What does this picture mean to you? Could you imagine being able to do this? I don't think I could hold my own body up on those rings for more than a few seconds, let alone hold my legs at 90 degrees. This picture conveys an insane amount of focus, drive, strength and control.
The world's elite athletes get ready to make dreams happen and I, for one, get rather inspired during the Olympics. These athletes have sacrificed so much to live out their dream. Take the triathlon athletes, for example...they average 325 miles A WEEK! Yes, you read that correctly.
I ran a 5K last year and I thought that was a significant accomplishment. Here's the thing...they weren't born triathlon competitors. There was a time in their lives when they started to run and thought, "Hey, this isn't so bad. Let me see what else I can do." This is the only thing I have in common with these athletes, the idea of pushing yourself to see what other feats can be accomplished by putting mind over matter.
We all start somewhere. Some of our bodies are built for speed. Some of us are built for strength. A good majority of us are built for low intensity exercising. I fall into the latter category. I'm moving my booty and kickin' it often. My accomplishments are mild, but at least I'm checking off boxes on my bucket list!!
Whatever inspires you, 'run' with it! The key to exercise adherence is ENJOYMENT! Grab a friend! Live out a dream! Believe in yourself and with the knowledge that it's physically possible to move your booty, you'll start to realize your new way of living has become a part of your everyday life.
Cheer on your favorite athletes for the next two weeks and know they, too, had to start somewhere. They have 'off' days. They have sacrificed so much to achieve their dreams and they now inspire people everywhere. I've got Weiber FEVER!!!!! GO TEAM GO!
Oh dear Lord...I ate like an idiot over the weekend. It's fun going down, but now I have my work cut out for me for the week. I had my strength training class this morning and three Pilates classes scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'm also sneaking in a yoga class somewhere in there. It's hard draggin' my behind to class, but once I'm there...it's all good.
So for tonight's (back to reality) dinner here's what I'm going to cook up for my savvy foodies:
Turkey Vegetable Meatloaf - from Dr. Fuhrman's 'Eat for Health'
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 cup quick oats (not instant)
1- ounces frozen organic chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 large carrot, grated
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 eggs
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
6 tablespoons ketchup, low sodium
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (he says vegan can be purchased at health food stores)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon Dijion mustard
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes, no salt added, drained
1 tablespoon ketchup (low sodium)
Directions-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix ground turkey and oats together. Add remaining ingredients except for half of the tomatoes and ketchup. Mix well to combine.
Shape into loaf and place in a large loaf pan.
Top with remaining tomatoes mixed with 1 tablespoon ketchup
Bake for an hour and 15 minutes until meat is cooked through.
One serving contains:
CALORIES 320
PROTEIN 28.6g
CARBOHYDRATE 25.8g
FAT 12.4g
SODIUM 229.8mg
I'll let you know what the fam thinks tomorrow...off to the store!
Do you know the importance of being balanced? Do you have difficulty standing on one foot? Are you the adorably clumsy one in your social circle? Guess what this may mean - your core (which is the region of your body you'll know as your tummy) needs a serious tune up. It's also an indicator your equilibrium is weak.
Trust me, all hope is not lost. You may be asking yourself, at this very moment, "Um...I don't think I'm unbalanced. What is this crazy foodie talking about?"
Test your balance - I was told one way to tell if you need some balance work is to stand, whilst in the shower, and try washing one foot at a time without holding on to something. Lift one foot to suds it up. If your doing the twist, without music, just to clean the bottom of your foot, guess what? This post is for you!! Please note, use caution otherwise this test may be rather dicey and could be super embarrassing if you need to call someone in for assistance because you fell and could not get back up.
Many gym goers (mostly guys) will scoff at the idea of balance and flexibility training. The usual response, I hear: "Yeah, that's not what gets you toned. It's all about weights." Well, try washing your foot, Arnold.
Balance helps to improve posture. Good posture helps to keep common soreness like low back, neck and shoulder problems at bay. We live in a world where most of us sit at desks, slumped over with our pelvic bones totally off center. If you don't dig yoga, that's groovy. Whatever gets you balanced will do.
Say hello to my little friend...the Bosu Ball!!!
If you're not sure you want to test your balance in your birthday suit in the shower, then try balancing on this number.
Warrior III balance
Boat poise balance
"Take that" old fashion sit-up method
This is WAY harder than it looks, try holding it for thirty seconds
Alternate sides with a medicine ball, or you could use a free weight
Take a regular leg lift exercise and throw in this off balance challenge
I found this is on YouTube. It may be more or less advanced for your particular level, but I included it because she used both sides of the Bosu. And it'll give you some ideas!
This is a great workout and the best part is while your engaging various muscles (i.e. quads, glutes, etc.) you are simultaneously altering your base so your abs will always be engaged to keep you balanced.
I know this Kelly Clarkson song doesn't really apply to my message here, but she has been scrutinized for her weight and she has admitted that she'll never 'be skinny'. Her body is rockin' and a waif she will never be. This strong gal gets it! She's beautiful and she looks 'healthy'. Excuse me, but when did this look fall from grace? "OMG! You look so healthy"...these are words I live to hear!
Have you ever had a friend that eats whatever they want and their gym 'routine' consists of passing a facility on the way to work? No matter what they do, exercise or not, they just don't gain weight. They're not flabby, they're not struggling and they don't even think about it. Their only concern is what to eat next!
These people are FREAKS of nature, plain and simple. Many of these same people are also paid beacoup cash to be models/dancers/actors, etc. Sometimes their only talent -- a metabolism that won't quit. But these are the people who seriously need to watch what they're putting into their bodies. I know I cannot eat crap because it will adversely affect my weight and health. However, for these freaks of nature who eat whatever, they may be doing far more damage to their systems because their outsides mask it. Beware of bad habits! Watch out for cholesterol levels, raised blood pressure, premature aging (courtesy of fried foods) and chronic diseases related to poor food choices.
For the rest of us mere mortals, we are cursed with a metabolism that slows to a crawl as we age. There are basically two choices - diet, feel total deprivation and then put it all back on OR have a come to Jesus moment and change the way you handle your lifestyle!
People who diet, or have done so previously, will all say the same thing....it doesn't work! They're right. Dieting is a joke. But people are so desperate to lose weight they'll try anything. Astronaut food, bars, points, juice fasting, you name and someone will have tried it and failed.
Here's a shocking fact: food tastes good and is mandatory. There is no getting around it. We need the stuff or we die. And our bodies need the REAL stuff, not the fake/chemically processed crap on the grocery shelves.
I'm sorry, but simply eating grass and never enjoying food is just not an option for me. I read 'Skinny Bitch ' and for four years I gave up meat. What ended up happening was a major carb overload! My corner was turned when I finally realized I wanted to be stronger and if I lost the weight, it was a bonus. Being strong and healthy are my main goals. Getting into skinny jeans was a thrill, not a priority. The most amazing things will happen to your body (and your aging metabolism) as you increase muscle mass.
by J. Rentilly July 11, 2012, 09:02 pm EDT "You can always go under the knife, hack yourself to pieces, or take a bunch of pills. Plenty of Americans do that, but I think it’s a losing bet. Most of us know the best ways to take care of ourselves, but we just lack the discipline, focus, and tenacity to live that way. At this age, you can still turn it all around. You can drop the 20 pounds if you want to. Basically, the choice is this: Do I want an easy exit or a crash landing? At 50, those are your options."
It's not sexy, it's not rocket-science and it's free for all! This is easy to do at home and you don't even need equipment. Check out these additional articles from Women's and Men's Health!
It's totally fine if you're starting a new routine from square one. Some of these examples are a bit advanced, no problem. Start out by going for a walk! Each time you walk, extend your time by 5 minutes. Maybe pick up the pace a bit. Getting your cardio going will help start to strengthen you and then you can flirt with some of the exercises or even free weights.
I'd much rather be a strong bi*tch then a skinny one. I'm much more confidant, I get a major rush of endorphins and it's empowering...plain and simple.
Quit dieting and join the legion of strong peeps who'd rather charge for tickets to the gun show!
The world's elite athletes get ready to make dreams happen and I, for one, get rather inspired during the Olympics. These athletes have sacrificed so much to live out their dream. Take the triathlon athletes, for example...they average 325 miles A WEEK! Yes, you read that correctly. 
