28 Day Fitness - Day Seven #28DayFit

Day Seven
(aerobic/cardio)

This is a "rest" day, so the the times or number of repetitions fall back to the amounts of the first day of each exercise. You still only need to do one of the choices within the level your fitness is currently at. Normally, Day Seven would be a day to take a complete break from any extra exercise, but, as this is a 28 day challenge, I'm including exercise choices for today, just setting them back to their lower levels to give you a bit of a rest today.

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 10 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 30 minutes at a relaxed pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 10 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 10 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. If jogging for ten consecutive minutes is too difficult for you, break it up and do two separate sessions of jogging for 5 minutes each.

4. Jump rope for 16 minutes. If 14 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two 8-minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 10 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this ten times.

6. Do ten minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.


Intermediate Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 25 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 45 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 20 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 20 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. You should be able to run about 2 miles within this time, if not more.

4. Jump rope for 20 minutes. If 20 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two ten minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 15 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this fifteen times.

6. Do twenty minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum. If you are finding it too difficult to do 20 minutes without stopping, break the workout into two separate 10-minutes sessions.


Advanced Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 40 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 90 minutes at a fast pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. If you find it difficult to fit in 90 minutes of walking into your schedule, break it down into two 45-minute sessions.

3. Jog for 45 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 45 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. you should be able to run about 2 miles within this time, if not more.

4. Jump rope for 10 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 10 minutes, then do another 10 minutes of jump rope and finish with 10 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Use the elliptical crosstrainer for 60 minutes. You need to either vary your speed and incline or you need to stay at a mid-to-high range with both. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

6. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minutes session, six times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the advanced level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

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28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Six 28DayFit

Day Six 
(anaerobic/strength training)

Beginner Level

1.  Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 12 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights.

2. Do 12 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 12 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your abdominal muscles.

3. Do 12 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 12 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 10 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this ten times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.


Intermediate Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 18 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights.

2. Do 18 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 18 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 16 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 22 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 15 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this ten times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.


Advanced Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 22 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights.

2. Do 22 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 22 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 22 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 32 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 20 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this ten times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.

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28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Five #28DayFit

Day Five
(aerobic/cardio)

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 14 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 37 minutes at a relaxed pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 16 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 10 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. If jogging for fifteen consecutive minutes is too difficult for you, break it up and do two separate sessions of jogging for 8 minutes each.

4. Jump rope for 14 minutes. If 14 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two 7-minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 12 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this twelve times.

6. Do ten minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.


Intermediate Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 32 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 47 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 25 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 25 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. You should be able to run more than 2 miles within this time.

4. Jump rope for 25 minutes. If 25 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two 12 1/2-minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 17 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this 17 times.

6. Do twenty minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum. If you are finding it too difficult to do 20 minutes without stopping, break the workout into two separate 10-minutes sessions.


Advanced Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 45 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 70 minutes at a fast pace and then jog for ten minutes. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. If you find it difficult to fit in 80 minutes of consecutive exercise into your schedule, break it down into two 35-minutes walking and 5-minutes jogging sessions.

3. Jog for 52 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 52 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog.

4. Jump rope for 12 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 12 minutes, then do another 12 minutes of jump rope and finish with 12 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Use the elliptical crosstrainer for 62 minutes. You need to either vary your speed and incline or you need to stay at a mid-to-high range with both. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

6. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minutes session, six times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the advanced level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

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28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Four #28DayFit

Today, we are combining strength training with cardio training to get the maximum benefit from our workouts.

Day Four
(combined)

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 10 times (that's up AND down counted as one time), while holding hand weights. Make sure to move your hands in a jogging motion while holding the weights, in time with your jogging. You may use water bottles or cans of food if you don't have hand weights. This is a great way to get your heart rate up while also working your arm muscles. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure to wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 20 minutes at a reasonable pace; then do 5 minutes of planks. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. A plank is where face down to the ground and hold your body up using your hands and your feet, keeping your legs, back and arms, straight.

3. Jog for 10 minutes; then do 6 push-ups. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 10 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. If jogging for ten consecutive minutes is too difficult for you, break it up and do two separate sessions of jogging for 5 minute each, followed by 3 push-ups each time.

4. Jump rope for 10 minutes; then do 6 front lunges. For the lunges, place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs. If 10 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two 5-minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.


Intermediate Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 20 times (that's up AND down counted as one time), while holding hand weights. Make sure to move your hands in a jogging motion while holding the weights, in time with your jogging. You may use water bottles or cans of food if you don't have hand weights. This is a great way to get your heart rate up while also working your arm muscles. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure to wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 40 minutes at a reasonable pace; then do 10 minutes of planks. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. A plank is where face down to the ground and hold your body up using your hands and your feet, keeping your legs, back and arms, straight.

3. Jog for 20 minutes; then do 10 push-ups. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 20 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. If jogging for 20 consecutive minutes is too difficult for you, break it up and do two separate sessions of jogging for 10 minutes each, followed by 5 push-ups each time.

4. Jump rope for 14 minutes; then do 10 front lunges. For the lunges, place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs. If 14 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two 7-minute sessions, followed by 5 front lunges each time. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.


Advanced Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 30 times (that's up AND down counted as one time), while holding hand weights. Make sure to move your hands in a jogging motion while holding the weights, in time with your jogging. You may use water bottles or cans of food if you don't have hand weights. This is a great way to get your heart rate up while also working your arm muscles. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure to wear appropriate shoes. Your hand weights, if you have them, should be no less than 5 pounds each, although, at the advanced level, you are probably capable of using heavier hand weights.

2. Walk for 45 minutes at a fast pace; then do 10 minutes of planks. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. A plank is where face down to the ground and hold your body up using your hands and your feet, keeping your legs, back and arms, straight.

3. Jog for 30 minutes; then do 16 push-ups. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 30 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. If jogging for 30 consecutive minutes is too difficult for you, break it up and do two separate sessions of jogging for 15 minutes each, followed by 8 push-ups each time.

4. Jump rope for 20 minutes; then do 16 front lunges. For the lunges, place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs. If 20 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two 10-minute sessions, followed by 8 front lunges each time. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

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28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Three #28DayFit

Tip: If you already exercise regularly, using any of these exercises, choose something different. If you do the same thing day in and day out, your body becomes accustomed to it, and, because of this, you will no longer be getting the maximum benefit from the exercise. Shake things up by doing something different.

If you don't want to give up your normal exercise for the day, try adding one of the below fifteen choices to do in addition to your normal exercise routine. (If you already spend 60 minutes or more exercising daily, then try adding one of the beginner or intermediate level exercises to your workout routine for the day. you probably won't need to add another advanced level exercise when you are already doing advanced level exercise.)

Day Three
(aerobic/cardio)

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 12 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure to wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 35 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 15 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 10 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. If jogging for fifteen consecutive minutes is too difficult for you, break it up and do two separate sessions of jogging for 7 1/2 minutes each.

4. Jump rope for 12 minutes. If 12 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two six minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do ten star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this ten times.


Intermediate Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 30 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 45 minutes at a fast pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 23 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 23 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. You should be able to run a little over 2 miles within this time.

4. Jump rope for 24 minutes. If 24 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two 12-minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 15 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this fifteen times.


Advanced Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 45 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 75 minutes at a fast pace and then jog for the last five minutes. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. If you find it difficult to fit in 80 minutes of consecutive exercise into your schedule, break it down into two 35-minutes walking and 2 1/2-minutes jogging sessions.

3. Jog for 50 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 50 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog.

4. Jump rope for 12 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 12 minutes, then do another 12 minutes of jump rope and finish with 12 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Use the elliptical crosstrainer for 60 minutes. You need to either vary your speed and incline or you need to stay at a mid-to-high range with both. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum. (Obviously, if you don't have access to a gym or have an elliptical crosstrainer at home, you won't be able to choose this exercise. Check with your friends; one of them might have one you can use for the day's activity. If not, choose one of the other activities for today's exercise and look for some new choices in the days to come.)

28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Two #28DayFit

I've added one more prize to whoever wins the randomly selected prize. Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism paperback book. I have not read it, so I don't know if her advice is helpful or not, but I have the Master Your Metabolism cookbook, and the recipes are tasty and healthy. The winner will be drawn by a randomly selected number. See Day One for further details on how to enter. There will be one winner who will win both prizes. 

If you are joining up late, that is allowed; just start yourself on Day One and go from there. The winner will be selected on March 6th. Please share this challenge with your friends. Having friends who are doing the challenge with you can be really motivating.

Day Two
(anaerobic/strength training)

Beginner Level

1.  Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 10 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. Start with smaller weights. At this level, you will probably need to work your way up to heavier weights. If you are comfortable using heavier weights, then go ahead.

2. Do 10 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 10 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your abdominal muscles.

3. Do 10 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 10 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.


Intermediate Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 15 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. At this level, you should be able to start with some medium-weight hand weights. You might still need to work your way up to heavier weights.

2. Do 15 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 10 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 14 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 20 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.


Advanced Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 20 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. If you have hand weights, they should be a minimum of 5 pounds each, but, at this level, you are probably capable of heavier weights.

2. Do 20 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 10 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 20 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 30 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

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28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day One #28DayFit

Today is the first day of the 28 Day Fitness Challenge.

First, for legal reasons, I have to add this disclaimer: I am not a doctor, a registered fitness instructor or nutritionist. for any changes in activity, like the ones this challenge calls for, it is recommended that you check with your doctor first. (The only expertise I have is learned from my fitness efforts while losing 145.5 lbs of excess fat.)

My reasons for providing this challenge are simple. First of all, I want to provide a way for us all to avoid that February slump where people are known to start giving up on their healthy-living New year's resolutions. Second, I have been letting my own fitness slide lately and nothing motivates me more than a good challenge with daily goals to keep me on track. Hopefully, these daily goals will help you stick to your fitness goals too.

The reason the challenge runs for 28 days is because studies have shown that it takes four weeks for your body to show physical results from your fitness efforts. It also takes at least four weeks of repeating an action for that action to become a habit. (This number can actually very from between 18 days and 66 days, depending on which study you read, but 28 days is the most commonly referenced amount of time for forming a new habit.) also, I originally was going to begin this challenge on February 1st, so 28 days would have comprised the entire month of February.

Here's how the challenge works; there will be three categories of challenges: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Every day, each category will have three or more different choices for activity to begin on that day. At least four days of the week will list aerobic challenges and at least two days of the week will list anaerobic (weight or resistance-based) challenges.  I will try to vary the choices for people in a variety of different situations, from those who have no access to exercise equipment to those who go to a gym regularly.

If you are a beginner to some forms of exercise, such as swimming, but are skilled at other forms of exercise, such as running, which use completely different muscles, you may mix and match your choices between the different levels. Each consecutive day, the challenges will increase slightly in difficulty and, occasionally, a new challenge will be added to the choices.

Once the challenge is over, if you wish to continue on using the next level up of the challenge, you are free to do so as the challenges will remain here on the blog for you to reference.

Day One

Beginner Level

1. Go to bed an hour early. This might sound like it doesn't make any sense to you, but studies have shown that getting a decent amount of sleep can help with overall physical and emotional well-being. Most people do not get enough sleep, and lack of sleep can cause all sorts of problems, such as difficulty concentrating, weight gain, and an increased chance for heart disease along with other symptoms. So, in truth, if your goal is to become stronger and more physically fit, one of the best ways to begin is to make sure that you are getting enough sleep.

2. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 10 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

3. Walk for 30 minutes at a relaxed pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

4. Jog for 10 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 10 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. If jogging for ten consecutive minutes is too difficult for you, break it up and do two separate sessions of jogging for 5 minutes each.


Intermediate Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 25 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 45 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 20 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 20 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. You should be able to run about 2 miles within this time, if not more.

4. Jump rope for 20 minutes. If 20 minutes of jumping rope is too difficult for you to achieve all at once, you may break the session into two ten minute sessions. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.


Advanced Level

1. Run  up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 40 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 90 minutes at a fast pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. If you find it difficult to fit in 90 minutes of walking into your schedule, break it down into two 45-minute sessions.

3. Jog for 45 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 45 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. you should be able to run about 2 miles within this time, if not more.

4. Jump rope for 10 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 10 minutes, then do another 10 minutes of jump rope and finish with 10 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

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Coming soon! - The 28 Day Fitness Challenge! #28DayFit

This idea has been brewing in my mind for a little while and it's time to make it a reality.

This is the time of year when people's New year's resolutions start failing. This is the time of year when people often need an extra push to continue, or in some cases, to begin, living a healthy lifestyle.

Want to improve your body tone, strength and endurance?

The 28 Day Fitness Challenge starts on February 5th. Why 28 days? Because studies have shown that it takes four weeks for your fitness efforts to begin to show results.

Each day, for 28 days, I will post a new daily fitness challenge to help you increase your fitness levels. The goal will not be weight loss, although that might be a result for many who join in, but instead, we will be focusing on growing stronger and increasing endurance. It's not a DIET challenge. There are several theories about what the right way to eat healthy is, and what works for one might not work for another. So this challenge will deal solely with physical fitness - strength and endurance.

We will focus on a mixture of weight training (anaerobic) exercises and aerobic exercises. You will have to check back each day, either here or on the Skinny Dreaming Facebook page to find out the day's challenge.

The challenge will begin on February 5th and finish on March 5th, but the really cool thing about the challenge is that you can really start and finish whenever you want, as long as you complete all 28 days. Sign up for the challenge here.

There will be three different levels of challenges to choose from each day: beginner, intermediate and advanced. If you are a beginner at some things but more advanced at others, feel free to mix and match which exercises you choose to do.

As a result of having three levels, some of you might choose to re-do the challenge once your first 28 days are up and do the next level up for the following 28 days.

You will not need to weigh yourself, although if you choose to do so weekly, that is your choice. You do not have to report your weight though.

This challenge does not include any dietary changes, but, if you want the full benefits of the changes in activity level, I recommend that you also eat a healthy diet. You can see some previous posts of mine which give tips for eating healthy if you are not sure.

Just for fun:
At the end of the 28 days, all of the daily challenges will be compiled into a book, and one of you, if you are signed up for the challenge, will win a signed print copy of the book. By officially signing up for the challenge, you will get 5 entries into the prize drawing.

Every comment on the daily posts, detailing what you choose to do for the challenge, will get you one extra entry into the challenge. Sharing about the challenge on Facebook or Twitter, if you use the hashtag #28DayFit  (and "via @skinnydreaming" on Twitter or "via Skinny Dreaming" on Facebook) will give you another entry.



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Healthy living in 2014 - Letting Go #newyearsday

(a design I created many years ago)
Wishing you a happy 2014!

I've been living a mostly-healthy lifestyle for several years now, and I have to admit that it never becomes easy. It gets easier after a time because the little things you do to be healthy become a habit, but it doesn't become completely easy.

There will always be temptation. And you will not always win against temptation. And that's okay as long as THAT doesn't also become a habit.

The hardest thing to do is to relax about it all. Let your healthy choices become so much of a habit that you don't have to think about them as much any more.

That's my personal goal for 2014.

Confession: I obsess about whether or not I have done my daily exercise or if that one treat that I let slip past my defences will show on the scales the next day. If I gain a little weight, I feel like a failure, and I feel the urge to hide my body in bulky clothes. None of this is normal behavior or even healthy behavior.

So my goal for this year is to learn to let go: let go of having to be perfect, let go of having complete control over everything from my diet to my fitness regime, and let go of weighing myself every morning.

And added to this, I intend to love my body, whatever size or shape it's in. And this will start by making a conscious effort, even when I am not feeling lovely, to act confident and to dress confidently.

Is there anything in your life, any habit or thought-process, that you hold on to which is not helping, or possibly even harming, you in some way? Will you try to let go of it this year too?

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It's all in how we look at things #positivethinking

photo by Connor Fyfe

Today, I took the dog for his morning walk. The ground was completely covered in frost, turning everything white. It was incredibly cold out, but my dog Mercury needed to go for his walk regardless of the weather.

I bundled up and reluctantly stepped outside. But that's when my attitude went through a transformation. Outside, with everything coated in a layer of frosty ice, all of the rubbish and litter was hidden away, being covered in the same white frost as everything else. And the sun was out, so everything sparkled and glittered in the sunshine, the ice of the frost reflecting the sunlight in bright twinkling sparkles off of every surface. I started to enjoy the beauty of it, and I was no longer a reluctant participant of the walk but someone who felt at peace and let the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the natural glitter take her mind off of the cold of the day.

Which leaves me with my message to you:

Instead of only feeling the cold of an icy day, learn to see the sparkle in it.

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You might be asking how this message pertains to weight loss, so I will make the connection for you (even though it's a very loose one).
Many of us have let ourselves go a bit over the recent holidays, and some of us will be stepping on the scales today and seeing a number we won't like. But instead of chastising ourselves for the weight gain, try and remember how much fun you had over the holidays and how much you enjoyed the treats you allowed yourselves, and keep in mind that the weight will come off again. There's nothing to let yourself get depressed over.


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The Trouble With Most "Fitspiration" Pictures

photo property of Maria Kang at MariaKang.com

Okay, so there is a lot of controversy over this woman's photo, which reads "What's Your Excuse?" Some are upset and offended and some think those who are upset or offended are "just jealous."

My take is this: There are millions of "fitspiration" photos all over the web. I've even shared some here. They all show women with model bodies. I'd rather see a photo of an overweight mother who is jogging in the park while pushing one kid in a stroller and having the other riding a bike beside her with the words "No excuses" than yet another photo implying "If you only worked harder, you too could look like this!"

According to the woman in the middle of the controversy, I not only have more kids than her, I workout more than she does. And guess what? My body will never look like hers. Every body is different. Every mind is different. Healthy on one person will not look the same as healthy on another person.

Yes, we shouldn't be making excuses not to be as healthy as we are capable of being. But that doesn't mean we will ever look like her. And that's a good thing. She suffers from anorexia (or as she says, she used to suffer from it). Her body should NOT be the ideal. No one shape should be the ideal.

The problem with these "fitspiration" photos is that they propagate this unrealistic ideal body, the same unrealistic ideal body that we women have had thrown in our faces for decades now by the media. I just want to tell the media, "Enough! Show me real women of ALL sizes!"

I don't want my daughters to grow up thinking that their bodies aren't good enough because photos like these keep circulating around, implying that they should look more like the photos.

I do, however, understand what Maria Kang was trying to do with her photo. She was trying to be motivational. Her intentions were good. And yes, she looks fabulous. So all of the people being mean to her are misguided. Her intention was only to say, "Leave your excuses behind and do something." She's trying to show that, although she could have used her children as excuses not to work out, she didn't. It's not entirely her fault that her body fits perfectly into the media ideal that we are all so tired of being compared to. So stop hating her.

I have, in the past, made the statement that, "If I can do it, anyone can." I am told now, by others and through comments they have made on similar statements made by someone other than me, that this is not helpful and some are offended by these kinds of statements. So I guess I know where Maria Kang was coming from in a way. I was trying to be inspirational, and for some, that statement made by me WAS inspirational, but for others, it was offensive. I only meant, when I said the phrase, to show how I had overcome many obstacles to achieve what I achieved and that I felt that, as someone who had never really achieved anything beforehand and as someone raising a larger-than-most family, if others could see what I had achieved maybe they could believe in their ability to achieve success too. I did NOT mean to say that there was anything wrong with someone who hadn't achieved the weight loss. I did NOT mean to say that everyone's journey would be anything like my own, and I did NOT mean to say that anyone should be striving to look like me. (Most of you wouldn't want my stretch marks, loose skin or freckles anyway.)

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Skinny Dreaming's 5th Birthday!

Skinny Dreaming has now been around for five years! Five years ago from today, I posted for the first time on this blog. It's difficult to believe that so much time has passed already since I first started trying to lose weight and decided to blog about it. I was still pregnant with my youngest son Cameron five years ago when I created this blog and started writing.

At the time, needing to lose over half of my body weight seemed like such a pipe dream, something I could attempt but would never really succeed at. Now look at me! I not only lost the weight, but I've managed to keep most of it off for over three years! This little blog that I began after a few months of successfully losing weight has had advertisers reaching out to it, got me a job writing a regular feature for a monthly magazine in the US, which lasted for over a year, and its reach has grown and grown. 

The Skinny Dreaming book, that wasn't even a thought back than and was only a faint idea a couple of years ago, now has an outline and chapter synopsis for each chapter and a ton of research ready for the writing on it to begin. What was only a fuzzy idea couple of years ago is now something that is definitely in the works. In fact, I have decided to start writing it here on the blog. during the month of April (2014), I will be writing a chapter a day, which will be shared here on the blog. You won't get to read the whole book here on the blog, but you will see enough of the chapters to let me know what you think of the progress as it happens.

  

I look at that picture of me before I started to lose all of the weight, and I can't believe that it was once ME. How did I ever let myself get like that, and how could I have waited so long before doing something about it? I was unhealthy. It pained me just to walk. I had no energy. I was a heart-attack waiting to happen, despite not being very old. I had seven children to think about and care for, so I NEVER should have let my health deteriorate so much. It was always in my hands to do something about it (just as, if you are struggling with your weight, it is also in your hands whether or not you change it).

So much has happened since then, and my confidence, as a result has grown. After losing over 145.5 lbs, I was in several magazines and newspapers. I won my district's Slimming World Woman of the Year 2010 and became a national finalist. I was featured on the television news twice. I was interviewed about my weight loss on our local radio station twice. And I was featured in the Slimming World magazine in October 2011, which got me a proper photo shoot, complete with make-up, hair and clothes. (The photographer was Paul Bueller and two of the photos on this page are ones he took for the Slimming World magazine.)
    

As a result of my growing confidence due to losing the weight, I started to gain confidence on other areas of my life, such as my writing, and I gained a belief that I can achieve anything that I am willing to work towards. My writing career has since grown and I even have an Amazon author page now. And eventually, you will see the Skinny Dreaming book there.

I've even taken up belly dancing - something I would have been to shy about attending classes for before. I am finding the classes fun as well as a good workout, and I'm even planning on joining in with the next performance my class puts on in public.

I hope that you, too, have managed to achieve the body you desire and have grown in confidence along the way. What were you doing 5 years ago?


Every person who comments on this 5th birthday post will be entered into a drawing to win a Kindle copy of the Skinny Dreaming book when it is available. A random number generator will be used to choose the winner once the book is complete. (Please leave a name and way to contact you in case you are chosen as the winner.)


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Announcing the Sugar Free Cookbook Winner! #1wksugarfree

You might be wondering who has won the "Sweet and Sugar Free" dessert cookbook by  Karen E. Barkie. Well, it's time to announce the winner of the cookbook!

The winner of the cookbook is:

Marissa Ames!

Congratulations, Missy! Please e-mail me (or Facebook message me) your mailing address so I can get the book sent to you.

And thank you to everyone who joined in with the challenge! You helped keep me going, and I am STILL living sugar-free (and bread free) even though it's been three whole weeks!

And yes, I do realize that I am late in announcing this as I stated in the post about this prize that I would be announcing the winner on July 27th. I simply forgot. Better late than never, right? Forgive me?

Did I mention that, in the first two weeks of living sugar free, I dropped 14 lbs? I haven't weighed this week, but I know I have dropped more inches during this third week too.

Scale vs Measuring

 I am still following my sugar-free and low carb lifestyle. It was getting me terrific results, so I decided to continue on with it. For the past four days, my weight has remained the same, I think. I say "I think," because my scale is fluctuating wildly and it is hard to tell if I have stayed the same, gained a half pound or lost two pounds. My scale doesn't usually fluctuate at all, so I probably need to buy it some new batteries.

Knowing this, I decided to take my measurements again. While the smallest part of my waist has stayed the same, I have lost another 1 1/2 inches off the rounded part of my belly and hips. That's enough to keep me happy with my efforts.

Sometimes, our weight won't budge and we can get depressed as we look at that scale and see a number we don't want to see. It's important not to let it get you down. Look for other results from your efforts to keep your spirits up. There are so many ways to measure success, from your weight on the scale, to your measurements, to the way you clothes fit, to the amount of increased energy you are experiencing and more.

Once my children got off school, I found it hard to fit in my weight training. I still managed to work in all of my cardio, but finding time for my weight training was difficult. I finally decided to demand the time to do my strength training yesterday, and today, I have that delightful ache in the muscles of my arms that tells me I gave them a good workout. It's the little things that make me happy.




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The Benefits of Belly Dancing

image found on Pinterest here

This is a very appropriate post for today as it is National Dance Day! From the Dizzy Feet Foundation's page:

"Launched in 2010 by “So You Think You Can Dance” co-creator and Dizzy Feet Foundation co-president Nigel Lythgoe, National Dance Day is an annual celebration that takes place on the last Saturday in July. This grassroots campaign encourages Americans to embrace dance as a fun and positive way to maintain good health and combat obesity. NDD achieved national recognition when Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a long-time proponent of healthy lifestyles, announced at a press conference on July 31, 2010, in Washington, D.C., that she was introducing a congressional resolution declaring the last Saturday in July to be the country’s official National Dance Day."

Last Thursday, my daughter dragged me to a local belly dancing class. Although I have always wanted to learn how to belly dance (Think about Shakira in her music video "Hips Don't Lie." Who wouldn't want to be able to move like that?), I must admit that I was reluctant to go. Thoughts crossed my mind to the tone of, "But my belly is too big and soft; it will jiggle too much! and, "I'll look ridiculous!" These are the kinds of negative thoughts that I try and avoid having. And yet, there they were - a lingering poison in my mind.

Still, I wasn't going to let the negative voice in my head win, so I let my daughter drag me to the belly dancing class. There were women there of all shapes and sizes, and the really surprising thing was, once we started to move, I didn't feel self-conscious at all. Even more surprising, I felt sexy. I was shaking, wiggling  and moving my bum, belly and chest, as well as learning some beautiful arm movements, along with the rest of them, and I was having fun!

image found on Pinterest here

As we danced, I realized something else about belly dancing; there is not one muscle in your back, legs, stomach, buttocks and arms that doesn't get used during the various movements. It's a really great  all-over workout.

I felt more fit, more confident and more feminine (in a strong way) after just the one class. Those are all good things, so I feel great about recommending belly dancing for fitness. It's so fun, you hardly notice you are working out.

My 20 year old daughter Angelica found the class on-line and it wasn't far from us. It's called Helen Sleiman Dance and is run by Helen Sleiman herself. Helen is a cute, tiny little wisp of a woman who moves amazingly and has a really positive approach to teaching belly dancing.(She's pictured below.)  If you live in my area, you really should come join in with one of her classes.

photo from the Helen Sleiman Belly Dancing website

For those of you who still wouldn't feel comfortable belly dancing in front of others, I found a website called All About Belly Dancing that teaches in steps how to do the different moves and even has some videos to help show you.

There are also a lot of videos for belly dancing training and for belly dancing as exercise that you can find on Amazon. Read the reviews before you purchase to make sure you find one that is right for you.

So what do you think? Have I convinced you to give belly dancing a try? Let me know in the comments below.

You'll need to wait out the advertisement, but this is Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" music video on YouTube.

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My Sugar Free Week and Flour-Free and Sugar-Free Cake Recipe #1wksugarfree

When I woke up this morning, I weighed myself and measured myself so I can let you know the results. I lost another .8 lbs over night, which makes my total loss for the seven days of going sugar-free (and  low carb) is exactly 10 whole pounds! In a week! I am stunned. I know it won't continue going down quite so quickly; there is always a point where it levels out, but I'm still really thrilled with these results.

As for my measurements, I didn't measure until I was already a bit into the sugar-free week, so these measurements are since only the last five days of my sugar free week. I have lost 1 1/2 inches from the smallest part of my waist, and measuring around where my belly button is, where I have the most weight to lose, I have lost 3 inches. Yay!

Something I hadn't even considered would happen when I started this - my finger nails are stronger now. I am taking that as a sign that I am getting better overall nutrition.

I know the week is over and this was meant to only be a one-week challenge, but I know I will be continuing it. I'm sure I won't always be 100% with it, and I will not keep myself from eating whole grain pastas, wholegrain rice and potatoes completely either, but I know I can limit those things to a great deal, and I'm pretty sure that I can avoid sugar most of the time. As the week has gone on, it has gotten easier and my cravings have been reduced enough now that I really want to continue this way of eating.

I would love to hear how you are doing so far with the challenge and any changes you are noticing, any part of it that you have been struggling with, anything at all that you've noticed since starting. Please let me know in the comments below.

And because I know some of you are still finishing your sugar-free weeks with a few days to go still, I will leave you with another sugar-free, flour-free recipe; this one is for cake! It does use sweetener, but the amount used can be lessened and I think it is still a better way to fulfill a sugar-craving than having sugar and flour.

Flour-Free & Sugar-Free Cake


Ingredients:


300g 0%-fat Greek Yogurt
4 eggs
5 tablespoons granulated sweetener
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 x 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
fruit of your choice (I use strawberries on top and raspberries for in the middle)

Directions:

1. Separate the eggs and beat the whites until stiff
2. In another bowl, mix the yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, baking powder, 100g of the yogurt and 4 tablespoons of the sweetener
3. Whisk half of the egg whites into the yolks mixture, then carefully fold in the rest
4. Pour mixture into a tray lined with baking paper. Bake in a pre-heated 160C/320F oven for 25 minutes or until golden and cooked
5. Mix the rest of the yogurt, 1 tablespoon sweetener and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   
6. Cut the cake in half. Spread the yogurt mixture over one half of the cooled cake and top with fruit (I use raspberries for this step.)
7. Place the other half of the cake on top of the first half and cover this with yogurt and then tip with sliced strawberries.
   
   Serve and enjoy!

 

If you want to make this into one full round cake, double layered, then double the recipe and use two cake pans. Skip the cutting in half part. My kids, husband and I all really enjoy this cake. I hope you do too.

(And since I loved my belly dancing class so much yesterday, I will write an informational post about belly dancing tomorrow, so please stop by again!)


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SUGAR FREE - DAY SEVEN! #1wksugarfree

Today is the last day of my one week sugar free.

I lost a little bit more weight overnight for a total weight loss, as of this morning, of 9.2 lbs!  I will post again tomorrow morning with my final weight loss amount and the change in my waist and belly measurements. I am thrilled! When I lost my full 145.5 lbs, I usually lost 1, 2 and 3 lbs a week, more often getting the lower weight-loss results, with occasional half pound losses. One time, I lost seven pounds in one week, and I was over the moon, but I was never able to repeat that loss. (And really, for long-term weight loss, the slower weight losses are better and healthier.) But I have been eating a lot this week. I have not skimped on food. I have made sure that I eat whenever I am hungry and I eat even more when I get my sugar cravings. And yet, I have already lost so much weight this week that I am amazed.

Our bodies are strange things. I knew that I was falling back into my binge eating and needed to make a change. I knew that I needed to change things up. I am surprised by how good the results have been. It's more than just the weight loss. My allergies have improved (though they haven't completely gone away) and I am feeling energetic again. I am full of ideas for my stories again too. And I noticed my weight-lifting sessions are feeling easier.

(No this isn't me. I wish! This is a picture I found on Pinterest here.)

Today, at the urging of my 20 year old daughter Angelica, I tried a completely new form of exercise. We went to our first belly dancing class! I have found a new way to exercise that I absolutely love, and I will definitely continue with the classes while I can afford them. They are not too expensive and they are walking-distance from my house. The class also provided me with a cute jingly belt like the one pictured above to wear during the class. I really like the belt!

So how about you? How have you been doing so far on the challenge? Are the cravings getting any better? Have you noticed any of the changes I have? And is there something you've always wanted to try but haven't gotten around to (like belly dancing for me)? What is it? Please let me know in the comments below.




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Day Six Sugar Free & Flour-Free and Sugar-Free Pancakes Recipe #1wksugarfree

I know it's only evening here and I still have hours left before the day is over for me, but I decided to post early today because things are going really well. I had a moment where I struggled, which I will describe in a moment, but other than that, remaining sugar free is getting easier.

My momentary struggle happened when my husband and I went grocery shopping. We needed food, so I hadn't eaten much by then and I was hungry.  You should never go shopping while hungry. We passed by a large pack of marshmallows which were on sale for £1. For a brief moment, I really struggled not to buy them. I could even picture myself opening the pack and eating some on the way home. I remembered how they would taste. Until that moment, I didn't even know that marshmallows could be a problem for me. I like marshmallows, but my cravings usually fall more towards chocolate and caramel. Did you know that marshmallows have a smell? They do, and in that moment, I remembered it.

We continued on and there were a couple of things that called to me, though none as strongly as the marshmallows had. Pink & Whites (a wafer-like thing with marshmallow between the two sides) were on sale for 50 pence a pack, and my husband even drew my attention to them, but I shook my head "no" and quickly moved on. Alpen Light cereal bars were on sale too, and we usually buy those when they are on sale. My husband asked the question, but I wasn't even tempted for me. In fact, I told him he could buy them for him, as I knew I would be able to control myself around them.

 I ate lots of grilled chicken and salad ingredients today. I had a bit of cheese and some yogurt. I also had some watermelon and plums. Later, I have some strawberries that I can enjoy if I get hungry after my workout on the elliptical crosstrainer. We have bought some eggs, so I will probably make myself an omelet for breakfast, complete with peppers, onion, a sprinkling of cheese and some lean bacon.

As of this morning, my weight is down 8.6lbs. I have to admit that I am thrilled, especially when my weight loss had been stuck for several months.

How are you doing with the challenge so far? Let me know in the comments below.

Here is a recipe for pancakes that doesn't use any flour or sugar. It does use sweetener, but you can reduce the amount at your discretion. I sometimes like adding cinnamon to my pancakes. I recommend topping the pancakes with fruit and/or yogurt.

Flour-Free and Sugar-Free Pancakes

Makes 2 pancakes.

Ingredients

4 tbsp sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Directions

1. Separate the egg yolk and the egg white into separate bowls.

2. Add 2 tbsp of sweetener to the egg white. Using an electric mixer, whip up the egg white until it makes stiff peaks.

3. Add the vanilla extract and the rest of the sweetener to the egg yolk and mix well.

4. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture.

5. Spray a pan with Fry Light and pour half of the mixture into the pan. After a minute, flip the "pancake" over.

6. Take it out a minute later and repeat the cooking process with the rest of the mixture.

Add your favorite topping and enjoy!


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Sugar Free Day Five #1wksugarfree

Another day of avoiding sugar and, in my case, bread. I had a salad with a lean sausage cut up in it for lunch and another, bigger salad with chicken for dinner. Breakfast is usually eggs and yogurt, but I am out of eggs, so  just had the yogurt and a banana. I didn't go shopping today, so I need to go buy some more eggs.

This morning when I weighed myself, I have lost another small amount of weight for a total loss of 7.2 lbs in total so far. This will be interesting to see how the next few days go as I am at a weight I tend to get stuck at when I'm losing. The first day of the challenge, I lost 3.4lbs. The second day I lost 1.4lbs. The third day, I lost 2 lbs and yesterday, I lost .4lbs. It'll be interesting to see how long this keeps up.

Here are links to helpful articles about the evils of sugar and sugar addiction that I have found. Some I have read fully and some I have only skimmed.


The Psychology Behind Sugar Addictions

Five Clues You Are Addicted to Sugar

Why Is Sugar So Addictive

Breaking Your Sugar Addiction

The Truth About Sugar Addiction

Expert Tips to Kick Sugar Addiction

These are just a few of the articles I have found on the topic. There is tons of material out there about sugar and its effect on us. I was informed of a 30 day challenge to go sugar-free that has a Facebook page, so I'm sharing it here, in case anyone is interested in checking it out after this sugar-free week is up. It's called The Sugar Challenge.

How are you all doing so far? Please let me know in the comments!


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