Keeping up the day to day of working out can be tough. Motivation is key, but keeping up that motivation, particularly if you don’t like working out, can be just as difficult as saying no to that extra piece of cake. Well The Health and Fitness Guide offers 12 Keys to Staying Motivated:
# 1. Vary your routine every so often to prevent boredom and provide enhanced benefits by working different muscle fibers within the same broad muscle groups. Try different exercises; try doing more reps and lighter weights one day; more weight and less reps another day, etc.
#2. A little bit is much better than nothing and in fact goes a long way. While an hour or so 3 to 4 times a week is great, exercising for 15 to 20 minutes once or twice a week is much better than no exercise.
#3. Work with a trainer when bored or discouraged– even if it is just for a few sessions – to get you back on the right track, learn some new things and rejuvenate your workout.
#4. View work-out time as “your time” to escape from the demands placed on you from others and take care of yourself. Get in a “zone” by focusing on the music you’re listening to, the results you will achieve or how good you will feel after your workout.
#5. Write down your goals – You are more likely to remain committed to them. Also, keep a diary of your workouts and your progress – what gets recorded and measured gets improved.
#6. Workout with a friend – you will push each other and time will go by faster.
Keep reading for the other six.
What do you think?
Do any of these tips resonate with you?
Is my ass really that big?
So, my mother has been really ticked with the way I’ve been looking lately and insisted that I purchase me at least one new pair of jeans. I’ve been avoiding trying on clothes because I know I’m the size of cow. But I acquiesced…knowing that I’ve been holding on to my one pair of too tight jeans because that is the only pair that I can squeeze my butt (that is now the size of Brazil) into.
So I walk on over to New York & Co. and look at jeans. I flip through the jeans and notice that the size 14 looks like it will fit my brazil size ass.
And low and behold I try them on and…they…fit.
SIgh.
I went to several other stores and their size 12’s definitely didn’t fit..so that only left the 14’s.
SIgh.
Mind you I left the mall without any jeans that day because I REFUSE to buy a size 14 jean. I about died when I had to buy size 12 jeans a couple of years ago and promptly tossed them out once I was back to a size 8. Now I’m a size 14 and well…I won’t be purchasing any new clothes until I’m at least a size 10. So there’s my weight gain loss update.
On a lighter note. Here is Casper our resident semi-professional fighter/personal trainer talking to us about the weight loss benefits of chilies. Be sure to comment and show Casper some SPP love:
Hello again ladies, My last video post didn’t come out to well due to the touchiness of Wordpress, but that’s OK lets move on.
Fun With Chillies
I don’t want to bore anyone by breaking down body mechanics, So I would rather stick to the fun and light hearted stuff. Easy tips that generally help out. One of those things is a favorite of mine. Chili’s! I love hot peppers and I growem myself. The odd thing is that I don’t like my food spicy I just like eating chili’s, crazy huh?
Anyways the active ingredient in chili’s that sets the roof of your mouth on fire is called capsicum. This stuff has a great way of heating things up and I mean that literally. You see when you eat those chili’s the nerve receptors light up like timesquare and your body thinks somethings burning so immediately it turns on the waterworks to try and douse the fire. Hence the runny nose and sweat.
Now I eat raw hot chili’s and this has a great fat burning quality, I do it because I am addicted to the burn AKA you get an endorphin rush, and the hotter the chili the more the rush AND I am out of my mind. But you don’t have to be crazy like me, adding some cayenne pepper to augment a dish will help.
Now unless your gonna eat a naga morich pepper every hour don’t expect the fat to just melt away cause it ain’t. And eating that giant bowl of pasta with a little cayenne isn’t gonna cut it either. (kinda like the sumo guy at the food court polishing off the 14 inch pizza and sipping on a diet coke, because this somehow compensates)
I will say is that if you start eating some super hot peppers every hour throughout the day you will shed some pounds, I have seen it with my own eyes. But that takes some and mettle and persistence that not even I have. Eventually though your body is clever and will figure out whats going on, you will develop a tolerance and the effectiveness will plateau, as with all things.
So ladies bring on the FIRE.
And as a friend of mine says:
” If your ever at my house and I say “here try this” DON’T DO IT”
When do I get to be a Skinny Bitch?
So how do you stay motivated when you’re not seeing any results?
What’s going to keep you going to the gym or doing that workout video or waking up early to run everyday?
I ask the question because that’s the situation I find myself in right now. My weight is fluctuating between 165lbs – 169lbs which is down from my high of 172lbs, but nowhere near the 140lbs I’m trying to get back too.
It’s beyond frustrating.
I know that my body is prone to weight gain and not so much weight loss. I also know that I gain muscle easily as well so that’s a bit of consolation. So except for the occassional experience with back fat (that’s gone now by the way) I’m not saggy or flabby and I still have a small waist and relatively flat stomach.
But still..
I’m tired of being fat.
And all the running and walking and jumping doesn’t seem to be doing the trick.
Sigh.
It can be tough.
Ultimately I don’t have any major words of wisdom, but to keep going to the gym, doing those videos and waking up and running. I think you have to be very methodical about it. Tracking your weight, being congzinant of what you eat and making the necessary changes if what you’re currently doing isn’t working. Basically you just keep pluggin away because the alternative isn’t an option.
Hey All!!
As usual, Mother Nature has put a monkey wrench in some plans of mine. Won’t have a clear weight reading til all the water is gone, which will probably be Friday! So, while I’m getting my chocolate and salt fix on, I thought that I would share some words of wisdom from some friends of mine. Ladies, here come the guys to the rescue!! Woo Hoo!!
This tip on how to ease into running is from Mr. Casper, from the blog “Flashpoint”
http://coldchromestars.blogspot.com/
Casper, a former Marine, is an amateur kickboxer in Okinawa Japan. He is married with two cute little girls, and hopes to someday go to the pros. Though mostly political, his site has some great fitness and diet ideas Be warned, though, Casper was a Marine, so be prepared for a no holds barred workout and eating program!
I asked Casper how to start running without having a coronary – this is what he had to say:
As for the running take it slow. No need to be an Olympian over night.
I would start with a marker say a mile, maybe a half mile. Then every other day run a little farther than the previous marker. Say you run a mile and come to a stop sign, remember that as your marker, then take a day off to let your legs recuperate, then run a little farther and make a new marker, maybe the next stop sign, or a distant telephone pole, Then the next time you run go past that one and so on. The key is not to burn yourself out, you gotta keep it challenging and fun or you’ll probably quit.
On a side note after a run I recommend a cold shower right after the run. Yea, it sucks but it helps with the lactic acid build up in the legs. I personally take an ice bath after long and grueling runs. That’s right I raid the ice box and fill the bath tub with cold water and ice blocks. When I can’t stand it anymore I rinse with warm water, then jump back into the ice bath then rinse with warm water again then the ice bath again. I do this three times.
What happens is that when you take the ice bath your body thinks its freezing and will draw alot of the blood away from your limbs to preserve the core body temperature, when you heat them back up with the warm water the blood flows back through your limbs and it flushes out the lactic acid. This works like gangbusters in preventing soreness, but I don’t usually recommend it because… well ice baths just really suck.
Yep they do! I tried it and it was easier to just have the dang Charley horse!! But, I can say that I can now run/jog about two-thirds of my 4 mile walk. Yay, I’m a runner! Now on to weight lifting…
Well ladies, hope you enjoyed our guest blogger. I did cuz I got a post done in less than 5 minutes! The next guest will be Mr. Grant, my personal online weight trainer. He will give us some great tips on the benefits of perseverance.
Til next time! Keep up the good work Diva’s!! YCDI!!
We all want to get in shape fast. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to fitness, but exercise programs geared towards a higher intensity level give your body a run for the money. That’s where boot camp fitness comes in.
If you’ve watched “The Biggest Loser” before then you know the trainers are merciless to the participants in an effort to turn their bodies into fat burning machines. Some people actually like that kind of abuse.
Thanks to the “Biggest Loser,” boot camp fitness is a popular way to exercise nowadays. The instructor won’t yell at you unless you’ve paid for that type of class. Either in a gym or a private program, people are turning to more aggressive measures looking for better and speedy fitness results.
In truth, your body can handle a lot without causing damage. The larger muscle groups of the legs, back, and abs are changed through a variety of exercises with and without weights. That is exactly what boot campers thrive on.
Who is a candidate for this type of training? Check with your doctor first. On that show, “The Biggest Loser” the contestants are constantly supervised by a physician. Before beginning any exercise program, especially one as intense as boot camp, it is a good idea to get a clean bill of health. Joint problems and heart problems are not compatible with the high intensity
Basically the class combines some military PT training with squats, lunges, pushups, crunches, and cardio intervals. You could be running in place or jogging a half mile one minute and doing weight work the next. Those who can take the intensity thrive on boot camp fitness classes.
To find a boot camp fitness program near you check out your local gyms and personal trainers as there are privat programs available as well.
I can do it in my bedroom, but I would much rather do it outside…..
I’ve done it in the woods. I can do it in broad daylight or the darkest night. Recently, I did it in the rain, and just this morning, I did it in the snow…..
Yes, folks, you can walk just about anywhere, anytime. You don’t have to buy and expensive treadmill, or join a gym, just get out there and get in touch with nature. It’s free!
Experience the thrill of cussing some idiot out for almost running you over with their car (I had the light AND the right of way!).
Marvel at the beauty of a new snowfall, or a gentle rain. Grow to love the feel of Spring’s warm sun on your face and it’s light breezes in your hair (or wig).
Get scared sh-tless when you see lightning strike just yards from you, or when you think that big cloud up ahead is moving awfully fast in your direction…and don’t forget the joys of a surprise hailstorm!
Seriously, check the weather first, and get movin’! Reached 189 today, just four more pounds to mini goal – say bye bye to Obesity and hello there to Just Fat. That in itself is worth getting your hair wet!
Til next time! GET OUT THERE!! YCDI!
Hey All!
Wow! Time is flying by – it is March already! Soon, it will be time to break out the shorts and short sleeve tops and bask in the sun….and for once, I am looking forward to it. Hope you all are just as excited – You Can Do It!
Ok, lets do some catch – up! When I last talked to you, I was thoroughly enjoying being a brickhouse and plugging along with my weight loss program. I hit a bit of a bump last week when I gained .4 ( .4 – come on! Why even count that?!?) and the scale kept either going up or standing still despite the fact that I was exercising more. Hey, I’m up to jogging for three whole blocks now – not bad for someone who used to get winded putting on her pants!
I immediately thought “Oh no, hear comes the plateau that I have been dreading!” But after almost six months of steady weight loss, I really couldn’t complain about hitting a wall at this point. I have to keep a daily journal of everything I eat to keep track of my daily points, so I went back to the last week to see how I had been eating. Turns out that I had been skipping a meal a day. In my excitement about finally getting down under 200, I had gone back to the old ways of diet thinking – the less I eat, the more / faster I will lose. But, and doctors have proven this, it just doesn’t work that way.
So, pissed off at the fact that I gained weight by not doing what I totally love, I set out to fix that problem right away! Oh yes, not only did I have a good big breakfast, which included by daily Coffee Chocolate Latte, I squeezed in some Long John Silvers, some decadent flatbread sandwiches, and some delicious dark chocolate! Ain’t nuthin’ like eatin’!
Now, all of this was in my points, I just didn’t skip meals or do the old “I’ll eat when I’m totally famished” thing. And, you can’t eat like that without exercise, so skipping out on that was not even in the cards.
Yesterday was my weigh in day at Weight Watchers – I weighed in at 194!!! I lost 3 pounds!! EATING LONG JOHN SILVERS!! I LOVE THIS PLAN!! I have lost a total of 63 pounds – 37 more to go! Pass the hush puppies!
In between my mini – crisis, I have been dabbling in some outside projects to generate some revenue. Ladies, even in these tough times, small business are still afloat – if you are one of the newly unemployed, put that mind to work and get yours!! I used to own a cleaning business a while back, so it’s time to fire up the old floor machine and get going!
AAAaannd……yours truly has a date this weekend!! After a few weeks of calls and emails, we are finally ready for the meet and greet! Will let you all know how it all went down next week! I wanted to show you a pic of this sweet purple dress that I got to wear, but I haven’t gotten around to getting that taken! But soon, you know Ms. Tracy is too vain to do a post without pics! 
I do however have a picture of one of the Sweet Potato Pie Diva’s!! Meet Cenjefjor09!! My sister in law, Cenita! She has joined our weight loss challenge and is now my new Weight Watchers Buddy!! So far, since the end of February, she has lost 2 pounds!! Yesss!! She Can Do It!!
We will hear more about Cenita as soon as she gets me the info I asked her to send me , like , a week ago! And I am looking forward to seeing and hearing from more of our members! We got 12 so far! Not too late to sign up!!
Well, gotta get movin’! I hear some fried clams calling my name!
Til next time! You Can Do It!!
If you don’t understand what’s on the label…don’t buy it. If you’re serious about your weight loss then you’re going to have to be able to read and understand lables. Serving size, calories, no-sugar added and fat grams are all terms you’re going to have become familiar with. You need to know what you’re buying and ultimately what you’re putting into tour body. It’s not all as simple as it seems and if you’re eating blindly how are you ever going to take control of your weight and your overall health.
Since 2009 is the year we are going to get out health in order, you’re gong to need the strategies and tools to make it happen. BlackDoctor.org has a great article 10 Strategies for Ultimate Health that outlines the best ways you csn jump start your new healthy life:
1. Start Small
Quite possibly the biggest mistake people make is pushing the accelerator too soon. You can’t lose 20 pounds in a week. But you can lose one. Taking small bites and chewing slowly have as much to do with goal achievement as they do with your mom’s dinner table scolding.
2. Get It On Paper
Whether setting your first goals, tracking daily progress, or sharing your deepest thoughts with a journal, writing things down crystallizes your ideas, exposes underlying fears, and paints an accurate picture of real life.
3. Focus On Everyday Habits
The building blocks of a healthy lifestyle are forged in the smallest of actions you take every day and every week. Healthy choices can become as natural as brushing your teeth or locking the front door. Build one habit, one action at a time.
4. Always See Your Goal
Goals need attention. They need to be seen and heard and thought of often if they ever hope to come true. So surround yourself with as many reminders as possible.
5. Be ConsistentImagine a plane taking off. In the beginning, a lot of energy is spent to simply get moving down the runway. But as speed and momentum take over, the plane is pulled forward and up into the sky, faster and further by the second. Consistent action, no matter how small, has more power than you ever imagined.
Definitely go and read the rest of the article to get the rest of the tips. For me #3 and #5 are the tips that resonate with me the most. I’m a person who needs to break big goals down into doable smaller goals. For me I like to focus on the things I need to do daily to attain the major goal I’m focusing on. I use this strategy in other aspects of my life so why not apply it to my health as well.
Also, consistentcy is what gets me everytime. I will go hard for 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and then at some point I just stop. Either I stop exercising or eating healthy or both and then I’m right back at square one trying to lose the sme 20 pounds. COnsistentcy is key. If you do the small things that you need to do everyday, you will ultimately realize your goals. Guaranteed. You just have to stay focus.
- Down to one chin….
Alright! Well, Ms. Tracy is ecstatic!! I officially weighed in at 201 this morning! I have lost a total 56.4 lbs. !! I am sure that I will make my goal of 199 by 02-21-99 so I have made an adjustment: by 02-20-09 I would like to be 197.4 – that will be a total loss of 60 pounds. By the end of February, I would like to lose 1.4 more pounds to make a total of 10 lbs lost for the month. I Can Do It!!!
I was looking at an ad for a weight loss center yesterday. While I was looking at all of the pics and success stories, one phrase kept popping up – “Results not Typical”. You know, the CYA for the company just in case you pay your money and don’t come out looking like those folks did. Then I got to thinking that maybe my results aren’t typical either. Since September, I have managed to lose and average of about 3 pounds a week. No plateau’s, no ups and downs, just slow and steady weight loss. For folks that have been in the diet game, that is almost unheard of.
So, no my results are not typical. But they are not impossible either. For the benefit of our readers and to the Diva’s to come, Ms. Tracy is gonna share her weight loss secrets with you!!
Number One – Move, Move, Move!!! I don’t care if you are doing Atkins, WW, bread and olives (well, don’t do that one, it’s gross), or whatever, no weight loss program will work if you do not burn the calories that you take in. Sorry, diet alone will not work. And I am not saying that you have to go big guns starting out either. Take a walk, get on the bike or the elliptical and ease into your routine. But start it – and keep going!
Number Two – Move More!! Okay, got the movement down! Now challenge yourself! If you are strolling along la-de -da ing and not giving your heart and lungs a slight workout, time to switch up. Pedal a little faster, walk more briskly, do some extra laps – get that heart moving. One of the things that I think has helped me stay out of the dreaded plateaus is that I do my walking and biking in Intervals. That is were, after warming up of course, you add short bursts of high powered movement in your routine . When I stationery bike, I pedal normally for a minute, then pedal like crazy for 90 seconds, all for a total of 35 minutes. When I walk, I now walk a block and jog a block. This helps not only to break up your routine, but to raise your metabolism and burn more fat! So step it up if you want to see the pounds move!
Number Three – Whatever you do, follow it to the letter!! I believe that all diets work. Pick one that you can be comfortable with and go for it, but remember this: If you are doing a popular diet (Atkins, South Beach, WW) know that before the book , tv show or program came out, someone had to test it. People have taken pains to go thru and see what works and what doesn’t. So if the book says do “da-da-da” you have to do “da-da-da” or it will not work! On Weight Watchers, I have so many points to eat a day, I have to write down everything I eat, track my water and make sure that I am getting so many points in veggies and fruits, proteins, oils, and dairy . Sure, I could eat diet cookies all day long, but I wouldn’t be getting the results that I getting now. Before starting any diet, take the time to read and understand all that is required of you to make this diet work – and follow it to the letter. Severe, maybe, but this is the first time in 15 years that I have been close to breaking 200 lbs – so it is worth it.
Number Four – This is Life, Live it! Remember that whatever you pick, this is the plan you have chosen for the rest of your life. So pick something that you can live with. I don’t know of many folks that would be satisfied with raw veggies and skinless chicken forever. And if I can’t have a good glass of wine or brew every once in awhile, forget it!! Allow some treats and goodies in! Life is parties and friends and joy and heartaches and love and pain. Make sure that your diets ( and exercise) alots for all of these . Also, don’t make your diet your life. It is easy to get over-focused especially when the numbers are going down! Don’t leave family and friends out – they are your cheering section and will be there thru thick and thin (pun intended)!
Number Five – Educate yourself!! Since September, I have surrounded myself with Health and Fitness books and Magazines. You should always know the when, where, and why’s of your body! Go on the internet and find out why you need a certain amount of vitamins each day, and how to get them. Find out how much you should really weigh, why you need so much fiber (ha ha Ms. Johnson – that is another post!) protein and water, and how this affects your weight loss. Find out what foods you should be adding to your bland list of veggies to not only add some variety, but to keep you on track and add more vitality to your well being. Learn about different exercises that will help you on your journey .I personally love Heart and Soul – they cater to the Sistas – and Prevention magazine. So, become a little obsessed with yourself and your health and become a mini Sherlock Holmes, your body will thank you for it!
Finally, Number Six: BE SELFISH!! I remember co-workers and family always telling me ” It’s all about you, isn’t it?” And my answer was always “Hell, YES!!” Cuz sometimes, ladies, if you don’t make it all about you, it will never be about you. You will always put your needs, your dreams and your health on hold to make someone else comfy. my favorite saying is ” I was nice in my teens and 20’s, compliant in my 30’s, but in my 40’s, EVERYONE can Kiss…..” you get the idea. Make it about you ladies, even just for awhile. When you are dead and gone, they will just find another mule… You are worth so much more.
Well, dang, I’m just rattling on – must be the high fiber cereal and the coffee! Will be working extra hard to acheive my goals for next week – I know that you can acheive yours! YOU CAN DO IT!!
Til next time – I gotta figure out how to work the webcam!!
Again!! Scroll down and watch Ms. Johnson show off her hot body!! Um, when I get that size, I’m quittin! And please sign up for the SPP Diva’s! I entered my new weight in this morning, entered my exercise tally, and made and entry in my personal diary – You get all this for free!! So far, with me and Ms. Johnson, the Diva’s have lost 12 pounds! To make things fair, I have not counted the last Fifty that I have lost – I am starting at square one. So sign up and become a Diva! To sweeten the pot ( A hunnert dollahs?!? Oh Yes, I’m unemployed, that would come in handy!) I am having T-shirts and Hoodies printed up! The T-shirts are for when you sign up, the Hoodies are an ‘Atta-girl’ for your first 10 pounds lost! So, along with getting a slamming new healthy body, you get money and clothes! Sign up y’all and lets get this thing movin!
Depriving yourself is never the answer. Too often folk go on diets and other weight loss programs depriving themselves of all the food they like to eat and replacing it with “healthy” food they may not even like. This is a real recipe for failure. The likelihood of you maintaining a nutrition program filled with foods you don’t like and none of the ones you do like is a guarantee you will fail and fail in a spectacular way.
Instead of depriving yourself of all the foods you enjoy try incorporating them into your diet in reasonable and appropriate portions. Dessert after a nice healthy dinner is a great way to treat yourself. Also take the time to find healthy foods that you like. You don’t have to setle for any old food just because it’s healthy. The more you liekand enjoy what you eat the more inclined you are to stick to your new healthy way of kife.
