It is Not in Your Character to Give Up

That was my fortune in my fortune cookie yesterday. I had a 1/2 dish of pad thai with chicken according to calorie king that's roughly 560 Calories..but that's also all I had for lunch...It was a rush meal kind of day because I had to run an errand for the boss man and I had to make an important stop at REI....I needed a new toy :)

I got a sports watch :)

It's purple :)

I know a certain fashion conscious friend of mine is cringing right now... *cough*shoewhore*cough*... I like purple :). Plus I needed this kind of watch for a specific reason... I needed it to be light weight and have a stop watch... because I'm running with this baby.

Yesterday I got one of my co-workers motivated to go run with me. She's not a regular exerciser or runner for that matter so I told her don't worry we'll do a run/walk. I've talked about run/walks a bit on the blog. I really like them because it's a good way for beginners to mentally prepare themselves for a run. The idea is to run for 4 minutes walk for 1, then repeat. I think it helps beginners to push themselves because they know that little break is coming soon.

But even if you're not a beginner the break actually helps you to run a little faster..so even though you stop to walk you end up keeping the same pace you would if you had jogged straight through because you usually don't slow your jogging pace. It's a good way to train and build up your endurance.


She actually said to me a few days ago when we were talking about going for a run that she shouldn't run with me because she's not a runner and she felt like she shouldn't even bother trying to run...that maybe she should try it some other time.

My only response was well if you don't start now when are you ever going to?

To me it doesn't matter if you're not the best, it matters that you try!

What bothers me is that people give up before even trying..that my friends gets you no where!

So my new handy dandy little stop watch kept time for me. We made sure to stop every 1.25 miles to stretch and rest a bit, but by the end we completed 3.75 miles with hills. For me that's not much of a run anymore (a year ago I would have laughed at you if you asked me to run that far though), but for my co-worker it was a major accomplishment and she felt so good afterward! She said she never would have done it with out me, but I didn't do anything. I couldn't make her run with me she did that on her own...I just kept time ;)

So we're going to try and do this once a week and I'm working on getting a few other co-workers motivated to join in. Trust me ANYONE can try a run/walk.

I've also noticed my new stop watch will be handy for other things... office chair races, timing how long a windbag boss talks on the phone.... and in my case measuring timing myself to see how quickly I can blog. :)

My New Diet...

Well it's official. I'm 17 again...

 I'll just come right out and say it...

I GOT BRACES!

Nerd Alert!

I went back to work after having them put on and one of my co-workers made fun of my voice... another asked me if I was invited to prom yet. Yep all the stereotypes are true, you spit, you slurp, and you spit and slurp while talking. I don't think I could have survived this in high school. I'm having a hard enough time a decade later. I gotta give props to all the teens who have these, cause these bitches HURT. I feel like I've been punched in the mouth.

I've been 17 again for only 3 days now... and food has not been my friend. The act of chewing hurts, and everyone at the dentist office says I should just enjoy some ice cream for the pain.

WHAT!!! NO. I can't develop an ice cream addiction for the next 14 months. Yep, 14-16 months of treatment time.... I'll be 17 for a while.

So basically my new diet consists of soft foods, oatmeal, yogurt, soups, eggs, pasta and rice. Chewing bread and chicken is pretty much unbearable right now even in super tiny tiny peices, but I've been told that it will get better. But even after it gets better I'm still restricted from eating certain foods...

No bagels or Pizza crust... which I understand now because it hurts to freakin' chew them! But Pizza is a weakness of mine so this will be a way for me to avoid it.

No sticky foods... that means no more sneaking a mini snickers bar from the office supply closet!

No popcorn... this breaks my heart! I was looking forward to enjoying a small bag of popcorn at the eclipse midnight show as a cheat treat... and now I'm denied!! NO POPCORN?!? CRIES!!!

No sugary drinks... No problem here... I rarely if ever drink soda or fruit juices. I'm a sparkling water gal.

No Hard Food... No carrots no apples, no corn on the cob! This makes me sad too, I love these foods, I can still eat them but they must be cut, sliced or taken off the cob. BOO!

So basically right now I've been surviving off of soft foods, and water. No snacks! This is one thing I'm happy about. I'm not snacking... on anything! I think because my mouth is so sore I don't even think about food, and also keeping these things clean are a pain in the ass...so if I'm going to eat I'm having a full meal! I hope this newly restricted diet helps me lose even more weight!

The only other downfall I've noticed is that I can't chew gum... and I thought oh well duh no big deal I'll just have mints handy...but I didn't think about what to do when it came to running. I chew gum when I run to help keep my mouth from drying out and I ran 5 miles yesterday and I really wished I had gum to chew on...but ok possibly TMI right now, you salivate a lot with these things in your mouth so it wasn't too much of a problem it was just... ew! Going to have to figure out what other runners with braces do for this problem.

So that's my new diet. :)

p.s. I graduated to salad for lunch today...however it took me forever to eat it and I had to have it in very small pieces and mostly only ate the leafy parts.... baby steps!

Soccer Sunday's: Eau de Bengay

So soccer this weekend was kind of a bust. It was a bad soccer weekend for me. They can’t all be good. It started Saturday; I had my first game with my women’s league. I only played about 15 minutes before I had to leave the game. I went for a header and didn’t get there in time and in order to avoid a hand ball I snapped my arm back really fast and did some sort of awkward turn and as a result I instantly had pain shoot between my shoulder blades and up my neck. I tried to shake it out but I found pretty quickly I couldn’t move my neck from side to side! WTH!

I swear I am the only person on the planet who injures themselves by not doing anything at all…I never have another player to blame for pushing me or tackling or whatever… I always manage to hurt myself! Case in point, last fall I hurt my foot just by running on a muddy uneven surface…must have twisted it the wrong way or something. Not laying off of it resulting in me having to sit out a week of soccer….and now this.

I sat on the sidelines the rest of the game trying anything I could think of to stretch my neck and back out but nothing worked so I laid down, but then I found I couldn’t get up again because I couldn’t lift my head up! I had to roll over to stand! When I finally got up I stood like Lurch all hunched over because I couldn’t stand up straight and I couldn’t turn my neck to see in my peripheral. It was attractive let me tell you. Driving home was fun. But on the plus side my ladies team rocked it and we won 3-0!! I tried my best to cheer them on with out moving haha.

After the game I hit up the drug store for some icy hot cream and pads, and then I laid down for the rest of the afternoon. Smelling like bengay and I took like 800mg of ibprophin. I felt better after that, but had a shitty night’s sleep because I couldn’t get comfortable and I woke up the pain reduced itself to one area. I now had a culprit. My freakin' left shoulder!

I HATE my left shoulder! I’ve injured it umpteenth times. It’s always been out of whack and I think it’s been that way since high school when I threw shot put and discus for the track team. I injured it when I was 22 (carrying an overly heavy camera bag for several hours with out evenly distributing the weight…big no-no ladies), then again at 26…playing softball just by throwing the ball. Once again… I hurt myself doing nothing!

So I’ve done the whole physical therapy thing, it didn’t really help. I’ve been getting massages every month sometimes twice a month which is costing me a pretty penny…but it’s never been right and I just learned to modify my work outs once I start to feel the muscle fatigue. For example I can only do about three regular pushups before I have to do pushups on my knees because I feel the muscle about to give. Side planks on my left side are near impossible because I can’t really weight bear, and tricep dips are pretty much a no-no for me. I don’t every carry a shoulder bag on my left side, I won’t play any sport that involves throwing, hell half the time I won’t even take a throw-in in soccer…but I still managed to hurt myself!...Doing nothing! Grr!

Ok Deep breath!

Back to soccer. So I was laid up most of Sunday as well. By the afternoon I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be able to make my game at night, but constant rotation of icy hot/ ice pack/ Tylenol / laying down on a memory foam pillow I felt better by 6 in the evening…which left me two hours from game time. And I REALLY wanted to play!

Soccer is like a drug to me… It’s my own personal brand of exercise heroine! LOL! If I have a game and I’m not out of state…I want to play!

So by game time I had minimal pain in my neck and I could move it side to side, my shoulder…well lets just say the Tylenol and icy hot took care of that for me (Eau de bengay is my newest fragrance). So I was ready to play. Mother Nature had other plans. It POURED it’s ass off. And I’m talking sideways monsoon rain. But we play on a turf field so there was no reason to call the game for bad field conditions. So, to quote Wayne’s World… GAME OOOON!

By the end of we were all a sopping we mess… not a dry article of clothing on my body, shirts, socks, shorts, shoes, and undergarments… all of it was soaked. And we lost…but hey the conditions were tough, especially when we spent the first half with rain in our eyes. The second half of the game the rain was on our backs and we could actually see the field but the other team was already so far ahead in goals.

So I got to play, I didn’t play well and I also ran off and left behind my water bottles because I was in such a hurry to get out of the rain. That makes water bottles #3 and #4 that I’ve lost in the last month! DOH!

Well… that’s enough griping from me I have an extra long massage scheduled tonight so I’m looking forward to that!

Legs and Ass

As opposed to tits and ass... this post is dedicated to Legs and Ass :)

You know who's ass that is... don't ask, just enjoy it.

and if by chance your ass is that tiny... kiss my you know what
(however if you happen to be owner of said ass... call me ;))

So there's lots of muscles in the legs which means lots of different spots to tone... quads, hamstrings, inner and outer thighs, calves and glutes.


So how can we tone each of these muscles and what all women want to know particularly is how do we get rid of the cottage cheese around our thighs? Well I hate to tell ya there is no magic cure like hundreds of google ads claim there to be, the cure is diet and exercise ladies. Burn off the fat and tone the muscle underneath and you'll see definition in some areas and smooth curves in others. Slowly but surely I'm seeing definition in my leg muscles and my hips are becoming more trim. They're not where I want them to be yet, but I've learned a lot of exercises to help tone and trim.

First things first... make sure you warm up! You want to warm up before trying any exercise, it's important for several reasons:

A proper warm up can increase the blood flow to the working muscle which results in decreased muscle stiffness, less risk of injury and improved performance. Additional benefits of warming up include physiological and psychological preparation. (source)

Some warm up exercises you can do are a light jog on the treadmill for 5-10 minutes, or the elliptical for the same amount of time. If you don't have access to exercise equipment you can warm up with jumping jacks, running in place, mountain climbers, high knees, jumping side to side or front to back on your toes, or even a brisk jog around the block..what ever you do you want to move around, get your heart rate up and break a bit of a sweat first and then you know you're warmed up.

Ok, so here's some exercises so you can get those toned sexy legs! (rawr!)

Lunges:

Starting Position

Stand with your feet about 6 inches apart from each other toes pointed forward.

Action

INHALE: Step forward with one leg and lower your body to 90 degrees at both knees. Don't step out too far. There should be 2 to 2.5 feet between your feet at this point. Keep your weight on your heels and don't allow your knees to cross the plane of your toes.

EXHALE: Push up and back to the starting position to complete one rep. Repeat all reps on one leg, then switch to complete one set.

Special Instructions

Keep your back upright. The further you step, the more you work the glutes (buttocks) and hamstrings. The closer you step, the more you work the quadriceps muscles on the top of your thighs. Place your hand on a chair or wall or balance if necessary.

Muscles Worked: Quads, Glutes

If regular lunges are too boring for you, or you want to change them up and make them more difficult then here's a few things you can do to modify your regular lunge:

Add some weights

Add and oblique twist with a medicine ball

Add a step

OR use a paper plate and do a reverse lunge. Place one foot in a paper plate instead of stepping forward you will slide the foot in the plate back behind you doing a reverse lung. The paper plate will reduce any friction and you'll see that it works your muscles more trying to balance yourself and slide back at the same time.

Lateral Lunges.... for those thighs!

Starting Position

Begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart, hands on hips.

Action

INHALE: Step out to the right and shift your body weight over your right leg, squatting to a 90 degree angle at the right knee. Try to sit down with your butt, keeping your back as upright as possible.

EXHALE: Push off and bring your right leg back to center to complete one rep. Finish all reps on this side, and repeat on left side to complete one set.

Special Instructions

Keep your weight on your heels and make sure your knees don't go over the plane of your toes. Hold your arms out in front of you to help with balance.

Muscles Worked: Quads, Glutes, Inner thigh

Here's some ways you can modify your lateral lunge:

Add a dumbbell press

Add a resistance band. We use resistance bands in bootcamp to increase the intensity of our leg exercises. You can get bands that comfortably strap on the ankle and don't dig into the skin for under $20.



With these bands you can increase the intensity of leg lifts or lateral lunges. They will definitely do a lot more to tone your hips and thighs! You can also do a standing oblique sit up with these to add a little ab action into the mix.

Squats!! (these also come in handy for when you need to do the drunk bar-toilet hover ;))


(image source)

Starting Position

Begin this exercise by standing with your feet wider than shoulder width apart and your toes pointed forward.

Action

INHALE: Slowly lower your body and remember to bend slightly at your hips. Keep your weight back on your heels and your back as upright as possible. Make sure your knees don't cross the plane of your toes. (don't extend your knee past your toes)

EXHALE: Straighten legs and come up to the starting position to complete one rep.

Special Instructions

Do not go past 90 degrees at the bend in your knees because this causes additional stress on your joints. If you feel pain in your knees, just go down to where you don't feel pain and come back up. If you have difficulty performing this exercise you can also use a chair or wall to help with balance and the movement until you build sufficient strength.

Muscles Worked: Quads, Glutes

Here's some ways to modify your squats...

Single Leg Squats (use a chair for balance)

Wall Squats with an Exercise Ball

Wide Leg Squat with a Dumbbell

Or you could do a squat but hold in the down position for ten seconds before coming back up.

Or... you're legs will hate me for this one... Do a wall sit. Trust me you use a lot of muscle control trying to hold your self up and sit still against a wall. Hold these for one minute...want to challenge yourself even more... Lift one leg off the ground!

Bridges... now these (when done properly) will tighten that ass! Bridges will also tone up your hamstrings and the back of your thighs.

Starting Position

Lie with arms at sides, feet on floor, knees bent. Press into heels.

Action

EXHALE: Slowly lift hips off of floor toward ceiling, squeezing the glutes.

INHALE: Return to starting position.

Special Instructions

Squeeze glutes through entire rep. Try not to let butt touch ground when lowering between reps.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads

Just remember to squeeze everything when you're doing these, suck your belly button down to your spine and tightened your glutes towards your belly button, nothing should be hang out loosey goosey.

If you want to modify this to make it more challenging.... lift one leg off the ground. Trust me your hamstrings will be screaming at you later for that ;)


So there's just a few toning exercises you can do to tighten up those legs, thighs and ass. Remember you want to keep doing cardio as well so you burn those calories. So go for a jog, use the elliptical, or play some soccer! Soccer (in my opinion) is the ultimate leg work out. You're constantly cutting, back pedaling, shuffling, shifting, turning, sprinting...basically you're going to work every single muscle in your legs playing this sport and get a great cardio work out as well.

No wonder soccer players have such sexy legs.

Mmmm Iker Casillas you sexy beast you... shame he plays for Madrid.

All images/exercises can be found on sparkpeople.com unless otherwise noted.


p.s. This post is dedicated to shoewhoreninja (holy crap look at the LAMB shoes she posted!!)... who will probably tell you that walking around in a sexy pair of heels will do wonders for your legs and ass as well... and guess what she's right, heels give your tush a nice lift.

Soccer Sunday: Detoxing from TEJAS!

Hey, ya'll I'm back from Texas! Don't worry the accent has not permanently rubbed off on me. So, I had two predictions for my trip... Liver failure and hearing damage and I think I accomplished both!

I saw amazing music at SXSW and in Dallas, I danced like no one else was watching (or Ashley aka shoewhore would say rather that my bangs danced), I enjoyed bbq and tex-mex and muchos mixed drinks. Basically I threw all my rules out the door the second I stepped foot in Tejas...well sorta I did work out for 2 hours straight ran 3 miles and killed my abs and legs the first day I was there.... but AFTER that all my rules were gone...and I don't regret a second of it.

I had a fabulous time, and I met wonderful people that I hope to call my friends for a long time to come.

But now I'm back home in the north east and it's time to get back to my routine. I'm happy to report that if anything the scale might have gone up only a pound or two from my week of debauchery. But now that I'm home and it's spring time that only means one thing... OUT DOOR SOCCER!!!! :D

Dear readers bear with me for my first week of spring soccer sunday's!

Today I had a game with my co-ed team. Now that I've been with this league for more than 3 seasons I'm starting to feel a bit of comraderie on and off the field with people I've played with or play with currently. I'm happy to see some of my team mates from last fall, and even two fall's ago are on my team again.

We did not win tonight, but I don't think we played a bad game either... The frustration of soccer is that sometimes you wish the cross bar was a little higher, other times when a ball is being shot against you're goal you want it lower or right where it is lol. We had a lot of close shots but unfortunately couldn't make it into the back of the net.

I played defense and outside-mid this game. I hadn't played mid in probably close to two years and I forgot how much running you have to do, basically you better be able to sprint the entire distance of the field. I hadn't done much sprinting in general while I played indoor because the field was too tiny to really run on. At one point I had a corner kick come right to me and I tried to fight through the other teams D..the goal was just in my sights but I didn't make anything happen.

Then I was back on D and I had one moment where I could have used a little coaching, I just wasn't sure who I should have covered and my hesitating allowed someone to run through and they scored off of a pass from the outside.

Over all I'm not disappointed with how I played despite the fact that I hadn't worked out in 5 days and hadn't done a whole lot to build of my endurance for a game on a larger field...and I'm happy to be with yet another talented group of soccer players. Our season record so far is 1 tie 1 loss but we have an entire long season ahead of us! So wish me luck!

Stay tuned this week I'm going to make a post on legs and ass! But for now I'm off to geek out and read my twilight graphic novel... seriously impressed with the drawings. I've never seen a manga comic book before (figures twilight is my first in this department as well), but I really like it.

p.s. Uber happy to report when I weighed in this morning at bootcamp that I was actually DOWN a pound and not up at all...maybe I didn't eat as terribly as I thought and that dancing must have helped ;)

I'm going to TEJAS!!!

How-dy blog readers!

Yup I'm going to Texas tomorrow...I've never been there unless you count sitting in the airport waiting for a layover...

So naturally I have a lot of questions..

1. Do I need my passport to enter this strange and foreign land?

2. Do they even allow yankee's in their state?

3. Is everything really bigger?!?

4. How many beers will it take to get me on a mechanical bull....?

Questions aside this week is filled with awesomeness! Check out the festivities I have planned...

Sunday & Monday spending time with family... and I will be taking a spinning class already have it planned ;)

Tuesday...

Bobby Long... ... he's pretty damn talented! But not just that I'm meeting one of my besties Ashley aka the shoewhoreninja! and a bunch of other peeps as well... promises to be a good time.

His hair... looks familiar...

He stole it from me!

Wednesday.... SXSW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! A music junkies dream. So many bands so little time (and money). I can only stay for the day, I have no idea who we're going to end up seeing, but I've never been to Austin so I'm looking forward to it.

Thursday....



Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.... saw them many years ago opening for Kings of Leon... they rock my face off! And make me want to do all sorts of bad things that might lead to ending up at a tattoo parlor at the end of the night... fortunately I already know what tattoo's I want ;)


and opening for them... none other than Band of Skulls!


I don't know a whole lot about them other than the tracks on their myspace page and I dig the chicks voice..... oh and they were on the New Moon soundtrack too..but you already know that :)

Well, I will be back in a week, hopefully not hungover or deaf from all the concerts, and hopefully not with an ASS the size of Texas either!!!!! I AM bringing work out clothes with me and I'll just have to remember what I learned about maintaining from my vacation in Europe.

See Y'all in a week!! (the south is rubbing off on me already!)

Vitamins and Minerals: A Clueless Gal's Attempt at Research

Blog reader ThatPastryGirl aka Karin asked me on twitter: Are there any supplements you think are essential? Ie multivitamin etc?

Once again Team Six Pack works hard at answering your questions....

This was a topic I definitely needed to research, because honestly I'm not too familiar with them myself and probably lacking in many of them. There are a lot of books out there on the topic as well and I'm sure most are very accurate and complete, but there's a lot to search through. I sat at borders for a good hour debating on which book to purchase: "A Complete Idiots Guide to Vitamins and Minerals" because honestly I am a complete idiot on this topic ;), this one had the most recent publication date, but I've noticed the "idiots and dummy's" books tend to dumb down their language and I definitely wanted a book that was thorough on this topic so I could learn as much as possible. Other books I looked at were "Vitamins, Herbs, Minerals & Supplements: The Complete Guide" by H. Winter Griffith, M.D., clocking in at 504 pages long, and "The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements & Herbs: A completely cross-referenced user's guide for optimal health" by Nicola Reavley clocking in at 792 pages long....

OY!! Information OVERLOAD

For the purposes of this article though, I am going to only discuss essential Vitamins, Minerals for a healthy diet, weight loss, exercise, and the use of some vitamins and supplements for women's needs... such as PMS... lets face it ladies a lot of us suffer from it and it's just a fact of life that I am bitchier certain times of the month than others, last week was a perfect example.

So after debating the merits of each book, reading the introductions searching the indexes etc., I settled on the Encyclopedia because it was the most thorough. However dear readers, as always please consult your physicians if you think you need to start taking vitamins or supplements. I am not a Doctor, dietitian or nutritionist I'm simply trying to learn all that I can about nutrition and health, if you take away anything from this article perhaps it's just list of questions to ask your Dr....because I know I'll have lots of questions for mine. :)



Ok, let's get this party started...

What's a Vitamin!??

Vitamins are substances which, in small amounts, are necessary to sustain life. They must be obtained from food as they are either not made in the body at all, or are not made in sufficient quantities for growth, vitality or wellbeing. Lack of a particular vitamin can lead to incomplete metabolism, fatigue and other health problems; and in severe cases, to deficiency disease.

What do vitamins do?
Individual vitamins have specific functions which vary widely and can overlap. They are involved in growth, the ability to produce healthy offspring, and the maintenance of health. They play a role in metabolism, enabling your body to use other essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins and minerals. Vitamins are important for a normal appetite, in digestions, mental alertness, and resistance to bacterial infections.

How Many Vitamins are there?
In the USA the following are officially listed as vitamins: vitamin A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamin complex containing: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cobalmin), biotin and pantothenic acid.

Vitamins are generally divided into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble, they require an adequate supply of minerals and fats to be absorbed in the digestive system and are stored in the liver. The remaining vitamins are water soluble with any excess being excreted in the urine. These need to be replenished frequently.

Break Down! (I am not going to list any of the recommended dosages in the book, I feel that is something that should be discussed with your doctor.)

...Vitamin A...

Essential for:
Healthy eyes and vision
growth, repair and cell differentiation
health of epithelial cells
protection against infection
a healthy reproductive system

Therapeutic uses of supplements:
Supplements are used to boost immunity; prevent cancer; treat skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis; and treat eye problems.

Sources:
cod liver oil, carrots (raw), squash, kale (boiled), mango (raw), canteloupe, apricots, sardines, tomato sauce, bran, pumpkin (peeled & boiled), broccoli, sweet potatoes (peeled, boiled), green peppers (raw), milk, cream cheese.

...Vitamin B Complex...

Essential for:
Releasing energy from food
carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism
healthy growth
healthy skin, blood, hair and muscles
a healthy brain and nervous system
alcohol metabolism

Absorption and metabolism:
Daily intake is necessary.

Deficiency:
Symptoms include fatigue, depression, reduced mental functioning, muscle cramps, nausea, heart enlargement and eventually beriberi, which can cause paralysis.

Thereaputic uses of supplements:
Thiamin supplements have been used to improve mental function in alcoholics and the eldery. They mage be useful in times of street and have also been used to treat fatigue, irritability, depression, to aid digestion, and to promote healing.

Sources:
Thiamin Pork, oats, wheatgerm, peacans, pistachios, bra, green peas, kidney beans, brazil nuts, ham, liver, chickpeas (cooked), cod, cashews, whole grain bread, beef steak.

Riboflivin almonds, pink salmon, bran, spinach, milk, veal, wheatgerm, eggs (boiled), feta cheese, oats, soy milk, pork, cheddar cheese.

Niacin tuna (canned), special K cereal, bran, swordfish, veal, peanuts, trout, chicken breast (roasted), mackerel, beef (lean), wheatgerm, pork, corn.

...Vitamin B6...

Essential for:
the release of energy from food
healthy cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems
protein metabolism and hormone production
healthy skin, hair and red blood cells
manufacture of genetic material of the cell
the conversion of tryptophan to niacin

Absorption and metabolism
Daily intake is necessary.

Deficiency:
Symptoms include weakness, poor appetite, dermatitis, a sore mouth, susceptibility to infection, and eventually convulsions and anemia. Deficiency may play a fole in heart disease, kidney stone formation, carpal tunnel syndrome and depression.

Theraputic uses of supplements:
These include asthma, cardiovascular disease, mood disorders, PMS, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, fatigue, nausea of pregnancy, skin problems and kidney stones.

Sources:
wheatgerm, wheatbran, bananas, chicken, avacado, ham, tuna (canned in water), spinach (cooked), soybeans (cooked), rasins, beef (serloin grilled), green peas (cooked), pork chop (grilled), salmon, brown rice, peanuts, potato (baked), brussel sprouts.

...Vitamin C...

Essential for:
the manufacture of collegen, a protein which forms the basis of connective tissues such as bones, teeth and cartilage
wound healing
healthy immune and nervous systems
adrenal hormone production
as an antioxidant to help prevent disease

Absorption and metabolism:
Daily intake is necessary.

Deficiency:
Sever deficiency leads to scurvvy with symptoms of bleeding gums, joint pain, easy bruising, dry ski, fluid retention and depression. Marginal deficiencies may play a role in the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, lowered immunity, diabetes and cataracts.

Theraputic uses of supplements:
These include the treatment and prevention of many disorders including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer, gallstones, cataracts, diabetes, asthma and infections.

Sources:
blackcurrants, red pepper (raw), guavas, oranges, grapefruits, papaya, lemons, strawberries, green pepper, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, broccoli (boiled), mangoes, kale, brussel sprouts (boiled), honeydew melon, raspberries, cauliflower, tangerines, pineapples, cabbage.

...Vitamin D...

Essential for:
the absorbtion and use of calcium and phosphorus, which are vital for function such as the development of bones and teeth
healthy regulation of some hormones
normal cell growth and maturation

Deficiency:
deficiency in children leads to rickets in which bones lose calcium and become soft and curved. In adults, symptoms include bone pain and tenderness, and muscles weakness. Deficiency may also increase the risk of osteoporosis, arthritis and cancer.

Thereapeutic uses of supplements:
Supplements have been used to treat osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in elderly people. Synthetic vitamin D analougues are used to treat psoriasis.

Sources:
Medicinal cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, whole milk (fortified), skim milk (fortified), sardines, shrimp, bran, corn flakes, special K cereal, egg yolk.

...Vitamin E...

Essential for:
action as an antioxidant to provide protection for cells against free radical damage which may lead to disorders such as heart disease and cancer. It is particularly important in protecting fats, cell membranes, DNA and enzymes against damage.

Deficiency is rare.

Therapeutic use of supplements
Supplements have been used to treat and prevent many disorders including heart disease, cancer, cataracts, diabetes, asthma, Alzheimer's disease and infertility.

Sources:
wheatgerm, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, peanuts, soy beans (cooked), safflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, avacado, spinach (cooked), tomato sauce, olive oil, broccoli, grapes, blackberries, parsnip (cooked), peaches, brussel sprouts (cooked), tomatoes, eggs.

...Vitamin K...

Essential for:
blood clotting
bone metabolism
kidney function

Deficiency in adults is rare.

Theraputic uses of supplements:
Vitamin K supplements are used to prevent hemorrhages and may be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Sources:
broccoli (cooked), spinach (raw), avocado, lettuce, cabbage (raw), watercress (raw), snap beans (raw), plums, canola oil, kiwi fruit, greens peas (cooked), miso, carrots (cooked), sweet peppers, potato with skin, tomatoes, celery (raw), peanut butter, olive oil, cauliflower (boiled), cucumbers (raw).

Time to learn about Minerals!!!

What are minerals?
Minerals are naturally occuring inorganic (non carbon containing) elements which play a part in many biochemical and physiological processes necessary for body maintenance. They are important structural components of several body tissues; for example calcium, phosphorus and magnesium make up an important part of bone tissue. Minerals are as important as vitamins for your body to function properly.

The body cannot make any minerals, they must be obtained from plant and animals foods, and water, which may contain dissolved minerals.

Which are the essential minerals?
About 20 minerals are known to be mecessary for body maintenance and regulatory functions. The major minerals are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, cloride, magnesium and sulfur.

I will only discuss the major minerals that I read were healthy for the heart and for metabolism for the purposes of this entry. Time to break it down...!

...Calcium...

essential for healthy bones and teeth, muscle contraction, a healthy heart and nervous system, blood pressure regulation and clotting.

Deficiency leads to nerve and bone disorders, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia of pregnancy and may contribute to colon cancer.

Sources: Milk, cheddar cheese, salmon, crab, figs, peanuts, baked beans, brazil nuts, kale, walnuts, almonds, broccoli (cooked).

...Copper...

Essential for normal metabolism, healthy bones, joints, skin and blood vessals, healthy cardiovascular system.

Deficiency leads to anemia, connective tissue defects, immune suppression, nerve problems and heart disease

Sources: seafood, meat and whole grains, lentils, mushrooms, spinach (cooked), almonds, avocado, tofu.

...Potassium...

Essential for water balance in the body, muscle contraction, energy metabolism, protein and carbohydrate metabolism a healthy heart and blood vessels.

Deficiency may lead to increased risk of high blood pressure.

Sources: fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

...Sodium...

Ahh... salt, yup it's a mineral, this one we hear a lot about how in excess it's bad for you...here's what the book has to say!

Essential for water balance in the body, muscle contraction, energy production, stomach acid production

Sources: Foods high in sodium include processed meats, cheese, margarine and butter. (essentially foods that aren't that good for you!)

Effects of excess intake: High blood pressure, PMS, and possibly osteoporosis, asthma and urinary stones

Supplementation is usually unnecessary!

...Iron...

Essential for oxygen transport and storage in the blood and muscles, fatty acid metabolism, energy production, maintenance of a healthy immune system.

Deficiency leads to weakness, fatigue, reduced resistance to infection and eventually anemia

Sources: meat, whole grains and dark green leafy vegetables.

...Magnesium...

Essential for production and transfer of energy a healthy heart bones, muscles and blood vessels, protein and carbohydrate metabolism

Deficiency symptoms include fatigue, mental and heart problems.

Sources include whole grains, nuts and green vegetables.

Supplementation includes treatment of stress, fatigue, cardiovascular disease, migrane, kidney stones, asthma, PMS, muscle cramps, pre-eclampsia and diabetes.

...Phosphorus...

Essential for healthy bones, metabolism of proteins, carbohydrate, fats and DNA, energy production and exchange.

Deficiency symptoms are rare.

Sources include meat, wheatgerm, poultry, cheese, milk, canned fish, nuts and whole grain cereal.

...Zinc...

Essential for energy production healthy immune and reproductive systems, normal growth and development, healthy brain, teeth, bones and skin.

Deficienct includes skin problems, fetal abnormalities, reproductive defects, cardiovascular disease, immuse deficiency, loss of eye function and osteoporosis.

Sources include seafood, meat and whole grains.

Supplements are often given to diabetics and pregnant women.

*takes deep breath* not joking I literally just let out a BIG exhale, haha. I know it's a lot to absorb! Now it's time to analyze all this information!

Are Supplements Even Necessary??
Whether or not vitamin and mineral supplements are necessary is the most controversial topic in nutrition. The question a need for supplements is central to the debate about the levels of vitamins and minerals required to promote optimal health. Given that people vary so much in their requirements and that very few people eat really well-balanced diets, vitamin and mineral supplements can be viewed as a relatively inexpensive form of "nutritional insurance."

Who might need them??Supplements may be beneficial for those on weight loss diets. Many people, particularly women, eat low calorie diets which are inadequate in iron, calcium and zinc.
Strict vegetarians who avoid meat and dairy products must obtain vitamin B12 from supplements.

I have posted previously about nutrition and exercise, in my post food to fuel your work outs here's some information about Vitamins, minerals and exercise:

Vitamin C: May be beneficial for those who exercise heavily and have problems with frequent upper respiratory tract infections.

Vitamin E: there is some evidence that vitamin E may decrease muscle fatigue and improve endurance performance

B Vitamins: are essential for the conversion of carbohydrates to energy, and as to calorie and carbohydrate intakes increase, the requirement for B vitamins also increases.

Vitamin B6: Exercisers and athletes often have low vitamin B6 levels.

Calcium: female athletes often have menstrual irregularities, which are due to disruption of the normal estrogen cycle. Lack of estrogen can lead to a loss of bone mineral density.

Iron: Heavy exercise may lead to iron deficiency. Distance runners are at particular risk as running appears to lead to a decrease in body stores of iron.

Magnesium: Strenuous exercise alters magnesium concentrations in muscle and blood. Stressful conditions such as intense training and competition may also increase the need for magnesium.

Zinc: Athletes can be deficient in zinc as increased needs and increased sweating and urinary excretion may lead to greater requirements.

Weight loss! I thought this particular passage of the book was very important and touched on exactly what type of diet worked for me and what I promote here on this blog:

Despite the availability of low fat foods and increasing awareness of the risks, obesity is still on the increase. However, despite the prevalence of obesity, many people do not consume enough essential nutrients to keep themselves healthy, and overweight and poor nutrition are major risk factors for some of the most common diseases in our society. These include high cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes...

Hand in hand with the increase of obesity has come a national obsession with weight loss. Many overweight people are drawn to fad diets that promise fast results with minimal effort, only to see the weight go back on just as quickly once they return to their regular diet. Such a pattern of repeated weight loss and gain may contribute to lifelong obesity. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to develop, and stick to a healthy, nutrient dense, balanced diet and a regular exercise program.

Vitamins and Minerals to help during weight loss:

B Vitamins: are essential for the metabolism of food and optimal intake is necessary to ensure that this takes place effectively.

Minerals: extra minerals may also be useful in preventing deficiency, especially in people whose fiber intakes are high, as fiber reduces the absorption of calcium, iron, zinc, and copper.

Antioxidants: Since weight loss usually involves a mild process of detoxification, with the body burning fat and sometimes other tissues, antioxidants may be useful. These include beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium.

Ok, that's all for now! Please feel free to ask more questions, or pick up your own copy of "The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbs" by Nicola Reavley for more information. It's VERY informative and my copy is already bookmarked, dogeared and has a damaged spine :).

And again, I stress... please discuss with your doctor before taking any of these supplements...proper nutrition might be all your lacking instead of taking a multivitamin, but that is for them to decide.

Too Much to Look Foward to Be Looking Down!

Well it's been just over a week since I've posted... if you read the post below my absence can be pretty much explained by that. I just didn't have it in me to blog I needed my time to mope/brood/stare at Rob and Daniel to make me feel better.

I hope you forgive me in general for bringing the mood of the blog down. Clearly sometimes I'm irrational....but I also have a competitive streak so losing wasn't fun, especially losing in front of all my co-workers when I was sure I had already won... and then one of them had the nerve to ask me why I was so upset while trying to imply I was being a sore loser. Hookah please... I was mad at myself not at the girl who won and I didn't need his commentary to make me feel worse.
Then,  I lost an indoor soccer game, my teams first loss of the season. It wasn't a fun week in general. Now that I've had my time to think back on it all I've realized a few things...

1. I was pissed that I lost weight? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!

2. I broke one of my own rules and compared my weight loss to someone else! BIG NO-NO Ladies! This only ends in disappointment.

3. I focused so much on this contest and then on the fact that I lost that I didn't have time to focus on the good things that are happening in my life!

Most importantly, I know what I need to do to keep losing now that I've broken through my plateau. This is HUGE. I plateaued for months and I pushed past that! My bootcamp has been doing weekly weigh ins and I've gone down every week... this is something that hadn't happened for me from September through December but since the middle of Jan. the scale has dropped little by little every week!

As I said I was so focused on being negative after that contest I didn't get to share this with you all... On February 15th.... I was on TV! Yes, it's true... I was on TV. I didn't post about it because at first I was freaking out, then I wanted to have a video to share with you all, but my parents (who own and know how to operate a dvr) recorded over the segment with the Olympics! Thanks mom! Hope the figure skating was awesome.

BUT! I have some photographic evidence... here's how the whole thing went down... Sometime in late Jan the people who run my bootcamp said they were doing a segment on the local morning news and they wanted to have two girls go on tv and talk about weightloss and why we love bootcamp. They asked me to be one of those girls because I had some of the best results! I was pretty damn honored but also terrified because I'm so NOT a "spot light" kind of person. But they reasoned with me that it was a way for me to just push myself out of my comfort zone so I agreed. PLUS... we were getting make overs ;) and what girl says no to that!

On Feb 14th we had a salon day where several of the girls from bootcamp who have been working hard along side me got make overs and photo shoots. I got new slightly lighter hair color, but I wasn't about to let them cut my hair, only my regular stylist is allowed to do that lol.

Guess who got to play photographer??

ME! That's me playing photographer :)

It had been ages since I had done anything remotely involving my college degree so it was fun just to play with lights and my camera again.

Then of course I had to get my own hair and make up done....and It was my turn to get my picture taken, someone else stepped in to take the snaps...

Here's the pic they put on the bootcamp website:

Size... 22 ---------------> Size 12!!
(and the dress was on sale at Anthro! WIN!)

The first was my before picture they used on the news and I've used it on the blog before but I'm not hiding my face this time. See ladies it is possible even the geekiest, most introverted of us Twi-hards can get out there and make a change :)

We also had to do a sporty look... so here's my sporty look...

Wearing my favorite sporty shorts and sambas :)

I'm not there yet (cough *sparetirearoundmymiddle* cough) but I'm still working on it. I'm certainly not striving to be stick thin. First its not possible with my bone structure, second I want to be a healthy weight with an athletic figure... I've realized that my size/height sometimes helps intimidate on the soccer field especially as a defender so no stick figure look for me!

So the next day I got to be on TV had my hair and make up redone for that... and was able to talk briefly about weight loss and what a great work out bootcamp is! I really hope that someone watching the segment looked up sparkpeople (which I made sure to mention) and might be inspired to start their own weight loss journey. Over all it was a pretty cool experience and I'm glad I did it.


So I really have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to keep looking forward to! Too much to look forward to in fact to wallow in self pitty. Here's a line up for March alone...



March 14-20th TEXAS!!! To hang out with my friends and see family, can't wait to see my Aunt and Uncle and the ninos!!

• Bobby Long and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club w/ Band of Skulls in Dallas :)
• SXSW in Austin!

March 14th - Co-ed (Sunday's) outdoor soccer starts... I'm missing my first game because of Texas, I promise to be back with a vengeance the following week... Soccer Sunday's will start again on the blog!



March 27th... Women's (Saturday's) outdoor soccer league starts!! Yay I can't WAIT to see my soccer gals again!!

March 30th... I'm getting braces! This is something I've wanted for 10 years and it's finally happening. I can't wait to have a nice straight smile!...and yes, I will probably officially look 17 again.

And it all starts with tomorrow. Tomorrow's going to be a good day... you know how I already know that... My gym bag is packed. I'm looking forward to sweating my ass off on the treadmill!

Also... I just had to post this video because it makes me laugh every time I watch it! Jimmy Fallon is such a fanboy lol :)



I've learned my lesson this week... always laugh and don't take yourself too seriously.

Current Status: I'm Having One of THOSE Days

You know... THOSE days. Those days where no matter what anyone says to you, you hate life... one of those days. Yup, that's right I'm not always Miss happy motivational Team Six Pack... my weight loss journey didn't transform me into some Type A energy freak... I'm still very much myself, and I have my bad days too. I just need my moment to be moody and then I'll get over it.

here is yet another segment on this blog where I rant/ramble:

Current Mood: Frustrated, angry, sad upset... something along those lines.

Current Weight: 192.5 (-16.5lbs since I started the blog)

Currently Thinking about: I lost our office biggest loser contest. I never blogged about it before because I didn't want to jinx myself AND then I forgot to talk about it. I plateaued hard core over the fall, even though I was still losing inches of fat the scale wasn't budging and it was frustrating. I was determined to break that plateau. Once the holidays rolled around, I snacked, ate more than I probably should... the scale was up a few pounds but I wasn't stressing because I knew I'd burn it off again. Everyone at the office kept pestering me to set up another biggest loser contest this year so I rallied the troops. It was just an added incentive for me because I really wanted to win this year... I wanted to prove myself. In Christmas 2008, despite losing 50lbs that year, I lost the office biggest loser contest to a freak of nature man who lost 11lbs. I lost 5.

This year we kicked the men out so the contest was more fair, and I was determined to win this time.

Want to know how much I lost... 6.5lbs.

Want to know how much I lost the contest by... 1/2 a pound!!

1/2 a FUCKING Pound!!!

Pardon my fucking French.

I was ok with losing the contest at first because I'm happy for anyone that loses weight and tries to live a healthy lifestyle, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to stay happy when the person who won started saying how she hardly worked out, wanted to give up and had binge weekends! WHAT!!!!!!!!!! I want to rip my hair out!

I worked out 5-6 days a week and I'm not talking piddling on the elliptical for a little while, I'm talking intense sweat drip down to the floor work outs! I got super super strict with my diet, tried removing different foods, but above all eating very healthy, I gave up sweets completely! I thought I was doing everything right, I was trying my hardest, but I still lost and that's why I'm feeling pretty hurt right now.

It's seems I'm on a two year record of living a healthy lifestyle day in and day out losing through out the year, but falling short in these contests. So I'm retiring from office biggest loser. I don't need this to give me motivation to lose weight...all it does is stress me out when I can't prove myself to be the biggest loser even though I know in my heart I truly am.

Currently NOT thinking about: How much I want to leave the office and go out to my car and cry for an hour maybe two.

Currently looking online at:

Anthropologie flipside blazer.

I was going to buy this with my winnings. I really wanted to rush over there right after work today, possibly even at my lunch hour and make this mine... It would look SO cute with jeans boots and a t-shirt underneath. It's destined to be in my closet next to my awesome sigur ros shirts. You will still be mine though cute, casual blazer. I just have to wait till I get paid tomorrow ;).

Currently looking forward to: A concert this weekend and my trip to Dallas in two weeks! Because I can say I've been to Tejas!..... and pronounce it like that: TEJAS!

Currently wishing that: My mood would improve... Just give me time.

Currently listening to: Chopin impromptu #4 in C Sharp... I need my happy classical music place.

Currently Realized: Fuck this. I have a half marathon to train for...and outdoor soccer is just around the corner!! Come on spring weather! I need you to warm up a little, melt the snow some more so I can go to my happy fitness place.

Kick Starting Your Work Out Routine

Hello to my new readers! I've had a few new peeps follow my blog lately and some new comments too which is AWESOME!! Thanks so much for coming around to hang out! Welcome aboard!

So if you're new to the blog, new to trying to figure out all this weight loss stuff you probably have a lot of questions. Don't worry, I did as well when I started and I'm certain everyone does... I still have lots of questions, so I'm always looking for more info.

If you're wondering how I got started with my diet I have an older post on that topic. Read about it here!

So what's next? You've read up your diet, learned a bit about healthy eating, but what about working out?

17foreverlisa asked me what she could do to kick start her work out routine, which is a great question! So how in the world do you make the change from being a couch potato to getting fit?

Ask yourself this question...

What motivates you?

There has to be something that motivates you to want to get in shape... think about what that is...is it your family, is it your future family, do you want to do it for yourself...

What is your favorite physical activity?

You might not be in shape right now but maybe there's something you've always wanted to try, always wished you could do, or wanted to start doing again after adult life got in the way...


Did you play a sport when you were younger that you really enjoyed?

Do you like being outdoors?

Do you like riding a bike?

Hiking?

Swimming?

Running?

Skiing/snow boarding?

Dancing?

Do you work well alone? Or with others?

I'm asking all these questions for several reasons:

• Boredom kills your work out! Plus, if you associate working out with being painful and exhausting instead of fun and invigorating then honestly do you think you're going to work out? Probably not.
  
  Find a fun activity that you enjoy that's going to get you out there, and make that part of your routine.
  
• If you like being with a group, then group fitness classes or rec sports are definitely for you!
  
  Even if you don't like being in a group I would recommend trying to push yourself out of your comfort zone! If you don't push yourself out of your routine, out of your existing everyday comforts then you won't see results.
  
• A benefit of group fitness classes is that you have a set time to meet. If you're the type of person that says "oh I'll just go to the gym whenever" but never actually set a time to go, do you think you'll actually make it to the gym?
  
  If you take a group fitness class or join a sports team that has set times to meet and a set schedule for games, then chances are you're going to be there because you've made the time for it.
  
• Working out with a group gives you the added benefit of camaraderie and motivation. You'll see once you get out there that you always feed off each others energy and you'll push yourself harder as a result.

For me, it was soccer. I LOVE soccer! But I was really bad at soccer when I first started playing so I wanted to get better. Soccer has always been part of my routine and every day I work out I feel like I work towards improving my game.

Here's an example of how I boosted my work out routine which helped improve my soccer game:

I needed better cardiovascular endurance... So I started taking regular spinning classes.

I needed to be faster... So I started running and doing sprint intervals on the treadmill.

I needed to improve my ball skills... So I started kicking the ball around after my runs.

I needed to be stronger to have more powerful kicks... So I started lifting weights.

Start Small, Baby Steps!

Note: To be on the safe side I would consult with your Dr. before starting any work out routine. Get a physical and make sure everything is running smoothly! :)

Do you think I was able to get out there on my first soccer game and bend it like Beckham? Hell no! I'm still not even remotely close and never will be at that skill level, but now I feel like I can hold my own out on the field and that I've gained the respect of my team mates as a reliable defender.

But that didn't happen over night. It took time. Achieving fitness is going to take time, remember this is a life style change not a quick fix.

If you're trying to start a work out routine, start small. Set small goals for yourself. Here's an example:

Let's say you have access to a treadmill...even if you don't you can try this outside...

Start off doing 30 minute walks at least 3 - 4 times a week.

If you can handle that, it's time to add a little bit of jogging to your routine.

Try to jog for intervals of 30 seconds to 1 minute, then walk to recover...and again set small goals for yourself to improve the length of time as you grow used to it...before you know it you'll be able to run a mile straight!

If you want to read more about doing run/walks, check out this article on runners world.

Just remember having to stop an activity to take a breather does not make you weak or less of an athlete! What does make you weak is if you had never gotten up off the couch that day in the first place...never get down on yourself for getting out there and trying!

Which leads me to my next segment... ;)

Discomfort is OK, Pain is not!

Remember the expression, no pain, no gain? Forget that expression! PAIN IS NOT GOOD! What you want to shoot for is discomfort, which should happen anyway if you're pushing yourself harder than what your body is used to. Make your self sweat, get your heart rate up...but if you experience severe pain STOP what you're doing. I'm not saying be a total wuss...Just make sure you know your limits.

Experiencing soreness after a work out is normal though. This is often referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness. It's very important to stretch after each work out and to keep yourself moving the next day to minimize your recovery time. For example if you did cardio yesterday and your legs are sore, make sure you do a different activity today such as lifting weights. Remember to stretch, or do a light activity such as walking...don't just sit around.

I've found working out over all has not been a smooth process. I've had minor muscle pains, bumps/scrapes/bruises, a shoulder injury (which has been on going since I was 22 I have to modify my work outs around it) and a foot injury from soccer and not laying off of it. Don't expect everything to be smooth sailing, but also don't let a little soreness make you stop! Listen to your body, listen to your doctor, do what you think you can, but above all keep active!

To summarize my advice... keep it fun, push yourself out of your comfort zone, do your best and most importantly don't give up!!!

Now it's time to put away the lap top and get started!

Hope this helps, and let me know what your favorite way to work out is!