New Year's Resolution Update

As you know, I made a resolution this year to exercise and eat better. As such, I joined a Facebook group that offers workout routines, recipe ideas, and other helpful tips to keep me on track.

The first two weeks of challenges were successful. I joined another challenge this past week, but failed miserably. I only managed to get two workout days in. Now, my goal was to exercise three days a week when the new year started, but I've been doing better than that. It wasn't until this hectic week that things fell apart. Looks like some fine-tuning of the schedule is in order.

The good thing is that eating healthy foods is becoming easier. Over the past five weeks less junk foods and processed foods have made it into the shopping cart and more fruits and vegetables and organic foods have been brought home.

Even though it is impossible for me to make things ahead on the weekend (Realtors work weekends), I can usually make one or two meals and use them throughout the week to stay on track. I also keep the refrigerator stocked with Greek yogurt for snacks. I usually boil seven eggs all at once, so I can add some protein to my breakfast. 

This week I want to focus on getting back to exercising five days and drinking more water. 

New Year's Resolution Solution Update

Saturday made all the difference for me. The workout, while intense, came easier. Breakfast was Blueberry Mornings cereal with raisins added and my usual decaf. Organic nuts and berries for a snack and then cheated with a slice of pizza for lunch. (Bad girl. Bad girl.) Yogurt for my afternoon snack and then butternut squash, chicken, and rice for supper.

Sunday is where it all falls apart. Someone said I really should give my muscles a rest. So I did. Silly me. Had to rush to church in the morning, so I didn't plan to exercise until later. Never did. Still stuck to my healthy foods, though: oatmeal with banana slices and a hard boiled egg for breakfast, one small brownie for a snack at church, salad for lunch, nuts and a pear for snack and then squash and fish with rice for supper.

Monday came, no workout again. Early morning appointments make life tough. Still no fast food and only a treat or two. Hopefully tonight I can exercise a bit.

New Year's Resolution Solution - Post Day 5

I didn't even have the strength to take a picture of my workout today. LOL! Day 5 was a tough one simply because my work schedule was crazier than it has been all week.

Breakfast was quick because I had an early appointment--Greek yogurt and some walnuts with a cup a decaf tea. Snack was walnuts and raisins because they were easy to take on the road with me. Grabbed a salad and water on the road this afternoon and didn't have an afternoon snack because I had another appointment. 

The Lil' Princess made supper for me tonight--tilapia and rice. Chomped some carrots before sitting down and drank more water, so it was a nicely balanced meal. 

Workout was horrible. Focused on abs again, which are still aching from Monday; though not as bad as they were. I couldn't do three sets of all the exercises, but I am working out more than ever before so I am happy with my progress. 

Thank God it's the weekend!

New Year's Resolution Solution - Post Day 4

Yes, that's me. I've totally collapsed and decided to take a snooze on my exercise mat. Well, not really. It made for a great photo, though.

It has been such a hard, hard week: getting the kids off to school on time then rushing home to make breakfast; working out--which I haven't done in years in case I didn't mention that before; hopping in the shower real quick and then getting myself off to the office or appointments.

I am so sore! Everything hurts. First day I worked abs. Second day it was arms. Third day was buttocks. Today was the "Wake up! and make it happen" routine with reps of burpees (had no idea this was an exercise), push ups, mountain climbers, and planks.

My chicken arms aren't meant for push ups and planks. What are these people thinking?

Today's breakfast was oatmeal with bananas and walnuts with a cup of decaf tea. Lunch ended up being a salad from Subway, then supper was a small portion of homemade Shepherd's Pie and a side salad. Had water to drink both times and drank water throughout the day. With a couple of healthy snacks in between meals I was full. I did cheat and have one waffle since I made them for the hubby's dinner. Other than that I was good.

No idea what the exercise routine will be tomorrow, but every time I need to go up or down the stairs it is horrible. Hopefully by next week my legs won't hate me so much.

New Year's Resolution Solution - Post Days 2 & 3

There are days I think I must be crazy to do this. After the first day, my middle hurt. On Day 2, we worked our arms, so they are sore. Then today, we worked out buttocks. Half an hour later my legs still felt like spaghetti. By tomorrow, I won't be able to out of bed.

For the most part, I am sticking to the healthy eating portion of the program too. Breakfast is either oatmeal with fruit or Greek yogurt and a hard-boiled egg. Lunch is usually a salad of some kind. Dinner--I grew up calling it supper--on Day 2 was brown rice, teriyaki chicken, and broccoli. I ate lunch late today, so tonight I opted for some seafood salad (no dressing) in a whole wheat pita with some greens.

Confession time: I cheated at lunch today and had a Pepsi. Gosh, I miss it. I'm thinking, though, if I went from having two 12 oz. cans a day to one every three days, I'm still doing better than I was before. The head aches a bit, but not overwhelming.

The one challenge I am having is getting enough sleep. I really need to get to bed at least an hour earlier.

Not sure what is on tap for exercise on Thursday, but I don't think I have many body parts left that aren't in pain.

New Year's Resolution Solution - Post Day 1

The picture below is from right before yesterday's workout. Don't I look thrilled? Exercise has never come easy for me, but it's time I started doing more of what's right. 

Day 1 of the New Year's Resolution Solution started with my bowl of oatmeal with bananas and walnuts that I washed down with a cup of decaf black tea (everyone says drink green or white tea, but it isn't for me). I'm doing baby steps here. 

Then came the workout. The focus was on abs, so we did the Total Abs workout by Neila Rey--think crunches, leg raises, flutter kicks, planks, etc. My middle still hurts.

Morning snack was low-fat raspberry Greek yogurt. Lunch was a spring mix salad to which I added carrots, beets, and chickpeas. I topped it with a tiny bit of fat free Italian dressing. For the record, I am not a salad person. Drank water with both of these.

Wasn't sure what to do about afternoon snack because I was on the road, so I grabbed some carrots and unsalted dry roasted peanuts, then brought along my trusty water bottle.

I cheated a bit for dinner by having ham and cheese on a whole wheat pita. Added spinach and romaine, along with some tomatoes, to this one. Drank water with this too. I also allowed myself one chocolate chip cookie as a reward last night with a cup of tea. 

Amazingly, I made it through the entire day without a can of soda. I'm craving it, but have managed not to cave in. I haven't had a headache yet, either. If I do, I might have to add one can back in. I'm not sure if the lack of a headache has anything to do with the disastrous detox I did last week.

Trying to get myself ready for the new year, I thought an easy and not radical detox might help. Well....it might have considering my lack of caffeine withdrawal headaches this week, but I thought I was going to die last week. Three days in a row of drinking detox water (water with lemons and other fruits or mint) made me so ill I had to go to bed. I could handle the expulsion of toxins through waste, but my migraines were so bad I couldn't stand light or lift my head off the pillow. I gave up after that. 

Yesterday, makes me optimistic about my ability to stick with it. We post all kinds of photos to the Facebook group each day so we are accountable and have visual aids to remain focused. I've already had a healthy breakfast and performed today's workout, so now it's time to re-hydrate and go about my day. 

New Year's Resolution Solution

In an effort to stick with my goal of eating better and exercising more, I have joined the New Year's Resolution Solution group on Facebook.

With meal plans, daily workouts, recipes and tons of encouragement, we are working to get our bodies ready for summer time. My beach body coach is one of my high school classmates. She's been doing it for a couple of years. While I won't be doing the Shakeology part of the program--I can't stand shakes--I've already done some grocery shopping that is much better than my usual fare. Added more fruits and vegetables this week too.

Wish me luck!