It's been far too long since my last post! :( The past couple weeks have been a blur of studying, holidays, birthdays (almost all of my families birthdays fall between October and February), and work! Now I can finally relax a little that the quarter is over for a couple weeks. Wait... Christmas is in 9 days?! FORGET RELAXING!!! Just kidding ;) I still have lots to do, but thanks to Amazon most of my shopping has arrived at my door for cheap! Gotta love amazon! :)
So anyway, to recap the last couple weeks, I have continued to do Jillian Michael's 30 day Shred and still love it. I usually do it in conjunction with 30 - 45 minutes on the bike or eliptical afterward for an hour long work out, but on days that I'm in a time crunch I love that the video is only 20 minutes long and is a great workout all on its own. I've moved on to level 2 and will be here for 10 days.
I've also been wearing my Easytones regularly and they're doing wonders to my legs. Especially when I work out in them, moves like squat thrusts, lunges, and jumping rope seem to have double the effect on my legs which is great. I got the black and champagne style, so they look great with khakis and I can wear them to work and not feel like a dork!
MMA class has been on and off lately as everyone seems to have been battling colds and the flu (myself included ugh!!) but I went on Monday night for stand up night and got a great workout in, as well as great time with my friends in the class. Going again tonight for ground night! The friends I've made in that class really keep me motivated, love those girls!! :)
So, the results? I've lost 5 pounds, and am noticing some definite toning all over my body. I feel stronger. 5 pounds may not sound like a lot, but I'm extremely pleased. Actually going down in weight is pretty difficult for me and I've always been an active person. These past couple months I've really combined strength training in with my cardio and I think that is what's making all the difference.
I've kept a log of my workouts since September and have been averaging a work out every other day for the last several months. I've tried keeping a log before but always gave up on it or forgot about it. This time I just made a habit of it, every time I finished a workout I jot down what I did, for how long, and my thoughts and feelings on it.. Like: does this workout seem to be helping, how am I feeling, what else is going on that day... It's really nice to be able to look back over the last several months and see how far I've come and what worked and what didn't. I also keep track of my weight in there.. not everyday since the average person's weight will fluctuate 3-5 lbs during the course of a day, but every 10 days to 2 weeks I check it, just to see where I'm at. The actual number of my weight isn't something I get all hung up on. I focus more on how I look, how I feel, and how my clothes fit. Weight is just a number and I see no sense in obsessing over it. As you lose fat and gain muscle your weight can go up or down.. it's all about how you feel! :)
So there's my workout update! Hoping you all are having success with your workouts too! I may try keeping my workout log on here for a month in the new year, so you can see what I've been up to!
My diet has continued to be pretty balanced... I've tried some new recipes that I'll have to post later.. yummm Raspberry salad and Oven Baked Salmon Fillet!! Although as the holidays are abound, there have been many treats too. We had a Christmas cookie and Brownie baking extravaganza at my sister's house a few weeks ago but that happens! I just made sure to work out a little extra hard in the following days!
P.S. my sister loves the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred too... I got her one for our birthday :) We're now 21!! Yay!! Love ya sis!! <3
P.P.S. I got straight A's for fall quarter!! :) Haha sorry had to brag, very proud of that.. Got my final grades yesterday! :)
Hopefully I'll have more time to work on this while on break... please feel free to email me with any comments or suggestions! I would love to hear from you! HealthyisHot@gmail.com
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, holiday season! <3,
Skip the Ouch: Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark report that no matter how you move, exercise eases back and shoulder pain. Aerobics builds muscle endurance and weight training repairs cells. To best the ouch, add both to your routine.
A Matter of Time: A study from the Harvard School of Public Health shows that only one third of adults surveyed know how much exercise is needed to be healthy. Be in the know!! The American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis calls for 150 moderate-intensity or 90 vigorous minutes of activity each week. Keep a log and hit your mark!!
Lighten and Brighten!: Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania say that slimming down might help reduce depression in overweight people. Depressed folks who dropped around 8% of their weight in six months felt their symptoms improve. Of course! Healthier = Happier!! 
Tea Time: Elixir of youth? White tea has potent antioxidants that may help lessen your risk for cancer, arthritis, and skin aging, reveals a study from Kingston University in London. A mug a day could go a long way.
