I was actually totally nervous! I’d go so far as to say there were butterflies in my tummy. After reading an INTENSE review of Pure Barre from Lauren of Raw is Sexy, I was ready for the worst. I walked in the studio, accompanied by my buddy, Anne, and, as expected, the studio entrance was chock-full of Lululemon attire for sale, as well as some fancy shmancy Pure Barre socks.  Luckily, I brought my own.

This little piggy went to Pure Barre

I was honestly more nervous, initially, as to what to wear than anything else. Luckily, my ToeSox have little grippy dots on the bottom that are perfect for not slipping and sliding, considering the floor is carpet!!  For some reason, I definitely wasn’t expecting that.

As for what else to wear:

  • Most women were rocking yoga pants, with the occasional legging/crop legging mixed in there (I went for the crop legging). I would NOT recommend wearing shorts, as they could ride up during the seated portion
  • Tank top/tshirt that breathes. You’re going to be sweating a lot, don’t make it worse by over-dressing. Again, I’d recommend a longer length, as there are portions that could lead to riding up.
  • Socks – Grippy dots are helpful, if you’ve got em or have access to them

My instructor asked us to grab some equipment, and I picked up what I needed.

All the Accoutrements for a Pure Barre class!

What you need:

  • Resistance band
  • Mat
  • Ball
  • Weights (2lb set and 3lb set…. but I only ended up using the 2lbs!!)
What I wish I’d brought:
  • Water bottle
  • Towel
  • Another towel (seriously, I was drenched in sweat)
But I managed to make due.
 
The class started out promptly (which I LOVED) and, honestly, the music was much less irritating than most workout classes I’ve taken part of (like, for instance, the BodyPump track featuring none other than…. Nickelback. Blech.)  Within the initial five minutes, I was sweating.
Within the first set of pushups, I was straining.
After the first set of squats at the barre, I was burning.
Not just a little burn.  A burn that felt like the insides of my thighs were literally being hit with a cold blue flame.
We started with some small weight lifting and a few leg actions that were very reminiscent of that time I hated tried pilates. We did pushups, we straightened our legs, and, without fail, I was the first person who was approached by the instructor who fixed my form.

You want me to do what with my butt?

There was a lot to think about, much like pilates. You were tucking your hips in, you were straightening your leg, flexing your foot, pointing your toes, and squeezing balls between your legs (in the least sexual way possible). Despite all the well-dressed ladies looking fierce in their form fitting Lulu gear, I’ll admit, there was NOTHING about this class that looked sexy. That’s not to say that the women didn’t all look gorgeous. But when they’re drenched in sweat, standing on their tiptoes, thrusting their hips back and forth, it’s a lot less sexy than you’d think (who bets someone finds my blog in the future searching “Lulu hip thrust”?)

My thighs and butt definitely felt the most worked out, with my abs feeling the least. The thigh set at the bar was AMAZING! Literal burning, like Icy Hot minus the sexy rubbing that goes on beforehand. Just Pure Burn. The portions where we were squatting and on our tiptoes, working in tiny little thrusts and tucks, I felt like my legs were about to reject the rest of my body and walk away.

They didn’t.

I think, however, I have figured out why the abs weren’t getting their full workout.

Oh, don’t mind me, giant wooden bar. Just trying to workout.

An entire ab set was supposed to be set with us sitting against the wall, and your head/back against the wall. Only, when you’re 6’1″ with a torso that goes on for days, well…. apparently the studio wasn’t ready for that.

My head was literally jammed against the wood of the bar and I couldn’t even turn it straight. It was…. ridiculous. Anne looked over at me and chuckled as I strained to turn and face the instructor (which required a bit of bobbing/weaving around the wood.) It was hilarious, it was distracting, and it was REALLY difficult to adjust accordingly.

Oh well, I guess there aren’t too many tall ballerinas, right?

The tail end of the class focused on…. our tail end.  Lots of booty work including lifts and bridges that pushed the burn out to the last moment of class.  I felt worked the entire time. There were very few breaks, very little arm work, and LOADS of sweat (I think my perspiration may have left watermarks on the bar.)  I felt worked out the whole time.  I feel like the lifting at the beginning was kind of silly and put in there just to make use of those fancy looking weights.  However, the aspect of the ball was CRUCIAL and I think a core part of this Pure Barre method.  The resistance band was best for stretching.

My fanny is sore, my thighs still feel like there’s some creep who’s lighting small fires on them now and then, and I honestly can’t even wait to go back.

Pure Barre Virgin, NO MORE!

What’s been an exercise that’s gotten you excited lately?

Have you ever tried Pure Barre? If so, what do you think? If not, would you want to?

Not Every Occasion is Special

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Good afternoon folks!

It’s a beautiful hazy Tuesday here in the Dirty Durham and I’m enjoying last night’s Gossip Girl as I wolf down last night’s leftover spaghetti squash. It’s even better than it was last night, if that’s possible.  Complimented with that sad little basil plant, spinach, some chopped pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese (and a liberal smattering of crushed red peppers, of course), so flavorful, and so rich.

I didn’t take a picture because honestly, it was a twin to last night’s meal, even served in the same bowl.

I paired the meal with a delicious low-cal dessert.  My old friend, J-E-L-L-O!

Jiggly! (click for source)

I went with the strawberry-kiwi today and it was divine.

For today’s snack, I’m trying something I promised myself I’d never eat. I’ll reveal later how it went, but wish me luck!

In other news, I’ve come to a realization. As I stood on the scale at the gym yesterday, I realized my weight had ballooned and blossomed several pounds since my last check-in.  I tried to think back about this summer and figure out what I did wrong.  Then I remembered.

Aviator Brewery Tour? Fried pickles are a must!

Trip home to the shore? This calls for Charlie's Wings!

Cousin's bridal shower? PIle on the Pizza Dip!

A new beer is released? BEERSHAKES!

Basically, every “occasion”, big or small, has been a “special” occasion for me this summer. It’s been full of wedding celebrations, beer events, and, of course, my birthday! And while I always told myself that I’d never let my weight loss efforts get in the way of enjoying things like food at events.  But when you travel two weekends a month and have at least one beer outing a week, and there are still tailgates, parties, and BBQs to be had, sometimes you need to step back and remember that not EVERY “occasion” is one of those “special occasions” that you promised yourself you wouldn’t miss out on.

It’s okay to indulge now and then, but letting your plans and healthy eating go out the window every time someone announces, “It’s not going to rain this weekend! Let’s get a pizza!” is a bad habit to get into.

It’s a bad habit I got into a lot this summer.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the heck out of every summer.  But, realistically, I’ve celebrated every moment to the fullest, mostly when it comes to my stomach. It’s no mystery that many of life’s biggest events revolve around special foods (birthday and wedding cakes, homemade meals, tailgate food, etc) but I think that I just needed to remember that the focus wasn’t on just enjoying every last bite of a special meal. It’s about the special occasion itself, and the food can just add to the fun.

Whew.

Okay.

Honestly, that post was mostly for me so, in the meantime, please enjoy this video, shared by Courtney of Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life, which will now embody my future as I play it on repeat.

Do you overeat during special occasions?

Or, for more constructive advice, how do you stop yourself when you seem to just be eating to celebrate?

Kick in the Pants

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

Oh whew, made it to the end of Monday.  As I write this, I’m kicking back with my main man, Jason Segel, and the rest of the cast of How I Met Your Mother (one of my favorite Fall tv shows, it’s totally living up to my expectations). Also on Mondays: Gossip Girl, Cake Boss, Hart of Dixie, oi vay.

After I left work, and a weekend of overindulgence, I realized that I needed a little bit of a kick in the pants. See, despite my pipe dreams of Shredding for the Wedding (of my cousin in two weekends!!) and a fairly successful first part of the Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred, I soon realized that the reason I was able to lose over 40 lbs when I initially started going to the gym was just that: I was going to the gym.

While I loved the ability of having a little personal workout studio in my apartment, you know what else is in my apartment?

  • My foods
  • My couch
  • My bed
  • My TV
All of those things, while wonderful, are a not exactly conducive to me sticking with my self-imposed discipline.
Also, while I felt like a PRO at the old Weight Watchers, this new Weight Watchers Plus is confusing and different (well, maybe not, but I’m feeling a little more mentally taxed than usual) and not what I’m good at.  When I stepped on the scale, which was showing a notably higher number than the last time I’d looked at it (weeks ago). Honestly, I just needed to get back to my roots
Those roots included 33 minutes on the cross trainer elliptical (which is like a hybrid of elliptical, stair stepper, and arc trainer) and about 30 minutes on the Precor elliptical.

There's that sweat I know and love

There’s something about getting in a gym, the energy is contagious. I felt like I could go forever but, by the time I had burned an alleged 750 calories, I sweatily drove over to the grocery store to pick up some essentials.

First on my list (since it’s on special at Harris Teeter this week for $0.99/lb!): Spaghetti Squash.

I also grabbed some spinach, mozzarella cheese, apples, cottage cheese (WHAT?! more on that soon, once I try it!), and so many steamed vegetables you could throw a stick at them (please, don’t).

By the time I got home, I was much too tired to even contemplate a full 30-45 minute roasting of the squash, but it’s all I wanted.  Enter: Sarah from Sarah Snacks!

Her microwaving spaghetti squash method worked a charm! I cut it across, not lengthwise as usual, and it cooked completely in 10 minutes!!

Check out those long strands!!

Once it was cooled off, I scooped half into a tupperware for a Tuesday lunch, and tended to the other half in a big ol’ bowl.

I added some DELECTABLE Boar’s Head pepperoni, crushed red peppers, mozzarella cheese, sauteed spinach and several leaves from the remnants of my basil plant (which got hit pretty hard during last week’s storm).

Poor little branches, they didn't stand a chance

I’m so so elated that spaghetti squash is in season again!!

This one time, I lived in Italy for a month, and I think I burned out on pasta so much that spaghetti squash is the first “pasta” like replacement that I love like I used to love the carby noodles!

In the not-too-distant future, I’m hoping to try out the Mexi Spaghetti Squash in the style of Shanna. Always down to diversify my dinner items.

Do you like spaghetti squash? What’s your favorite way of cooking/eating it?

Top 6 Toilet Tips for Frequent Trips

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

TGIT(hursday) *y’all!

Glad to see that some of you were intrigued or interested by the Crème Brûlée by Southern Tier! I know it was a little early in the day for a beer post, but it’s a dessert beer so it all works out, right? Right.

Anyway, today marks my first day back on the Weight Watchers plan. After doing some calculations, and beep bopping some numbers, I learned that my allotted Points + total is 32 for the day. With a tasty (and boring) breakfast of cereal and almond milk and a most delicious salad, with dessert, I’m up to 10 points so far.

Classic 6 point salad

I was surprised at how much cheese really is in 1/4 cup, and think that I don’t really need that in the future. Good to know.

When I first started my Weight Watchers journey back in March of 2010, I realized that I was drinking a LOT more water.  I know it’s great to stay hydrated and I was exercising much more, and because it filled me up. Oh, and everyone else that I talked to raved about the benefits of chugging  64+ oz/day.  So other than my desk, this became my most frequently visited spot in the office:

Featuring my neon pink water cup.

As a result, this was the third most frequent spot I visited:

Yup, the bathroom. Featuring my neon pink OUTFIT!

With a bladder the size of a shot glass, I spend more time visiting the little girls room than I ever have. I probably wake up to use the restroom at least 3x every night. It’s actually a bit of a pain.

In case others were feeling my pain, though, I decided to come up with my top ways of spending all that extra tinkle time.

1. Find the Shape in the Cloud

Oooh, fancy artwork.

So often, bathrooms feature very abstract artsy looking paintings and decorations. And sometimes, I find that a hilarious thing to do is approach them like one does when one is looking up at the clouds.

“Hey! Is that a ravioli in the flower? That one looks like an evil eye! Sweet, I see a clown!”

2. Makeover Madness!

Clearly, I take great care of my makeup.

When using the bathroom at home, why don’t you take a chance to practice that smokey eye you’ve been trying to master? Or perhaps practice your face painting because Halloween’s right around the corner! Get creative! There’s no reason that bathroom time can’t also be beautification time!

3. Angry Birds

Why so serious?

You know you do it. Smart Phones (or dumb phones, for that matter) were meant to be toted into the toilet room and played with. Why do you think they invented Snake?

Poor man's Angry Birds?

4. Familiarize Yourself with Febreze

Looks.... healthy.

Sure, you spray this around your house and bathroom when either is smelling “not so fresh”. But are you really familiar with the ingredients and risk? OR the Good Housekeeping awards it has won?

Febreze is your Friend. Get to know it better.

5. Mediate the Mess

Darn Junk Drawer

If you’re anything like me, the drawers in your bathroom are, by far, the craziest ones in the home. Take some time to remedy that by organizing the junk you’ve collected. Mine’s closer to the toilet than even the TP Roll, so why I haven’t done this one, I’ll never know. This one is clearly an example of me not practicing what I preach. Maybe next time.

6. Make lists of other things to do in the bathroom.

Because someone’s gotta do it.

I know I’m not the only one that slams 64-80 oz of water everyday, so share some love.

Do you have any mindless tasks you do on your countless trips to the bathroom?

Shiny Happy Person

/ foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

Good evening, y’all!

Today was just one of those days.

You know the ones...

The kind of day where it seemed like everyone was a little bit on edge. Where my mind felt like it was going a mile a minute (and none of those miles were in the right direction). The kind of day where a little bit of annoyance goes a long way.  I’d been waiting anxiously for this darned cable to come in via Best Buy delivery (as I’d ordered it on sale, and just wanted my darn TV to do something.)

When I ventured after work, I was sort of in grouchy spirits already, but when the guy couldn’t find my cable, I went from irritated to straight rage.

No, not stage, rage. GET IN THE GAME, JORDAN!

After pacing back and forth in the tiny roped off waiting area, the fellow comes out with a refurbished cable, which I really didn’t think was what I ordered. But it was very cheap, it looked good, and I have heard success stories with friends who purchased refurbished goods from BB. So whatever, I sucked it up. I left Best Buy with my grouchy pants on (which is a sacrilege in and of itself, as it’s no pants Wednesday!)

I got home, wolfed about an half a (Family Size) box of reduced fat Wheat Thins (what’s your anti-drug?) and set up the TV. Man, if this bad boy didn’t work, the day would have gone to hell.

But wait.

Hope?

Not the best picture, but wanted to brag about what I was watching, clearly.

I felt pretty great about the fact that I’d hooked up my TV totally on my own (well…. really, I just matched two HDMI cables where they needed to go) but couldn’t help but feel a lot like Billy Madison when he rocked that spelling bee by spelling C-O-U-C-H.

I'M THE SMARTEST (WO)MAN ALIVE!!

After that, I was feeling in the zone. I had another adversary to face. Jillian Michaels and the 7th of her 30 Days of Shredding. PS thanks so much for all your support re: my shedding and Weight Watchers plan!! I feel even more steeled in my resolve to rock out this plan and look like a super glam rockstar at my cousin’s wedding.

Girls don't sweat, we glisten. Ok, that's a lie. I sweat a LOT!

Afterwards, I felt like I was on cloud nine. I instantly became one of those shiny happy people that you HATE seeing in the gym. Only, lucky for me, I was in my apartment, so I hoarded all that shininess to myself. Oh, and the internet.

I rewarded myself with a delicious dinner, featuring the last of that Mellow Mushroom free pizza!

'za, quinoa, all FREE!

I’m still riding that birthday freebie train, only these freebies were courtesy of swag and random Facebook signups. The best food, IMHO, is ALWAYS the free kind. It just tastes that much better.

Well, I’m off to ride this shiny happy wave into the rest of the night, hitting the sack early for the sake of an early day at work. And, hopefully, a much shinier day.

What can turn your mood right around?

Shredding for the Wedding

/ foodsweatandbeers / 21 Comments

Hey there friends!  Today’s a glorious Wednesday and you know how much I love Wednesdays! The Changing of the Sales was celebrated in full force this morning and, of course, my favorite: No-Pants Wednesday is currently being celebrated!

Wednesday, pantsless Wednesday!

I should also explain the other reason that I love to come home for lunches.

Oh, hey Vitamin D! (that's the one you get from the Sun, right?)

I just love to come home and open the sliding glass door and enjoy the sun, even briefly, during the day. While I love my job, I’m unfortunate enough to be the proud owner of one of the only windowless offices in the building. Drats.

Oh well, I also got my fair share of other tasty vitamins in the form of this tasty Mexican salad.

Spinach, black beans, tomato, green peppers, cheese, salsa, and chia seeds!

With a dessert of half a slice of the small cheese pizza from Mellow Mushroom last night (there’s still time, if you live near a MM, to get a coupon for a free small cheese pizza with purchase of a drink. Trying to spread that freebie love, even if it’s not your birthday!)

But now, tasty treats aside, time for some focus.

Shredding for the Wedding

I’ll lead into this section by saying that, if you aren’t aware, since March 2010 I’ve lost approximately 40 lbs. I’m incredibly proud of my progress and, for the most part, very happy with my body. That being said, the past few months have been full of lots of travel, lots of  fun and, going hand in hand with those two, lots of food. Visits home, birthday freebies, weddings, holidays,and all that jazz, quickly resulted in a little bit more cushion on my body than I’m fond of. Enter: Jillian.

Shred-master

After reading past folks reviews of the program (such as Meghann from Meals and Miles) and having started it (briefly) at the beginning of the year, I think I need something to whip my booty back into fighting shape. For the past 8 days, I’ve shredded 6 of them (one day was an “off” day and another I did Zumba for an hour). Though I haven’t noticed much of a change physically, I think it’s mostly because what I’ve been doing in my living room hasn’t been supported by what I do in the kitchen (or restaurant…. or at the tailgate). Here’s where the big change comes in.

My cousin’s wedding is the first full weekend of October (read: Columbus Day weekend. Mark your calendars, that’s a holiday, folks!)

I credit the first 20 lbs of my weight loss entirely to Weight Watchers.  When I got to a point I felt good at, I laid off and just rested on my laurels and the knowledge I had about what was good for me and what was not good for me. But with this whole “craft beer” thing becoming a super fun part of my life, and wanting to enjoy myself and wear the clothes I want to wear at my cousin’s big weekend, I’d like to kick the last 10 lbs that have been weighing me down (literally).

Starting tomorrow, I’ll start following the Weight Watchers plan again. I won’t be quite as strict as I was in the past, but I wanna rid my home of all the junk food that’s been lingering around and focus on what got me to where I am in the first place.

Know it, live it, love it.

I’m stoked to be shredding with some of my favorite fellow bloggers (like Jessica, Carly, Sadie, and Holly)  , and I’ll be tweeting along the way. The Weight Watchers thing, well, I’m hoping that’ll come back to me like riding a bike.

But on that note, it’s back to work.  No more slices of pizza as a lunch dessert (it was tiny, though, I promise) and it’s time to get back to my roots. Goodbye sunshine, see you later comfy pantsless time, and ta ta to y’all. At least until later tonight.

Have you ever followed a 30 day (or 60 or 90) day program? What’d you think?

How about Weight Watchers or some other type of diet?

OR for folks who haven’t ever tried either of them, what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever had for a dessert? 

7 Links: Welcome New Readers Edition

/ foodsweatandbeers / 13 Comments

Greetings all, and a wonderful Sunday to you!  At this very moment, I’m writing from the deck of my shore house in Ocean City, New Jersey (my favorite place on the planet.)  I left the Healthy Living Summit yesterday about an hour or so after the sessions ended because, although I wanted to spend time with the new people that I met, I don’t get to see my family too often (as I live in Durham, NC and they all live outside of Philly).  From reading the tweets and posts from these new beautiful bloggers and bloggettes, I missed out on some mischief making, but the opportunity to sip rum & coke with mom and dad and cuddle on the couch watching CSI with my siblings (and the always-gorgeous Horatio Caine was clearly too good to pass up.

Pierce me with those eyes, Lt. Caine... (click image for Source)

Though I was nominated chosen picked for this whole “7 Links” meme a while back by a fellow blogger or two, I figured I’d hold off for a little because it seemed like the perfect way to introduce new readers to myself in a fun, organized fashion.  And also, sometimes, I’m a lazy bum.  But mostly it was because of how appropriate it is for new readers.

For the ease of access, feel free to check out my “About Me” to glean some background info.  And on that note, I’m going to dive right into things.

  1. My Most Beautiful Post

    Football, Football, Football (Oh, and Friday.)

    A Sea of Carolina Blue

    Maybe it’s because I’m romantically involved with my alma mater, UNC. Or maybe it’s because I think tailgating is the most wonderful Autumn pastime of all.  But whatever it is, this post fills my heart with joy and makes my heart beat a little faster when I read it.  If you love college football (or college sports… or any sports), you might think this is lovely as well.  If you don’t, here’s a post on my best friend’s wedding that ought to tide you over: The 61 Hour Whirlwind Wedding Weekend: Picture and the Ceremony.  Don’t say I never gave you nothing….

  2. My Most Popular Post

    New Belgium Tour de Fat, Meet: DURHAM!

    Beer Education: So hot right now

    During a hot summer day this year, I was able to dress up like a champagne bottle and volunteer for the New Belgium Tour de Fat in downtown Durham, North Carolina (the closest city to me).  Being a HUGE craft beer fan (obviously, with a name like “food, sweat, and beers“) I jumped at the chance to volunteer.  I helped bring beer tokens to the masses, got to participate in a mini beer-du-cation class with some of the brewers from New Belgium, and realized that retronasal tasting is a real term (though most folks use it regarding  retronasal wine tasting).  I think this post was especially popular in the Durham, NC area.  But beer fans far and wide are welcome to continue enjoying it.

  3. My Most Controversial Post

    Women and Chick Beer vs. Craft Beer: A Response

    The Infamous "Chick Beer" that sparked the discussion

    While I can’t say this post was incredibly controversial, the topic certainly was, and the discussion was the most enjoyable to read in the comments section. I also brought discussion about this topic.  As I mentioned before, though I just attended a Healthy Living Summit, my passion is also craft beer and this whole topic of women being “catered to” in the craft beer world with weak flavored, low carbonated beers really got me fired up.  Apparently, I was not the only one that cared about it, because I still hear this topic discussed.  It’s a pretty interesting read, if you care about beer, but also if you’re interested in marketing techniques targeting females.

  4. My Most Helpful Post

    Eating Good in the Neighborhood (Pool)

    Poolside with my buddy, Claire

    In the summertime, on the weekends, if I’m not at the shore/beach, I like to be at the pool.  I think this post provided a lot of good advice (and it was a pretty popular one, so clearly others were interested.)  However, I also liked my post on Lunchbox Variety and mixing up your sammies.  Eating healthy on pool weekends AND mixing up my lunches are both challenges for me, so hopefully these posts helped folks in similar situations.

  5. A Post Whose Success Surprised Me

    No Pants Wednesday

    I. Hate. Pants.

    I guess I’m not SUPER surprised that people love the idea of No Pants Wednesday.  But when I shared with everyone the fact that the reason I go home every day for lunch, I never thought they’d get so fired up about me hating pants.

    Then again, who really likes to wear pants?

    If you do, I don’t mean offense…. I just think you should give No Pants Wednesday a chance.

  6. A Post I Didn’t Think Got the Attention It Deserved

    Wisdom Teeth: Be GONE!

    So Very Loopy.

    This is a tough one, because honestly, I never think to myself “this post DESERVES so much attention.” Who am I to expect any attention from anyone?  (other than awesome.)

    But really, if you want a laugh, check out the pictures on that post. For some reason, when I was loopy on pain medication, I was SO intense about the nurses taking pictures of every step of the way.  And I demanded to keep my teeth (not unlike my new buddy, Jessica and her pillow of baby teeth.)  Now, not only am I the weirdo who was a total bossy brat at the dental surgeon’s office and documented every step of her wisdom teeth removal, but I’m the creep with four bleached wisdom teeth in a shot glass in my apartment.

    Be careful if we ever do shots at chez moi… no one wants a shot of tooth.

  7. Post I’m Most Proud Of

    Wake-Up Call

    Namaste.

    This post was both a reminder to myself of all the progress I made (I have lost 40-45 lbs since March 2010 with the help of Weight Watchers, exercise like Zumba and Body Pump , and support from family/friends, as well as a reminder that sometimes, all you need to change your entire life is a little wake-up call.  It sums up my progress, it talks about how my thinking about food and health changed over the past year and a half, and it has a cute shot of me sleeping (in case you’re into that kinda thing.)

    This weekend, I realized that even though I never really have experienced the hardships of disordered eating that many of my peers dealt with, I had my own interesting set of circumstances that others might benefit from.  No one becomes who they are in the exact same way, and though my story feels unique, I am sure I’m not the only one who slowly put on weight until they were living an unhealthy lifestyle without even realizing it, and then decided to change things up.

So there you have it.  Some funny posts. Some poignant posts. Some food posts. Some beer posts.

Read up, learn about me, comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, and let’s get this party started.

Now, I’m back to hanging out with this stud:

Princess of the Jersey Shore

Isn’t he handsome?

 

Garmin FR60: The Perfect HRM for an Everything Exerciser

/ foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

Good morning y’all!!

After confessing to my Secret Snack Hoarding yesterday, I felt as though a weight had been lifted off my chest.  To combat that newfound lightness, it only made sense to talk about something else that goes on my chest! (well, at least partially).

The Garmin FR60: The Little HRM That Changed Everything

I actually was lucky enough to win this bad boy last September from a blog…. that I don’t even remember, because last September I spent most of my time on my Tumblr blog CaseInPoints, and didn’t understand these crazy “wordpress” blogs… Oh, how naive and young I was (says the word-presser of like, 66 days).

Anyway, I had been jonesing and lusting after these so-called “HRMs” for a while before I was lucky enough to win one, and thought they were only for hardcore runners.  I saw the giant 310XTs  of Triathletes and the 305‘s of racers, and thought “I don’t run… I don’t bike…. But I wanna know.”

I wanted to know:

  • The length of my exercise
  • My average heart rate during different classes like BodyPump (or Pilates…. where I think my heart actually just stopped beating and  took a nap.)
  • How many calories I truly was burning

I noticed a lot of variety when I used machines like ellipticals, and had no clue what I was burning in a group fitness room.  It was very important to me, when I was deeply engrossed in my weight loss journey, to know exact numbers, and I hated not knowing.  But that all changed.

BEHOLD! My first tracked workout!! (from September of last year, wow!)

What you see is what I normally post regarding my workout.  That is a graph track of my HR throughout the near-hour of class, featuring the average HR on the left as well as the Max HR.  You can also change what type of workout you did on the top left, but I didn’t really utilize that option.  I did all this on Garmin Connect which I set up when I first received the FR60.

The Whole Kitten Caboodle

These are the three pieces that I use to track and upload my exercise.  These are the only three pieces of my package that I received (other than the online program) that matter to me, FR60 wise.

The Wiggity Watch (and my attractive left wrist.)

This is the piece I look at the most, the watch.  I was lucky enough to win a cute purple one, which is great because purple’s my second favorite color (after green.)  I heard this HRM is water resistant, but have never tested it.  One thing to note is the FR60 is NOT GPS-enabled. If you’re looking for a HRM that is, you may have to look into spending a few more doll-hairs. On the Garmin Website, you can buy the FR60 package for about $200 and that includes a foot pod (which is an accelerometer, better suited for runners I think.)  But my package just came with the three pieces (no pod.)  Just to get what I got, though, it runs about $129.  The watch is smaller than the big’uns I’ve seen others wear and honestly, I’ve worn it as a watch before (not with anything nice, but out and about definitely.)  It’s also very comfortable to wear and doesn’t slip, even at my sweatiest.

I'm with the Band!

The band that goes around my chest has only ever bothered me a few times, once I realized that you can NOT have it set too loose on your body (or else you’ll be adjusting it more than a strapless bra at your cousin’s wedding.)  Every now and then, when I’m doing ab work on my back, I’ll have to shift so that the adjustable part doesn’t sit on my spine.  Other than that, it’s great.  You can wash it with soap and water (and even throw the removable strap into the wash) and it fits so nicely that most of the time, I forget it’s there.

Sneaky little bugger

It’s the ANT stick, though, that puts it all together. Your link to Garmin Connect, and the only way you can pull your data from your device!  Once, I lost this.  It’s very small, the size of any jump drive, and I absentmindedly didn’t put it in it’s little trunk next to my bed…. never saw it again.

I caved and bought a new one on ebay for about 15 bucks (they normally sell, separately, for $50!!), because I just couldn’t deal with not knowing.

And now…. you know!!

Also, I have a feeling that, if I wanted, I could use even more functions on this bad boy but honestly…. it gets all the jobs done that I need.  As a gym rat, but not much of a runner, this is great for me AND if I wanted to become a runner, I get a foot pod and VOILA it’s set for that!

Do you have any questions about the FR60? Thinking about getting a HRM?  I’m an open book!!

Do you have a HRM that you love?  Which one? (I always like to stay hip on the HRM knowledge)